Texas ASVE Title and the VTR-63 Form?

[Emptybox]

Originally Posted by SSSammy

You have a correct Texas 2008 ASVE title for this car as is, so your title process is simple, transfer the ownership on the 130-U.

Second thing is to *register* it as a *Custom Vehicle* which requires the VTR-852 Inspection by an ASE Master Techician current in categories A1-A8. This is a unique inspection for replica cars and is NOT the usual TX State annual inspection. You do not do the regular TX State inspection on a Custom Vehicle. It will never get inspected again as long as it has Custom Vehicle plates. This step is required every time this replica car changes owners.

So get the VTR-852 inspection done by the ASE Master. Some Firestone and Christian Brothers locations have these guys. Call first. Make them confirm the currency in A1-A8.

From here I am not sure whether it can all be done at the county tag office, or if you have to make an appointment at DMV in Carrollton. New titles have to start there, but you are not new. I'd start at Collin Cty Tax Assessor. Bring title, bill of sale, insurance card, 130-U, 852, ASE's Certificate, checkbook and see what happens. Btw, you can take your insurance card in first and get a 30 day buyer tag so you're legal to drive to the ASE guy.

Good Luck!

I registered the cobra today. Frisco tax office. Followed all of the above and asked to be registered as a custom vehicle with all my paperwork including the completed VTR-852 form with the ASE’s certs. Interestingly the clerk indicated since already titled as a ASVE I didn’t actually need the VTR-852 with the certs. I asked about the manual indicating that I did and he indicated there are parts of the manual which are wrong or contradicts itself. The clerk indicated he does about 2 or 3 cobra replica registrations a year ( some like mine (used cobras), others new builds or out of state).
The clerk said the process used to be absolutely terrible with some folks being to get registered and other not. Walked out with new plates and a registration sticker. Of course all that paperwork has to get processed. I will probably be back barking in a month how this has gone terribly wrong . Just wanted to provide my experience as it may help someone else

[fastd]

Originally Posted by Emptybox

I registered the cobra today. Frisco tax office. Followed all of the above and asked to be registered as a custom vehicle with all my paperwork including the completed VTR-852 form with the ASE’s certs. Interestingly the clerk indicated since already titled as a ASVE I didn’t actually need the VTR-852 with the certs. I asked about the manual indicating that I did and he indicated there are parts of the manual which are wrong or contradicts itself. The clerk indicated he does about 2 or 3 cobra replica registrations a year ( some like mine (used cobras), others new builds or out of state).
The clerk said the process used to be absolutely terrible with some folks being to get registered and other not. Walked out with new plates and a registration sticker. Of course all that paperwork has to get processed. I will probably be back barking in a month how this has gone terribly wrong . Just wanted to provide my experience as it may help someone else

Just to be clear for the next person that needs to go through this in Texas, if you would have gotten a regular inspection at any certified inspection station, you wouldn't have needed to have any other type of inspection when you submitted your paperwork? And the regular inspection for these type of cars does not require an emissions test?

[Emptybox]

Originally Posted by fastd

Just to be clear for the next person that needs to go through this in Texas, if you would have gotten a regular inspection at any certified inspection station, you wouldn't have needed to have any other type of inspection when you submitted your paperwork? And the regular inspection for these type of cars does not require an emissions test?

Honestly I don't know what would have happened if I had gone to a regular inspection station and asked them to inspect the car. The prior owner lived in Texas (Collin County) and had the car inspected in 3/21. The vehicle inspection report list the inspection as "Safety Only Inspection" and Vehicle Year/Type as 1965/Passenger Car. I'm not sure if it is one of those "Hey I know a guy that will pass the car inspection" or not.

[fastd]

Since it has already been titled/registered/on the road my experience says that you don’t have to go through any of that hassle. Get it inspected at a regular inspection station and bring all the paperwork to the DMV and I think you should be fine.

[Emptybox]

SSSammy- thank you for the reply. This is exactly the info I needed to know. I did some research after I posted and found the Texas Motor Vehicle Registration Manual. Section 21.2 of the manual provides the info. I already have my temp 30 day paper tags so already getting to enjoy the car.

[fastd]

FYI, I didn’t need an custom vehicle inspection for my era cobra when I registered in Texas.

