The Expert Podcast

…So this question comes up a lot when somebody is trying to title or register. A former track car race car or some other type of exotic vehicle. What is the difference between a kit car and assembled car in a replica? There are many major differences and you want to make sure that you're applying and pursuing the right thing because if you try to get a kit car, but it's a replica you're going to end up with problems So. Here's the main differences between the three. A kit car. Is a vehicle that's manufactured. As parts in an assembled kit from a company. You buy that kit and you put it together. And once it's assembled into a motor vehicle that is complete. You present it to your state and they issue a new V I N number. Sometimes a kit car manufacturer is allowed to issue VIN numbers It's usually not the case Usually VIN numbers are only issued for completed vehicles Like you would buy from a new car dealer. But a kit car is something that you build yourself What does that look like Well, here's a company that makes Roadsters to replicate the old AC cobras. And they have a couple different versions of it. What happens is you purchase that kit. You put it together. And then present it to your DMV for titling. In this case you'd buy the kit for about $20,000. You will still need to get some other items that tells you what you get frame body. Chassis that kind of thing. And then once it's completed you present it to your DMV to give you a title now. Are they going to give you that approval Well it depends on a few things. First of all did you meet the standards of what you're applying for? If it's an assembled vehicle? That means it has a body that does not resemble any particular year make and model of a vehicle. It's kind of like a Batmobile right? It's a car that is completely custom You made it from scratch. like in your backyard. If it's a replica vehicle that means it has a body built to resemble and a reproduction of another vehicle That's a particular year model. Built as a replica from new recondition or original parts So you can make it from new parts or used parts. They get advantage of an, a replica is because it gives you some allowances of what criteria you have to meet. If it's an assembled vehicle, you have to meet. Current standards in effect at the time of manufacturer So if you build a car in your backyard, And it is not a replica of another vehicle. You have to meet all the current safety standards airbags antilock brakes. Backup camera lights all the things that go into a new car today. If you're building a replica. You only have to meet the standards of what that year and make had…That's what will be the determining factor if you're allowed to title and register that vehicle. The problem comes It is not a replica of another vehicle. You have to meet all the current safety standards airbags, antilock brakes. Backup camera lights all the things that go into a new car today. If your bill. a replica. You only have to meet the standards of what that year and make had…That's what will be the determining factor if you're allowed to title and register that vehicle. The problem comes. If you have a vehicle like this race car. Here's a Lola we've all seen him made famous in the sixties and seventies by you know big time racers Dan gurney Jackie Stewart. Now this looks like a car. It's got four wheels steering wheel. Whole nine yards. But the Lola was never manufactured as a vehicle for road use What that means is. No dealership ever sold these cars for the public. This is only for a race car. So these cars have no VIN numbers. And there were no standards in 1965 that they met. So would you be able to get a title for it No. Or register it No, because you can't meet any criteria You can't meet the criteria of a 1965 Lola because there wasn't any. You can't meet the criteria for a current vehicle because it has no bumpers. It doesn't have a glass windshield Doesn't have airbags right now What if this was a 1965? Mustang…That you made from scratch from Mustang panels and fenders and, and you bought a frame and you made a. Mustang in your backyard. Well now what are we talking about now We're talking about a replica. Because now it's built to resemble a reproduction of another vehicle. Even if it's not a kit. Even if you made it yourself in your backyard. It's now resembling an actual vehicle So as long as you meet the standards of what that vehicle was I reconstructed from existing vehicles parts of vehicles, new user reconditioned. And Now you can…just make sure that vehicle matches the standard specifications of a 1965. Mustang this car There's no way to do this. This race car because it was never an on-road vehicle to begin with. Right. So there's no way to get a legal VIN number for it Remember a VIN number It's not something you can make up. On a laser printer or on a…An etcher. Right. VIN number either came from the factory. Or issued by government. You can't make up your own VIN number. It's a very serious offense Federal felony for tampering with VIN numbers. Make sure that you know what your vehicle is going to meet Now here's another example, COPO Camaro This is a. 2022 Now they're making 2020 threes This looks like a Camaro it's made by Chevrolet. It's delivered through a Chevrolet dealer. But you can't title it. Matter of fact when you buy this vehicle, From Chevrolet cost a hundred thousand dollars. You don't get a title You get a bill of sale That's it. There is no VIN number. There is no…title or registration given. and you can't get one because it doesn't meet any standards. Of a production vehicle. If you try to bring it to the DMV to get a title or VIN number, they would reject it because this car does not meet the standards of a 2022. Right