TheSamba.com :: View topic

Thu Oct 02, 2014 8:45 pm

Hi Everyone - new member here, hoping to become a sand rail owner sometime soon!

Massachusetts guys - looking for some advice and guidance here on titling and registration.

I've found a couple sand rails that I am very interested in and ready to pull the trigger on, but am concerned about the title, insurance, registration and inspection details.

Both rails I'm looking at are fairly recently made East Coast Sand Rails, both currently titled and registered out of state as 70's VW's with corresponding VIN numbers that are on the frame....

A bunch of options here, and one could be to register as it is listed... but another could be to convert the title and have a new MA reassigned VIN, registered as a specially constructed vehicle. Then, go through all the typical safety inspection stuff.

From what I read on the MA website, this doesnt seem to difficult providing I have paper work documenting where the components in the car came from (insuring they were not stolen), a new vin gets assigned to the car, it gets registered as such, typical safety inspection, and on we go. Previous experience with this state has me concerned that even if I ensure I have all the paper work needed, I'll some how hit an issue and be stuck with an un-registrable buggy.

SO. Who here has a street legal buggy in MA??

Has anyone been through the process of obtaining a new title/reg for their rail (or anything else)?

I've found some info on this site that dates back to the mid-late 2000's, BUT, its my understanding that in 2012 MA adapted the SEMA rules, which I think have changed the process.

I'm a big motorcycle / atv / snowmobile / boat / anything with a motor type of guy. I've always been good in the garage and am fairly savvy when it comes to wrenching and paper work - I think a sand rail would be a good fit for me. But, the buggy / hot rod / kit car world is not something I've ever ventured into (yet!), so I dont have any contacts, connections, or local people to ask for guidance. I live in the country - long winding mountain roads. Not terribly worried about the law out here, although we dont go looking for trouble.

I had major surgery a year ago that ultimately affected my balance to some degree, and I am no longer confident on my motorcycle. Looking for good way to "enjoy the drive" that wont tip over quite as easily as a bike... I've fallen in love with the sand rail concept and have been looking into this hard for a week or two. I'm beginning to wonder if, for the money and headaches, I should look into a stingray, old mustang...etc. I'm not afraid to throw some time and money (within reason) to make this work, but dont want to shoot my self in the foot.
Looking to you guys for any advice, direction, or personal experiences as to where to go from here.

Thanks!!
Chad

Fri Oct 03, 2014 7:56 am

Can't help you with the registration process but I will suggest you contact your insurance company. If you can't insure it you can't register it.

That would be step 1 in my opinion.

Fri Oct 03, 2014 8:15 am

They can can decide it was recently built and has to pass safety and emission standard for the year built. It's a very grey are of the law. I knew a guy with an MG replica he built in '85 and he could not transfer a Florida title to Mass in '04 for this reason. Lucky him he was a snowbird and just kept the Florida plates. When I built my buggy my insurance decided it was still the same car that I had registered and insured before building the buggy out of it. There is a dept of the RMV that inspects kit and scratch built cars before issuing titles, you should search the RMV site and find them for your questions.
I moved to Texas to get away from the nanny state.

Good luck
Bill