Engine numbers and registration info California

[daheepster]

Looking for some help on a new buggy I picked up. Story I got was that it was originally street legal in AZ then brought to CA and told it couldn't be registered on road due to being a special build so it was green stickered. I bought it and have a bill of sale but no registration previous owner is trying to find it. Usually not a big deal to just say it was lost but the vin plate is an AZ "assigned number" and the engine numbers are missing on the block so no numbers to run. Will this still work to get it registered in CA? Also I would like to get it set up as street legal but with no engine numbers and only an AZ vin how would I go about this for figuring out a year and model? Going to try contacting AAA or DMV but always get the runaround with them, trying to figure out if this is better to be a parts vehicle with a new motor to get it registered as a new build.

[Fenix]

[Dale M.]

Also some help here...

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

Also Calif does not use engine numbers other then to determine year of original assembly, BUT by design it should be SMOG exempt...

Also might walk in to DMV play dumb and state "all I have is bill of sale, what do I do to get street legal registration"...

Also a rail is going to be very hard to register, hope you are trying to register glass bodied buggy...

Another thing is some of the drones behind the counter are not to sharp and don't even know the rules and regulations... DO NOT VOLUNTEER any information, it confuses them and be very careful how you answer their questions... Key factor is to know as much about process as they do... Do you homework...

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 ...

[daheepster]

I've gone through the process with motorcycles and trailers, bikes they verify the engine case and frame mounted vin. Just never dealt with an out of state special build, thats whats throwing me. It is a rail style buggy all tube with aluminum panels, I'm fine with green sticker but if I can I'll try for street, especially if I have to go through inspections anyway. Just didn't know if no engine numbers would throw it out or if I did try street what they would set for year for smog. Planning to try AAA if I can get by around work.

[Third]

Not a legit answer, but some people (/cough) in the past have had to circumvent such things with a donor car.

During the build process it *used* be be easy to find an old dead VW with title for a couple hundred dollars. VIN plates would be transferred to the rail/buggy and no questions asked.

Of course many states have cracked down on this both for safety concerns over the road-worthiness of vehicles as well as stolen parts/vehicles.

But for registration and insurance the old "don't ask don't tell" was and still is the quick and dirty fix.

[Dale M.]

[bigfatloser]

Might want to try talking to a registration service before going to the DMV, they may be able to answer a few questions. I used one to register a glass buggy I had zero paperwork on, avoided the geniuses at the DMV.
_________________
DMZFAB.COM

[Dale M.]

[daheepster]

Stopped into AAA and the vin is in the records with a current green sticker but it's not on the buggy and title is under a different person than I bought it from, sounds like a family member, so same process I've used before just an extra person to track down. A rebuild with other vehicles may happen but I'll just get it in my name atleast for now and use it.

[cj92345]

I bought my buggy already done 'paper work wise' previous owner jumped through a lot of hoops, it came from az, had to go to smog referee station, i'am glad I Didn't have to deal with all the b.s he did.....

[dustymojave]

Amusing that the California Vehicle Information Label has "Volkswagen" misspelled.

Also a little amusing to see 3 VIN labels next to each other. Kind of renders the whole concept meaningless doesn't it? Governmental agencies don't trust each other? How can they trust car manufacturers then? Or the people who've had possession of cars...
_________________
Richard
Offroading VW based cars since 1965
Tech Inspection 1963 - 2012 SCCA/SCORE/HDRA/MORE/MDR +
Retired from building Bajas, Fiberglass Buggies and Rails in the Mojave Desert. Also Sprints & Midgets, Dry Lakes, Road Race cars. All types New and Vintage
SoCalBajas Member
Kicked Cancer's A$$...1st and 2nd round...Fight ain't over yet.

[daheepster]

Mine has the same Arizona tag but that's it. The number came up in the system and I'm just waiting for a signature from the last owner to get it transferred. Being just a green sticker might be why I only have the one.

[dustymojave]

More likely that it hasn't been registered in multiple jurisdictions before. If you transfer the title to California for street or even with a green sticker, Cali will insist on applying a new VIN number and sticker. Bureaucrats!
_________________
Richard
Offroading VW based cars since 1965
Tech Inspection 1963 - 2012 SCCA/SCORE/HDRA/MORE/MDR +
Retired from building Bajas, Fiberglass Buggies and Rails in the Mojave Desert. Also Sprints & Midgets, Dry Lakes, Road Race cars. All types New and Vintage
SoCalBajas Member
Kicked Cancer's A$$...1st and 2nd round...Fight ain't over yet.

[Infotraker]

I bought a buggie in ca. Last reged in Oregon several years before. I had a bill of sale, no pink or reg. Paperwork. Found prep owner who lived in Utah. He was still shown as current owner. He released his ownership thru dmv paperwork.
I got new vin number from highway patrol . I got smog exempt from smog referee station. I got a brake and lite inspection. I got insurance from geico.
I finally got license plate, reg paper work and pink slip after year of hassles.