registration of a new buggy...

[matter396]

I live in Humble and am going to be starting on my buggy soon, but we are emissions tested here anybody know how that works. Because I want to run a vw motor but on a new chassis. I hope to figure this out. any advice would be great, I just moved here and am not sure of the rules. I guess I could run a original bug chassis if I have to but don't want to, this would be a last resort. As I was hoping for mid travel and a new tube chassis from texas buggy's.

[Bryan Porter]

Just keep all your receipts for the body,frame,wheels,tires,motor,trans,
and everything.
Then go to dmv and get application for title it will tell you what to do
next.
Save all receipts!!!!!!!
You get a builders title and no emissions test just safty test.

[matter396]

if it a built vehicle there is no emissions test required.....whew hooo thats awesome that makes me feel alot better.

[matter396]

for those of you in this position or anybody else wondering about this registraion. I just got off the phone with the DPS and they said to get it finished and then bring it in as a kit car and you can get a waiver. They said they don't do very many of them but a waiver for a built vehicle in an emissions area is not hard to get just a pain in the butt. But this is great news for anybody in the emissions areas. Thanks Bryan.

[Texasbuggys]

Bryan is the man, and I have all the records and forms to do the title work when ya get close to that point I will help ya make sure it is in order, it just takes a little time and a few trips to DMV and like Bryan said, receipts receipts and receipts, pictures and as many records of the build as possible makes thigs go much faster.

[Don]

The DPS website is a little ambiguous:

Kit Kars

Vehicles have to meet the emissions standards for the year the vehicle is assembled. Vehicle manufacturers have to certify that their vehicles meet EPA emissions standards. A lot of kit car manufacturers also comply with this requirement. If you purchase one of these kit cars, follow the instructions on assembly, including the emissions components. You should be able to pass an emissions test just like any other new car.

Just as the EPA does not allow an individual to reverse engineer a vehicle to defeat emission standards, they do not allow an individual to build a brand new "old" vehicle to bypass emissions standards. It is possible if you actually use old parts (like a 1965 engine, or complete 60s frame and powertrain) that the vehicle will be registered as that model year (replica), but this is a TxDOT issue. However it is registered, is how DPS inspection stations will test it.

http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/search/searchresults.asp?type=cache&q=cache:http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/vi/Misc/faq/engine.html+kit+car&output=xml_no_dtd&ie=UTF-8&client=DPSInternet&site=ER&oe=UTF-8&proxystylesheet=DPSInternet

Sounds like the year the vehicle is registered as is all important. Though not actually legal, many people use an old Beetle title to register their dune buggy. If you buy a donor vehicle for parts (e.g. front beam), try to get one with a title and use that.

I bought my buggy from Alabama and in Alabama vehicles over 20-something years old don't have titles so all I got was a bill of sale. I didn't have any trouble using the bill of sale to register it and get a title in Texas as a 1972 Volkswagen.

Be aware that you have to have your safety inspection before you can get your registration. And of course, you have to have liability insurance before you can get an inspection. You might want to review the inspection criteria while you are planning your buggy here:

http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/vi/inspect ... m_insp.asp

Some things that may seem silly but are required are; wipers, parking brake and high-beam indicator. Of course, depending on where you get it inspected you may get some slack.

[matter396]

Oh yeah will be much more questions of requirements as time goes on and yes, tevchnically he said it did have to pass but they give waivers for these cars if ytou apply and jump through their hoops. He said no problem bevcause they give them to the cobra kit cars and the occassional buggy. Supposedly he was tyhere top supervisor as I wantexd to make sure of this first. If y'all hear anything good or bad about this please let me know

[BrianB]

It seems to me the two following statements contradict each other. Which is correct? I will be doing this with a Berrien Frame that I will be putting under a Bradley GT

Just keep all your receipts for the body,frame,wheels,tires,motor,trans,
and everything.
Then go to dmv and get application for title it will tell you what to do
next.
Save all receipts!!!!!!!
You get a builders title and no emissions test just safty test.

Dons quote below states that an emissions test is required
Kit Kars

Vehicles have to meet the emissions standards for the year the vehicle is assembled. Vehicle manufacturers have to certify that their vehicles meet EPA emissions standards. A lot of kit car manufacturers also comply with this requirement. If you purchase one of these kit cars, follow the instructions on assembly, including the emissions components. You should be able to pass an emissions test just like any other new car.

Just as the EPA does not allow an individual to reverse engineer a vehicle to defeat emission standards, they do not allow an individual to build a brand new "old" vehicle to bypass emissions standards. It is possible if you actually use old parts (like a 1965 engine, or complete 60s frame and powertrain) that the vehicle will be registered as that model year (replica), but this is a TxDOT issue. However it is registered, is how DPS inspection stations will test it.

[CoryN]

Be aware that you have to have your safety inspection before you can get your registration. And of course, you have to have liability insurance before you can get an inspection.

I registered mine and got plates. I have not yet had it inspected or insured. So not sure I agree with you there.

