Another California registration adventure

[John248]

Well I started the process of registering my car with California DMV. After visiting the registration forum here I gathered all my paperwork and receipts, made copies of everything, added 214 construction photos, organized it all in a binder and mentally prepared myself for the quest. First thing Monday morning (Jan 4th) I drove down to DMV with the car and got my place in line. They don’t take appointments anymore so I was roughly #85 or so in line. After a 2 hour wait I was finally inside and at a counter.

Told the guy why I was there and I immediately got a blank stare. He gathered all my papers and walked over to the manager, repeatedly pointing in my direction. At this point my headache began. He returned, smiled and said this was the first time he had done one of these type of registrations......as it was only his 3rd week working at DMV ! My head began to throb. I smiled and said that I researched the process, and I would need a CHP vin assignment, a sequence number from Sacramento, a brake/headlight inspection and a SB100 smog certificate from a referee.......I ended with a smile. He nodded his head and oh ok thanks. He then got up again, went to his manager and began another conversation. She nodded, said something and he returned. At this point he told me that the ONLY person that has done one of these type of registrations was the manager......and that was 14 years ago. I looked blankly at the clerk and said “please tell me you have a manual on how to do it”. He said he had the manual up on his computer and was following it thru each step.

After about 20 minutes of standing (I was briefly entertained by an older gentleman calling his clerk “a f-ing moron” because she wouldn’t accept his incomplete paperwork. He was escorted out by the not so understanding CHP officer), my clerk grabbed a clip board and asked if I drove the car to DMV. I said yes, and he said that was great and to pull it into the VIN inspection stall. He looked under the hood and verified the manufacturer plates on the frame and firewall had the same 9 digit serial number that was stamped on the right front frame horn. He said everything look good and we went back inside.

15 minutes later he said that I would need to get brake/headlight and smog inspection and return to get my tags issued. I asked about CHP inspection and he said that he had verified the serial number and that was the new vin, per the DMV procedure manual. I was hesitant but he cleared everything with his manager before sending me on my way.

Oh, yea.....the fees. Well....California charges a “use tax” based on the value of your car. This is their version of sales tax. I expected a big number and had already used their website to calculate it. What I didn’t count on was the $900 plus in late fees that they added. Hold onto your ass on this one.

1. Car was purchased in Nov 2019. Late fee because I didn’t pay the sales tax at the time.
2. I took possession of the kit in Feb 2020. Late fee on the late fee because I still didn’t pay the sales tax from the original purchase.
3. Car was completed and first test drive Dec 2020. By my own admission on the paperwork, I drove an unregistered vehicle on a public roadway......penalty fee !
4. Drove car to DMV per their instructions on the website to begin registration process Jan 2021. Guess what.....unregistered vehicle driven on roadway......penalty fee !

Keeping my cool, I smiled, paid the fees because arguing would have been pointless, and went home.

Now once home, I immediately made the brake/headlight inspection for Jan 18. I called the smog referee station to schedule that appointment. Got one for Jan 27. Happy days ? Not so fast.......smog ref asked for my sequence #, it should be right at the top of the paperwork......nope, no number. No number...no appointment ! The lady was polite enough that she let me keep my appointment date, as long as I called back 24 hours prior to it with the sequence number.

Raced back to DMV, walked past the long line and fortunately ran into the guy who did my paperwork walking out on a break. I explained everything to him, and took my paperwork inside to consult with the manager.

Longer story a tad shorter........manager called Sacramento.....and as of Jan 1, 2021....the procedure to register a kit car had changed. Sacramento hadn’t updated their online manual yet.........

The manager redid all my paperwork, adding a CHP inspection (now mandatory regardless if a DMV employee verified a vin). She said that once I had that inspection, then DMV would issue the sequence number. She was very apologetic. I told her I understood and apologized for causing the issues (this tactic played into my favor). She thanked me for understanding and said that once I got all the certificates, come back to DMV, ask for her and she would personally finish the process and get me my plates.

That’s where it rests for now and I will update thru each step.

John

[twobjshelbys]

Isn't this already here?

[John248]

You’re right, this has been covered ALOT here.....BUT California is the land of fruits, nuts and silly restrictions. Each month or year something changes.

According to the CHP officer who did my VIN assignment, as of Jan 1,2021 ALL kit cars requesting the SPCNS label have to go through CHP inspection, no exceptions. Before this, if you used donor parts or you brought a car in from out of state, the DMV clerk could do the VIN verification and paperwork. But some DMV employees were cheating the system and were registering SPCNS cars illegally for profit. They got caught....and the cars they did might have to go back thru inspection.

Just passing on the new info for those getting ready to start the registration process.

John

[hauss]

Just wait as soon as the new boss comes in you get to go though it again! If you do not go postal before you are done it will be a miracle.

[hauss]

Fyi 3 times to chp 4 times to dmv 1 year 3 months good luck!

[twobjshelbys]

Originally Posted by John248

You’re right, this has been covered ALOT here.....BUT California is the land of fruits, nuts and silly restrictions. Each month or year something changes.

According to the CHP officer who did my VIN assignment, as of Jan 1,2021 ALL kit cars requesting the SPCNS label have to go through CHP inspection, no exceptions. Before this, if you used donor parts or you brought a car in from out of state, the DMV clerk could do the VIN verification and paperwork. But some DMV employees were cheating the system and were registering SPCNS cars illegally for profit. They got caught....and the cars they did might have to go back thru inspection.

Just passing on the new info for those getting ready to start the registration process.

John

No. I meant you posted the exact same content here:

Finally did it

[FredG]

Quite a story. Wait till you return and see all new faces!!! Good luck.

