Not sure is BC has this or not, but some jurisdictions have an un-plated registration, which transfers ownership of the vehicle without registering it for use on the road. I did this with a vehicle I bought and registered in PEI, and there was no inspection or anything else required. It was just paperwork and paying the sales tax on the bill of sale amount. This may also save you money in the long run, since some places require you to pay taxes at the time of registration based on appraised value. Having the title transferred before you complete any work on the vehicle would be cheaper in this case.