because it doesn't have the right. airbags safety features computers, that kind of thing Antilock brakes…So. This is something that is an example of a newer car. That you can't get a title for it because it doesn't meet the standards. Let's look at another example. Here's a car that sold that bear Jackson is a Beverly Hills. Hillbilly Beverly hillbillies custom truck sold for $275,000. And it says right here it was built by George Barris who built a lot of You know studio cars for Hollywood sold out bill of sale only Why is that? Because…it is a vehicle that's custom made it Doesn't conform. You would think that if you get it inspected and you have it presented to DMV you can get a title, but…it's not a state level. Requirement. It is a federal government requirement. The federal government has three agencies, which legislate and regulate. Vehicle titling and registration department sh. transportation got EPA and the national highway transportation safety administration NITSA. Those three organizations and agencies I have rules promulgated that have requirements for vehicles, bumpers bumper height. Light's horn, how wide the headlights are and they vary from year to year. You have to make sure your vehicle conforms to the standards for what you're trying to apply for. So if you have a vehicle. That is a custom vehicle a race. an imported vehicle that was never sold in the us. You have to decide which channel you're going to try to use. Is it a kit car Is it a custom vehicle? Is it a replica? Each one is going to have pros and cons. If it's a replica Well now it has to be similar and representing a certain type of vehicle that was sold in the U S that's not going to work for gray market. Import vehicles that never were in the U S…if it's an assembled vehicle. Well now it has to be similar and representing a certain type of vehicle that was sold in the U S that's not kind of work for gray market. Import vehicles that never were in the U S. If it's an assembled vehicle. Well now it has to meet the standards of when it was assembled If you built it in 2022, it's got to meet 2022 standards. If it is a kit car. By itself it doesn't mean anything Is it a kid car of an assembled vehicle or a kit Carver replica. Right now don't make the mistake of thinking that if…it meets the standards of the import exception, For 95 and older vehicles that you can somehow use that to get a title. That just means it's legal to import. It doesn't mean that the state has to give you a title. Many states are already starting to revoke titles for those Japanese mini trucks and Nissan skylines that people were. Bringing into the country in the last 10 years because there was an exemption from customs. To let it come into the country without going through the detailed customs process I just because customs lets it in doesn't mean the state has to give a title. And 47 of the 50 states have already canceled those vehicles along with military Humvees that you buy on gov planet. The other three states are just waiting for their legislator to pass formal laws to cancel that program. So these vehicles. Are not going to be allowed on the road. There may be a couple stray. that slipped through the cracks but remember, titles can be revoked just because you have a title in your hand Doesn't mean it's permanent. If the DMV finds out that your vehicle is not eligible. Or somehow was issued a title improperly. They can pull that title back or registration, and we've seen it happen many years later. So make sure you understand what the laws are in your state. And don't think that just because you see the rules of your state seemed like they're difficult that you can jump to another state, almost every state's the same. We look at all the regulations of all 50 states on a regular basis, we find that the wording is almost. for word from one state to another, because they didn't make this up This comes from federal government requirements. A state can not decide to go rogue and make up their own rules because if they do the federal government will come in and say Hey, you can't do this You can't title these ineligible vehicles If you do. We're going to pull your funding for your roads We're going to pull your highway funds We're going to pull your transportation subsidies. And…look. Just to be able to charge a few handful of enthusiasts 50 $60 for titles is not worth lose. tens of millions in subsidies So even if the state wants to do it which they don't. They can't because the federal government will shut them down. There was a county in Kentucky that a few years ago was allowing people to title junk parts only vehicles that came from Copart. Well the federal government came in and swooped in and told that sheriff in that county don't do this anymore And the sheriff said the heck with you I'm doing whatever I want. They said okay we got two things for you to keep doing It will arrest you…And we'll pull your highway funds Well that ended real quick. So make sure. that if you are looking at. A non-standard vehicle look something that didn't sell at a dealership ever. If you have a 65 Camaro R 65, a Mustang that's sold at a dealership. That's a legitimate car You have a 1920s 4 19 40 Ford whatever those were cars that were sold. Make sure. That your VIN number matches the pattern of that year Cause they're going to check you Can't just make up a VIN number. It has to match what the pattern was for that year 17 digit VIN numbers didn't come into play until 1981. So if you have an older vehicle might have 10 12, Oh some really old vehicles only have four or five digits in their VIN number…If you have questions about the complexities of assembled vehicles, kit cars replica vehicles He can reach us at our website CarTitles.com..