Titleling & registration in NJ

[pfenny01]

Thinking of building an Everitt Morrison Cobra and installing a Genesis 427 FE - could use some info. on how to title and register it after completion. Any information would be helpful. Thank you.

[cbmax]

Lots of info already posted on this subject.

Suggest that you perform a search.

If you like you can also send me a PM and I will try and hit the high points.

CB

[Archrms]

I am going down to the main NJDMV office this week to register the car. Hopefully I will have good news to report.

[Don]

Might want to check the CC Registration Forum for NJ entries:

http://www.clubcobra.com/forums/registration-forum/

[Archrms]

I've done all of the research, including CC forums for NJ registration. The problem with NJ is that no one knows what they are doing down there. Each person that I talk to gives me a different story. I am going down there in person to file my registration this week in hopes of eliminating some of the confusion (mostly on their part)

[jamvan]

Archrms

Good luck. Figure we will see you in a week (at best). All joking aside, I would most definately recommend you do a search on the topic here. It is a topic that has been discussed more than I care to mention. I know Cbmax just went thru the process last year on his ERA so most definately contact him.

Good luck and let us know how it works out.

Jim

[Chaplin]

do a search for posts by me with the word "collector". A bunch of info will come up.

[Joe K]

Interesting request. Glad you are thinking about it before you get started because you will get a lot of different input from the people who work for the state. The reason is that they are used to dealing with the masses and you are asking for an exception.
Start with calling the DMV and ask for the special titles (or maybe foreign titles) unit. When you get connected ask for them to send you an application. There is a .pdf attachment posted in Club Cobra that shows the documents that they will send you.
From then, just follow their instructions and talk to some folks who have gone through it. You may get different input depending on which specialty station they took it to and you need to decide how you want to register it (collector or straight inspection [you need a pre '74 block to get emission exemption]).
In a nutshell:
1.) Fill out the application and send it to the foreign titles unit in Trenton, register it as a 'reconstruct.'
2.) Get the car inspected at one of the three specialty stations in NJ, Morristown, Asbury Park or Atlantic City area. Note: you cannot drive the car until you have it registered so you need to trailer it to a station.
3.) Get the title (once the station has inspected and passed the car and sent in the paperwork to Trenton)
4.) Take the title and proof of insurance to your local DMV for plates (if you want collector status bring along the policy that shows collector status somewhere), fill out the application for collector status at this time.
5.) Drive the car to the local DMV inspection station. If you get regular registration, the car needs to go through a regular inspection like any other car. If you got collector registration, they will just check the mileage (3,000 per year).

Good luck. Might be a pain but once you get behind the wheel and get it on the road, it is worth it.
Joe K

[Archrms]

Joe K,

After much research and many phone calls to different DMV offices (including the main opffice in Trenton) your 5 points pretty much hit the nail on the head. The more people you talk to, the more confusing it becomes. Those five points is the process at its most basic - well said.

That being said, I dropped my paperwork off in Trenton this morning. They said I should expect a call for the initial inspection next week...

[Chaplin]

One other very important piece of information to add. When you do the safety inspection at Morristown, Asbusry Pk or Atlantic City, they will check to make sure that the engine has all emissions equipment on it that would have come on that engine from the factory according to the year the engine block was made. This is spelled out in the reconstructed vehicle information packet you will receive from trentorn. Therefore, if you have a pre-emissions block, you only need a pcv. If you have a new block, you may be required to have all emissions equipment, including catalytic converters, etc. Thus, to the extent you are able, it is best to use a pre-emissions block.

Plus, when you use a pre-emissions block, they will give you an "engine letter" stating that the engine is a 196x or 197x model year (what ever year it is) and it should be tested according to emissions standards for the year of the block. This is not important if you use the Collector Registration since it is exempt from emissions testing anyway, but if you later wanted to register the car with regular registration (and not be subject to the 3,000 mile limit of Collector Registration), you can take the engine letter down to any dmv inspection station for your bi-annual inspection and they will do the emissions testing according to the year of the engine as stated in your engine letter.

