How do you title a Cobra

[Shelbyfan]

Looking at some of the member's cars, I've noticed that some are titled as 65s. How is this possible, are these original Cobras?

[trularin]

Each state is different.

Contact the DMV for Florida and hope there is no voting.

Seriously, tell them you have a car you built, unless you purchased it finished. Then ask the person what it would take to put plates on the car and be able to drive it on the streets. Strange as this may sound, I have heard that some states will issue "show car plates" or something liek that to move a car around but not on the street.

Hope this helps.

[hookedonford]

Shelbyfan,

FL is hit and miss that is why House Bill 545 is in progress as we speak.

H.B. 545 allows for the use of non-original materials and creates a titling criterion that assigns these vehicles the same model year designation as the production vehicle they most closely resemble.

[danc30]

545 was on the agenda for the meeting this morning and the effective date looks like it would be July 1, 2007.

Here is a link to the bill.

http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sectio...lSearchIndex=0

[danc30]

545 was on the agenda for the meeting this morning and the effective date looks like it would be July 1, 2007.

Here is a link to the bill.

http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sectio...lSearchIndex=0

[Excaliber]

As Shelby notes and the State of Hawaii accepts the MODEL year is 1965. Year of construction is another matter and varies from State to State.

WHY would you want the title to state year of build as 1965? Who you trying to fool? Smog exempt? Save money on registration? Feel good? Are you going to take your title to a car show to 'prove' it's a 1965, or is it really for the DMV or a potential buyer? You think the new buyer believes it was made in 1965?

For WHAT freakin' purpose are people so consumed about titling their car as year of build 1965? The worst case is a car titled as 1965 and FAR from anything resembling 'period correct'! Got a 351 under the hood and a title that says 1965? Big whoop!

[lamaluv]

In Ada County, Idaho anything titled 1965 and prior is emission exempt. There is no provision for any exception to emission checks. 1966 and newer must pass emission. This is practically impossible to do in a Cobra with a big block engine. Vehicles titled 30 years or older can display authentic year of manufacture plates in the same year as the vehicle and are exempt from emission checks. In Idaho these are two of the important reasons for having your car titled as a 65 or 66. Neither has anything to do with vanity or trying to fool someone into believing it's a REAL Cobra.

Dick

[xlr8or]

Originally Posted by Excaliber

For WHAT freakin' purpose are people so consumed about titling their car as year of build 1965? The worst case is a car titled as 1965 and FAR from anything resembling 'period correct'! Got a 351 under the hood and a title that says 1965? Big whoop!

For WHAT freakin' purpose are people so consumed with 'period correct' on a replica?


Ernie in some states that is the only way to get it registered and on the road.

[Excaliber]

Like I said, WHO you trying to fool? Well that would be the DMV in Idaho. While I don't condone it I sure can understand it! Until just a few years ago there was NO legal way to drive a replica in Hawaii. We found various ways around the law, none of them pretty, but we did what we felt compelled to do. We finally got a law passed allowing us to be legal. Those States that have no provision for making a replica legal should get a bill sponsored and passed into law. Until then, yeah, you gotta do what you gotta do!

If your doing it just to avoid paying just taxes owed, theres perjury laws against that and some have paid a very steep price, including jail.

If your doing because it's simply 'cool' to see that on the title, the question remains: WHO you trying to fool and for what reason? I don't want or expect an answer, it's a very personal question for each of us.

[hookedonford]

Excaliber,

Right now my title and registration from FL says "2004 Assembled Parts" now try and take it to another state. How do you start emission testing it? I don't have the required air bag system for a 2004 vehicle. It is always fun trying to explain it for Military base stickers as well.

At least the way the new bill is written, the safety and emmision requirements will only be that of 1965 car. Not trying to fool anybody, the title will state "Replica" on it.

Right now there is no guidance in Fl, some people get 1965, some get the year the kit was purchased, some get the year it was completed.

Hope this gives better understanding.

[jwd]

Originally Posted by lamaluv

In Ada County, Idaho anything titled 1965 and prior is emission exempt. There is no provision for any exception to emission checks. 1966 and newer must pass emission. This is practically impossible to do in a Cobra with a big block engine. Vehicles titled 30 years or older can display authentic year of manufacture plates in the same year as the vehicle and are exempt from emission checks. In Idaho these are two of the important reasons for having your car titled as a 65 or 66. Neither has anything to do with vanity or trying to fool someone into believing it's a REAL Cobra.

Dick

Pretty much the same in Washington state. Mine is titled as a 1965 and is emission exempt and I have 1965 plates permanently registered to the car.

Excaliber - Why are you so upset? Take a Valium and go sit on the beach with a Mai Tai.

[Excaliber]

Not upset, well maybe a little! This titled as 1965 has been a serious problem and should not be taken lightly, I feel a small duty to warn others. People literally have gone to jail and in Calif in particular they are looking to prosecute those who have illegally titled their cars as 1965. Rignt NOW this is an amnesty program available, after that is over, they WILL come looking for you and they WILL prosecute.

Whatever State your in now if you title as '65 (for whatever reason) it could STILL come back to haunt you when you sell to someone in another State.

[jwd]

Originally Posted by Excaliber

Not upset, well maybe a little! This titled as 1965 has been a serious problem and should not be taken lightly, I feel a small duty to warn others. People literally have gone to jail and in Calif in particular they are looking to prosecute those who have illegally titled their cars as 1965. Rignt NOW this is an amnesty program available, after that is over, they WILL come looking for you and they WILL prosecute.

Whatever State your in now if you title as '65 (for whatever reason) it could STILL come back to haunt you when you sell to someone in another State.

How does that apply to states that register the car as the year it replicates????Sorry but that's NOT illegal. It's just following the rules.

[lamaluv]

Every state seems to be different. When I bought my car it had a title from a state that registers replicas as the year they replicate. (ERA Cobra 1966) When I titled it in Idaho they would not change the date on the title unless the state issuing the old title would certify that they had made a mistake. Wasn't going to happen. So Idaho wasn't being fooled, just being a typical bureaucracy.

Dick

[dave from mesa]

Ours is reg as a 65 spec construction. Not my words - MVD words. This is what they said it was. Smog exempt. Who am I to argue with them. Sorry you have had such a hard time in paradise Excaliber but not all states are like yours. What is yours reg as??

[Excaliber]

Actually Hawaii is a piece of cake, might be the easiest State out there since we got our "Cobra Bill" passed into law.

Remeber there are TWO different years to be considered: MODEL and year of BUILD, Hawaii lists both, as I suspect many other states do. We have no emission testing for any year vehicle.

IF Hawaii listed model AND year of build as 1965 that would be a nightmare if the car was sold in Calif, for instance.

[jwd]

Our titles only have "model year". Nothing illegal about having 1965 in that box.

[arctic-snake]

In Alaska you title a rebuilt or modified "production" car as the year it most closely resembles. But this does not apply to assembled cars. It is titled as an SPCN or " specially constructed" vehicle. This designation does not allow you to be exempt from emissions testing. However, you are allowed to get a seasonal waiver that allows you to drive the vehicle during summer months without having to be smog legal. You must re-apply every year but it's a piece of cake. Pay the fee. post the sticker(or carry it in your glove box) and your legal.

[Excaliber]

I like the idea and fully support that SOMETHING on the title should accuratly reflect what the car represents. Can you imagine an 'all points bulletin', be on the lookout for a red and white 2004 FFR. Police cruiser radios HQ, "What the heck are we looking for?" Dispatch shuffling notes replies, "...says here something about a perky butt."