Changing title designation

I keep hearing that it is possible to retitle our cars and get them titled as the year they are supposed to represent (1957, etc). Does anyone know about this? Who does it? It would be a blessing to avoid the restrictive emissions exams.

Dusty

Dusty-

This is an issue that should be one of the first things a potential buyer thinks about, but is often an afterthought.

The short answer to your question is "every state is different". You'll need to get on the Colorado DMV (or Sec. of State, or whoever is in charge in CO) website, and do a complete search for "replica vehicles", "street rods", or related vehicles. Almost every state has a "special construction" title- but the year of manuf. usually matches the year the car was fist titled as such, or at best, the year on the Certificate of Origin assuming your car came with one.

I'm not a lawyer (far from it), but would advise you that neither are any of the various builders or title services that advertise in "Kit Car". Just because VS or JPS or TR uses the VW VIN and title, doesn't necessarily make it legal in your state. Further, just because some title service in NY or GA says they can legally re-title you as a '58 Porsche, also doesn't make it legal. (I've done both of these things). Again, I'm no lawyer, but I'll tell you what- the definition of fraud is to represent something differently than it is.

Illinois has a program to legally title and register limited use replica vehicles in the year they are built to represent. It was a provision pushed through by the street rodders in our state, who were being harassed by over-zealous law enforcement over title and registration issues. My car is legally titled, registered, and insured as a "1958 Intermeccanic (no room for the "a") Replica". It took a bit of hassle, but now I'm in no danger of my car being impounded. BTW: I payed my sales tax on the entire purchase price.

I know CA has the magic 500 BAR program. I'm sure CO has some provision to do what you want legally. A lot of states (mine included) have no emissions inspections, so the point of seeing a 1957 or 1958 on the title is moot- unless you ever want to sell the car, at which point you are limiting your potential market to people who live in "no inspection" states, which eliminates CA (far and away the biggest market for these cars).

My advise? Think really hard about it before you get all hyped up about a "1957 Porsche" title. If CO doesn't have what you are after, you may be able to use a title service to retitle as a "1958 special construction" (or similar), which would have been what I would have done had I kept either of the first two speedsters I owned.

Good luck.

Dusty, would Co not accept the 57 Arizona title? JK

John,
The AZ title was no problem. That car is marvelous! So it the Spyder I have (Beck #78 with 95 original miles) but Colorado wants full emissions equipment which is WAAAAY to costly and restrictive. I need to register it as much older to avoid that cost. (I'm not much of a pollution hazard anyway as I will probably not drive it over 1000 miles a year!)

I tried dealing with Dan Medwin of US Title Service in Rochester, NY, and found him to be a rip-off. He makes promises that he does not deliver and runs, as I have recently discovered, a shady and illegal operation. AVOID HIM AND HIS COMPANY AT ALL COSTS !!

Anybody out there know of a reliable retitling service?

Dusty

I also need to use a titling service: I bought a Thunder Ranch 550 Spyder in '04 and was supposed to receive an MSO with the "Phase III" package. I only got a receipt when I picked up the car along with a promise that the MSO would be sent. After requesting, cajoling, begging and eventually threatening, I have given up getting an MSO from Thunder Ranch, which leaves me with a major problem.
I have titled my Beck Speedster in Missouri with a proper MSO from Special Edition. Missouri has adopted the FEMA model legislation that is referenced in posts above and it is registered with a REPLICA title as a 1955 Porsceh. It was a bit of a hassle since the Speedster had to be taken to our State Highway Patrol twice on a trailer for an inspection of the finished car and my receipts and a second time affixing the MO VIN plate. BUT, I have it licensed!
While I have a paid receipt from Thunder Ranch, I don't think it will suffice for the state.
So, I also need a titling service: I was prepared to us the U S Tile Company out of Rochester when I read the post above. Are there any titling companies with a good reputation?
ProSpyder

Dusty, if I'm not mistaken 1975 and older cars are exempt from emissions testing in most states. If your Speedster is registered as a Bug (which more than likely it is right?) it will be exempt too.

Ricardo,
My Speedster is OK and fully registered. The problem is with my Spyder. It was an early BECK made in 1990 and has only 95 miles on it. I have the original MSO but unless I can get it registered as earlier than 1974 I must comply with Colorado Emission standards.

Somehow I think that'll be a problem because it's a tube frame so for all practical purposes it's a newer car. Wish you luck.

I wonder if you could get a VW pan, and clear title, and weld part of it to the new frame (the part that has the VIN#) and say it was a modified VW construction.
ed

Way I read the law that could get you 5 years of free room and board!

http://www.washingtonwatchdog.org/documents/usc/ttl18/ptI/ch25/sec511.html

Jim, after reading your comment I checked your file here at Thunder Ranch. It contained your notarized MSO form dated 4/2005! Why it was never mailed is a mystery. It is however being sent today via DHL for next day delivery. You should have it Wednesday. We apologize for any problem we've caused.

Chuck Franklin

"Way I read the law that could get you 5 years of free room and board!"

Yup. And yet, everybody looks for some way other than the one laid out for them by thier state of residence.

"Way I read the law that could get you 5 years of free room and board!"

Actually, that's not how I read the law at all. I see it as you get 5 years for removing / replacing VINS as a function of theft.

On the other hand, it reads to me, in accordance with subsection (b)(1)(2)(B) and (D), that it is perfectly OK for the guy who legally owns a registerd VW to transfer the VIN from his VW chassis to another, within the parameter of the reasons for doing so.

Mark

But, he would be taking the ID plate from a VW chassis and putting it on a TUBE Frame Beck. That route is looking for problems.

Chuck,
I received the MSO today before reading your post -- what a surprise!
Another case that demonstrates the value of this site!
Thanks,
Jim
ProSpyder

Mark-

You first.

Someone enlighten me please.
What's the difference in VS does by taking the floorpan, cutting and rewelding it and building a frame on it to hold up the body
and
someone cutting the pan away except for the VIN and part of the pan from just in front of the seats and building a box frame like Cory did using whats left of the pan for the floorboards?
ed

It's how the actual statute is written and defined i.e. that the VIN cannot be transferred to another vehicle....period.
With regards to speedster manufactures in general, the VIN is retained on the actual donor chassis, hence not affixed to another vehicle.
Just my .02