Ohio inspection requirements

[egchewy79]

Posted this on the other forum as well...

I've done a cursory search on this forum and on the Ohio BMV website and haven't found the info I'm looking for yet.
Can someone in OH who's gone through the titling/registration process help with info on basic requirements to get a kit car titled? Also, any benefits of titling as a 65/66 replica vs current year?
I do have a 1966 289 HiPo donor engine and wasn't sure if this would allow me to title as a 65/66 car. I'm guessing a historical plate (>25 yr old car, cheaper registration) would be the main benefit of titling as a 65/66.
I'm not planning on the following:
-cats
-defrost vents
-reverse lights
-bumpers (but will have QJs)
-passenger side mirror
-wipers/washer
-padded sun visors (will have FF visor, but do I need to put a tube sock over to pass inspection?)

I live in Dublin and hear that the Alum Creek location is the best/easiest to get past inspection.
Anything else I haven't thought of?

[PeteH]

I went to Bucyrus as that is a one stop shop. Don't know about Alum creek. Inspect, pay taxes and receive title, than go down hall and get plate.
I had all my non taxed invoices, and mfg cert of origin, title for donor rear end, notarized casual bill of sale for engine and trans, all in one envelope, which they needed to establish non taxed value. They didn't seem too concerned about taxed invoices.
I am running a 65 289. That made it emissions exempt.. even though Erie County does not have emissions testing.. I think you'll have to title it per the year on the mfg cert of origin.

[Sdonnel]

Unfortunately, you will not receive a title that shows 1965 for a Self Assembled Vehicle. It will be titled as the year you present it for inspection. You will need the receipts for the kit, engine, transmission, and rear end. If you do not have a title in hand for the car the engine was pulled from, you will need a notarized receipt. As for the options on your car, they are not interested in any of that. They are only looking to see if you can prove that what you have was acquired legally. I stressed as to whether they would fail me for no wipers. The inspector said it was my problem if I got caught in the rain. I went to the Troy location, had my inspection, paid my taxes, and left two hours after it all started with a brand new title in hand.

Scott

[lance corsi]

I believe that side marker lights are also required if your forward/rear lights are obscured from side view. Also, a license plate light.
I’ve been told that aside from the taxation/legalization part, the quality of workmanship can be a deciding factor also.

[Jeff Kleiner]

I’ve done a few cars for Ohio owners. Some had wipers, some had defrosters, some had neither. They all got registered. Every owner said the same thing; when you walk in the door they label you as a thief and you have to prove that you aren’t!

Good luck,
Jeff

[egchewy79]

I just spoke to a local FFR cobra owner the other day who said he got his titled without an inspection. At the recommendation of a local builder, he walked right in to the titling agency with his MSO, receipts for his drivetrain, and they issued him title, just like that!
He just paid taxes and walked out. Didn't even drive the cobra to the title agency!

[Sdonnel]

If he got it registered without an inspection, that's the exception to the rule. Who knows what happened. With my inspection, they put the wrong VIN tag on my car. 2 months later, OSHP called and said I would have to bring the car back for the correct VIN tag. When I told them they would need to reimburse me for my time, the trooper showed up at my house the next day with the correct tag. As for the proof of inspection sticker, that was another war. The trooper wanted to put it on the front of the drivers fender flare thinking it would be covered by the door. We had to Facetime his boss to get the point across that it needed to be on the firewall. I won.

Scott

[JohnnyB]

I just spoke to a local FFR cobra owner the other day who said he got his titled without an inspection. At the recommendation of a local builder, he walked right in to the titling agency with his MSO, receipts for his drivetrain, and they issued him title, just like that!
He just paid taxes and walked out. Didn't even drive the cobra to the title agency!

It seems like titling the car without the inspection and getting the Ohio supplied VIN plate would cause nothing but problems down the road. The inspection process is pretty easy in Ohio. I'd encourage you to go with documented process on this one.

[egchewy79]

Just wanted to update this thread. I got my car titled last week. No inspection. I guess there was a bill that was passed a few yrs ago that allows kit cars to be titled as long as there are not donor parts from another vehicle. I had my COO/MSO from FFR, my invoice for the kit, invoice for my rear end, bill of sale for my motor/transmission, my driver's license, and a check for the taxes. It was titled as a 2019 Ford 1965 Shelby Cobra replica (they had to put in a make of the car, and Shelby was not an option). The have to use the year on the COO and won't title as a 1965. As mentioned in previous entries on this thread, the inspection is more of a "prove you didn't use any stolen parts" and less of a safety inspection. So all the talk about defrost vents, back up lights, wipers etc are moot. I'm surprised they don't even need to check for working brakes, lights, turn signals, etc. The only other hitch is that since I'm using a donor engine (1966 289 SBF) and have no records of the odometer reading on the original car, it is titled with 30 "non-actual" miles. I tried arguing that the engine was freshly rebuilt, but the clerk said there was nothing they could do. She said it could become an issue when trying to resell the car, but I figured that anyone buying a kit car would understand the reason it has "non-actual" miles on it. I'm surprised I didn't get more push back on my donor engine, but blocks didn't have VINs back then so I guess it doesn't really matter. I was just pleased that they made the process so easy. Maybe 20min at the most as there was no line at the title office midday on a Friday. I had some extra time since this was so fast, that I checked in to a nearby BMV online, drove there, and got called in for my tags only after waiting 15min in the parking lot. So in total, I was able to get title and tags all within an hour! When was the last time you were able to say that!?

[Sdonnel]

Congrats. I’ve been hearing from others that have had the same experience. Now get it done and be ready to drive in the spring.

Scott

[JohnnyB]

That's awesome, Congratulations!
Do they assign you a VIN number?

[egchewy79]

They have my VIN as the FFR assigned chassis number