[fastd]

I think asve inspections may be for never-been-on-the-road-before road worthiness inspections. Once it has been asve inspected for the initial title, may not have to do it again. I didn’t; mine was titled as a replica in texas but was previously titled in NC (and nj and ri)

[svassh]

I recently purchased a Factory Five MK2 from a Texas reseller the previous owner had it titled in Florida as a 1965 FFR. I was assured by the reseller they would handle everything with transferring the title to me and I could get Antique plates and would not have to deal with inspections or emissions. Now I find out that Texas found out the car was previously registered in Virginia as an Assembled Vehicle so Texas put 2006 Assembled Vehicle on the title. The car has no windshield wipers and certainly would not pass an emissions test, 347 crate engine, 4x2 Webers, Sidepipes and headers.

The broker is telling me no emissions test is required, is that true? And will I need to pass an annual safety inspection?

Thanks

[fastd]

I think you would need a regular inspection which does not include an emission test. They check vin number and lights and stuff

[svassh]

Originally Posted by fastd

I think you would need a regular inspection which does not include an emission test. They check vin number and lights and stuff

Thanks, yes it appears I will need to have a VTR-852 inspection done by an ASE Master to get the custom licnse plates.

Will they accept a clamped on mechanical wiper on the drivers side as having windshield wipers?

[SSSammy]

Originally Posted by svassh

Thanks, yes it appears I will need to have a VTR-852 inspection done by an ASE Master to get the custom licnse plates.

Will they accept a clamped on mechanical wiper on the drivers side as having windshield wipers?

Yes, VTR-852 inspection is required when an ASVE title changes ownership. One time only. Not an Antique plate registration, that's for OEM cars. Replicas get a Custom Vehicle plate registration.

Many TX ASVE's have reported that the clamp on wiper is accepted by the ASE inspectors. Give it a shot!

Some essential reading for those with replica cars seeking TX title and registration:

https://www.txdmv.gov/motorists/assembled-vehicles

https://www.txdmv.gov/sites/default/...cle_Manual.pdf

Sam

[RUFdriver]

Old thread, thought I would add a recent data point for those about to go through this process. I just completed my registration on my new UCC build, it was a long arduous process but the Custom Vehicle plates are definitely worth it. As many have posted, the ASE inspection is one of the biggest hurdles as few ASE Master techs keep up their certifications as most dealers don’t pay them to do it. There is a complete list of requirements on the Texas DMV website under assembled vehicles, follow it to a T, leave nothing to interpretation. You will also need an approval letter from the Regional Service Center, basically turn in your information and they verify everything with Austin, about a week later they will hopefully call and tell you to get your packet and letter.
The next step should be very easy and straightforward. Take your approval letter down to the local tax office and get your tags…..not so fast. I took my packet to the big downtown tax office in Houston, the first clerk freaked out “ what is all this!?!” as she rifled through my organized packet, papers flying everywhere. Thankfully she called her Supervisor and the Lead Clerk, they were awesome and knew just what to do. The visit still took 2 hours as they had to call Austin to verify my sales tax exemption. Lesson here, when you go to the tax office, politely explain this is a complex transaction please give it your lead clerk or the supervisor. Also make sure they click the Custom Vehicle box and not the Street Rod box, it’s the same exact form and easy to do , though I doubt it would make a difference but you don’t want to go through this again!

[SSSammy]

RUFdriver, thanks for your up-to-date and accurate report on your experience titling/registering an Assembled Vehicle (ASVE) I am the OP of this thread and I agree it is old, but the posts in the last couple years are pretty accurate. We keep adding to this to provide a guide in one place that can be cited when we get repetitious calls here and on Facebook for help.

Some things have not changed over all these years: The title/reg process for ASVE cars varies greatly from county to county. The title clerks just don't do these cars often enough to get familiar with the regulations. One is best prepared who goes to the title office knowing the regulations better than the title office clerks. So our replica Cobra owners do frequently come out of the tax office with something other than a title for a <year built> ASVE. The RSC appointment, being lately put ahead of the tax office, is the state's attempt to rationalize the process. I hate it, but I understand it.

If you are able to join us in 10 days in San Marcos, we'd be happy to meet you. You'll get a kick out of walking around the parking lot with 100+ replica Cobras and seeing the variety of ways they are registered


Sam