Year on title

[Greg R2]

Just curious what year some of you are getting on your Minnesota titles. My Cobra is titled as a '65 but I know a couple people that had to put the year as the year it was built or purchased. In the Minnesota Dept of Public Safety's own books it states that a kit car shall be titled as the year it represents. It just sounds to me like the people that have to put newer years on their titles are getting the shaft.

Greg

[dscott]

That's really interesting. I've always had to title the cars with the date that comes on the MSO from the Mfg. So this year everything was 2002. It's not a problem here since we don't have to pass emissions but if the car gets sold to another state it can be a problem. I'm going to go to the motor vehicle dept and read up on this. Thanks for the info Greg!
Don

[AJ Bertelson]

I was just gonna post something simmiliar to this,


What do you guys have your vehilces registered as. I don't plan on getting a cobra for a good 7-10 years but I would like to know as much about the registration process as possible.

Are they registered as mustangs or crown vics as in some states

[dscott]

I've never seen one registered as a Mustang or any other type of mass produced car. Minnesota called them reconstructed vehicles. Other I have seen are usually the Mfg name and model. If Minnesota has changed this then we will be able to have the title read the year it represents.

I went to my local MV place in town and the most current information on replicas dates from 1992. She thought she had heard something about a recent change though. I'm going to call the state and get the skinny on what's changed.
Don

[bnewell]

During my search for insurance coverage I found that if my car would have been titled as a 1965 (it is titled as a 2002) my premium would have been almost cut in half. This did not make any sense to me because the policy was for an agreed value of $55K for either the 1965 or 2002 titled car.

The sad thing is that the agent could not explain it either......thats just what the computer told him.

Brian

p.s. damn computers!!!!

[AJ Bertelson]

the reason that I asked is because of insurance. I know in other states you can get these things registered as regular old mustangs and caprices.


just out of curiosity what do you guys pay/year for insurance

[dscott]

I talked to the state today. The woman on the phone said that the title is supposed to show the year the car represents. So I specifically asked her if I bring in a MSO from Classic Roadsters and the date shows 2002 as the year of manufacture what year will the title show? She said if the car represents a 1967 Ford Cobra that is what the title will say. She said the date of the memo that tells her this is dated from 1992. I have received titles after 1992 that show the car listed as reconstructed. She said whoever filled out the paperwork did it wrong. It is not reconstructed. So I asked her again if I have an MSO dated 2002 for a 1936 Mercedes replica that I own how will the title read? She said 1936 Mercedes.

This is great news for any cars that are sold outside of MN. No emissions testing required. Thanks to Greg for bringing this to light. I also went to my local motor vehicle and they show kits listed under reconsructed. That memo was from 1990. I guess the state is pretty slow in updating their outstate stations. Of course the woman said they have some memos that need to be put in the book but they haven't had time! 10 years!
Don

[Greg R2]

AJ,

My car is titled as a 1965 427 Roadster. The MSO also showed it as being a 427 Roadster (search for Shelby vs FFR for a detailed reason).

Glad I could help some people out. Now the question is: Can a Cobra with a title that states the wrong year be corrected?

Not only can it help reduce the insurance cost it can also reduce the cost of your license tabs. Just got my registration renewal yesterday, cost of tabs = $39.50 .

Greg

[Snake]

I've just finished biulding a Classic's Roadsters Cobra..I bought the parts piece by piece over the internet...but all for the CLR cobra. Since I've bought it piece by piece I have no MCO. Oh Ya!! I sould tell you's I live in Canada. Now the funny thing is..Well it's not funny anymore, is the inspector here is asking for the MCO...and you'd think that he would know that an MCO can't be transfired from one owner to the next...so I've been told.

Now the b$@ch of it all...is I've got a finished Cobra and, no redgistration..and, no insurance on it. One of the guy's at the inspection garage gave me a guys number to call..he seems to be a mechanical enginer...and, he told me that the enginer that is working for the government is a total morron...Well Dah!! This guy considers, if you put on winer tires...your car is modified...wish we could carry guns here. Just kidding!! I gave him my number since the mechanical enginer and, I guess some others are fighting with the government to get some order on this...makes no sence...there losing money on the tag and on the taxes...what a loser. Oh buy the way...it is a flat rate of $500.00 bucks for the mechanical enginer to come and inspect my frame.
Well.....not much else to say?
Snake/Gerry.

