Vehicle inspection in Texas, crazy easy!

[C130herc]

Crazy, but Funny!
I take the new BDR to a Local shop to get the pre registration inspection required in Texas today. 2 guys come out and want to know all about the car, they proceed to take pics with their iPhones for about 20 minutes. Then I tell them I need an inspection, they fill out the paperwork quickly and don't even go over the car hardly. Then it's back to BSing about the nice weather and the car. A little later I am on my way and thinking, boy that was tough, I sure am glad we have such stringent registration criteria in Texas. God Bless Texas!

[charles roybal]

Yes Sir...same thing happened to me..he drove car into bay area both techs took out I-phones for pixs asked " How fast have you taken her"? ...sticker was put on windshield.
Charles
DRIVE WITH YOUR LIGHTS ON.

[shelby7]

I was living in texas last year and from what some people told me before i got a vehicle registered there, that it was gonna be tough.

Well, we took the vehicle in and in15 minutes i was done. Took it into a dealership and they charged 25 bucks..

they made sure lights was working, turned it on, blinkers stuff like that.
we had an engine light and abs light on(dodge durango) and it was ignored.

Pretty easy experience!

[jms_wagner]

I strongly suggest that if you are getting inspections that may not have been done properly that you keep it to yourself. Announcing it around the world only gives someone with the State of Texas that does not like kit cars to make a change in the law and have proof that they will need. All pre emissions cars should have a complete safety inspection that includes they drive and test the brakes.

[cscobra]

I agree. Let's not even unintentionally make things any worse.

[Stoney FFR]

Law Enforcement would never look on ClubCobra.. Would they?

[SSSammy]

FWIW ... we have discussed this here in the past ... If you live in an EPA non-compliant county, the legal inspection procedure for these replicas is to take them to a Department of Public Safety Waiver Station (there is usually one per county) and have them inspected there and receive a WAIVER for failing the emissions test.

If you are successful in getting a dealer or an oil change business to do your inspection, you were fortunate and congratulations are due ... maybe. Most of these locations are not aware of the law on replicas, and there is not sufficient enforcement to keep up with them.

In 2010, I received a letter from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality advising me that my '2007 ASVE' had been denied registration because there was no record of it having passed an emissions check or having received a waiver. It turned out that DPS had erred on reporting my test to the state and once I called TCEQ and gave them my waiver number, they were able to find the record and clear my car. The 'Natural Resource Specialist' advised that if the flag on my car was not cleared, I would not be able to renew the annual registration the next time. Has this happened to anyone else?

Sam

[RICK LAKE]

SSSammy Sam, doesn't a cow in Texas put out more exhaust gas and polution than your car??? Rick L.

[SSSammy]

Damn, Rick, that hurts! We had to sell all our cattle because of the drought and can't afford feed corn because the gov't requires it to be used for motor fuel ...

Hope you are keeping your head above the snow! 70 deg here today

Sam

[zots]

New law in Texas, effective Sept. 2011...you can register a replica as the year it replicates but it must state replica in the title. As far as I can tell by reading the law, safety and emission inspection requirements are based upon the required equipment for the year it replicates.

[SSSammy]

Yes, we now have the SEMA model legislation. In practical fact, it is not a big change to what we had. Inspections are still required, and all us 1965 replicas get waivers on emissions .. see my earlier post on the process for non-EPA compliant counties.

And lest we forget .. the most consistent thing about Texas registration (and inspection) is its inconsistency

Sam

[Tassie Cobra]

So help out the less than smart one here.

My Unique Cobra just arrived this past weekend. I have the MSO which reads '65 replica and invoices (assume this qualifies as bill of sale) do I need to:

State Inspection or Safety Inspection
Insurance (given)
???????

[SSSammy]

Originally Posted by Tassie Cobra

So help out the less than smart one here.

My Unique Cobra just arrived this past weekend. I have the MSO which reads '65 replica and invoices (assume this qualifies as bill of sale) do I need to:

State Inspection or Safety Inspection
Insurance (given)
???????

There are some steps you must perform in sequence in order for this to be painless ...

Here is an old thread for you to read:
Texas registration - engine age

The process described there is not changed by the recent SEMA legislation.

