New to the Cobra World

[doberman]

How hard have you guys found it to register a cobra kit in California?

[Got the Bug]

Originally Posted by doberman

How hard have you guys found it to register a cobra kit in California?

It's not that hard. You've got to jump through some hoops, but the process to register under SB100 is pretty straightforward. Just be prepared to write a nice big check for sales tax and registration.

SB100 newbie question

[UB DRMNG]

Make sure you get and keep your receipts, especially for the big items like engine, trans, rear end. If you have paid sales tax on the big stuff you should not have to pay it again. For the kits you get out of state and don't pay tax on when you buy them you will have to pay the tax when you register but you will still need the receipt and MSO (Manufacturer Statement of Origin). Even if you buy and pay for the items you have to prove the items are not stolen, Keep the receipts.

That is another reason the donor concept is popular, the donor should come with a title.

If the big items are in order they usually assume you bought the small stuff locally and paid sales tax.

The last car (street rod) I built I used an engine out of a truck I owned so I didn't have a receipt for it, but I had the receipt for the wrecking yard engine I put in the truck, so with that and a statement of facts they accepted that I already owned the engine and had already paid tax on it. It can be a nightmare if you don't keep the paper trail intact.

[Got the Bug]

Originally Posted by UB DRMNG

That is another reason the donor concept is popular, the donor should come with a title.

You might get a title with a donor car, but you can't use it to title your Cobra in California (or probably anywhere else).

[UB DRMNG]

Originally Posted by Got the Bug

You might get a title with a donor car, but you can't use it to title your Cobra in California (or probably anywhere else).

Yes, true you are not registering the title from the donor, you are getting a special construction title for the new Cobra. But you should get a title, even a salvage title, that shows it is not stolen, subsequently the parts from it are not stolen. it just makes the whole thing cleaner if you have documentation. If you buy a car without a title you have little proof it's not HOT. You can protect your self by sales receipts for the sale and even a copy of the sellers drivers lic would help protect you. That does not mean you would not lose your car if it can be shown that the donor was actually stolen though. Probably a very slim chance of that happening since I don't think CA tracks engine serial numbers on cars, but they do on motorcycles.

I could be totally off base here, it has been some 17-18 years since my last build and things do change, although not usually towards less restrictions and less regulation!

[Got the Bug]

Originally Posted by UB DRMNG

Yes, true you are not registering the title from the donor, you are getting a special construction title for the new Cobra. But you should get a title, even a salvage title, that shows it is not stolen, subsequently the parts from it are not stolen. it just makes the whole thing cleaner if you have documentation. If you buy a car without a title you have little proof it's not HOT. You can protect your self by sales receipts for the sale and even a copy of the sellers drivers lic would help protect you. That does not mean you would not lose your car if it can be shown that the donor was actually stolen though. Probably a very slim chance of that happening since I don't think CA tracks engine serial numbers on cars, but they do on motorcycles.

I could be totally off base here, it has been some 17-18 years since my last build and things do change, although not usually towards less restrictions and less regulation!

Thanks for the clarification Ray. That makes sense regarding the title and proof that the donor parts aren't stolen. My first read was that someone might use the title from the donor car to register a kit....unfortunately, it's been done by others in the past.

[doberman]

Anyone here have a LSC 427 Kit [lonestar classic] I could come take a look at? Or a Factory Five MK3?