[Joe K]

Don't be surprised if the inspection station that you specified in Trenton does not call you in a week. Those guys are quite busy and understaffed, for the most part. If you do not hear from them in a week or so, then give them a call to set up the inspection appointment.

[Chaplin]

Originally Posted by Joe K

Don't be surprised if the inspection station that you specified in Trenton does not call you in a week. Those guys are quite busy and understaffed, for the most part. If you do not hear from them in a week or so, then give them a call to set up the inspection appointment.

And once you do finally talk to them, you can plan on another 2-4 weeks before the actual inspection occurs.

[Cashburn]

Originally Posted by Chaplin

... This is not important if you use the Collector Registration since it is exempt from emissions testing anyway ...

This is something that seems to be the most confusing. I have heard the exemption is only available if you have a pre'74 block but the way it is written and what you have added here states that the engine means nothing if you go the Collector route.

So, can you go with a new Dart blocked 427R and then qualify for the Collector status and be exempt??? That is the key question to answer...

[Chaplin]

Originally Posted by Cashburn

So, can you go with a new Dart blocked 427R and then qualify for the Collector status and be exempt??? That is the key question to answer...

The whole process described above is what is required to get a title for a kit car or "reconstructed vehicle" in NJ. And the answer to your quetion is different depending on whether the car is already titled already or not.

If the car is not titled and you need to go the reconstructed vehicle inspection route to get your title, the way the regs are written, the engine is required to have all the emissions control requirements on it based on the year the engine was made. So you could use a new dart block, but it would be a PITA to get through the title inspection/process because the car would have to have all the emissions controls that a new 2007 factory engine is required to have. But once through it, you could use the collector registration to be exempt, but at that point, the exemption is kind of meaningless since you will have already complied with 2007 requirements

However, if you have a car that is already titled and use the collector registration, it does not matter what engine is in the car because all they check during the collector vehicle inspection is your insurance policy and that your odometer works. So if you bought a car that was already titled out of state with a 2007 dart block you can get the collector vehicle exemption.

Hope I did not just add to your confusion.

[Cashburn]

Chaplin,
That clears it up well. Confirms what we have witnessed. Thanks for that, I'm sure it will help many others who have that confusion.

[Archrms]

Believe it or not, I just recieved a call from the inspection station for my title inspection after filing the papers in Trenton earlier this week on Tuesday morning. They asked me to clarify a few items regarding the engine before scheduling an inspection date. Never thought it would be that fast, but I'm not complaining. Hopefully I can clear up the issues about the engine and get the inspection date scheduled (maybe next week?)

[CBattaglia]

I just made a call to NY DMV. Sounds like it may take a month to get a VIN. My car may have to sit in my garage for a month befort the red tape is sorted out?

Any insight on NYS registration would be appreciated.

Good luck I work in NJ and the inspection process is demanding to say the least.

[Archrms]

Got the engine issue cleared up this morning, and faxed info to inspection station. They called less than 30 minutes later to schedule the inspection for next week! The next step is the inspection itself, though I still have to figure out how to get the car there.

[USrowboy]

One more question. I have has collectors inspection for the three years I've been on the road. Because the triangle said 2006 and a big 7 in the center, I assumed the inspection was good only to july 06

When I called about the VOUCHER the inspector demanded, the woman on the other end at DMV said the inspection was good until July 07 but I have no VOUCHER to give to an inspector either. Anyone can hopefully shed some light on this Voucher thing?

The DMV inspector wouldn't even talk to me without the voucher. So without one so far, I think I may have a problem..

thanks in advance.
ziggy

[Chaplin]

Ziggy-
Collector vehicle registration/inspection is good for 2 years. You only get a new voucher when you renew your registration. If your current registration doesn't expire until until July 07, you will not get a new voucher until you renew it. Therefore, when you renew the registration ask for the voucher and bring it down to the DMV in July. But the question remains, how did your inspection sticker get out of synch with your registration?