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PostPosted: November 8, 2013, 2:57 pm 
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Joined: November 8, 2013, 2:42 pm
Posts: 2
Hi all, first post, doing some initial research before I start embarking on anything and I have a question about the Connecticut inspection, title, and registration process. I am hoping to have some input from someone here as the DMV website has a bunch of contradictions and is very unclear in just about every statement regarding "composite vehicles". I am considering contacting the DMV as a last resort.

http://www.ct.gov/dmv/cwp/view.asp?a=804&q=244898
In that process description, along with a host of other stuff, it says to:

Code:
Bring the Certificate of Titles of all vehicles used for major component part OR Bring one Title, plus receipts for the parts of the other vehicles used. If the parts are from used vehicles, make sure the receipts specify the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). No Title is needed for non-major component parts (examples of major parts are: engine, cowls, transmission, frame, doors, trunk lid, front and rear fenders and quarter panels).


So this means I need the title from the car that the engine came out of, and a title for the car that the transmission came out of? I want to do everything by the books so there is never a question of legality, but if I source my components from ebay, craigslist, etc, what do I do? I just don't have the room, money, or need to buy multiple donor cars.

Any help, input, or leads are welcome.


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PostPosted: November 14, 2013, 9:59 pm 
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Joined: March 10, 2006, 12:48 am
Posts: 294
Location: CT
Well, I'm in a similar boat, or was.

Original plan was to use an engine we had from an old Datsun 510, junked 20 years ago, transmission from my uncle's garage of unknown origin, and a rear end from a Triumph Spitfire. Problem is, we didn't have bill of sale, or titles from any of the donor cars. You need either the title of the car it came from (copy should work), or bill of sale/receipt that includes the donor VIN#. SHort story, no tickie, no laundry.

That said, to make things easier, I've succumb to the pressure and decided to follow the herd and just use a Miata donor. It's a shame because the I feel the original path was going to be much more true to the original (1.6 liter, Spitfire uprights are the same as what was used in the Series 2 in the front..), but thems the breaks.


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PostPosted: November 15, 2013, 1:56 pm 
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Joined: November 13, 2009, 9:31 pm
Posts: 138
Location: Connecticut
Sorry to say I don't have anything of value to add to the conversation as my thoughts of a build have not yet gotten that far, and I'm likely to do a single donor car when I get around to it. However, I am also in CT so am curious where you are located? I'm in Trumbull.

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PostPosted: November 15, 2013, 3:52 pm 
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Joined: June 15, 2010, 8:29 am
Posts: 651
Location: Duxbury, MA USA
Bill of sale is easy....just create one. My friend that gave me the rear axle for my car created one and included the VIN from the donor.
In MA and NH, you need the VIN's for all of the big parts. Its helpful to have a title for one of the major components for a catch-all if needed. I imagine CT is the same.
The inspector ended up putting my 4AGE 20V ...never imported to US... in with a Corolla that I did have title to and it was the trans donor. I did of course have a receipt for the engine.
I ended up titling in NH as the emission regs are a easier to deal with, but the titling process looked the same in both states. I found everyone I talked to helpful and willing to steer me out of trouble. At the end of the day the states just want to make sure you didnt steal anything and they want a dip into your wallet.
Of course I was a bit nervous when I brought my car in for the state police inspection, but the inspector was great. He really appreciated the high level of organized paperwork. It was still the scariest part of the whole Locost process ...except maybe for the first time you exceed a speed that you could be killed at and you start thinking too much about "I think that weld is strong"

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PostPosted: November 15, 2013, 7:41 pm 
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Joined: December 22, 2006, 2:05 pm
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Bills of sale typically have a date for the sale of the part and a date for signing of the bill of sale, so do not think you cannot contact a person who sold you the part years ago and draw up the bill of sale today with the information about the original sale.

Just because a major component came from a vehicle does not mean the vehicle was not put back into service with a different component. That is how I ended up with the s10 driveline for the spitfire. The fellow was converting the s10 to a v8.

A partial vin doesnt have to match the vehicle vin it came from. If the fellow decided he didn't like the sbc in the s10 and wanted to go with an ls1, that sbc could be reused in soemthing else. The bill of sale would show an sbc from an s10 vin.

It sounds as though they want you to base your build around a particular donor vin for which you have a title. Registration in your name along with the bill of sale that provided that registration should be acceptable on a vehicle so old no title is required for registration. They are requiring you to have it reclassified due to the modifications for identification.

Engine, transmission, rear axle are all that I would expect to need a bill of sale for indicating a vin. Make sure the partial vin numbers on the parts are present and try to make them as legible and as easy as possible to access for inspection. Doesn't hurt to have clear photos of those vins to show, even though they must be viewed directly on the parts by the inspector.


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PostPosted: November 15, 2013, 10:12 pm 
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Joined: March 10, 2006, 12:48 am
Posts: 294
Location: CT
I'm in Manchester. My build will be in full swing in a few weeks, at which point you're more than welcome to stop by.


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PostPosted: November 18, 2013, 10:36 am 
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Joined: November 8, 2013, 2:42 pm
Posts: 2
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At the end of the day the states just want to make sure you didnt steal anything and they want a dip into your wallet.

That sums up what I was hoping to hear.

Thanks so much for the great responses guys, I'm glad to hear stories from people who have gone through the process. Andy Bro, the Spitfire project sounds great, but I'm sure the miata based car will still put a smile on your face when its done.

So I'll just be diligent in getting bill of sales with VIN numbers when I source major parts. I'm still planning how much will be sourced from a donor so I may have a title to present as well. I think i'll set up some sort of massive binder to keep paperwork in or something.

Cool to see some CT guys! I'm located in Barkhamsted. Feel free to get in contact, though I don't have much to offer in the way of help at the moment. I'd love to check out any builds in progress as my fabrication experience is pretty limited, enough to say I'm probably over my head, but I've never let that stop me before. I need to source some more tools and practice a bit before I start anything, but I'm shooting for some time next summer as a starting point. Now I just need to convince my fiance that a welder is a fun Christmas gift so I can start practicing.

:cheers:


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