Help Titling a new Cobra in MN?

[chucks1]

Am hoping to purchase a new Superformance and title it in the state of Minnesota. I have talked to a half dozen people at MN DMV thus far and have been given different/conflicting information from each and every person I talk to. Has anyone had a fairly recent experience in MN and, if so, would you be willing to share some information with me?

Chuck

[fasterpatrick]

You won't be able to title it as a 65 and get collector plates. You may or may not have to make a trip to the inspection station to verify numbers. You will pay tax on what the car is worth not what you spent. Best bet is go down to Faribault if you can, the girls down there will get you taken care of. I have been working to get a title for my car all season and they keep putting up obsticles.
Patrick

[chucks1]

I may have had a bit of good luck today after several weeks and countless phone calls. Got through to the inspection folks at MN DMV. I am semi-confident the information I was provided is accurate. I need to bring my signed MSO, an Affidavit of Reconstruction and all receipts (gotta pay that sales tax) to a DMV office. They will begin the titling process and give me a set of plates (you are correct; it will not be a '65!). Once I get the vehicle inspected - it is a parts only inspection, not a safety inspection - the inspection folks will create a VIN for the car and pass the paperwork through to get the title issued. If this works as advertised I should have a set of plates so I can drive the car around and actually get it to the inspection station without having to trailer it. Sounds easy, but I'm sure it won't be.

[fasterpatrick]

Where are you located? When do you expect to have your car running. You will be making two trips to the inspection station. One for the inspection where they fill out the form that you have to take back to the DMV. Two you will be notified when your VIN tag is sent to the Inspection station, they have to put it on, and more papers to bring to the DMV. With luck they shouldn't make you bond the car and your title will be processed. Plan on at least a month between visits. Right now I'm working getting my car bonded (scratch built) and one last fileing at the DMV and I should get a title. This I started last Oct.
Have fun enjoy,
Patrick

[chucks1]

I'm in NW metro. Two trips to the inspection station? Interesting; I wasn't told anything like that in any of the myriad of DMV conversations. Luckily I already have an initial inspection set for early next month at the St. Cloud station. Car should be here in MN at the end of August and it is ready to run (SPO w/351W stroker), so I'll be anxious to get the thing on the road one way or another shortly after it lands in my driveway.

[fasterpatrick]

There are a few fellow cobra guys up buy you, couple FFRs and an ERA/bigblock, they frequent the Anoka shows. Nice guys stop and talk to them they should be able to keep you up to date on all the funs happening. Yes it is best to schedule your next appointment right after you finish one because of the paperwork delay and the wait times. I just hope I finish this up before my temp tags expire.
Patrick

[chucks1]

Anoka is certainly one of the places I plan to cruise as soon as possible. I'll definitely be asking some questions about multiple trips to the inspection station - it certainly isn't easy to get an appointment without waiting at least several weeks. Thanks a bunch for the info Patrick . . . and good luck with your title quest as well.

[NRP/MN]

In most cases, they will use the Superformance assigned chassis number as your vin. Superformance has this number stamped in the chassis and this will be accepted by the inspectors. The inspection is painless and as you noted is not a safety inspection. Fasterpatrick gave you good advice- try the Faribault insection station. Mike

[chucks1]

Guys, that Faribault location is quite a haul for me. What would they do differently (or easier?) than a location such as Royalton/St. Cloud? If it's worth the trip, I'll certainly check it out for appointment timeframes. I was under the impression that the inspection itself was not a big deal - are they just better at dealing with the paperwork?

[chucks1]

Since my first trip to DMV will be to apply for title and get plates, have you got experience that any one location (i.e. Faribault) is easier to get through that first step than perhaps a location closer in to the metro area?

[fasterpatrick]

Okay I'll try to explain the procedure as simply as possible.

Step 1. Apply for title. Two forms application for title, affidavit of reconstruction. This is to get the ball rolling give them your receipts all id numbers from all major components and pictures from all four sides. Pay the tax on fair market value of your vehicle (charged tax on your own labor). At this point they are supposed to give you temp plates so that you can use your vehicle to get it back and forth for inspections. Three of the offices I visited would not issue plates to me at this point, turned and walked away try another. Make appointment for inspection NOW!!

Step 2. After A FEW WEEKS you get the paperwork back, hopefully your appointment is till valid (No title yet). You are required to have your vehicle inspected this is to make sure the parts you put on the affidavit are the parts in your car and not stolen. At inspection they stamp your paperwork and send you back to the DMV, to apply for a VIN tag.Make another appointment at inspection station NOW!!

Step 3. FEW more WEEKS wait VIN tag shows up at inspection station you will be notified by mail it has been sent there. Again hope your appointment is valid. Go to inspection office inspector will look over your paperwork again and the stick the VIN tag to your car oh yea it is a freaking sticker and yes they have to be the ones who place the tag to your car. Oh yea still no title yet, inspector stamps your paperwork again and sends you back to the DMV.

Step 4. back to the DMV to finally file the final paperwork (and pay inspection fee) to get your title, wait SIX-EIGHT weeks for title to show up. hopefully your temp plates have not expired. You have just made the journey of a life time.

