Can anyone help with information on how to register a Speedster and how best to insure one? I am new owner. Thanks! Bill B. In North Carolina
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Can anyone help with information on how to register a Speedster and how best to insure one? I am new owner. Thanks! Bill B. In North Carolina
Check the "Knowledge" Section on this site, both questions are covered. Also, if you register your car in the "Regsitry", we will know more about it and be able to help.
-=theron
-=theron
Bill, I am also in North Carolina. Re registration I had to have mine classified as a "special construction." I tried fighting the bureaucrats but failed. There are companines that will title your car for a fee, thus you can claim it to be a 1956 Porsche if you like and I don't believe there is anything the DMV can do about it.
As far as insurance, I have mine insured with Hagerty. $134 for 12 months, zero deductable, $15k coverage, comprehensive, you can't use it as a work vehicle, but no mileage restrictions either. You have to have a locked garage where you park your car. If you think you may want to drive your car to work from time to time, look somewhere else. I always am straight with insurance companies. I did have an engine fire last March, Hagerty was a breeze to work with and super quick to settle. Kudos. Note that some companies that used not to have a mileage restriction do now. I don't know about Hagerty, I may have grandfathered in.
As far as insurance, I have mine insured with Hagerty. $134 for 12 months, zero deductable, $15k coverage, comprehensive, you can't use it as a work vehicle, but no mileage restrictions either. You have to have a locked garage where you park your car. If you think you may want to drive your car to work from time to time, look somewhere else. I always am straight with insurance companies. I did have an engine fire last March, Hagerty was a breeze to work with and super quick to settle. Kudos. Note that some companies that used not to have a mileage restriction do now. I don't know about Hagerty, I may have grandfathered in.
My title had an error in the VIN by one digit. In Massachusetts this is a big pain in th a**. I am waiting for a new title from www.titlesunlimited.com. It wasn't cheap, but a lot easier than the beaurocracy. I will get paperwork for a 1957 Porsche 356 Speedster. I will let you know how it goes next week. I should have all the paperwork done and Massachusetts registration by New Years.
I'm quite a ways off from having to license or insure my speedster (which still looks a lot like a bug pan at the moment), but also wanted some feedback on the "best" way to deal with insurance and registration.
My doner car was a 1969 VW bug. It has valid plates and tabs through May/2003. The car was never "junked", so as far as WA state is concerned it's still a 69 bug that's on the road. So, when it's time to renew the tabs, do I still say it's a 69 bug?
As for insurance, I could play the same game, but if anything happened i'm sure I would be screwed. But, do I tell them it's a 69 bug with a different body/engine, etc, or do I "re-title" it like it seems others have done? If I do that, then I probably have to go through WA state buracracy as well as the insurance buracracy.
In a past project I built a home-made trailer and, when it came time to license it, the state wanted to know exactly how much I spent on it, so they could tax the hell out of me. I'm afraid if I do the same thing with the speedster they will really tax me. "Sorry sir, you spent 15k building the car, and we already taxed you on all your parts, but we want to tax you again on the total value of the car."
Suggestions?
My doner car was a 1969 VW bug. It has valid plates and tabs through May/2003. The car was never "junked", so as far as WA state is concerned it's still a 69 bug that's on the road. So, when it's time to renew the tabs, do I still say it's a 69 bug?
As for insurance, I could play the same game, but if anything happened i'm sure I would be screwed. But, do I tell them it's a 69 bug with a different body/engine, etc, or do I "re-title" it like it seems others have done? If I do that, then I probably have to go through WA state buracracy as well as the insurance buracracy.
In a past project I built a home-made trailer and, when it came time to license it, the state wanted to know exactly how much I spent on it, so they could tax the hell out of me. I'm afraid if I do the same thing with the speedster they will really tax me. "Sorry sir, you spent 15k building the car, and we already taxed you on all your parts, but we want to tax you again on the total value of the car."
Suggestions?
I'm in Massachusetts, but I believe that if you have a valid title for a 69 Bug, just register it as a 69 Bug. For insurance you just need to get an appraisal for the value. Your bug may now be worth more. This should have no affect on the registration or tax. You already own the bug.
If you decide to retitle it you will then get hit with a sales tax, because you are buying it from the title company.
If you decide to retitle it you will then get hit with a sales tax, because you are buying it from the title company.
I live in Nevada, not NC. I have just finished registering my Speedster.
My Speedster is built on a 1964 VW chassis. I went to the DMV and they wanted to register my Speedster as a 2002 Specially Constructed Vehicle. Unless the DMV certifies the VIN, it is not possible to register a car in NV.
