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I really blew it. I took ownership of an Oregon pickup with no current registration. It was running and I could have easily registered it in California making life much simpler after hot rodding it. But since I am not that smart, I tore it apart and rebuilt it before registering. Does anyone know what I need to do to get my 1952 Chevy pickup with 1987 Vette engine registered so I don't have to smog it?
What does Ca DMV require? Can I pass it off as a pre-smog engine, somehow or do they check numbers?

Kevin you might have to go in front of a Cal. State Referee from the DMV. There is only one way to know for sure vist your Friendly DMV. HA HA! Then take a number and wait for all the Illegals to register so they get out of the way after Two hours of waiting.
Don
62 Blue

Move to Alabama- - - - -they buy and sell cars on a bill of sale, no title.
Jerry

You'll need to start at DMV to request new paperwork started on the truck Vin Number. They will send you to the CHP for Vin number check. CHP should verify it is out of the system and not stolen. Your best bet is on a trailer, No engine or fuel system, say you just want to start with getting a new Pink and registration to start your Restoration back to stock. Without true ownership you don't want to throw money at it..with a signed off CHP Vin check, DMV will put it in your name and you can request a Plate for your Pre-smog year vehicle. Insure it or non-op it. I get insurance to get a yearly Tag, then I can park my project on the street.

THIS!!! This is one of the reasons i paid a little more to have a truck with a title. it is a PITA to get a title in ky as well. Let alone i could not imagine worrying about smog legalities. Good Luck!!!!!

Yep, I agree it's much easier with a clean title.
Sure is a hassle, but if your patient, have the gift of gab and plenty of time to waste.
DMV and CHP will try to send you back and forth, if they can. don't take No for an answer.
if you jump thru the hoops the right way. once the Vin check is done, the DMV will give you a new title.
In California they go by the Vin/Year of body and Smog starts with 1976, a pre-smog 1952 has No Smog worries, Hot rod it.

I have the pink slip. It was my wife's Grandfather's pickup. It's from Oregon, but it has not been registered since the 70's. My concern is that DMV may require me to smog the vehicle based on the Engine ( 1987 Vette). Does anyone know if the smog requirements are based on model year, 1952 or Engine year, 1987?

Back before I left Commiefornia to move back home to Tennessee in 1980, an upgrade to a smog-controlled engine required the vehicle to meet the standards for the engine, not the chassis. It's possible the rules have been modified somewhat since then, but generally installing a later-model engine makes it necessary to jump through a bunch of hoops. You could always claim the engine is an earlier model, but a sharp inspector will check casting or serial numbers.
Jerry

As mentioned previously, pre 76 vehicles are not required to have smog certification regardless of what year engine it has in it. If you have the Oregon title just take it to the DMV and tell them you want to register the truck. You will need proof of insurance. Don't give any more information than is required. They will require a VIN verification which can be done by the DMV, CHP, or any police agency. I have had the police come to my house to do this service. They usually require that there is an engine in the vehicle but they don't care what it is. The situation in which an "older" vehicle would require smog would be a scratch built vehicle or kit car that had no previous title. It would require smog certification for the year of the engine.
Fred

Kevin,

Even better You have a out of state transfer, Pink in hand, maybe some back taxes owed. they may want a signed statement that it was stored for the years not registered.

Here is how it works: In California they go by the Vin/Year of body and Smog starts with 1976. Engine Smog comes in if Newer than OEM. <Right there is how to approach it.

Out of state transfer DMV will send you for a Vin check. to Verify the Number is on the Truck. <that is all.

Usually done at the CHP office: Vehicle is just there for a Vin # check.
that's where the smooth talker needs to kick in. If the CHP see a chrome engine with Headers hang down, You might have a problem telling him it's stock..Don't take No for an answer, keep after them until the Vin number is verified.
Your best bet is on a trailer, No engine. > if you don't show it, they have to ask what's up. Tell them your ready to start your Restoration back to stock. you have a old 6 being worked on. <("this is your hint"> and you don't want to put money in it until you have a title.
a missing fuel system is for bring back a diesel / gasser. < "not your issue"

Once the Vin check is done, the DMV can give you a new title.
your title & Plate for a 1952 pre-smog Vehicle.

