registering new kit car in CA

i am new to kit cars and am interested in details regarding how you register a kit car in California and the smog rules. i ve heard that if you build a speedster kit on early (pre-73) VW chassis, you can register it as a VW of the chassis year and avoid a lot of hassle including smog inspections. Does anyone know if this is this true? thanks.

Forget "hear-say" just go to your local DMV and ask for a copy of the regulations that will pertain to your car; they must provide this information by law. Don't get verbal advice from a DMV agent, that doesn't count (just like with the IRS at tax time, get it in writing, not on a phone call).

George is right but each DMV office interprets the rules differently. We use the don't ask don't tell method. Register the VW before you build and then the car stays a customized VW, some offices think you have to call the car a salvaged or reconstructed car this way and some say the Custom VW is correct. The CHP recognizes the VW vin as official and will not consider it a SPCN.

Try this for chuckles. My JPS is a 71 VW to California but my insurance (declared value) says it is a 77 Porsche Speedster.