SB-100 last thoughs?

SCOBRAC · #1 (**permalink**) 11-16-2003, 10:22 PM

Like many among us I had great hopes for the specially constructed vehicle provisions of SB-100 (2002). I like many of you waited at the fron door of the DMV on January 1st and after much insistance got a DMV worker to believe me that there really was a new law taking effect and I was there to reregister my 1988 car as a 1966...

I got my spn number. It's 006. Great right... Or is it? I have the number but haven't finished the process of getting my regristration converted. Is it true the spn process essentially reassigns your vehicle year as 0000? In exchange you get out of biannual smog checks but are added to a list of gross polluters. (why else would they need an inspection and one last smog inspection)

I guess I am wondering whether it's worth doing. Is the way it was sold the way it worked out worth the hastle and the risk of future complications? Call me a conspiracy nut but the whole process seemed rather Naziesque. Any thoughts?

The good news is your new Govenor is a car nut.

Steve Dickey · #2 (**permalink**) 11-16-2003, 10:27 PM

So what is the best way to go and why?? SB100 vs the Specially Constructed Vehicle route? Steve

Ron61 · #3 (**permalink**) 11-17-2003, 07:16 AM

Steve,

Would you explain just what you meant by SB-100 vs the special constructed vehicle route? I can't answer Scrobrac's question with a definate answer, but the three guys that I know here who went through the SB-100 route had no problems and their cars were assigned as 2001 & 2002 which was when they finished them. Then they got a sticker from the smog station that they were exempt from any emission requirements. Their registration shows a 2002 car which is registered as a 1965 Cobra replica and is exempt from emissions. The CHP assigned the ID numbers and the DMV assigned the SCV number. I never heard anything about the year being 0000. If you like, when we get to gether again I can ask them about the whole process and get all the information.

Ron

jpk · #4 (**permalink**) 11-17-2003, 08:34 AM

Ron,
Now you've got me wondering. I can't tell you for sure now, because my registration is in my glove box in Bill Emerson's shop. Much closer to you than to me. I bought my car new at the end of 2001, and registered it using SB100 in january, 2002. If I remember correctly, the registration said the car was a 2000, first sold/registered in 2002. I was curious about this, but never asked, because with the DMV, I wanted to leave well enough alone. Since you have some earlier smog exempt cars like I do, you know that at registration renewal time, the air quality nazis send you a letter to tell you that they'll give you $500.00 if you have your car crushed instead of re-registered. Well, when I got my most recent registration renewal for the cobra ($1,024.00), I also got a letter from the air quality nazis that offered me $500.00 if I wanted to have my 2000 car crushed. The interesting part is that I must have got this letter because some computer somewhere has the car listed as a 1965, because you don't get these letters unless the car is 30 years (?) old, even though the letter said 2000.

I'm puzzled, but don't want to ask.

joe kennedy

Ron61 · #5 (**permalink**) 11-17-2003, 11:46 AM

Joe,

Wow, is all I can say. I sent you an e-mail as I went over to Bill's and looked at your registration. I will have to wait and see what they do up here but I just got the registration for my 69 Ford Cobra and it had gone up to $47 dollars as they said they were phasing in the triple rates. If yours are phased in, watch out for next year. This dam republick is way out of control and won't stop until only illegal aliens can own a car over 5 years old and not made by one of the big four.

However on a lighter note, I will give you $1,000 dollars for your car and I won't even crush it.

Ron

jpk · #6 (**permalink**) 11-17-2003, 11:58 AM

Ron,

Thanks for checking that out. The $1,024.00 is with the triple rate phased in. It was around $360.00 last year, if I remember correctly.

On another note, I haven't seen the car since it came out of the paint shop. How's it look?

thanks,

joe kennedy

roadsternut · #7 (**permalink**) 11-17-2003, 03:31 PM

In the Thread titled "SB100 in CA", Ibr8k4vetts states the following:
"I have registered my Cobra as a 1965, just received my title and the year has 0000. Is this right? shouldn't be 1965? I called DMV and can't get any help there".

The registration process i n CA is an area of great concern for me. This has gotten to the point where I will start looking into this by visiting my local DMV office to find out all available options and decide on the best route to take well before I am even ready to place my order on a kit!

jpk · #8 (**permalink**) 11-17-2003, 03:54 PM

I hate to say this, but DMV workers are the last people you should go to for info. I'm not joking. I, as well as several people I know, have had to educate these people as we went. You need to know the procedure beforehand, and INSIST that they follow it. You should start by going to the DMV web page and printing out all of the procedures that they outline, so you can show it to the workers as necessary. Also, there are several threads on CC where people who have done it outline all of the steps. One place to check for these threads would be the Bay Area Cobra Club under club forums.

good luck,

joe kennedy

Randy Rosenberg · #9 (**permalink**) 11-17-2003, 04:05 PM

Joe's right!

roadsternut · #10 (**permalink**) 11-17-2003, 04:11 PM

You guys are absolutely right. I will conform accordingly. Thanks for the advice!

Tongue Pirate · #11 (**permalink**) 11-17-2003, 04:32 PM

100%!!! The DMV employees have had me running around in balls of frustration due to thier lack of knowledge & true desire to help me out thoroughly through my past problems. I always check the site before I visit. Always saves me at least one trip

roadsternut · #12 (**permalink**) 11-17-2003, 05:00 PM

Tonque Pirate,
Since you're in the process of finishing your ERA 289 and, as you state below, have started working on the registration process (?), maybe you can help me with shedding some light on a specific question I have. Recently, I have been trying to find out whether, as residents of California, we are only limited to registring these "specially constructed vehicles" under the SB100 provision and nothing else?
I have asked a few replica owners but they all had registered their cars long ago and were not sure. When I search the DMV site (as I just did a few minutes ago), you're lead to believe that you must register under SB100 only.
Do you know if I have the option of ignoring SB100 and simply registering an SPCN car as a 2003, etc... and meeting smog requirements based on the engine I install in the car?
My goal is to install an older ('64/'65 block engine) engine.
Any info you might have is greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance for any info you might have on this.

