Continuing FLORIDA DMV FIASCO

[Jeff's First FFR]

130452

My third post today!

Well, it's REGISTERED but not TITLED (??)

Found someone who did the paperwork for title and registration. Got title and registration and plate.
Then...3 days later I get a phone call from DMV saying FLHSMV (Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles) that they PULLED THE TITLE because it was titled as a REPLICA!!!

Still can't call it a REPLICA in Florida.

Don't know what to call it. Seems they don't have a category for it. "Assembled from parts"...no thanks.

Now they want to inspect it to see if it conforms (to what I don't Know). Have to wait 3-4 weeks before they will even review my papers.

Hope no one else is considering building a car in Florida.

Stay tuned,

Jeff

[wallace18]

Jeff there has been numerous threads on this the last few weeks. TL-48 passed in April 2019 makes all kit cars assembled from parts in FL.
FFR and SEMA is working on it.
I suggest all FL builders notify their FL reps and let them know TL-48 is hurting the builders, business and tax income to the state by ignoring Replicas, and Kit cars in titles.

[Avalanche325]

This says it should be a "Custom Vehicle" from how I read it. I'm no lawyer though. Have you shown this to them?

From this site:
https://www.flhsmv.gov/motor-vehicles-tags-titles/motor-vehicle-procedure-manual/

This document:

https://www3.flhsmv.gov/dmv/Proc/rs/rs-28.pdf

This looks like FFR fits custom vehicle to me:

Section 319.14(1)(c)11a and b, Florida Statutes, defines a “custom vehicle” as a motor vehicle that is
25 years old or older and of a model year after 1948 or was manufactured to resemble a vehicle that is
25 years old or older and of a model year after 1948; and has been altered from the manufacturer's
original design or has a body constructed from non-original materials.

Strangely, if you have an aluminum body, you might have trouble since it says AND.

This looks like it should be registered as a 65:

GENERAL INFORMATION FOR CUSTOM VEHICLES:
A. The model year and year of manufacture that the body of a custom vehicle resembles is the
model year and year of manufacture listed on the certificate of title, regardless of when the
vehicle was actually manufactured.

It looks like there no more getting antique plates for us (fair enough really), but a custom vehicle plate:

. The vehicle title/record must carry a brand of “custom vehicle” prior to applying for a custom
vehicle license plate

I don't see anything about an inspection. No other cars get inspected here.

Unbelievable. They took something easy and made it where no one knows how to do it.

Good luck.

[Jeff's First FFR]

Hi,
The trouble with "Custom Vehicle" is that it can be driven only for shows and parades. Especially with that Custom Plate, not daily use. And it would have and existing VIN from the original car.
I don't know why Florida is making an example of me. Usually there is no vehicle inspection or emissions requirement in Florida.
I guess I'll have to move back to California...at least there is SB100 for "Speciality Constructed Vehicles".
Jeff

[Jeff's First FFR]

Hi,
The trouble with "Custom Vehicle" is that it can be driven only for shows and parades. Especially with that Custom Plate, not daily use. And it would have and existing VIN from the original car.
I don't know why Florida is making an example of me. Usually there is no vehicle inspection or emissions requirement in Florida.
I guess I'll have to move back to California...at least there is SB100 for "Speciality Constructed Vehicles".
Jeff

[Jeff's First FFR]

Good idea. I think the legislature is ignorant about cars. Perhaps there has been some fiddling by Shelby, Superforamance or Backdraft? However government moves at a glacial pace. I think SEMA screwed up.
Here is their letter to all states DMVs:

""SEMA Model Street Rod/Custom Vehicle Bill

Vehicle Laws - Street Rods and Custom Vehicles
(a) A "street rod" means a motor vehicle that:
(1) Is a 1948 or older vehicle; or the vehicle was manufactured after 1948 to resemble a vehicle manufactured before 1949; and
(2) Has been altered from the manufacturer's original design; or has a body constructed from non-original materials.
(b) The model year and the year of manufacture that are listed on the certificate of title of a street rod vehicle shall be the model year and year of manufacture that the body of such vehicle resembles.
(c) For each street rod, there shall be a one-time registration fee of $ ______.
(d) (1) In applying for registration of a street rod under this section, the owner of the
street rod shall submit with the application a certification that the vehicle for
which the application is made:
(I) Will be maintained for occasional transportation, exhibitions, club activities, parades, tours, and similar uses; and;
(II) Will not be used for general daily transportation.
(2) In addition to the certification required under paragraph (1) of this subsection,
when applying for registration of a street rod, the new owner of the street rod
shall provide proof acceptable to the Administration that the street rod passed
a safety inspection that has been approved by the Administration in consultation
with the street rod community in this State.
(e) On registration of a vehicle under this section, the Administration shall issue a special street rod vehicle registration plate of the size and design that the Administration determines in consultation with the street rod community in this state.
(f) Unless the presence of the equipment was specifically required by a statute of this State as a condition of sale in the year listed as the year of manufacture on the certificate of title, the presence of any specific equipment is not required for the operation of a vehicle registered under this section.
(g) A vehicle registered under this section is exempt from any statute that requires periodic vehicle inspections and from any statute that requires the use and inspection of emission controls.


