My Recent Experience with SB100 & Bringing a Used Cobra into California

[need2fillmygara]

Hi, Question for the more knowledgeable on the SB 100 process. Does how the vehicle (eg cobra replica) is registered in another state matter when bringing it into California? Looking at an early 2000 build and registered in other state as a "2000 replica". Does it need to be a "1965 cobra replica"? Or does any kit car (eg Factory Five, Superformance, etc) qualify for SB 100? I don't mind going through all the DMV, CHP, etc process but don't want to get too deep into the money without at least knowing what I am thinking may be feasible. Thanks in advance

[twobjshelbys]

You're in California, right? You'll still need SB100 for emissions.

[Randy Rosenberg]

I would expect the CA DMV to consider it a "2000 Specially Constructed Vehicle" on the title, making it eligible for SB100 Smog Exemption. I'm not sure that trying to change the title to a "1965 Cobra Replica" will work in CA, since CA is very specific about "year of manufacture/build" - clearly this vehicle was not built in 1965. Read the fine print on the title application form, and pay attention to the perjury section....

[SBSerpent]

I bought a BDR 2011 build back in May of 2020. Since then, I have been going through the SB100 process ever so slowly, partly due to Covid and partly due to the snail pace that the DMV and BAR operate at. What's more, the SB100 process was slowed for about a year (between spring of 2020 til summer of 2021) due to CARB getting involved and raising a stink about BDRs and SPFs not really being kit cars but more like turn key cars. CARB has now backed off and the process is back on track. Now its just a matter of getting through the backlog of car/SB100 applications.

[need2fillmygara]

Helpful-thanks for the feedback forum members. I'll keep you all updated as I get into the process.

[SBSerpent]

Funny thing. I just received an email today from BAR confirming my paperwork and that my certification has been approved. Now all that is left is for me is to schedule an in-person appointment with the BAR referee to confirm all the PCV plumbing is properly installed. Woohoo, light at the end of the tunnel!

Best advice that I have is to have all paperwork and invoices showing the individual costs for body, engine and tranny; build photos are also very helpful, all the proper DMV paperwork filled out and most importantly, lots of patience and perseverance. Maybe the fact that I bought my Cobra used from the original owner helped (car had been previously titled and registered in Illinois). I had heard of at least one horror story where someone bought a 2020 SPF build directly from SPF here in California and he could not get it certified. Maybe it was during that period of time where CARB was involved and BDRs and SPFs were not getting approved...plus the fact that he bought the car brand new from the dealer, which made it harder to convince BAR that it was not a turn key car.

Good luck. It can be done.

Feel free to PM me if you would like to talk more.

[Cobalt289]

To need2fillmygara - My ERA Cobra was previously licensed in Wisconsin as a 1965 Cobra Replica. I tried to go the AAA route and they gave me a license plate and sent in all the paperwork, but DMV rejected it right away. So I went through all the SB100 stuff and California ended up assigning a new California VIN to my car and registering it as a 2016 SPCN, which was simply the year of my registering it in California. Have since moved to Tennessee and it's now registered here as a 1965 Cobra Replica (per the old Wisconsin title) but with the new California VIN so if I ever want to sell it the SB100 will still be with the car. Good luck!

[panteralee]

Can someone clarify this point - when I read the SB100 requirements, it states one of the things that must be done is "Smog Certificate". How does one know if you buy a built car outside California that is will be smog exempt. Certainly a confusing process. I want to buy a built car (either SPF or ERA GT40) and register it in California as and of course have it be smog exempt. Can anyone provide that clarification. thanks much.

[SBSerpent]

Originally Posted by panteralee

Can someone clarify this point - when I read the SB100 requirements, it states one of the things that must be done is "Smog Certificate". How does one know if you buy a built car outside California that is will be smog exempt. Certainly a confusing process. I want to buy a built car (either SPF or ERA GT40) and register it in California as and of course have it be smog exempt. Can anyone provide that clarification. thanks much.

I just sent you a PM

[Cobalt289]

Originally Posted by panteralee

Can someone clarify this point - when I read the SB100 requirements, it states one of the things that must be done is "Smog Certificate". How does one know if you buy a built car outside California that is will be smog exempt. Certainly a confusing process. I want to buy a built car (either SPF or ERA GT40) and register it in California as and of course have it be smog exempt. Can anyone provide that clarification. thanks much.

