Just how many of the completed 818s out there will be able to be licensed legally

[DennisL]

95% completed my 818S chassis #55. Problem is State of Wisconsin will not register it since not replica of a car older than 20 years.
My question is how many people have been able to register the vehicle in their states. I believe Alabama is one state. I think there are going to be many, many, many builders/ owners who will have completed a non-registerable car. A rather expensive garage decoration to say the least. So again, what states have allowed 818 licensing/registration, inspection?

[xxguitarist]

A quick look says in WI, you need to apply as a custom built vehicle, not a replica or hotrod.

Most states should allow for registration with enough legwork.

[68GT500MAN]

There are several registered in California, Nevada, Alabama, Texas and Arizona that I know of. Hopefully many people around the US will post here to help fill your half empty glass.
Doug

[Ray]

95% completed my 818S chassis #55. Problem is State of Wisconsin will not register it since not replica of a car older than 20 years.
My question is how many people have been able to register the vehicle in their states. I believe Alabama is one state. I think there are going to be many, many, many builders/ owners who will have completed a non-registerable car. A rather expensive garage decoration to say the least. So again, what states have allowed 818 licensing/registration, inspection?

I would start here:http://www.bipac.net/semaga/TagTitleToolbox_WI_16-Apr-14.pdf. SEMA has done a great job of gathering most, if not all, the information needed for each State. Then, log onto WI's DMV site and research custom vehicles, home built, special construction etc.

Good luck,

Ray

[freds]

In Texas, the regs. say a "Replica" has to "resemble"....an older vehicle.

I used that to get my 818S registered as a "replica" with custom vehicle plates that exempt me from any future inspections (safety or emissions). Check my posts.

fred

[michael everson]

Hope to be going through this in MA very shortly. Will let you know what happens.
Mike

[metalmaker12]

95% completed my 818S chassis #55. Problem is State of Wisconsin will not register it since not replica of a car older than 20 years.
My question is how many people have been able to register the vehicle in their states. I believe Alabama is one state. I think there are going to be many, many, many builders/ owners who will have completed a non-registerable car. A rather expensive garage decoration to say the least. So again, what states have allowed 818 licensing/registration, inspection?

RI41414, was pretty easy to get done

[wallace18]

Very easy IMO in Florida.

IMO one should do his homework before he orders a kit. That way there are no surprises. It is easy to get caught up wanting to build a cool car, but like anything you have to do your homework first. JMO.

[Aero STI]

Michigan is a piece of cake. It's called an assembled vehicle here. I've made golf carts, side by sides, and dirt bikes street legal. I think Arizona is the most lenient with this sort of stuff.

http://www.michigan.gov/sos/0,4670,7-127-1585_1587_1588-25476--,00.html

[Larry J W]

No problem in Colorado. MCO, FFR invoice, receits for wheels, tires, drive train and a safety inpection by the state patrol. Finally bunch of paper work for some very fussy clerks! The process is a couple of months long.
Larry

[TouchStone]

In Texas, the regs. say a "Replica" has to "resemble"....an older vehicle.

I used that to get my 818S registered as a "replica" with custom vehicle plates that exempt me from any future inspections (safety or emissions). Check my posts.

fred

What did you say it was a replica of?

[Arrowhead]

95% completed my 818S chassis #55. Problem is State of Wisconsin will not register it since not replica of a car older than 20 years.
My question is how many people have been able to register the vehicle in their states. I believe Alabama is one state. I think there are going to be many, many, many builders/ owners who will have completed a non-registerable car. A rather expensive garage decoration to say the least. So again, what states have allowed 818 licensing/registration, inspection?