Also do a search on Texas Title and Registration and see what else you can learn. There is a different answer for every county and every vehicle, unfortunately. One thing is consistent, and that is that the process is inconsistent ...

Insurance first, with the card describing the vehicle as a 65 Ford Replica.
Drop by the Tag office and get a $15 paper tag so you are legal to drive to the inspection (or not, your call).
Inspection second, get the green sheet (which is white), and DPS waiver if one is required in your county.
Title Office is third, bring in all the forms described in the above thread, tracing of VIN and engine numbers and all sales records, plus a photo if I remember correctly. You will surrender the MSO, so make yourself a copy for your files.
Registration is fourth, may be done at the same window as the title work.

(In the title process, you may choose to register your car as an "Assembled Vehicle" or "ASVE" and sign an affadavit that you built it from components. You must have receipts for the chassis, engine, tranny, etc. In this case you will not owe TX state sales tax on the entire car, it is assumed that you paid any tax due when you bought the components)

Good luck!
Sam

[Tassie Cobra]

Thanks mate, that helps a bunch. Trying to get it done this friday

[G-Pete]

Originally Posted by C130herc

God Bless Texas!

100%

Amen

[sctripp]

Last year I went through a milldly frustrating process to get my used Superformance registered.
The title from Michigan showed it as a 2004 and the Make was "assembled".
With this my insurance company issued the proof of insurance card as a 2004 Superformance.
I learned this meant the car had to be inspected as a 2004, which includes emission testing.
In the end I was advised by the place doing the inspection to simply get the insurance company to issue the insurance card with 1965 under "Vehicle Year", which they did. This worked and the inspection was performed as per a 1965 car, meaning safety only.
The key was, whatever is written on the insurance card governs the inspection requirements.
Stan

[dragline]

resurrecting an old thread here for my first posting. recently purchased a factory five 5.0 HO off ebay. titled in missouri as 1965 Cobra. got my insurance and going to get it inspected.
question #1 - am i gonna get nicked for no windshield wipers?
question #2 - if the answer to #1 is "depends on the inspector" does anyone know a good place to get it inspected on the west side of houston (katy area) who might not worry with this?
question #3 - when i go to register it am i obligated to show them the bill of sale or does the state have cobra replicas in their database for determining minimum value for the purposes of setting the amount of sales tax i have to pay?

[jshel1]

Welcome,

#1 - If the car doesn't have wiper mounts, I suggest handcrank clip'ons wipers just to make sure you don't get dinged on inspection. Available from JC Whitney... you can mill an aluminum block to slide into the groove along the top of your windshield frame for temporary solution.

#2 - Perhaps mtpockets or elmariachi can help here. I do mine at DPS waiver station.

#3 - Bill of sale. Don't count on the state; you might be paying tax based upon the polished copper Kirkham that they find in their database.

[dragline]

Originally Posted by jshel1

Welcome,

#1 - If the car doesn't have wiper mounts, I suggest handcrank clip'ons wipers just to make sure you don't get dinged on inspection. Available from JC Whitney... you can mill an aluminum block to slide into the groove along the top of your windshield frame for temporary solution.

#2 - Perhaps mtpockets or elmariachi can help here. I do mine at DPS waiver station.

#3 - Bill of sale. Don't count on the state; you might be paying tax based upon the polished copper Kirkham that they find in their database.

thanks, jshel. i'm gonna try to get her inspected tomorrow sans wipers - will see what happens. if they kick it back, i found a manual wiper from a boating website that clips to the windshield. i'll see if that flies with 'em. re: the sales tax, i really hate to show them the BOS that has $23K on it - i'm on the hook for $1400 or so if they use that number. maybe i'll give them the chance to pull a number from their hat and if it is higher than mine i'll pull a "oh, you mean one of these?" and pull out the bill of sale.

can't wait to get her stickered and licensed and hit the road. puttzin' around the 'hood ain't gonna cut it - gotta go hit the country roads and open her up!

[Guitardave]

When I registered my BDR from out of state they simply asked for a $ value, not purchase price. I am not going to publish the numbers but my stated and taxed value was a little more than half what I paid. They would not likely let a super low ball price get by but a reasonable amount for a used car will likely be fine.

The hard part for me was it was registered in New Jersey as 2009 model and so could not change to 1965 in Texas.