California Builders: what year on title?

[richtersand]

Hi all, after going to the lengthy registration process with the state of California, I ended up with a year of 2020 on my title. I didn’t even think about it until I talked to the insurance company. I had a 68 Corvette that cost about $200 per year and insurance. This classic car company cannot ensure a 2020 car. As a result, it will cost me about $1000 more per year in insurance. Over the next 30 to 40 years this will cost nearly as much as the car!

So, what year is on your title? Is it feasible for me to get a retitled as a 1965?

[boat737]

The SB100 process will use the year that it is first registered and titled. The smog requirements are for a 1965 vehicle (if that's how you did the BAR and DMV paperwork). As far as I know, that is what you will have to live with.

As for the insurance, shop around. Mine is on the policies with all the other cars, and is comparable to their premiums. (That is with AAA).

[JohnK]

I'm still in the middle of the SB100 process for my roadster, but I went to the CHP station yesterday for the VIN verification. When I started the process at the DMV, they entered "1965" as the year. The CHP officer yesterday told me that this is incorrect, and all SB100 vehicles should have a year of "0000". This is what he wrote on the paperwork that he gave me. We'll see how this eventually plays out, but what's clear to me already (only having gotten partway through the process) is that there is a very poor understanding of SB100 by those in charge of implementing it. The CHP officer seemed somewhat more knowledgeable to me than the DMV employees, as he immediately knew it was an FFR and knew were to go look for the VIN on the frame, so this wasn't his first rodeo.

[Alan_C]

Your car being titled with the year of construction is correct for a specially constructed vehicle in CA. Your car is not a original Shelby Cobra, so it cannot be titled as such with a 1960's year of manufacture. My MK4 when titled in 2014 was given a 2014 year of manufacture. At one time custom car builders in CA were getting their replica hot rods titled in the year the cars replicated saving owners a boat load of cash. Eventually the DMV caught up with the builders and owners. This is why your car is titled as a 2020.
Regarding insuring the car, you need to find another agent and insurance company. Robbin at Midwest insurance has wrote insurance on our cars for many years. The last year I had my car in CA was 2015 and, if I remember correctly, the policy was on the order of $400 per year.

[Hoooper]

Find a different insurance company. Its going to be a 202x unless you register it out of state somewhere. What kind of classic car insurance isnt personalized enough that they can make this adjustment anyway? Seems strange.

[kobra01]

The year on mine is 2020. Hagerty didn’t have a problem with the year. Hagerty requires experience driving high performance cars. When I told them I have open track experience with nasa group 3, redline and speed ventures the guy from Hagerty said underwriting was going to love me.

[Steve1979]

Everyone seems to have an unique experience when going through the registration process for SB100. Early paper work from DMV will usually include “INCOMPLETE APPLICATION’ and this is where you will should see the year model & year sold entered as 0000. For Vehicle/vessel ID Number it may be entered as CHPREFERRAL.
Your model year and all the information that will go on your SB100 sticker will be determined or finalized at the BAR State of California Smog Check Referee Center. For instance, my model year on my yearly registration is 2007, because that is the date on the Certificate of Origin supplied by Factory Five. But my SB100 sticker says 2008 SPCNS COBRA. 2007 is the year I purchase the my Mk3 and 2008 is when I first visited DMV to apply for my SPCNS certificaton. As mentioned in the above thread, BAR will not let you change the title to a 1965 vehicle, because it was not made in 1965.

For insurance, I have been going through Midwest Classic Insurance since 2012, the policy holder at that time was American Modern until last year. Last year American Modern upped the insurance rate 79%. So, I moved to Hagerty (still going through Midwest Classic) which kept the the cost down below $500 per year. This year I will be checking out Grundy to see how competative they are with Hagerty. Agreed value of your Roadster also has a lot to do with insurance amount.

Best,

[TERRYL]

I got my SB100 license in Oct. of 2022. Title doesn't have a model year, only first year sold as 2022. Everyone who goes through this seems to have a different experience. Everyone I delt with, DMV, CHP, BAR and brake and light was friendly and helpful. Local DMV initially had no idea how to proceed but made some calls and found out. Just like to point out that Ca. DMV processes 80 million transactions each year with SB100 titles being less than 500. If you're going through this, have some patience. I've been dealing with DMV for over 50 years and they are much better now. My insurance is with State Farm and is comparable to my other cars.

[SteveHsr]

It is my understanding that in California you can title and register a replica in accordance with its body model. Many Cobra replica’s are registered as ‘1965 Cobra’ and treated as such for smog emissions requirement.

[David Hodgkins]

It is my understanding that in California you can title and register a replica in accordance with its body model. Many Cobra replica’s are registered as ‘1965 Cobra’ and treated as such for smog emissions requirement.

This is incorrect. The car will be registered with the year of manufacture. Registering as a 1965 is actually illegal in California. SB 100 allows emissions to be tied to the body style if the body style represents a replica for emissions in California. Our cars only need to have a closed air intake system, i.e. no vented breathers and a PCV valve.

:)

[Ted G]

Check out Robbin at Midway. I just got mine insured (before completion) and I am in the mid $400 range.

[richtersand]

Thanks all!!

[richtersand]

Chopper send me the link to Robbin: https://www.midwestclassicinsurance.com/

[richtersand]

Strange, Robbin quoted two insurance companies and they both came back at ~$1K/year each... so I guess I'm stuck. Thanks anyway everyone...

[Hoooper]

I have Grundy, I am not a huge fan of their customer service, but the price is well under $1k and I am planning on not needing to talk to them very often. How much are you asking for in agreed value?