Sounds like you need to do some more research (that you should have done before getting the kit). You have to think like a bearucrat. Yea, it's not a replica, it's Homemade according to Wisconsin (less than 10 minutes of googling):

http://www.dot.state.wi.us/statepatrol/inspection/homemade.htm

http://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/code/admin_code/trans/305/I/065

http://search.wi.gov/cs.html?url=http%3A//www.dot.state.wi.us/drivers/forms/mv2673.doc&charset=iso-8859-1&qt=url%3Awww.dot.state.wi.us%2C+url%3Awww.511wi.go v%2C+url%3Aprojects.511wi.gov%2C+url%3Aus41wiscons in.gov%2C+url%3Awww.plan94.org+%7C%7C+homemade+vin&col=cstatewi+edu+edu2+legal+wigov+wik12+wile+wilib +wilocal+wiother+wiscon&n=1&la=en

http://www.dot.state.wi.us/drivers/vehicles/personal/special/hobbyist.htm

[Tom Veale]

Good morning Dennis,

In Wisconsin, try the "Hobbyist" License Plate designation as that one is relatively flexible. It will still have to be inspected and given a State VIN number, but should otherwise pass muster. Basically it has to have a hand brake and possibly a windshield wiper. The only restriction on Hobbyist plates is that you not drive the car in January - and unless you own snow tires, that shouldn't be a problem!

http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/drivers/vehicles/personal/special/hobbyist.htm
Look at the "Home Made Motorized Vehicles" designation. What's extra nice is that it's a one-time fee. Once registered and licensed, it is good for as long as you own it with no annual renewals. Plates are transferable to another vehicle, too so you can keep your Plate #. One added benefit is that it is close to the Packer's color scheme (green and gold).

I've registered each of my FFR cars as Hobbyist and have had no problem. Each time I registered my cars (one a full competition Challenge series car and the other the '33 street rod) the "inspection" was to verify that the VIN tag had been properly fastened in the correct place. Both officers upon inspection of the plate said things like "Nice Paint!" or "How much Horsepower?" No challenges on lack of hand brake on the Challenge Series car, no DOT windshield, no wipers, etc. On the '33 no challenges on the lack of wipers or essentially anything.

I also registered two '50s era Jaguars in full race trim under the Hobbyist designation and got plates in the mail without any inspection since they already had VIN plates. (again no DOT windscreens, wipers or hand brakes and not even DOT tires in one case.) I've never been stopped in any of my Hobbyist cars, even when out-of-state driving these cars.

I think you'll be fine if you designate the "Hobbyist" plate registration.

Best regards,
Tom

[tebriel]

That's great to hear Tom. I was slightly concerned about someday having to get a VIN in WI. You haven't built a registered an 818 yet though here?

[Tom Veale]

Hi T, Re: You haven't built or registered an 818 yet though here?

Nope, not yet but it's a future possibility. First I have to pass the idea by the Registration Wife. She already thinks I have too many pistons available to me!

Best regards, Tom

[john g]

I am now registered in Maryland. I needed a VIN inspection by the State Police and a safety inspection by a private garage. I will need to report to the emissions station in the future. My car is likely to pass since but kit cars are exempt.

[billjr212]

95% completed my 818S chassis #55. Problem is State of Wisconsin will not register it since not replica of a car older than 20 years.
So again, what states have allowed 818 licensing/registration, inspection?

You can add your neighbors to the south to the list - Illinois allows registration. Fairly easy process once you get over the waiting while they process paperwork (I'd say it was around 5-6 weeks from my initial phone call until license plates were at my door).

[jmills]

You can add your neighbors to the south to the list - Illinois allows registration. Fairly easy process once you get over the waiting while they process paperwork (I'd say it was around 5-6 weeks from my initial phone call until license plates were at my door).

Which process did you go through to register the 818 in Illinois? I'm struggling to get a Exocet registered under the specially constructed vehicle process as they are demanding NHTSA certification.

Is this the route you went, or how did you register in IL?

Thanks!

[billjr212]

Special Constructed Vehicle process is what I used, correct. Have you gotten in touch with the specific guy that handles them? When I registered mine, it was a single person that handled all of them, but I think I heard he left. Anybody else you talked to had no clue.

