This is a bit off-topic, as it isn't really about the FFR cars, but this happens to be probably one of the 3 most active boards that involves any sort of kitcar (most general kit boards are totally dead). Also, for this post, I wish to distinguish a full "kit car" from a "rebody". For my intent here, something like the FFR cars, whereby you have a chassis and body and assemble the car yourself is what constitutes a kitcar. Cars like the Corvette based 365GTS Daytona, Datsun based 250GTOs, and VW based 356 Speedsters would all be rebodies -- using an existing car and bolting/glassing a different body to it.
I've done a few searches in the FFCars.com archives, and from what I see about full fledged kitcars is that there is a real grey area when it comes to registration and insurance. It seems that many are indeed able to get the cars registered as a vintage year, and thus skip compliance with modern, stringent safety and emissions regulations. This also seems to be both hazy in its legality, and not a sure thing. It seems that the titles do not always transfer, particularily if someone moves from a lenient state to a strict state. For example, registering a Cobra built in 2000 in Florida as a 1965 Roadster, and upon moving to New York having your title revoked and being forced to register it as a 2000 car.
Now, my real question would be, do rebodies just keep their title? Let's say you build one of the Ferraari 365GTS Daytona's on a 1970 Corvette, and really do it perfect - I mean you cannot tell the car was a Corvette without getting underneath it. Not even the drivetrain is stock (for our fantasy, lets say you gutted a ZR1 - ok?).
From the way I've read things, you're in the clear because in all states that require rigid, annual testing - cars '72 and older are exempt, and this would hold up no matter if you moved from NY to VA to CA. If the VIN is clear, so are you.
So, my two questions are - (1) Are my facts relatively straight? (2) Is there any circumstance where a state would require a manufactured vehicle to be re-registered as a custom or assembled vehicle?
Andrew
I've done a few searches in the FFCars.com archives, and from what I see about full fledged kitcars is that there is a real grey area when it comes to registration and insurance. It seems that many are indeed able to get the cars registered as a vintage year, and thus skip compliance with modern, stringent safety and emissions regulations. This also seems to be both hazy in its legality, and not a sure thing. It seems that the titles do not always transfer, particularily if someone moves from a lenient state to a strict state. For example, registering a Cobra built in 2000 in Florida as a 1965 Roadster, and upon moving to New York having your title revoked and being forced to register it as a 2000 car.
Now, my real question would be, do rebodies just keep their title? Let's say you build one of the Ferraari 365GTS Daytona's on a 1970 Corvette, and really do it perfect - I mean you cannot tell the car was a Corvette without getting underneath it. Not even the drivetrain is stock (for our fantasy, lets say you gutted a ZR1 - ok?).
From the way I've read things, you're in the clear because in all states that require rigid, annual testing - cars '72 and older are exempt, and this would hold up no matter if you moved from NY to VA to CA. If the VIN is clear, so are you.
So, my two questions are - (1) Are my facts relatively straight? (2) Is there any circumstance where a state would require a manufactured vehicle to be re-registered as a custom or assembled vehicle?
Andrew