Cory

[freightshaker]

I agree with Cory on this..I sent my other half to register and get the tags for mine....She did not have and insurance card nor was it inspected....Appearantly if you have pre-existing insurance you have a certain time to put insurance on it....When I aquired my car I did not date it untill a couple of days before I sent her to the court house to register it...About to go see about inspecting it...

[Don]

Be aware that you have to have your safety inspection before you can get your registration. And of course, you have to have liability insurance before you can get an inspection.

I registered mine and got plates. I have not yet had it inspected or insured. So not sure I agree with you there.

Cory

Sorry if I led anyone astray. After a little research I see that that is the proceedure for a vehicle with out of state registration, which was the case for me. For transfering over a Texas title it's different.

[Aquabuggy]

Don, I think what you ran into was because your buggy was from out of state, in that case you do have to get a safety inspection before they will issue tags. Ive run into that a couple times.

[Aquabuggy]

When I got an ASVE (assembled vehicle) title for my aqua buggy they told me everything went by the year of the engine as far as the safety inspection and I assumed if we had emissions testing here it would also only have to meet the standards of the year model that the engine was. In my case it was a 71 engine so it only needed to meet the safety and emissions that were in place in 71, that was 5 years ago it may have changed since then.

[Bill K]

One word of warning: If your title says "Assembled", "Homemade" etc. you could have a bit of a problem getting insurance. I had a buggy once with that on the title and no insurance company would touch it with a ten foot pole.

However, Chris just said he had had an "Assembled" title. Any problems with insurance Chris?

Personally, if you have a VW title I would run with that with or without an original chassis. You start getting into kit car titles, etc. you can sometimes open a pandora's box you wish you hadn't opened.

May not be the best legal advice, but it's good common sense advice

[Aquabuggy]

You are correct Bill, I had to go with a specialty insurance that covers off road cars and motorcycles/ATV but there rates are really not bad at all.

To add to this discussion Ive ask when at the DMV and they say that anytime you modify the vehicle (ie body swap) you are required to to retitled as a assembled vehicle. I know some of you are going to argue this with me, all I can say is go to the DMV its the law.
BTW mine is titled as a 72 bug atleast till I get busted.

[Vee Dub Nut]

To add to this discussion Ive ask when at the DMV and they say that anytime you modify the vehicle (ie body swap) you are required to to retitled as a assembled vehicle. I know some of you are going to argue this with me, all I can say is go to the DMV its the law.
BTW mine is titled as a 72 bug atleast till I get busted.

That's why I think registering as an antique is pushing it... but your right, the proper way is to re-title it, although thats not the common practice

[KIM-P]

When I bought my buggy it was titled as a BUGGY! But after registering it into my name the title came back as a beetle GO FIGURE

[Patrick]

This is what you have to do if you build a "Kit Car" and register as such. If you build it on a bug chassis and it already has a VIN you'd title it as a beetle. (This is the process someone I know went thru when he wanted to get a VIN and register his rail as an Assmebled Car). This is the process in Houston, Texas. May differ around the Country. Good Luck.

THE PROCESS:

1. The process starts by going to the County Tax Assessor / Collector's Office and requesting an Assembled Vehicle Package to obtain a Assembled Vehicle Title Or Roadster Title.

2. After the car is completed get all of the receipts in order showing the purchases made to build the car, the most important are receipts for the frame and drive train.

3. Take the car and the receipts to the County Vehicle Theft Task Force. They inspect the car and check to ensure the car or pieces of the car are not stolen. They will provide a document that allows you to take it and the car to the Regional Department of Motor Vehicles in your area. Then they will assign a VIN Number, have to bring all of the receipts there also.

4. After you get a VIN, the car has to be inspected, to be inspected the VIN has to be stamped or affixed to the car (A tag can be riveted to the car).

5. Take all the documents from the package to the Tax Assessor to get the actual plates, you will need insurance on the car at that time. They will actually need to make sure they complete all documents, they require pencil tracings of the VIN Numbers, the Engine Serial, any Frame Serial Numbers.

6. Call ahead and make sure a supervisor is on duty. The Supervisor at the County Tax Assessor's Office knew the process (Other locations without a supervisor did not know the process and this will save you time).

7. You have to complete all of the paper work (every form), You have to have some forms notarized as they tell you that you don't, but you do have to have them notarized.


***Insurance***
These people insure buggies, rails, etc.
http://www.midwestclassicins.com/

[Don]

So how do they determine the year?

[Aquabuggy]

So how do they determine the year?

It will be titled as an 09 if its done this year.

Hey Don it was nice meeting you @ the Blast.

[Don]

Thanks Chris, it was nice meeting you as well.

[BrianB]

So how do they determine the year?

It will be titled as an 09 if its done this year.

OK it will be titled as an 09 but does it have to meet emissions of the model year of the motor or 09 standards?

[CoryN]

I thought they based it on the year of the engine?

[Patrick]

The year will be determined what year you finish building it. No emission check. Just general inspection.