When you register a special construction car under SB100, for smog purposes you can either register it based on the year the car is a replica of (1965 Cobra) OR the actual year of the engine (DON'T DO IT THIS WAY). For Cobras, you always want the 1965 or earlier emissions requirements. But if you were to do it the other way based on the engine, and your engine isn't from 1965 or earlier, you'd have a street legal special construction vehicle that would still need a smog certificate every year. So be sure to select the option that your smog requirements are based on the year the vehicle recreates - hence, smog-exempt.

[spdbrake]

There's an ERA FIA 2072 (current SB100 and Cal tags) listed on BAT with 4 days to go.
https://bringatrailer.com/listing/20...era-fia-cobra/

[Chicagowil]

I just had a potential buyer back out of the sale of another car I have after he read online that it seems Wisconsin has started blocking any homebuilt cars from being registered if they are constructed of round tube steel.

I did see a few posting of others on different sites that ran into this. One of them was a purchased kit of a Lotus 7 from a kit company who supplied the entire manufactured frame.

In their (WI) web site, even a factory replica kit car, if I am reading it correctly, seems to be considered a "homebuilt" and I assume it places the same restriction on the kit. And now all Kits & homebuilt cars will be licensed for the year they are originally registered, not the year of the car it is replicating.

So, anyone looking to purchase a close clone of, say, a Cobra with an original style round tube frame, buyer beware! The original style, I assume, will fail inspection!

Only replicas built with a square tube ladder frame are safe and acceptable?

Wonder why Formula 1 race car builders are not aware that their cars are "unsafe" building round tube caged frames?

Not trying to dump on Wisconsin, just an FYI.

And since I am about to try and register my Classic Roadster 427 with a square tube frame instead of a "clone" of an original, I think I will be OK.

[twobjshelbys]

Wonder what group protecting us from ourselves got that through

[twobjshelbys]

So could a real original be licensed?

[cycleguy55]

Originally Posted by Chicagowil

I just had a potential buyer back out of the sale of another car I have after he read online that it seems Wisconsin has started blocking any homebuilt cars from being registered if they are constructed of round tube steel.

I did see a few posting of others on different sites that ran into this. One of them was a purchased kit of a Lotus 7 from a kit company who supplied the entire manufactured frame.

In their (WI) web site, even a factory replica kit car, if I am reading it correctly, seems to be considered a "homebuilt" and I assume it places the same restriction on the kit. And now all Kits & homebuilt cars will be licensed for the year they are originally registered, not the year of the car it is replicating.

So, anyone looking to purchase a close clone of, say, a Cobra with an original style round tube frame, buyer beware! The original style, I assume, will fail inspection!

Only replicas built with a square tube ladder frame are safe and acceptable?

Wonder why Formula 1 race car builders are not aware that their cars are "unsafe" building round tube caged frames?

Not trying to dump on Wisconsin, just an FYI.

And since I am about to try and register my Classic Roadster 427 with a square tube frame instead of a "clone" of an original, I think I will be OK.

Thread hijacking. Bad netiquette.

Please start a new thread, rather than resurrecting an old one that's about a completely different topic.

[Chicagowil]

Sorry

[Randall Thomas]

Chicagowill. I see much of that is not accurate. I am one of the people that helped write the Trans 305 Law that was enacted in the early 80's and several bills thereafter, but there are contradicting leftovers that have stacked up over the years. If you want to give me a call I can help you out and go through each of your concerns and explain the process and procedure. Wisconsin is one of the easiest states to register specialty vehicle. By far. Contact me if you like for more info.

[Ejbinca1]

I recently purchased a 1965 backdraft cobra and chose to register it in Montana using an LLC. I just thought the SB100 process would be too complicated. We'll see how the Montana registration works? Does anyone in CA have experiences with this process?

[jhv48]

I would remove the above post. California is wise to the Montana LLC tax dodge and can make your life miserable if they choose to go after you.
Maintain a low profile and you should be ok.
Read the following thread about the risks of having a Montana LLC registration.
Denbeste CSX Montana title

[twobjshelbys]

Every state is wise to the Montana LLC tax dodge.

The outcome of the Denbeste link was that the buyer of a montana titled car said he would take it through the SB100 process, although there was no follow up to that (the topic is 4 years old). Not that he registered it in Montana and got caught with his hands in the cookie jar. That said, we have no first hand experience of what CA might have done to someone.

CA is pretty well known for collecting what is due them, and then some if you overtly dodge their taxes.

I've also heard that some insurance companies get picky about having a vehicle registered in a different place where it is driven...