Titling a cobra kit in Texas with no COM
 

Ok guys....maybe someone can point me in the right direction. Approximately ten years ago my dad bought a cobra frame and body from a guy. He got the frame and body and a rear end housing. Through some research I figured out it was an early 90's era Everette Morrison.

The parts sat around for a few years with very little progress and eventually my dad lost interest and gave the stuff to me. Over the last 6 yrs I have built this car up and now have it ready to hit the road(minus paint)....now comes the problems.

No where on the frame or body are any numbers what so ever. I contacted EM at one point and they explained to me that a builder in florida was manufacturing frames and then sending them to EM. EM was then affixing the COM numbers to the frames. Well I guess that process never happened with this particular frame or body.

This morning I took my car on the trailer to the DMV for a fraud inspection. The inspector looked the car over. Checked my receipts and what not. Filled out a form and signed off on it. He told me to take the forms to TXDOT and file for a title and a VIN#. So car still in tow I headed for TXDOT.

After some lengthy conversation and explain that this was assembled vehicle with no COM or previous vin# blah blah blah. I was handed a copy of a Texas administrative code.

Title 43
Part 10
Chapter 217
Subchapter A
Rule 217.3

Second page #(6) Reads as follows:

Vehicles that may not be titled. The department will not title a vehicle, with the exception of a trailer as defined in Transportation Code, 501.002, that does not have a body, motor, and frame manufactured by a motor vehicle manufacturer.

So now what?

Gene

Hope this is of help. Should not be a problem. George

Texas DMV Registration for Custom Built, Kit Cars, & More at DMV.org: The DMV Made Simple

This also might be helpful.

How to Register a Custom or Antique Vehicle in Texas | DOT

HOW TO REGISTER AN ANTIQUE OR CUSTOM BUILT VEHICLEYou will have to visit a County Tax Office near you to register your antique or custom-built Vehicle. When registering a custom-built or antique vehicle, you will need to bring the following materials to the renewal office: 1. A completed and notarized Title Application, when obtaining a title for a new, custom- built/rebuilt vehicle.
2. The Certificate of Title or manufacturer's certificate of origin, for antique or custom/rebuilt vehicles that have already been titled.
3. A Bill of Sale showing vehicle ownership and also of all components used.
4. A completed Builder's Affidavit, for custom-built/rebuilt vehicles. If a motor, frame or body has been changed in an existing vehicle it has to be recorded by correcting the Title certificate. For rebuilt vehicles, you will need pencil tracings of body, motor and frame number, duly filled Form VTR-68-N (for reassigned vehicle identification number), weight certificate, proof of financial responsibility and a vehicle photograph.
5. A completed application for Vehicle Identification Number for vehicle located out of Texas.6. An Inspector's Report, certifying that the vehicle is safe to take on the road is required for "classic" vehicles. The Department of Safety's Safety Inspection Station will provide the report, following the vehicle inspection. Depending on the age of the car, some parts do not have to be inspected unless the original parts have been retained. Rebuilt vehicles will also need safety inspection.

MrGeorge,


Thank you for the reply, but no that doesn't help. I had everything on the list. Had the form from the inspector telling the dmv to issue me a vin# and title. He stuck to his guns when telling me that they could not title a home built car with a home built frame with no certificate of manufacturer.

Thanks again for the reply.

Gene

In Georgia, they won't "Title" anything that wasn't originally issued a title, but you can get a tag all day long, with a Bill of Sale and proof of insurance. I don't know if Texas has anything like that. I don't have a "title" for my Cobra & don't care: it drives just as good. If I go to sell it, the new owner will get a Bill of Sale. I do have a MSO if he needs it for his state.

I know people "make their own VIN" & put it on a plate & mount it. Look more at getting a "tag" & don't worry about a "title". Surely there are plenty of "rat rods" in Texas with no title.

Good Luck!

Gene,
Please let us know how this turns out when it is resolved.

P.S. Is there somewhere in the regs where "motor vehicle manufacturer" is defined? For example, what if the car were a Studebaker? The manufacturer is no longer in business, and some cars from before 1971 did not have VIN plates like modern cars. ... What if your car had a VIN from a manufacturer who is no longer around to confirm it? And what if that VIN was nothing more than some numbers stamped into the frame? .... I''d like to know how the DMV would deal with such situations.

