Titleling & registration in NJ

[Chaplin]

One other very important piece of information to add. When you do the safety inspection at Morristown, Asbusry Pk or Atlantic City, they will check to make sure that the engine has all emissions equipment on it that would have come on that engine from the factory according to the year the engine block was made. This is spelled out in the reconstructed vehicle information packet you will receive from trentorn. Therefore, if you have a pre-emissions block, you only need a pcv. If you have a new block, you may be required to have all emissions equipment, including catalytic converters, etc. Thus, to the extent you are able, it is best to use a pre-emissions block.

Plus, when you use a pre-emissions block, they will give you an "engine letter" stating that the engine is a 196x or 197x model year (what ever year it is) and it should be tested according to emissions standards for the year of the block. This is not important if you use the Collector Registration since it is exempt from emissions testing anyway, but if you later wanted to register the car with regular registration (and not be subject to the 3,000 mile limit of Collector Registration), you can take the engine letter down to any dmv inspection station for your bi-annual inspection and they will do the emissions testing according to the year of the engine as stated in your engine letter.

[Joe K]

Don't be surprised if the inspection station that you specified in Trenton does not call you in a week. Those guys are quite busy and understaffed, for the most part. If you do not hear from them in a week or so, then give them a call to set up the inspection appointment.

[Chaplin]

Originally Posted by Joe K

Don't be surprised if the inspection station that you specified in Trenton does not call you in a week. Those guys are quite busy and understaffed, for the most part. If you do not hear from them in a week or so, then give them a call to set up the inspection appointment.

And once you do finally talk to them, you can plan on another 2-4 weeks before the actual inspection occurs.

[Cashburn]

Originally Posted by Chaplin

... This is not important if you use the Collector Registration since it is exempt from emissions testing anyway ...

This is something that seems to be the most confusing. I have heard the exemption is only available if you have a pre'74 block but the way it is written and what you have added here states that the engine means nothing if you go the Collector route.

So, can you go with a new Dart blocked 427R and then qualify for the Collector status and be exempt??? That is the key question to answer...

[Chaplin]

Originally Posted by Cashburn

So, can you go with a new Dart blocked 427R and then qualify for the Collector status and be exempt??? That is the key question to answer...

The whole process described above is what is required to get a title for a kit car or "reconstructed vehicle" in NJ. And the answer to your quetion is different depending on whether the car is already titled already or not.

If the car is not titled and you need to go the reconstructed vehicle inspection route to get your title, the way the regs are written, the engine is required to have all the emissions control requirements on it based on the year the engine was made. So you could use a new dart block, but it would be a PITA to get through the title inspection/process because the car would have to have all the emissions controls that a new 2007 factory engine is required to have. But once through it, you could use the collector registration to be exempt, but at that point, the exemption is kind of meaningless since you will have already complied with 2007 requirements

However, if you have a car that is already titled and use the collector registration, it does not matter what engine is in the car because all they check during the collector vehicle inspection is your insurance policy and that your odometer works. So if you bought a car that was already titled out of state with a 2007 dart block you can get the collector vehicle exemption.

Hope I did not just add to your confusion.