Missouri Title

[Manx1173]

I found this story on another forum and thought I would post it here for anyone in Missouri.


One problem with dune buggies is the legal difficulties in titling and licensing homebrew vehicles. Obtaining a legal title for my Mini-T took more time and money
than I could have imagined, even though I thought I had a legal title when I purchased it.

On March 28, 2003 I purchased my Mini-T from a neighbor. This vehicle consists of a 1967 Volkswagen chassis (or "body pan") with a fiberglass replacement body
on it. With it I received a Missouri title for a 1967 Volkswagen. The vehicle ID number on the titled matches the serial number stamped into the chassis on top of the
transmission tunnel. (This number was stamped into the body pan by the Volkswagen factory when manufactured.)

On April 1, I took the vehicle to my local mechanic to be inspected. The inspector was unsure of where to look for an ID number, so he placed a call to the Missouri
state troopers. While waiting for a call back with instructions, another employee pointed out to the inspector that the serial number was stamped in the aforementioned
location. The inspector compared the chassis serial number to the title, and then gave me the paperwork showing that the vehicle did pass inspection.

On April 2, I went to the License bureau at the State office building in downtown Kansas City and submitted my paperwork for the transfer of title and registration. I
was given license plates and a copy of the title application.

When I arrived home from work that evening, I had a phone message from my mechanic stating that my dune buggy should not have passed inspection. I immediately
returned the call and he told me that the Chief Inspector of the Missouri State Troopers' Motor Vehicle Inspection Department had responded to their query. The
trooper said that my vehicle was illegally titled and I was potentially guilty of a felony for possessing it, as was my neighbor for selling it to me. The mechanic gave me
the officer's phone number and suggested I get further clarification on the matter directly from him.

On April 3, the Chief Inspector returned my call. He was impressively knowledgeable about the particulars of my car's construction and answered my many questions
in great detail. My best attempt to summarize his explanation follows:

The serial number on the transmission tunnel of my dune buggy is a "private number" (or "police number,") not a "public number," and not the legally
acceptable VIN for the vehicle. He explained that the proper VIN on a 1967 Volkswagen was affixed to the body under the front hood, near the spare
tire. At whatever time in the past the original Volkswagen body was removed from the chassis and replaced with the fiberglass dune buggy body, the
vehicle was no longer a 1967 Volkswagen, but rather a new homebuilt dune buggy which lacked the proper legal paperwork or VIN. The vehicle that I
have the title to ceased to exist. The unknown constructor of this dune buggy unlawfully failed to apply for a new title as a "special construction"
vehicle in order to have a new, valid ID number assigned and affixed to the car. It is not possible for me to submit a DOR-551 application to apply for
this new ID number because 1) I am not the actual constructor of this vehicle, and 2) applying for this new ID number requires a receipt for all
materials purchased in the construction of the vehicle. I have two possible ways to legalize this car: 1) to track down the original builder and have him
submit the proper paperwork, along with all receipts, or 2) go to court and get a judge to award me legal ownership by court order.

The trooper also told me that my dune buggy will need all the required equipment to be street legal, including full-width bumpers and a high-beam indicator light on
the dash!

After getting off the phone with the trooper, I called my neighbor and asked him about the history of the vehicle. He told me that he got the car in 1999 from a resident
of Nebraska, along with a Nebraska title for the '67 VW. He had the vehicle inspected before applying for a Missouri title, and the inspector at that time did not indicate
any problem with the car's construction or legal status. He had had two subsedquent safety inspections that also went smoothly. I am confident my neighbor sold me
the car in good faith.

My neighbor was not given any construction receipts when he bought the car and believes that the Nebraska man, who was in very poor health at the time, has since
died. The dune buggy kit was manufactured sometime in the 1970s by the Berry Plastics Corporation, which went out of business many years ago. It is therefore
impossible for me to pursue the state trooper's first method of resolving this issue.

I hired an attorney to work out this whole mess. Some months later, he gave up and sent me my paperwork back. I found a second lawyer who had a plan of attack--sue
the unknown original builder ("John Doe") and the car itself for rightful ownership. The most expensive part was the necessary attempt to serve papers to this
unknown person or persons through what is called service by publication; four weeks worth of very expensive classified ads totalled nearly $400--only $100 less than
I was paying my lawyer!

Finally, three days before Christmas 2003, I was sworn in before a judge in Missouri Circuit Court. About 15 minutes later, I had the legal paperwork declaring me the
rightful owner of my buggy. HOORAY! From this point forward, everything would be administrative. Now I had defined channels to follow.

I immediately made an appointment to have the Missouri State Troopers inspect my vehicle. On the appointed day--January 21, 2004--I trailered my Mini-T over to the
inspection station. The "inspection" consisted of writing down the frame number and engine number on the proper form (cost: $27.00).

All the paperwork was sent off to the Missouri Dept. of Revenue (along with yet another check for $21.00) via registered mail...and was promptly sent right back. It
seems I owed the state an additional $25.00 late fee because they received my application more than 30 days after my court date--never mind that I had to get my
Trooper inspection first!

After sending in the paperwork a second time, I waited again to hear from the Trooper station. Finally, in early March, 2004, I did get the call telling me that my VIN
plate had arrived. The Mini-T made another trip across town on the trailer. Ironically, they didn't want to attach the VIN plate to the chassis, but to the fiberglass body; it
didn't make sense to me. Anyway, my buggy came home with a shiny new VIN attached to the dash. The next day, I got the plates transferred without incident. The
Mini-T was now legal!

[jspbtown]

I wonder if any of the laws or practices have changed in the past decade.

[Manx1173]

Based on my research, no. Missouri has required special construction titles for dune buggys since the beginning (I have one from 1969). I have had several conversations with the Missouri Department of Revenue and Motor Vehicle Inspections with often conflicting information provided. I have also explored the court order route without much success (the attorneys didn't know what to do...similar the first attorney in the story and contacted the state with similar conflicting information). In 2008, Missouri started requiring photographs of the VIN number and vehicle be submitted to the state during a safety inspection. With that said....most dune buggys in Missouri seem to get away with using the VW title and submitting for historic vehicle plates (no inspection required).

On another note, they seem to accept modified titles from other states using the VW VIN without any problems (e.g., VW Roadster title from Michigan).

[Dale M.]

This is most current information I could find...

http://www.semasan.com/semaga/TagTitleToolbox_MO.pdf

Other people looking from other states....

http://www.semasan.com/page.asp?content=tag_title_toolbox&g=SEMAGA

Dale
_________________
“Fear The Government That Wants To Take Your Guns" - Thomas Jefferson.

"Kellison Sand Piper Roadster" For Street & Show.
"Joe Pody Sandrover" Buggy with 2180 for Autocross (Sold)
============================================================
All suggestions and advice are purely my own opinion. You are free to ignore them if you wish ...

[cbeck]

I did my rail a little over a year ago, piece of cake.check out my street legal in mo post. You need a sacrificial title for motor, trans, and suspension. You need a mso or original receipt for body or frame, or receipt for frame tubing, and the proper form from the dor. The friendly mshp inspectors in st louis told me they could not do it because of this, that, and the other thing.The sweetheart of a inspector in rolla told to bring the above items. Piece of cake. [I did bring receipts for everything and it did look like I just built it.]Took paperwork personally to jefferson city. They will assign a spec dune new title. Jimmy hoffa on here followed my lead, no problems. Mo givith and drunk motherf*&^%$ takeith away.