Thread: title in virgina help

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looking for the best way to get a title and vin in Virginia for a homemade model T c-cab.
I'm new to this so any help would be nice

Contact DMV or State Police for info

I did, DMV says one thing. State says something else. just don't want to get to far in and have to title it 2014 and have problems getting it inspected.

Check the toolbox that SEMA Action Network put together - SEMA Action Network (SAN) TAG_TITLE_TOOLBOX

It is becoming commonplace for a home built street rod to be titled in the year it is assembled unless it starts its life as an OEM vehicle and is restored. Even if you DO manage to get it titled as the year it resembles, like a 1925, it is very likely that if you sell it to someone in another state it will not pass muster as an antique, and will then be titled as "20XX ASEV" or something similar that the specific state uses in their system. That is the way it is in Kansas, and that's what Jack (HenryRifle screen name here) found when he moved from Virginia to Texas recently, where his had been titled "1934..." but became "2007 XXXX" when he had to show a paper trail to the year of assembly.

Thanks for the help

Originally Posted by jake in va

Thanks for the help

You bet! And welcome to CHR, by the way! Glad to have you here, and looking forward to watching your build if you choose to share a build log with us.

You might PM "Henry Rifle" and ask about his experiences with VA registration, or search for his threads from about five years back. Jack went through the whole gambit of paperwork, inspections, officers coming to install the VIN plate, etc, etc, before he took a sabbatical to Italy and then relocated to Texas a while back.

I know it is a little late here but I always start a project with a frame and title in hand. Even if from another state. It is fairly easy to transfer titles from state to state. Heck I have a customer here in So Cal that I built a model A Ford for a few years back and he has Tennesee plates and title on it... it is his DD. Once that is in hand it will most likley never need be inspected again at least here in California? Maybe buy a frame and title and attach it to your car some how?Something to think about if nothing else.

Totally agree M.T. I won't even pull a car into my shop unless I have the title in hand..Thats My cars trucks what ever.

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Originally Posted by daveS53

In Colorado, all you have to do is get a VIN number verification, if you're titling a car from out of state. There's no reason to ask for some sort of paper trail, if you have a legitimate title and the car has a VIN that matches the title.

It may be a bit unscrupulous, but many hot rods have brand new frames with the Ford VIN from another car of the same year stamped into them. Of course the other car has to be out of service - totaled or scraped. You can't use the same VIN on two cars.

My brother did this in Kansas. He totaled his '34 sedan, then rebuilt it with a new frame and body, using some of the salvaged parts. He just stamped the VIN into the frame no one was the wiser. He later sold it with no problems.

All due respect, but what you have to do in Colorado has zero bearing on what someone has to do in their home state. And as for your brother stamping the VIN into a repop frame in Kansas, that falls under vehicular fraud which elevates to a federal problem if it's questioned. I'm sure that "...he later sold it with no problems." The question is was the new owner able to get it registered. In Johnson County, KS the highway patrol office has a very detailed library showing the details of the fonts used by the OEM's dies back in the day, including symbols that were used as prefix/suffix to the actual sequential numbers and the break points of the sequential numbers year to year. They do not hesitate to impound any vehicle that has questionable numbers, and they keep them until any number discrepancy is resolved, especially if you make the mistake of driving the vehicle to the inspection. Last time I was there a fellow had a restored '40's Knucklehead Harley that was beautiful, and they were discussing the fact that the original frame had been wrecked, so the guys who did his build simply "copied" the original number on the new frame. He was on his way to court to try to get a judge to issue a court order based on his paper trail..... And this has absolutely no bearing on Jake's task in Virginia.

Go talk to the DMV, Jake, with copies of the relevant statutes in hand for ammo.

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Originally Posted by daveS53

The new owner of my brother's '34 had no problems getting it titled in Kansas, but that was 20 years ago. Maybe they've cracked down since then. If they get all excited about restamping a valid VIN number, they're essentially saying that you can't replace a wrecked or rusted out frame without being a criminal. Usually the greater concern is that the car, or parts of it are stolen.

Here's a link to a long listing of old Ford Vin numbers.

Early Ford Serial Numbers For Cars and Trucks Manufactured for the USA Market from 1932 to 1953

I cannot believe that you're citing an example from twenty years ago as being relevant today, especially in the State of Kansas!

Originally Posted by rspears

It is becoming commonplace for a home built street rod to be titled in the year it is assembled unless it starts its life as an OEM vehicle and is restored. Even if you DO manage to get it titled as the year it resembles, like a 1925, it is very likely that if you sell it to someone in another state it will not pass muster as an antique, and will then be titled as "20XX ASEV" or something similar that the specific state uses in their system. That is the way it is in Kansas, and that's what Jack (HenryRifle screen name here) found when he moved from Virginia to Texas recently, where his had been titled "1934..." but became "2007 XXXX" when he had to show a paper trail to the year of assembly.

Roger, that's all true. However, for clarification, in Virginia, they will still title a replica as the year of the car it resembles. The title will read, "19xx Ford, and there will be a note in "Remarks" that says "Replica." They will assign their own VIN if one doesn't exist. It's important to keep receipts for major components. Jake and I have communicated via PM, and I think we can walk it through. At least, I'm two for two so far.


Texas has gone to the 20xx ASVE as year and model, but "Replica" in the title notes gives the same result as VA - except no property tax in TX (YAY!)

A word of warning to all the folks who have tried a way around the VIN by using old plates, copies of plates, replica plates, etc., you're looking at a real risk of losing your car and doing time. The state police have gotten very good at spotting those methods. We may have gotten away with it years ago, but those times are long gone. Proceed at your own risk. Seriously.

http://www.bipac.net/sema/TagTitleToolbox_VA.pdf


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