(a) A custom vehicle means any motor vehicle that:
(1) Is at least 25 years old and of a model year after 1948; or was manufactured to resemble a vehicle 25 or more years old and of a model year after 1948; and
(2) Has been altered from the manufacturers original design; or has a body constructed from non-original materials.
(b) The model year and the year of manufacture that are listed on the certificate of title of a custom vehicle shall be the model year and year of manufacture that the body of such vehicle resembles.
(c) For each custom vehicle, there shall be a one-time registration fee of $_____.
(d) (1) In applying for registration of a custom vehicle under this section, the owner of
the custom vehicle shall submit with the application a certification that the vehicle
for which the application is made:
(I) Will be maintained for occasional transportation, exhibitions, club activities, parades, tours, and similar uses; and
(II) Will not be used for general daily transportation.
(2) In addition to the certification required under paragraph (1) of this subsection,
when applying for registration of a custom vehicle, the new owner of the custom
vehicle shall provide proof acceptable to the administration that the custom
vehicle passed a safety inspection that has been approved by the Administration
in consultation with the custom vehicle community in this state.
(e) On registration of a vehicle under this section, the administration shall issue a special custom vehicle registration plate of the size and design that the administration determines in consultation with the custom vehicle community in this state.
(f) Unless the presence of the equipment was specifically required by a statute of this State as a condition of sale in the year listed as the year of manufacture on the certificate of title, the presence of any specific equipment is not required for the operation of a vehicle registered under this section.
(g) A vehicle registered under this section is exempt from any statute that requires periodic vehicle inspections and from any statute that requires the use and inspection of emission controls.

(a) Signal lamps and devices – street rod vehicles and custom vehicles
(1) “Blue dot tail light” means a red lamp installed in the rear of a motor vehicle containing a blue or purple insert that is not more than one inch in diameter.
(2) A street rod or custom vehicle may use blue dot tail lights for stop lamps, rear turning indicator lamps, rear hazard lamps, and rear reflectors. ""

Pay special attention to the phrases "Will be maintained for occasional transportation, exhibitions, club activities, parades, tours, and similar uses; and;
(II) Will not be used for general daily transportation."

And...clearly, no mention of REPLICAs. They are looking forward to the small vehicle manufacturer's law being implemented.

Jeff

[Avalanche325]

Look at the Florida document, not the SEMA document. There is no use restriction that I saw.

[steno]

I have a friend near Cocoa who went to Titusville and they had him do and assembled from parts title. Had to bring it by got an “ inspection” was gone in 25 minutes!

[RBachman]

I have a friend near Cocoa who went to Titusville and they had him do and assembled from parts title. Had to bring it by got an “ inspection” was gone in 25 minutes!


I have a friend near Cocoa who went to Titusville and they had him do and assembled from parts title. Had to bring it by got an “ inspection” was gone in 25 minutes!

Steno,

I don't like the "Assembled from Parts" designation because while true, (as all cars are) it has a bad connotation. It sounds like a junk yard special that got welded into a running rat rod underneath a Mississippi shade tree, with all the resale appeal of a "Totaled/Lemon Title." In nearly every incidence where I've seen the FFR's, they are better built, better engineered, more reliable and have superior components to the originals. Calling it something that may degrade from that just sounds wrong to me.

Personally, I'd try to get a VIN/title from a more reasonable state. Years ago I did something similar to that when I lived in Illinois (I was born in Woodstock, but moved to South Carolina when I was young. I moved back to the same area---Algonquin/Barrington---for work later in life and then back South after I discovered that cold weather and shoveling snow sucked more than I remembered, LOL.) Anyway, I'd buy/title cars in SC at an address I owned there, and transfer title to Illinois when the plates expired...not sure IL allows that anymore. It was a great way to save sales taxes also. Regardless, it seems that it'd be a lot easier to register it in a state that's more aware of what these vehicles truly are and then transfer with that designation.

[jlfernan]

I had a thought on this, this morning. How do builders of street legal sandrails, not dune buggies, but sandrails title their cars? Not much difference between those and ours. The get a steel frame from which they hang an engine/transmission from, suspension, wheels, fuel tank etc. Only difference is ours has a body. Might be worth contacting someone who's titled a sandrail and see what they did.

[BEAR-AvHistory]

Can you sell it to someone in a state like NC get it registered & titled as an antique auto 1965 COBRA? Then "buy" it from them & just transfer the title to FLA?