[rajsid]

Hello,
I live in California and I am thinking of purchasing a corvette that has been sitting for over 22 years.
The owner claims that it is originally a Georgia car and it was brought from Georgia to California 22 years ago.
The car has a clear Georgia title, although it is not currently registered.
He never registered it in CA or got around restoring it.

I would like to know what I would have to do to register it in CA.
Are there any problems that I may face to get it registered?

[bobjob]

I lived in so cal for most my life..registration of out of state vehicles isn't too bad.. if the title is good,, (pink slip) and signed.. if you can get it stamped by a notary even better.. they will check vin numbers,,and verify them,, and issue you your new pink slip ..of course,, you will have to have a smog cert,,so get one first.. make sure that it has whatever smog junk that came with at time of manufacture.. green plastic vac. thing in top of radiator hose .. cat converter,,whatever..you should be fine.......

[sqzbox]

Get title only for now. I guess it's not running after 22 years and you want to establish ownership first, right? I would be a b***h to do all the work and find out there's a problem getting it titled. You should be able to title it without registration and plates. I suggest you take the same question down to DMV and find out for sure.

[rajsid]

Originally Posted by sqzbox

Get title only for now. I guess it's not running after 22 years and you want to establish ownership first, right? I would be a b***h to do all the work and find out there's a problem getting it titled. You should be able to title it without registration and plates. I suggest you take the same question down to DMV and find out for sure.

Exactly.. I want to register it before I restore it.
It's a 71 corvette, so it's smog exempt. It's not running, in fact I will end up putting in 20k before it can run.

If DMV wants vin verification, they will have to see my pictures or come to my house to verify the numbers.

[rajsid]

Originally Posted by bobjob

I lived in so cal for most my life..registration of out of state vehicles isn't too bad.. if the title is good,, (pink slip) and signed.. if you can get it stamped by a notary even better.. they will check vin numbers,,and verify them,, and issue you your new pink slip ..of course,, you will have to have a smog cert,,so get one first.. make sure that it has whatever smog junk that came with at time of manufacture.. green plastic vac. thing in top of radiator hose .. cat converter,,whatever..you should be fine.......

It's smog exempt. How would the DMV verify numbers if the car isn't running?
Pictures acceptable?

[wretched ratchet]

It seems like they would accept pics and a signed affidavid (sp?) of some kind - - - you might have to trailer it to the DMV ! I can't see them making house calls

[sqzbox]

Here in Indiana they have a form for an officer to fill out called an "out of state VIN check" The police officers usually have the form on them. They check the VIN on the title to the number on the car and sign their name. Then we take that to BMV and apply for a new title. Call BMV and see if they have the form cause you might have to pick it up yourself before you call the police to come and visit.

[bobjob]

they will accept a rubbing of vin along with pictures..pictures can be cropped,, rubbing can't..

[MARTINSR]

I haven't registered a car like that in years but I don't think any photo, rubbing or anything like that is good enough. Used to be a cop could sign them off, that has changed. As far as I know the car MUST be taken to a Hiway patrol station to be inspected of its numbers.

That is how I know it WAS, it may have changed but if it did it only got harder not easier. It used to be you simply drove it by the DMV and got away with murder. Come on, a DMV employee checking out VINS? LOLOLOL, they are not skilled in such stuff (or give a rats butt).

Then they changed it to the cop coming by your house. With cops having more important things to do, and with cops doing things for friends. I know my best friend in school became a cop and he signed off his fair share of vin verifications thru the mail from another city!

So as far as I know towing it to the Highway patrol station is how it is done now. I have one myself that I am going to need to do this with.

Brian

[rajsid]

Looks like there are ways to get the car verified by CHP/DMV although it is not running.

Now I am more worried about the fees. The car was brought to CA 22 years ago and the owner never registered it. Will I end up having to pay all dues for the last 22 years?

[sqzbox]

I doubt it. Why not call BMV and ask them? I'd tell BMV that I just hauled it from out of state yesterday. How they going to prove you didn't? They can't collect fee's for another state so I guess you've got that covered.
Don't go running down to BMV the same day the owner sign's and date's the title, it might raise some eye brows.

[Ray Bell]

Are there fees for a car that's not being used on the road?