Registering a wide body in California

Hi Terry,

 

CA DMV registers replicas through the SB100 or "specialty construction" process.  However, there are pan-based owners that continue to register their cars as VW's by the pan year.  There's lots of info on our site and others regarding registration.  You may want to try the Search button.  It works pretty well.

 

California requires bumpers on cars UNLESS the manufacturer designed the car without them.  My avatar shows my bumper-less car, registered in CA in 2013.

My pan is a 1957 VW and registered as such.
Don't ask don't tell or ask and I still won't tell was how I handled the DMV.
None of their business.

 

The info above is 100% correct. However, my speedster is was built on a 67 pan. It's registered as a 67 bug. Where do you live? Walnut grove? Head into Lincoln and hit the sleepy DMV. If you have an old registration slip and a plate you can give it a shot. I've NEVER had a eng representative need to verify the vin/car to the registration.

Give it a shot. Worst that can happen is they make you go spcn100.

Ted

I thank you all for the input. The differing opinions leave me confused and amused 

and kinda right where I started.  Has anyone ever heard of an incident where the CHP

ever questioned a vw vin on a wide body speedster?  What kind of trouble are you in

if you get hassled.  Do they take your car and cite you.  I researched the DMV and it

would seem like every kit car requires you to go through a ton of hoops and agonizing

hours at the DMV and the CHP.  I just want to hit the road now and take my chances.

can I be stopped for no bumpers and if so are nerf bars going to pass?

Welcome to the replica world, Terry, where neat and clean answers can be tough to get.  I can't imagine the scenario in which a CHP would question a registration in which the VIN is stamped on the vehicle.  Of course, if a motorist REALLY flunks the attitude test, I guess it's possible.

 

To be in technical compliance, you can't register a vehicle as a VW if it no longer resembles a VW.  In other words, big fenders and tires don't make a bug unrecognizable, but a Speedster body does.  CHP/local PD has the power not only to confiscate your vehicle, but to charge you for title fraud, usually a felony.  I don't know what the actual chance is of occurrence, but if it did happen, someone on this site would likely know about it.  I'm talking about prosecution of an individual car owner, not a manufacturer like Boyd Coddington.

 

If you're a belt and suspenders type of guy, register your car as Special Construction and be done with it.  If you want to hit the road now, register as VW, based on pan year.

 

I have never heard of nerf bars not qualifying as bumpers.

Terry.

I'm glad to see you took my advice when we talked yesterday and joined the SOC

As we discussed, your car has had the VIN number cut out of the tunnel and the title you have is for a completely different VW that you purchased recently.  The title you have is for a different car, not your Speedster and trying to pass off your Speedster as the other car would definitely be considered fraud.

As I said, register your car with SB100 and you will be good to go.  Plenty of people have done it and it is not as difficult as you may have read.

The nerf bars that you are looking for are Empi and can be purchased online from lots of different vendors.  Just Google Empi nerf bars and find the best price.

Welcome to the Madness and make the trip to San Luis Obispo in June.