John,
In every state that I am aware of, you don't need a VIN to title/register a replica. After all, no tube frame cars/hot rods have VIN's. Most states send the applicant with no VIN to a local law enforcement office, either HP, police, or sheriff, to check paperwork, bill of sale, certificate of origin and do an initial inspection. Then back to DMV and/or air quality board if needed. Somewhere along the way, an official will affix a VIN decal or placard, either on the frame, door jamb, etc.
It's really not a common occurrence in any locale, so mistakes and incorrect advice abound. Example: in California, there are 35 million vehicles that get annual licenses, but there are only 500 specially constructed vehicle registrations/year via SB 100. Small wonder that the DMV clerk waiting on us will have no personal experience with this type of registration. I knew more about the process than the clerk and the manager of the office, not because I'm smarter, because I did lots of research and learned how the process was supposed to work. The hardest part is staying polite when you are being given incorrect info. However, with patience, the job will get done. As I have mentioned before, some local car clubs and websites publish the "go to" person and DMV office to use for service from a clerk that knows the process.
