PA title and registration

[newBDR]

Wondering if anyone has gone through the PA registration process. I'm buying a new BDR and trying to determine which forms etc I need, what mistakes to avoid. Also wondering how to insure this thing before getting a valid PA title.

Any insights appreciated.

[mr bruce]

DON"T do anything untill you do some research first. DO call your insurance man and tell him you are buying a Cobra REPLICA. DON"T use a title service, DON'T use a title from another car( violation of FEDERAL LAW!) DON"T have the company you buy the car from install the engine, you will be in the same flummix our California friends are in.DON'T make up your own VIN number. Go to where you get your regular car inspected and ask if they will inspect said replica. Go to local Notary and ask for state form MV 426, booklet for Special Constructed Vehicle.DON'T try any short cuts, the Cops WILL get you if you don't play by their rules

[Greg Kulp]

newBDR,

I just went through the process last fall. Where are you in PA? PM me and I'll send you my phone number if you want to talk.

Greg

[newBDR]

mr bruce, I didn't see anything in the PA rules about buying the car and engine from the same person?

[exrodder]

Even when you follow Pendots instructions, they have a way of screwing something up or not following their own instructions and find something wrong. They send paper work back with red circles around items they say are wrong but are in reality are right. I just talked to the notary who did my car last year and I got mine back in 3 weeks no problem. Same notary just did another one in town, a Factory Five car and owner got paper work back with lots of red circles around items that they said were wrong. Done same way as mine. Go figure. A call to the local state officials office, and things seemed to be corrected. Problem seemed to lie in the items that were bought out of state and no tax paid even though the notary itemized EVERYTHING and listed parts just like in my paper work. Seems that the state has people working in PennDot who can't follow their own directions. This also has happened to several of my friends doing street rod titles so cobra owners aren't alone. Hope you have better luck dealing with PennDot.

Exrodder

[mr bruce]

Believe me, DO NOT have the motor /trans installed by the same company. In effect you will then have a "new" car,2004, that DOESN'T have OBD11, airbags, 5mph bumpers, a 17 digit ,international VIN number. Ask our pals in California what they are going thu.If it were this easy ,Porshe, Ferrari,etc, would remove the engines from their Euro spec cars, ship them over here, reinstall the engines, and circumvent all our US Federal auto standards.

[Jack Zupan]

Mr. Bruce is right you don't want to screw around, especially if you are trying to figure out a way to cheat on taxes. Keeping money from any state usually has preditable consequences. I used the MV 426 with the help of a notary and the process went very smoothly but slow. We first tried to register the car (SPF) as a regular vehicle. That was rejected and they told us to use the Specialty/Reconstructed Vehicle path. That worked fine but again it was slow, about 2 months as I recall.

Jack Z.

[newBDR]

Well I'm not trying to cheat on taxes. Was your SPF new? Was the motor done by a separate company?

[klayfish]

Everyone has good points here. I think if you just find a notary thta knows what they are doing, and stay on top of the situation closely, you should be alright. Hopefully some of these guys here can point you to a good one.

As for the insurance, there are still several companies that will write them. American Collectors, State Farm, or you can call Northeast Classic and speak to Mike. He's an agent, and has a great reputation. He can probably get you signed up. Just be sure to read the policy VERY closely and check what is and is not covered (no driving to work, etc...). Make sure you follow those terms.

Steve

[Jack Zupan]

My SPF was new at the time. I only had an MSO and the chassis number. When the state looks at the applications, if they don't have a 17 digit VIN they kick them back. The engine was supplied by a company that I bought it from. I did the installation of the drivetrain and the rest of the work myself. Though I don't know from my own experience if that matters. Without a 17 digit VIN I think you will end up going the MV 426 route in any event.

Jack Z.

[newBDR]

Damm as I'm reading your post all I can think of is wow, he bought a new SPF!! Oh well, back to the paperwork.

[Tout]

Do your homework and fill out the forms correctly ,take the pictures required and work with the inspection person and you should get a new vin and registration in 3 to 4 weeks. screw around and you can start another 3 to 4 weeks. The state is well aware of what you have and expects you to follow the rules, at least in PA you can still get registration on these cars with few problems.
Tout

[NeedAntiVenom]

NewBDR,

The process in PA is pretty easy. Steve is absolutely right about the notary - mine got kicked twice for stupid notary errors. Once because the no lien box (MV-1) was not checked, another because he forgot to add in the title fee.