Patrick

[chucks1]

Patrick, I was able to get through to the state inspection office again today for further clarification once that initial inspection has been completed. I gota tell you, your information and what I am now (finally) getting from the state of MN are matching up pretty well. I even had confirmation from a supervisor level person with the state. Things are looking up. Thanks a bunch.

Chuck

[chucks1]

Just posting an update regarding my titling quest. I bought my SPF from Fastlane Performance Cars (plug for Matthew at FLP) at the end of August. The car was perfect in every way and I already have 800 trouble-free miles on it.

Went to Sherburne Cty Registrar office armed with advance research and high hopes. They took my original MSO, receipts, Affidavit of Reconstruction and Application for Title. I paid my fees and they handed over a set of MN license plates.

Next step was my first vehicle inspection, which I had scheduled weeks earlier. I failed the inspection as expected (no VIN) and left with my failed inspection report and an appointment for my next inspection.

The Registrar office would not accept my failed inspection report because my Application for Title could not be found in their system. Didn't matter that I already had permanent plates because MN has a 3-4 month paperwork backlog. I was told to come back in a few months. That advice was unappealing, so I contacted the lady who assigns VIN's at the DMV. Wow, she was extremely helpful and took care of my report personally. Within 3 days I received a letter from her stating that my VIN had been created and sent to the inspection station. Sweet deal.

My next inspection is a week away, at which time I anticipate getting my VIN sticker applied (adhesive and rivets) and being handed a passed inspection report. The VIN lady gave me instructions to mail that report right back to her and I'll follow those instructions to the letter.

This whole thing could have been a complete nightmare without all of the advance research and assistance from others on this site. I may not be out of the woods yet, but this is certainly a good start.

Chuck

[NRP/MN]

Chuck, don't let them create a new VIN for your car. Those of us with Superformance cars use the chassis tag already supplied by Superformance. The chassis tag matches up to all the numbers that the factory has stamped into the chassis in various spots. I like the uncluttered look of not having an additional tags under the hood or riveted on my chassis. My VIN for example is SPO1xxx. ( x's = numbers).
Mike

P.S. A friend just took his Factory Five car to the Royalton Inspection station and breezed right through. He hauled it up there from the cities.

[chucks1]

Interesting. I was told I had no choice because the SPO number doesn't have enough characters - and I was at the Royalton station myself. I wonder if the rules have changed? I was at least figuring the SPO number would be incorporated into the VIN that they create. I'll have to make another call on this. Thx . . .

[chucks1]

Went to my 2nd vehicle inspection (Royalton) last week. After confirming with the DMV and the inspector, I ended up with a state issued VIN that had to be applied to my car. I placed it just under the driver-side door hinge, but since the car and sticker are both blue, it isn't really noticeable unless you're looking for it. Law also requires 2 rivets to attach the sticker as well, so the inspector drilled a couple holes and tapped the rivets in place. Not what I wanted to have happen, but from all I can determine, there was no other recourse.

The VIN does not contain my SPF number either. Curious since the SPF number is splattered all over the car. It is a MN issued alpha/numeric sequence and I had no say in the scheme whatsoever. Hopefully the next step is a title.

Ran into a state trooper the other day too (figuratively speaking). He was directing traffic and I stopped a few feet from him. He asked the year of my car, which I was unable to truthfully answer since I have no title. He looked at my rear plate, said I needed a front plate and started to write a warning ticket, but with all the traffic he just told me to get going. I finally put a front plate on my GT500 last year after repeated warnings and a fix-it ticket. Can't stand the thought of putting one on the Cobra.

[fasterpatrick]

At least they did not put it where the put mine. Right under the latch on the door jam which is fiberglass. They passed on the rivets though, thank god. But I worry about it becoming damaged at which time the whole thing starts over from the beginning. I'm going to make a small cover out of Lexan and rivet over the sticker.
Sucks about the front plate, I'm dreading the fact that I will end up placing one there as well. Can't figure out a decent mount.
Patrick

[chucks1]

I bought a front license plate bracket from Finish Line. Good quality item, but I can't bring myself to even give it a trial install. The plate is just so big and ugly looking on the front of the car.

Came up with another idea though. The oil cooler on my SPF is not plumbed, so impeded air flow is not a big deal. I bought an Altec Hideaway plate holder on Amazon for $43 and find that I can mount it under the oil cooler opening and it is almost completely out of sight. When I slide the plate out and up, it is centered on the oil cooler opening and doesn't look nearly so big and ugly as it would anyplace else. I'll use some super strength 3M double face tape or hook/loop fasteners to install it.

Naturally, the entire thing will reside in the trunk until I get stopped again, at which point I'll beg forgiveness and tell the officer I am planning to install the plate at the next opportunity.

Chuck

[chucks1]

One last update; 57 days from the date I applied for a MN title on my new SPF to the date that I have an official title in my hand. It definitely paid off to do advance research, ask questions, make phone calls and take notes.

Chuck