Tongue Pirate · #13 (**permalink**) 11-17-2003, 05:11 PM

Sorry, I was refering to past visits that weren't Cobra related. I haven't begun my registration yet but was also reading on the DMV site a bit ago & got the same impression. I have also been told by members that we do not have that option. For this reason I have been looking into purchasing a Ford Racing crate engine for mine & keeping the 64' shortblock for a later date. If, & I don't think we can, I could register it per date of the engine I would love to go that route & save these political hassles. Maybe an informed member can give us a definite on this. I wouldn't dare call DMV on this, been that route!!!

roadsternut · #14 (**permalink**) 11-17-2003, 05:23 PM

Thanks for the reply. If SB100 is the only way to go, then not only are we forced to make sure we're one of the first 500 in any given year, it looks like we have to put up with a "0000" title year designation. This has become such an aggravation at this point that I will make it a point to continue researching this until I know exactly how this process works and how it affects my goals.
I will post any relevant information I find.

SCOBRAC · #15 (**permalink**) 11-17-2003, 08:50 PM

I understand the titles read 0000. I'm not sure why the registration would be different than that. I don't know if that is still the way it is happening. I was hoping it was not.

The leglislation was suppose to allow you to register your car as either the year of the chassis or the year of the engine. This potentially meant if you had a 1966 427 you got a 1966 title. That didn't happen obviously. I was told recently by a builder the cars are essentially required to have the smog of the car it most resembles. That's fine for a 1966 Cobra or a 1963 Sprite but what are the one-off guys doing?

I guess getting out of the next 5 smog inspections (my car is already 16 years old) is worth something. I'm not sure it's worth losing it's identity as a 1988 Contemoprary. Maybe it is.

Don't get me wrong. I think for the guy with a 2003 crate motor this is a good thing. The guys that spent the money on vintage engines are taking it in the shorts though. Under the old system you could register your car as the year it was constructed and be responsible for the smog controls which would have come on the engine you chose to use, thus a 1988 5.0 was required to have all the '88 smog devices, cats, egr, canisters etc. But a 1966 or 68 427 or 427 was pretty much home free with a pcv valve.

I guess I will call the BAR and finish the process. At least the car tax was repealed today.

Regards,

Turk · #16 (**permalink**) 11-17-2003, 08:57 PM

Trust me on this!
You don't want to try to register your car in California as a smog compliant vehicle. SB100 is the way to go.

Rad elsewhere about me pulling my hair out trying to make a Porsche 930 Smog Compliant. Doing it their way. This on a car that has already been smogged and registered in another state for the last 18 years.

$10,000 and still counting.

SB-100 or nothing.

TURK

vettestr · #17 (**permalink**) 11-17-2003, 09:58 PM

Hello all,
I feel for you all and this SB100 BS. What are the hoops you must jump through to bring a car into Ca. that has been registered/titled in another state as a 1965 or 66? What if you bought a car from a state like Arizona that titles replicas as a 1965 or whatever the MSO declares as the reproduction year?

Turk · #18 (**permalink**) 11-17-2003, 10:06 PM

My guess is, during the initial registration you will be required to go through the emission unless the VIN number is a 1965 or a 1966 VIN number. Anything unusual will not go through the DMV or SMOG station computer.
This is where the visit to the Air Resources comes in. From that point in, I can't help you.

It should also be noted, the submission of documentation for items purchased to put in a Special Construction Car has changed. Now they will require you to fill a few more pages.
I was shown at the DMV office a new book they are using. That shows different kits, rollers, components.
a
My recommendation is to be absolutely up front and honest about wht came with the kit and what all you had to buy to complete it, and what you paid for it.

They now have a lot of references to establish the True Value of the car. State of California is in need of money, they are not about to let anyone slide.

TURK

vettestr · #19 (**permalink**) 11-17-2003, 10:32 PM

Turk,
My PM message asking you about your 930 ordeal crossed paths while you responed to this post. Az. issues a vin # they create and it is listed as say a 1965. You must meet any smog requirement of the year car is titled as and no tests are required. If older than 1977 right now or 25 years or older is exempt. So is buying a car from Az. in this case 1 way you could make things work for Ca.? I would not play any illegal games but would that be a legal way to own and drive a Replica without the SB100 nightmare?

SCOBRAC · #20 (**permalink**) 11-18-2003, 06:16 PM

Hmmmm...

I really must draw the line at telling the truth (or anything else) to someone who is about to impose a confiscatory tax on me based on a purchase I am making with funds which were already subject to personal income tax of nearly 50%. DMV fees here on a new Cobra an be as much as $10,000 (10% of the purchase price)

I really enjoy living here but if California doesn't change it will become the largest economy in the turd-world. These fees, taxes and fines are just another symptom of the cancer eating at this state and like any living breathing thing taken by cancer or corruption it will certainly collapse under it's own weight.

While I wish it wouldn't, I secretly wait for that to happen. Ayn Rand had it right half a century ago in her book Atlas Shrugged. The Consumers are outnumbering the Producers and in 1/2 a generation we will likely break down completely enless it turns around.

Ironically, it may be people like our new govenor and other first generation amerICANs who show us (not all of us) the way out of this hole we are digging.