About to try to title my NY titled Cobra in TX. How ugly will this be?

[767Jockey]

Originally Posted by fastd

I recently titled and registered my era cobra in travis county texas.

I thought it was going to be a nightmare but it was a breeze; I didn't register it as an antique - my registration lists my car as a 2002 Ford and therefore doesn't qualify as an antique.

A couple of things:
1. What is a "yellow sticker"?
It was built by the previous owner and first titled in New York. New York assigned it a VIN number, and affixed the VIN number to the car via a durable yellow vinyl sticker with the VIN number printed on it. The bad news is that the doofus who did that for the state attached the yellow sticker to the top of the cowl behind the windshield. It's ugly as all getout but not much I can do about it now.

2. If the car is titled in your name, I don't see why that you would have to worry about paying sales tax, i.e. if it's titled, doesn't that mean that sales tax should have been paid already?
Its a New York State title in my name. I did pay sales tax to New York at the time of titling it in my name when I bought it. Texas (or at least here in the Republik of Harris County) demands that proof be shown that the tax was paid, or you have to pay it again. I wrote to NYS about proof that I paid back in 2007 but they wrote back today saying they have no records. Now I'll have to pay sales tax to Texas yet again. Of course Texas knows I already paid, it's just another income opportunity for them as there's no way that I'm aware of to get a NYS title without paying the sales tax due at the time.
3. My cobra has been titled in 3 different states now; not one of those states cared what the prior state called it, I don't think "1984 Homebuilt" will be a problem
I'm not real concerned with what they call it, as long as it doesn't force emissions testing on it. Some are hung up that their replica be called a 1965 Cobra, or whatever. My car isn't a real 1965 Cobra and never will be so I don't care what the title says it is.
4. There was talk of needing to have my car inspected by some ASE Certified Tech; I found that that only applies to new built/never been registered cars. Since my car was already titled in another state, there was no need for any "special" inspection.
I'm hoping for the same here.
5. I think all you need to do it bring it to any inspection station and ask for a "regular" inspection.
I plan to register it as an antique. 3 years between registrations and no inspections yearly.
6. Bring proof of inspection, previous title, proof of insurance, etc., and I would bet you will be OK.
I hope so.

Good luck!

I appreciate all the good wishes. Soon we'll see how it goes. I'd feel better about it is this all didn't have to be done with Harris County.