You should have received a packet of information from the Secretary of State including Form VSD 843. Once you get in touch with the right person, it is a fairly simple process, just involves quite a few steps and a bit of back and forth (unless they changed something yet again). Ultimately you just need to prove out where each major component comes from, then get an inspection from the secretary of state police (they come to your house).

https://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/publications/pdf_publications/vsd843.pdf

[jmills]

I spoke with Alan who seemed to know the process very well (been in the position a few years at least) but it was his supervisor Debbie who apparently does the "research" to determine if a vehicle meets standards or not. Did you have any issues with "NHTSA certification" or just submitted the MCO for the 818 frame and donor info? I assume the frame had NO VIN on it, just a serial number from the MCO correct?

Thanks!

[billjr212]

I spoke with Alan who seemed to know the process very well (been in the position a few years at least) but it was his supervisor Debbie who apparently does the "research" to determine if a vehicle meets standards or not. Did you have any issues with "NHTSA certification" or just submitted the MCO for the 818 frame and donor info? I assume the frame had NO VIN on it, just a serial number from the MCO correct?

Thanks!

Exactly. No mention of nhtsa certification by them. They may be trying to react to the new federal law for small volume manufacturers, but it shouldn't apply to kits.

[Mechie3]

what states have allowed 818 licensing/registration, inspection?


Indiana gave me a VIN and plates and let me register it. It still hasn't moved under its own power. Haha! (I mean...it's not funny I haven't finished yet, but it is funny they let me register it).

[AZPete]

Another One Hits the Pavement! I just got a VIN, title and plates from the Arizona DMV this morning! It took 5 boring hours to get the level 2 inspection, paperwork, and all. They copied all receipts in my 3-inch file of receipts - even the little receipts for nuts and bolts from Ace Hardware and Lowe's! But, my 818 is classified as a "2013 SPECO" (special construction) so I don't have to get emissions tests. (whew).

This thread was started by DennisL when he was frustrated by licensing nearly a year ago. Hey, Dennis, did you ever get plates?

[axelthrasher]

I would start here:http://www.bipac.net/semaga/TagTitleToolbox_WI_16-Apr-14.pdf. SEMA has done a great job of gathering most, if not all, the information needed for each State. Then, log onto WI's DMV site and research custom vehicles, home built, special construction etc.

Good luck,

Ray

Ray,

Your post has been extremely helpful! I am about to go through Illinois registration which doesn't seem bad, but that link surely helped... so, here it is again by state: http://www.bipac.net/page.asp?content=tag_title_toolbox&g=SEMAGA

Also helpful: http://www.bipac.net/page.asp?content=streetrod_custom_bill&g=SEMAGA

[Hindsight]

I was able to register my 818 in Georgia. I did a write-up on it here: http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?22109-How-to-register-a-kit-car-in-Georgia

[mikeb75]

I completed registration & titling of my build in Maryland as a two-stage vehicle.

[axelthrasher]

I completed registration & titling of my build in Maryland as a two-stage vehicle.

Two-stage vehicle? That's a new term to me... from a quick googlin' just reconstructed, correct?

[AZPete]

Two stage means Booster Rockets?

[mikeb75]

Maryland description of two stage vehicle means there are two manufacturers where reconstructed is a vehicle created by the unique alteration of a standard vehicle. Semantics, but I think a different body on an existing frame would be a reconstruction; but since there is a frame provided by FFR & engine/drive components from Subaru it meets the definition of two-stage. At least that is how I was registered (I think, it was actually never written on paperwork I saw).

Maryland, no space industry here - but we like "putting on airs".

[Ray]

95% completed my 818S chassis #55. Problem is State of Wisconsin will not register it since not replica of a car older than 20 years.
My question is how many people have been able to register the vehicle in their states. I believe Alabama is one state. I think there are going to be many, many, many builders/ owners who will have completed a non-registerable car. A rather expensive garage decoration to say the least. So again, what states have allowed 818 licensing/registration, inspection?

Have you read through this: http://www.bipac.net/semaga/TagTitleToolbox_WI_16-Apr-14.pdf ?

Ray

[RM1SepEx]

soon to be 3 registered in Maine...

Like others have indicated, read the rules, go through the steps, some places are easier than others