GA uses registration for titles on cars over 10? years old. Texas has titles. It bewilders me why all the states are not the same. In texas you can get registration without a title but when you go to sale i have no idea who would buy a car without a title but many do.

I love GA they call it what it is, department of commerce!!!

You might want to try a different courthouse. If the law make you break it than break it and make your own vin plate…..

stamp a number on it and get you dad to give you a bill of sale.:confused:

Gene - PM sent

Tommy,

The guy at TXDOT told me that if the frame had a number then they could work off of that. Since my frame was never numbered then hes telling me that they cant title it. Now in hind sight had i known this I would have stamped a number and said...theres the number...check it out.

SInce I have already had the car inspected by the fraud dept and he issued me a form stating that it has no numbers affixed to the frame or body. If I show up with something different then thats fraud.

Im calling austin here in just a bit and going to try and get to the bottom of it.

Thanks for the replys guys...its much appreciated.

Gene

I've heard that sometimes those numbers are in places that are mistakenly covered by the builder during construction. It would be fortunate if you found it behind something you inadvertently covered during the build.

Yeah Tommy I think your right. Im going to put the car up on the lift this weekend and really go over it with a fine tooth comb and make sure I didnt cover up a number by accident.

With that being said (documented)..lol. I will pass along some very important information. I spoke with two different people in Austin this morning. Got the same answer from both of them. Could not give me an exact date but both told me as a couple of years ago. Texas WILL NOT issue a title or vin# for a homebuilt vehicle, no exceptions. Nor can someone get registration with no title for said vehicle as in the case of Georgia. The only exception to that rule is if its an imported car that has been federalized. Then you can get registration to insure and drive the car but no title will be issued.

From the horses mouth boys and girls

Gene

Hey 52chevyred, dont know of anyone in Georgia looking for a roller cobra do you?....lol

Texas is not the joke they used to be when titling!!

People are always "lurking", I mean "looking" on Craig's list. :). Hey, call the Gas Monkey guys: they may need a Cobra.

All kidding aside, don't give up, somebody has an answer. I have Hagerty insurance & the "agent" first told me I would have to register mine as a "2007", since that was when I first bought it. I have a "5 digit VIN": one letter & 4 numbers. When I wen't to get a tag, the tag office said "they ain't no way" a 2007 vehicle has a 5 digit VIV: THEY made Hagerty change my insurance to a 1966 Cobra. Some Tag folks will try to help you.

With all the Texas Cobra Club members on this site, I am sure ONE of them faced the same issue.

Now, if all else fails, sell it to me for $1. I will get a tag & sell it back to you for $10k. Good luck, it will get figured out for you. :)

I'm not familiar with Texas law, but does Texas have a SEMA statute for 'Custom' cars? That would be different from homebuilt, since the SEMA statutes are written expressly for replica builds.

Swift, yes Texas does have a SEMA staute. The problem is SEMA statutes cover registration. Allowing us to register it as a replica and meet the standards of the year it replicates. My problem is I dont have a title. So I cant register it. SEMA dont do nothin for that...lol.

Update info from the TXDOT supervisor. He called me back after calling austin and asking some questions on my behalf. My hats off to the man for following through and not just blowing me off...hahaha no pun intended.

The new law went into effect in oct of 2013. The law was put in place to try and curb the number of POS's on the road. He did however tell me that there has been a proposal ro revise this new law or code what ever you want to call it. He explained to me that the state is looking into setting a certification program. An ASE certified master tech would have to inspect your car. If it passes a road worhtiness inspection then they will title it.

He told me this was proposed to take affect sometime in april or may of 2014. Now again this is coming from a supervisor at TXDOT and as he made sure to clarify it was merely a proposal. He told me I could check back with him in a few months and go from there. So that it is what I will do.

Thanks again guys for the replys. I will try to remember to post on here when I find out some more info.

Gene

A quick update. The Texas DMV added an "Assembled Vehicle Manual" to their website just last month. Might check it out if you haven't gotten it straightened out. I have a MCO on mine so not the route I'm using but. A number can be assigned to the chassis by the state and stamped on it. Custom vehicle is the easiest route it seems.