Seeking advice for title/reg/insp in NJ
 

Hi all.
I am new here and a new owner of a 2003 SPF MK3. I'm in NJ and I purchased the car from out of state private seller. The car was titled in the selling state as 2003 Assembled Vehicle. The 427ci engine was built by Performance Engineering with a Dart iron block. I do not know the block casting number (but could probably find out if i knew where to look) or year of casting.

Before purchasing, I called the NJ MVC and asked if I was going to have an issue and was told to just bring the signed title to MVC, pay my $60+tax+reg fee and get my title and registration. So I purchased the car (which I love), went to MVC, paid my money and it is now titled and registered in NJ as a "2003 ASV MK3". Ok that was easy.

I'm not sure if I have to get it inspected or not. In it's current registration state I think I do. So I called my guy at the local shop and he told me that since it doesn't have an OBD port there's no way he could get it thru inspection as he has to hook up to the OBD port and the equip reads the VIN and other things and send to NJ. (Apparently this is why anything in NJ titled/registered as a year prior to 1996 does not need to be inspected as it may not have an OBD port).

I read in some previous and older posts (2010) that if the block is from 196x or 197x I could get that checked and an "Engine Letter" from DMV stating it should be tested to that year of emissions. Seems like things may have changed since then. Even still I fear the block was cast in 200x. But perhaps I can check that - if that's still an option.

So here's my dilemma and where I need your advice. The purchased car was previously titled as 2003 assembled vehicle, I was told by MVC to take that to the MVC office and pay my money. Now I have a 2003 ASV title and registration, but can't seem to get it inspected.
What are my options here?

Thanks for any help / advice.

While I used to be the go to guy for all NJ/PA/NY cobra title and inspection questions, it's been ten years since I've lived full time there. My sound advice is to get yourself to the monthly Cobra breakfast below and ask the questions there for the most up to date information:

Bill S.

PS: Add your town/location to your profile, as they may just be a local Cobra club member who can assist you as well.

bodell,
For what its worth, the SBC Dart block in my Cheetah has the block number stamped on the front face just below the driver side head with a 5 digit number followed by a single letter. The folks at Dart were able to provide me with a letter confirming they built my block and when.

@mrmustang: Thank you for the pointer to the monthly breakfast. While it's over an hour away from me, it will be worth attending, meeting folks and seeing what advice they might provide.

@Tommy: Thanks for the Dart block info. I'll look for the block number and see what Dart says. I'm guessing it was new when Performance built the engine. But good to have the info.

This might be helpful to start:
https://www.nj.gov/mvc/vehicletopics...20street%20rod.
Seems like Cobra replicas would fit 'Collector Vehicle' definition. Again check with local Cobra owners for help.

@SwiftDb4
Thanks for the reply. From that page you would think I could get NJ Collector Status.
However if you click on the "Collector Vehicle Status Fact Sheet" link, that page (pdf) says: "The vehicle cannot be a kit or replica vehicle or be identified as a reconstructed vehicle." I've seen other folks say don't even try to sneak it in that way. In some of mrmustang's previous posts this was the "loophole" that he mentions got closed.

I'm going to check with some NJ / Club folks and if I still have issues I'll have to call MVC .

Collector car registration (triangle shaped inspection sticker) does not work with any kit or assembled cars. Since NJ requires the car to be presented at a state inspection station only, there is no tricking the inspector on this one. No matter how they are titled.

Bill S.

I've never registered a vehicle of any kind anywhere that if it required emissions test I had to bring the emissions proof before I could register and get title and plates. So if you registered and have a title, registration and plates I'd say further emissions testing is not required...

Welcome to NJ, people complain on sites like this, or worse yet, tell everyone how they got around something.....Then, all of a sudden, those loopholes are closed, with no hope of legally duplicating the process again. Almost as if state DMV offices are reading these same posts. :rolleyes:.




Bill S.

@twobjshelbys: It's not that you need to bring emission test results to NJ DMV to get title and license. Its that after you register a car in NJ you need to get an inspection sticker on the windshield. This is done by going to the DMV inspection station or a private authorized garage. New cars get a 5 yr exemption (or is it 4?) and cars 1995 and older are also exempt. There is an exemption for "Limited Use Collector Cars" but the instructions say kit and replica vehicles are not eligible for this.
When purchased the car was titled as 2003 in the sellers state and I'm told by the seller, who was the first owner, there was no option to register it as a 1965 replica. NJ transferred the title (which is now a NJ 2003 ASV title) and registered the car. I think I'm supposed to now get it inspected. As mentioned that can't happen b/c there's no OBD port for the station to plug into. Seems like I'm between a rock and a hard place.

So, is the requirement that there be an OBD port, or that the inspector have access to specific information provided by the port? If it were mine, I'd be researching what the law requires of inspectors and what options they have to obtain the required information.

Show up and see what they do. The OBDII emissions test is only a "system readiness" test, ie, that the required sensors are present, e.g., O2, catalyst, EGR, etc, and pass some rudimentary diagnostics. You have none of those things and have no OBDII port, absolutely like a 1965 vehicle, and thus can't be tested. The thing they care most about is it being in the time range where they can soak you for taxes and registration fees. They got that when they adopted the 2003 year from the previous title. But they have to have seen kit cars built to 1965 standards and know how to deal with it.

For a 1965 replica engine some places will want you to have an active PCV valve and feedback to the carb.

Is it also a safety inspection? Does NJ require the ET light and backup lights etc (which were never present on 1965 vehicles.)

Not sure about NJ, but PA had a manual way around the OBDII port not being there. I believe the VIN was put in the system, and an override was initiated. My suggestion is for the OP to contact the special titles division of the NJ MVS at PO Box 017 Trenton, NJ 08666 to see if there is such an exemption available for a kit car without going through a retitle using their "kit car package". Worse comes to worse, you retitle with the NJ Kit car package, at which point, your car becomes emission exempt.

Bill S.

Thank you all for the comments and info.
I'm going to the Tri State Club meeting this Sunday and will contact NJ Special Titles Unit to find out my options.
When I get this resolved, I'll post my results to document what I did and hopefully help others.

Back in the day when you registered and titled a car in NJ You received a pink card , You were requiired to put this card in the corner of the windsheild until you took the car thru inspection. Did you get this card ? If not maybe you"re exempt from inspection ? I ask because several years ago I purchased a Ram pickup with the Cummins diesel and I got the pink card , So I took the truck to inspection and I sat in line for awhile only to find out I was exempt because of the diesel , Ed

@jts359: TY for the comment. I recall the pink card from the past but no such card was provided. And I also wondered if an assembled vehicle would be exempt. But I would prefer to know for sure rather than wonder every time I pass a cop. :-0 In hindsight, I should have asked the nice lady when she handed me the plates. But I was excited I got it titled without any hassles - LOL.
In all that I've read on the MVC site, I didn't see anything to suggest ASV were exempt. I did see something about self inspection of diesel, but don't recall the details.