Hi Tino,
You bring up an important and commonly-asked question. As a manufacturer of automotive parts, Factory Five Racing assigns a serial number to each chassis sold, and along with each is a matching Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin, for which we have to maintain strict records here. Listed with the chassis serial number is the corresponding invoice number, date of invoice, and the billing name/address given by the original buyer of the kit.
It's important to remember that this is NOT a title, and I find that a lot of motor vehicle departments try to handle them that way, which is why they may tell you to have it switched over to your name.
For our record keeping, the name and address on the Certificate HAVE to match the billing name and address listed on the order. As its name indicates, the Certificate provides information about the origin of the chassis and serves as a record of ownership. If the chassis/kit is sold before the build is finished (i.e. before it is officially a vehicle with a VIN), there won't be a title yet, but a detailed bill of sale should provide a proper record of the transfer of ownership. As the Stig mentioned above, some states may want you to sign off on the back of the Certificate, while others may not. It's always best to do some homework ahead of time to know what the authorities are looking for, keep ALL paperwork and records on the car (invoice, packlist, receipts, etc.), and do your best to maintain contact with the original owner in case you need anything further.
If your Certificate of Origin has been lost or destroyed, or if see something that was recorded incorrectly, you can submit a request to replace or change your Certificate under this link on our parts catalog (coming soon). There you'll find details about information you need to provide, including a detailed description of why the replacement or change is requested, and we will follow up with information about what we can do to accommodate. There's a documentation fee of $79.00 that will be assessed if necessary (typically only for replacements).
If you have any other questions, please email me at
[email protected] or call (508)-291-3443.
Thanks!
Jason Lavigne
Technical Sales Manager
Factory Five Racing, Inc.