CSX car registered in Montanna

ERA 626 · #1 (**permalink**) 05-31-2019, 01:45 PM

I just purchaced a Brand new CSX car, the car has been sitting BRAND new since 2011. Its currently registered in Montanna ans a 1965 Shelby Cobra, not a replica.
My first thought was to play stupid and go into the DMV and try to register it a a 1965 shelby cobra.
I went through the SB-100 process for my ERA car back in 2002. It was not that big of a deal.

advise?

twobjshelbys · #2 (**permalink**) 05-31-2019, 02:23 PM

Someone else was asking the same question but the origin of the cars is different. I sent you a PM about your situation. Good luck.

CSX 4133 · #3 (**permalink**) 05-31-2019, 07:48 PM

If the car has a Montana Title with 1965 Shelby Cobra you should be good, except you live in California. Good luck.
Mine was titled as a '65 Shelby Cobra so I had no issues transferring in TN.

twobjshelbys · #4 (**permalink**) 06-02-2019, 04:56 PM

You state that you "just purchased" - does that mean you have entered into a commitment, perhaps with down payment, etc? Or have you fully and finally paid for it and you have a title endorsed over in your name?

It sounds like in other places that you are starting to have some concerns about the car, especially now that you're seeking references to the seller.

There is a simple solution.

If you have not paid for it yet, the car is titled already, so it is NOT a case of a first title from a MSO. If you are concerned about having the car transferring into CA with no strings attached then ask the seller (at your expense) to re-title the car as a CA car and get the SB100 exemption. It will take him a little time, but in the end it will be safer for both of you. The action to be taken is NOT to title it in your name. The action taken is for the seller to get a CA title and SB100 exemption IN HIS NAME. There is no down side to this. You will reimburse him for the expense. Should he not be able to get it then he'll know he's got a CA restricted car. In any case he doesn't have a law suit should the reginstration process after the purchase go south.

Good luck

jhv48 · #5 (**permalink**) 06-02-2019, 07:05 PM

As I understand it, California will honor the registration “as is” from Montana and all you will need to do is go to your local California DMV and do a simple transfer of registration. Then your car will be registered as a 1965 Shelby cobra in California.
But, here’s the catch. Since your car is not “really” a 1965 Shelby Cobra, you can be charged with fraud and your car impounded if caught. And that’s a big “if”.
Many a replica has been (and still are) registered as 1965 cobras in California. Most are rarely driven so the chance of getting caught is minuscule.

If it were me, I would go the SB100 route as stated above and not complete the sale until the registration process has been completed.

If you’re a gambler, just transfer the car to California and fugetaboutit.

bingo2 · #6 (**permalink**) 06-02-2019, 07:59 PM

Call this number at the DMV in Sacto, 916-657-7704. It is the Involuntary Transfer Division.

They may be able to assist you or point you to someone that can answer your questions.

CJ428CJ · #7 (**permalink**) 06-03-2019, 09:13 AM

Mike,

Register it using SB100. It's not that big of a hassle and it saves you from a potentially huge hassle on down the road if the DMV ever catches that you have improperly registered it as a 1965 Cobra. Falsely titling a cobra as a 1965 is what people used to do before SB100 was passed and a lot of people got caught. They used a company called Titles Unlimited who would "buy" your car from you, title it as a 1965 in Alabama or somewhere and then "sell" it back to you so you could title it as a 1965 in California. California found out about it and shut it down and made it clear that it is illegal to title a replica car manufactured in the 2000's as a 1965 model year. The California Deputy Attorney General used to come post on Club Cobra about the title registration problem. Do a search. He posted under the name "Morgester." His posts were candid and informative. Here's a thread about the Titles Unlimited debacle: Titles Unlimited Also talk to Randy Rosenberg. I think his was originally titled using Titles Unlimited and he had to switch to SB100. He could tell you what he had to go through.

Chris

eschaider · #8 (**permalink**) 06-03-2019, 02:08 PM

Jim Croce wrote a song about this. I think a portion of the lyrics go like this,

You don't tug on superman's cape
You don't spit into the wind
You don't pull the mask off that old lone ranger
And you don't mess around with the CA DMV ...

or something like that.

Ed