I went down to my local VW shop. They knew that any NV State Trooper could sign off on the VIN. A State Trooper wandered in to check on his VW and he signed off no problem.
I went back to the DMV and found a friendly lady who was a bit confused but after negotiations that would have made the UN Security Council proud and with my VIN certification registered my Speedster as a '1964 Volkswagen Speedster.' Oh yes, I have to pay the outrageous sum of $39/year (including an $8 fee to save the whales, I think) to renew my license.
Allstate, my insurance company insured my Speedster as a 1964 VW for general coverage after seeing the car. Once I get the car completed I will go back and they will insure my car for 'stated value' with the basic coverage charged at 1964 VW rates (cheap).
All of this was not achieved without sacrifices. NV requires all cars to undergo YEARLY smog testing on machines hooked directly to the NV DMV computers. If they catch anyone cheating I understand you get to sing soprano in church (I mean they have really SEVERE penalties). HOWEVER, pre-1965 vehicles are exempt from the smog reqirements! Thus I do not get a yearly chance to prove my Engle 120, Weber equipped, stroker motor meets the smog requirements (I cry a lot but only in the privacy of my room).
Insurance companies love VWs and hate specially constructed vehicles. The smog people ignore very old cars. Drive a very old VW, your wallet will thank you.
Just my $.02 worth.
My Speedster is built on a 1964 VW chassis. I went to the DMV and they wanted to register my Speedster as a 2002 Specially Constructed Vehicle. Unless the DMV certifies the VIN, it is not possible to register a car in NV.
I went down to my local VW shop. They knew that any NV State Trooper could sign off on the VIN. A State Trooper wandered in to check on his VW and he signed off no problem.
I went back to the DMV and found a friendly lady who was a bit confused but after negotiations that would have made the UN Security Council proud and with my VIN certification registered my Speedster as a '1964 Volkswagen Speedster.' Oh yes, I have to pay the outrageous sum of $39/year (including an $8 fee to save the whales, I think) to renew my license.
Allstate, my insurance company insured my Speedster as a 1964 VW for general coverage after seeing the car. Once I get the car completed I will go back and they will insure my car for 'stated value' with the basic coverage charged at 1964 VW rates (cheap).
All of this was not achieved without sacrifices. NV requires all cars to undergo YEARLY smog testing on machines hooked directly to the NV DMV computers. If they catch anyone cheating I understand you get to sing soprano in church (I mean they have really SEVERE penalties). HOWEVER, pre-1965 vehicles are exempt from the smog reqirements! Thus I do not get a yearly chance to prove my Engle 120, Weber equipped, stroker motor meets the smog requirements (I cry a lot but only in the privacy of my room).
Insurance companies love VWs and hate specially constructed vehicles. The smog people ignore very old cars. Drive a very old VW, your wallet will thank you.
Just my $.02 worth.
My CMC as built by Metalcraft on a square tube frame (i.e. no donor VW tub) was originally titled as a 1998 in Indiana as that was the date it was "built" for the original Indiana owner. This created problems in MA as it would need to meet 1998 emissions regulations. After posting my dilemna on this board in the summer of 2001, I used US title to provide a 1957 Porsche registration from NY State. That plus the bill of sale allowed me to register the car in MA as a 1957 Porsche 356. The cost of using the title company was more than offset by the savings in sales tax as they "sold" me the car for $3K versus the $13.5K I bought it for. Not exactly kosher all around, but as someone mentioned above, the DMV rules are byzantine and not based on any logic, so why not play the game to your advantage.
Brian (or anyone who might know),
Do you happen to know the address/ phone number for Metalcraft(ers)? I think from past posts that they were/ are located in MI, and fabricated frames for speedster kits in the past. Are they still around? Does anybody else make a "pan replacement" frame for kit cars? Just curious...
Do you happen to know the address/ phone number for Metalcraft(ers)? I think from past posts that they were/ are located in MI, and fabricated frames for speedster kits in the past. Are they still around? Does anybody else make a "pan replacement" frame for kit cars? Just curious...
I have successfully registered my Vintage Speedster as a 57 Porsche in Massachusetts. I used www.titlesunlimited.com. I had no problems. It was about two weeks to accomplish, with no hassles.
Now I must get an appraisal for full value. Insurance was no problem.
(Message Edited 12/30/2002 3:08:12 PM)
Now I must get an appraisal for full value. Insurance was no problem.
(Message Edited 12/30/2002 3:08:12 PM)