Once you send it in - it goes into a black hole for 30 days, and is handled by a special unit. Do not call and try to track it - its useless. Until it is approved it doesn't have a VIN or plate number so they do not know where it is.

As to assembly, the newest MV426B form has a check box for "I, or my agent, assembled the vehicle from a kit according to the kit manufacturer’s instruction with no other parts being
used. (DETAILED DESCRIPTION NOT REQUIRED.)"

As to emmisions, on Nov 23, 2003, the emissions code was ammended to exclude specially constructed vehicles from emissions tests. They previously fell under a 5000 mile/year limit.

Other than paperwork problems, I had no problem getting it registered, and actually found the DMV people to be very helpful, although COMPLETELY "by the book".

Prior to getting my kit, I called and spoke to the people in the specially constructed unit and in the emmissions unit. Both were extremely helpful, and had no bias against cobras at all. When I had a question they couldn't answer, they referred me to someone who did have the answer. It is a big organization, and as always with such finding the right people to speak with is the biggest hurdle.

Relax, do it by the book, and be patient.

[newBDR]

Thanks. Question about proof of insurance - I don't yet have an insurance card for this car - State Farm says how can I give you that, it's not titled yet, but you are covered from the day you pick it up provided you notify us when you take possession. However, I can provide proof of my daily driver which has the same policy # that my new toy will have. That's the proof of insurance I give a regular dealer when buying a minivan. Now, what does PA want attached to this form? A policy explicitly stating this car, or just proof that I have car insurance. I'm not sure how I can get the former unless I convince State Farm to give me something else in writing.

[NeedAntiVenom]

NewBDR,

I scratched my head on that one too. There are two ways to go, depending whether or not you apply for plates at the same time you do the MV1- and MV426B.

If you get plates at the same time, you will need a copy of the insurance card or a copy of the policy binder, send a copy of both sides of the card/binder to be safe. I used a specialty insurer, so they gave me a card using the chassis serial number (not the PA VIN), state farm may want a 17 digit VIN to process it - maybe the agent can help you with that - maybe not.

Otherwise, do the MV-1 and MV-426B first, once you get those back you will have a PA title and PA VIN plate that you attach to the firewall. Next, get the insurance using the PA issued VIN and go to a notary for plates.

BTW, make sure you trailer it to the inspection station for the inspections - if you get stopped without plates, VIN and insurance it could be very big trouble. You need to do the inspection twice, once for the MV-426B, then again after the all the paperwork is done including the plates. Use the same mechanic for both.

Try to find someone that has done SPCON inspections before, if possible, and not just trailers (also classified as SPCON).

[newBDR]

I just called the state and they said proof of daily driver insurance is fine. They just want to confirm that you can provide insurance. I'll be doing the MV1 and 426 first like you said. This trailering back and forth is going to suck.

[Goose]

I just went through this process last fall and don't have much to add about the process than what has previously been posted.

It seems that the processing time depends upon their workload at the DOT, but all-in-all it was not too bad. Finding an inspection station that was familiar with the MV-426 process took a little more time; I was turned away several times by inspectors who were not familiar with the forms. Believe it or not, I got the car inspected 3 blocks away at a trailer dealership which happens to be an authorized inspection station. Apparently, trailers have to go through the MV-426 process regularly.

When you take the photos of your vehicle, make sure that they are perpendicular to the side you are photographing. I've heard of applications being denied because the photos were at an angle to the vehicle.

As far as insurance is concerned, I used ANPAC and signed up for their "CHROME" policy. They were willing to cover my car from the moment it arrived at my home. Even though I didn't need the liability insurance until I completed my install, I wanted coverage in case of fire or theft. Their rates and customer service turned out to be so good that I have since switched all my vehicles to ANPAC. If you would like a contact name, email me and I will give you the information.

Have you signed up for the Cobra Revolution? I didn't have my Cobra for last year's event, but still met a lot of nice people with a lot of nice cars.

Good Luck to you....