[dscott]

I had a customer call me and tried to register a Cobra as a 1965. The state DMV said no way! It has to be the year on the MSO. I called and got some different info today. The person I talked to before was wrong. I talked to Carol Walter today, her # is 651-296-9520. She said that anyone that received a title for a replica with the year it represents fell through the cracks and got lucky. Any replica has to be titled as the year it was built or stated on the MSO.

I asked for names of people I can write to and discuss the issue. Carol said she would love it if the state would add 1 line to the title app. so the car could be listed as the year it represents and the word replica. So the title would read 1966 Cobra replica. She said most branches and even the main branch are confused on what to do because they see so few of these. I am going to write a letter to 2 guys that head up the DMV at the state and see if I can get anywhere with them. I'll keep you posted.
Don

[Greg R2]

Don,
Next time I get over to the DMV I'll see if I can get copies of the pages out of the DMV's own books again. They actually stated the same thing the first person told you.

Greg

[dscott]

Greg, That would be great. Thanks
Don

[MikeD]

Hi Guys,
I have the paperwork in front of me. When I went to get my tabs renewed for my truck I asked the nice DMV lady about how to title the Cobra replica I was building. She got out the book, showed and photocopied everything I needed. She was sure this is how it worked.

Note item E.2 below.
I'm not sure what the document name is, but at the bottom it says: "Rev. 4-92" and the page is "E-41",
"X. REGISTRATION OF RECONSTRUCTED CARS AND TRUCKS
PROCEDURE. All rebuilt or reconstructed cars and trucks MUST meet the following criteria for registration and titling.
A. The applicant will furnish the MSO, titles, bills of sale or original letterhead recepts for all major parts used in the construction or reconstruction of these vehicles. If the customer needs copies of these receipts for his/her records, he/she will have to make photocopies.
B. Proof of ownership on the body shall be one of the following:
1. New body: An MSO is required when a kit such as a Bradley or Baron is used. This would include any constructed body designed to be attached to a stock motor vehicle frame. The serial number provied with the kit must be attached to the body.
C. Proof of for the Frame shall be one of the following:
1. New frame: A Manufacturer's Statement of Origin (MSO), if the frame was included in a kit, along with a Bill of sale.
2. Used frame: a title properly assigned to the person making application.
3. Non-titled vehicle frame: A registration card along with a bill of sale.
4. Junked frame: <snip>
5. Homemade frame: <snip>
6. No record of the vehicle: A statement of facts, along with a bill of sale from the seller.
D. Original letter head receipts
E. Completed application for title and registration.
1. Submit MSO, last registration card or certificate of title issued for all vehicles used in the reconstruction<snip>
2. The year and make completed on the PS2000 form should be what the vehicle appears to be. In general the VIN used should be that of the body for cars and trucks.
3. Completion of an Affidavit of Reconstruction (for PS2015) is required.
4. submit all original invoices, bills of sale or original letterhead
5. Collect registration tax due.
... <snip>

I snipped items that I didn't think applied to us.

sorry for the length.
seems clear to me, unless they changed the law / rules sometime after 1992, that we're titled by what the vehicle appears to be...

Mike

[sparks]

I just had my spf titled as a 65 ford(superformance)cobra replica. The rev. form you r talking of is for taxes I believe. Do not show them a bill of sale for your motor. Just say that you've had it for a year or 2 and you built it yourself. That way you avoid paying taxes on your motor.

[Bill Wells]

sparks...have you been sleeping.?? ..each state is different re what qualifies for a 65 registration or current year. and, to just give the value of the car less engine/trans etc as price paid : guys are going to jail in calif for doing that..under-reporting price paid and thereby taxes short paid too ....nice of you to tell the world cuz i am sure the tax collectors / dmv in illinois don't read this site, hah, and bet they are looking up your file now ...the dmv folks read it in calif and it is getting nasty out there...then in some cases ya want to get insurance and kit cars are treated differenty by some insur co's vs manufactured cars, so then what do you say about your spf , kit or manufactured ? amazing . bill

[casaleenie]

Sparks,

Just a suggestion....
You can e-mail replies and not go through the forum... It's a little more private and lower profile....

[Greg R2]

Sparks,
In Minnesota you must show proof of ownership of the engine, title with matching vin, bill of sales, etc. If the numbers on the engine don't match the paperwork when you go through inspection, life becomes a nightmare. It's just not worth the headaches.

Greg