[John248]

Tony
I did post on two different forums. I didn’t know if there were others like me out there that go to specific forums looking for info. The first post was a continuation of my build, the most recent was specific to the registration. I go to headlight/brake cert on Monday the 18th and BAR referee on the 27th. Using every bit info, hints, tips and advice gleaned from all previous posts, I am hoping to be lucky enough to get my car registered by Feb 1.

I thank all of you for the advice and guidance.

John

[dacobb]

Meanwhile in Florida, I breezed in and out of the DMV with my new title and registration in a little over 1 hour.

[John248]

Just an update on where I am at.

Took the car in for its brake and light inspection. Lights passed but during the braking distance inspection the technician felt a click and grind in the brake pedal during hard braking. Long story short, the pushrod from the pedal into the master cylinder bore had become canted and caused a groove in the bore which resulted in slight leakage into the cockpit. I probably did that when I replaced the master cylinder during construction. Needless to say I’m having them put in a new MC and tighten everything down so it will pass. Should be ready tomorrow to pick up.

Went to DMV to turn in my CHP paperwork and get my SPCN number.

Nice lady for once. She admitted she hadn’t done one of these registrations in 15 or so years. I found it entertaining (and so did she) that I had to walk her thru the process of calling Sacramento to get my sequence number. As a reward I guess, she went back over my fees and noticed I had overpaid by $1080.00. She said the guy who originally did the paperwork used all the wrong dates for completion. She corrected all the paperwork, got the manager to sign off on my refund (which I get back upon final registration) and gave me sequence number, which I’m happy to say was #2021017 out of 2021500.

Now onto the smog referee next week and hopefully a SB100 sticker.

John

[John248]

Final update

The BAR referee appointment was was actually a 15 minute phone call and a follow up email. I explained what I was wanting (SB 100 smog exempt) and he sent me a list of all paperwork that he was needing. The paperwork was basically everything from DMV plus brake/headlight certification and my sequence number. Since DMV had not actually sent that to me yet, my case was put on hold with BAR. In the meantime I sent him a variety of build photos showing progress from just a body and frame to driving vehicle. I thought that would be enough.....nope. He said that his supervisor might have a problem with where I bought my engine/transmission. I explained that the power train was purchased 7 months after the build started from the same company that my car came from. They sell the combo as a package (Blueprint motor and Tremec trans) for a price that is a little cheaper than trying to order the various parts and pieces separately. The referee indicated that doing it that way might constitute the car being “turnkey”. After further debate, I sent him photos of the car without engine at delivery, my wife and I installing the engine in the garage and 20 additional photos showing the car was anything but turnkey.

3 weeks later, I received confirmation from the referee that my car was approved for tech inspection and final approval. Made my appointment and met with the technician. Nice guy. He asked me various questions about the car, the build and how I wanted it smogged. I told him that the car and engine were 1967 spec so to go with that. He “hinted” that I go with a 65 model year, as that was the simplest and least restrictive in regards to emission standards. After about 50 minutes I had my SB 100 sticker and headed to DMV.

After standing in line, then explaining yet again to another clerk about how to register a SPCN vehicle, I walked out with a set of plates. Mission accomplished.

Just a note.....I asked about personal plates and the black/gold sequential plates offered. Clerk said that those plates are now on hold because of COVID. You can order your plates now but you won’t get them until the end of the year due to the manufacturing lines are shut down.

Happy trails.....
John

[twobjshelbys]

Patience is a virtue!

[Randy Rosenberg]

Good job!!!

[SBSerpent]

John248, can you please elaborate more on the B&L inspection? Did you go to a local mechanic to have this done? Is there a DMV form that is filled out as part of this inspection?

I'm in the process of getting my Certificate of Sequence number.

My biggest fear lies with the BAR referee. My car is a 2011 build (#983) built by Vantage Motor Sports by the original owner. I bought the car from the original owner located in Illinois.

[SBSerpent]

John248.

I just sent you a PM.

[Randy Rosenberg]

Read this on Facebook, so I have no clue if it is true or not. I didn't see anything on the CA DMV website about it, AND I found information about Certificates of Sequence on the CA DMV website, so I'm not convinced that there's any truth to this.

"I was informed by the DMV that the sb100 form is no longer in effect because they do not want new vehicles on the road in California without emissions Control therefore the sp-100 form was canceled out 6 months ago Backdraft racing shut down there Redondo Beach office and Bam rides shutdown also due to this change"

Thoughts? Comments?

[jhv48]

Fake news according to California DMV site.

[SBSerpent]

I spoke with Hillbank Motorsports (an SPF dealer located in) Irvine and with a renowned BDR builder located down in LA. Apparently things are on hold while the issue is litigated in court. The 'unofficial' story is that some CARB individuals got involved and began questioning the legitimacy of registering these Cobra kit cars. Word has it that they have no grounds for their argument and that organizations/manufacturers such as SEMA, Superformance, BDR, etc. are fighting this. Basically, no one knows the direction that this is heading.

Whether or not DMV has this on their website or not doesn't surprise me given the inefficiency and dis-organization of that office.

Keeping my fingers crossed. Hopefully my Certificate of Sequence comes in the mail this week and then off to the BAR referee. That is when I get a better idea of what the future holds.

Worst case dreaded scenario is that I have to sell the Cobra out of state. 😰

[PDUB]

Originally Posted by SBSerpent

Worst case dreaded scenario is that I have to sell the Cobra out of state. 😰

Perhaps moving to a free state is a more palatable option!

[Unique427]

Amazing how efficient a inefficient gov bureaucracy
becomes when it decides you owe it money.