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I know I'm a little late to the party but I don't usually look at this section. Here's my experience and I live in Portland.
I first started searching through the Oregon motor vehicle code looking everywhere so I could be completely ready when I went to DMV. About a year before completing my car I visited a builder about 45 min away. He proceeded to tell me I needed DOT approved lights, DOT approved this and that and when I said I was building my own gas tank his response was I needed to have a certified tank (certified by who I don't know?). And all of this was going to be looked at during the inspection. And that I should take my car to the station he (another 15-20 min further away. There was a station 10 min from my house) did because all his hot rod buddies took their cars there because they really knew what to look for. They checked welds and really went over the car thoroughly. With much anxiety I left and when I got home I called the inspector in my area. After I started asking questions about lights and the gas tank he cut me off in mid-sentence and said let me tell you what we do, this is a VIN inspection not a safety inspection. We are only looking for stolen cars and or parts. He then said you may not need a VIN inspection, it's up to the folks at DMV to call for it.
The day arrives to go to DMV. I have already made the appointment for the VIN inspection with the state police just in case. The inspector was totally cool when I called, he said if you don't need it just call me before your appointed time to cancel. First lady really didn't know what all to do, called over a manager pulled out a couple of forms I wasn't aware of (believe they called them a 505 and 550). Like Jack said earlier in this thread they declare that materials and parts all align with receipts. They finally decided I needed to get the VIN inspection so off I go to the inspection station about 5 min away.
As I'm waiting my turn I watch the inspector crawl in, around and under this Trail Blazer on a flatbed tow truck. Oh, so he's going to look over everything carefully! My turn, he walks around the car tells me about looking at one of these a year or two ago and a professor who had a Porsche Speedster back when he was in college. In the meantime I'm holding my 2" thick file of receipts wondering if he needs to look at them. Finally I ask if he wants to look at the engine and he says ok in a nonchalant way. I point out the serial number on the engine and he says that ok I don't really need that. Small talk for a couple more minutes and off he goes into his office and comes back about ten minutes later with the paperwork for DMV.
Back to DMV and this time I get a different woman who seems to know exactly what to do. Paperwork processed and filed, she grabs an assigned vehicle tag and out we go to apply it to the car. She smiles and says what a fun looking car, have a great day. It was. Time spent between 2 trips to DMV and the inspection - barely more than a hour.
This is my story based on my experience. I'm sure others might have a slightly different story depending on who they are dealing with at DMV or the state police.
I went for the replica title. It requires that what you are building is only a reasonable facsimile of the original. In the Portland area if you claim it to be 1975 or newer than you will have to go through an emissions test. Mine is titled as a 1964 Lotus 7. No one ever questioned what year the engine was.
Hope this helps any builders in the Portland area.
Jim
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