[SSSammy]

Bobby,
Things may have changed in later years, but it used to be that the TX DMV did not have a manufacturer name for "Shelby" and ... the original cars were sold by Ford dealers and were titled as FORD.

The game is: your insurance card vehicle description gets copied by the title clerk onto the temp registration that you use to go get inspected. That is where you assert that your are a 1965 replica of something and therefore exempt from current year inspection criteria. So it is still fine to assert that your are a "Replica 1965 FORD". Have your ins agent make sure that wording appears on your ins card.

With your temp registration and your ins card, go to your ASE Certified Master Technician with the VTR-852 form and prompt him that this will be a "Custom Vehicle". He will do the 14 point roadworthy insp and provide a copy of his personal ASE certificate. The certificate must have him current in all 8 sub-areas of auto competency.

Then bring the certified VTR-852 form and all the other exhibits called for above (read the latest Assembled Vehicle Manual to be sure) to the title clerk. Your MSO will prob define what year they will use. It will be an ASVE, not a Hurricane, as they make all component cars ASVE.

These instructions only apply to the process for "Custom Vehicle" plates on a TX Assembled Vehicle. That is the only correct path to register a new replica in TX. Someone else will cite a different process that they used, and I say fine, whatever worked. But with a Custom Vehicle plate you will never need another inspection.

Just ask if I can help further

Sam