From ca DMV..

Does my vehicle qualify for a smog exemption?
Smog inspections are required unless your vehicle is:

•Hybrid
•Gasoline powered 1975 year model or older
•Diesel powered manufactured prior to 1998 or with a Gross Vehicle Weight rating (GVWR) of more than 14,000 lbs
•Electric
•Natural gas powered with a GVWR rating of more than 14,000 lbs.
•Motorcycle
•Trailer

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



I would do like above.. and take the engine out and say it is getting restored.

Kevin, if you are a AAA member they will handle if for you no sweat. I know because I did it.

I bought a '32 Ford roadster from a guy in California. The California guy had never registerred it in his name, so it had only the Illinois registration of the previous owner. We took all the paperwork into AAA and they handled what I call a "Double, Out-Of-State transfer in a few minutes.

If I had taken that same transaction to DMV it would have turned into a nightmare.

Hopefully Yar's experience with AAA will work for you too. I went the DMV/CHP with my 1952 and it was not a pleasant experience. A lot may depend on the individuals you work with. If Oregon used the same registration system as California and many other states, they used the engine number as the ID (now called the VIN). This is where you will encounter a problem. The extremely rude CHP officer I had to work with also told me it had to be a complete (but not necessarily running) vehicle- no missing engine etc.

I had lots of paperwork including pink slip and last registrations, permit to move the unregistered vehicle (24years earlier), and a printout of the door tag info showing it was a 1952 made in Oakland. The officer refused to look at any of it. My problem is the 1952 engine had been replaced with a 1953. It was a frustrating experience requiring three 200 mile round trips.

Hope you have an easier time.

Chuck

My DMV Experience was a long haul about four months trying to get my truck a pink slip and registration. I worked on this truck for ten years to frame off restore it into ModRod ( I think that’s the correct term ). I lost my original Pink slip and my registration was torn and part of it was missing but it had my name and the truck Vin Number last registered in 1984. I wanted to use the Black California Plates that were on it when I bought it. The DMV gave me a Temporary Operating Permit and sent me to the CHP to get a VIN check. The officer said the VIN numbers on my truck were stamped in two places on the top rail of the frame. There’s one that’s visible when you open the hood on the drivers side but after a different cross member was installed a couple of the numbers were no longer visible. The CHP had crawl under the truck with a gooseneck camera to find the other VIN number stamped on the frame top rail behind the bed. It matched the visible last five or six numbers of the VIN number on the front of the frame if it didn't there could be a problem. So after he verified it was not stolen he riveted a Blue VIN tag on the drivers side door post. So I went back to the DMV and they told me I had to weigh the truck so I went to the rock quarry put it on the scale. Back to the DMV I go with all my paper work and my old plates. They scanned my front plate and sent it with a little form I had to fill out about the trucks history to Sacramento along with VIN check and the weight check. After three more Temporary operating permits about four months they sent me new plates not allowing me to use my originals because in the registration sticker area on the front plate it was stamped 1963 not 1955 like the year of my truck. So I ended up with the newer CA plates oh well at least I can drive it know but it was a long [censored] haul.

welcome to the shop Rapid, interesting story - especially the part about the 2nd location for the frame number stamping, never seen one there or heard of two stamps on any year .... the frame number stamped near the steering box started in 55, although I don't think all of them got it until 56 or 7, and in the 60's it moved to just under the front of the cab where it's hard to spot, I hope not many others with 5-9 trucks have run into that particular cop have you seen the 2nd stamped number yourself? got a pic?

we all like pics, you should do a post in the Welcome or DITY forums and 1ink us up to some, sounds a beauty

Bill

Thanks for the Welcome Bill. The CHP I don't know if he knew that much about the VIN locations but I did see it by the steering box. He did tell me he found it just behind the cab on the drivers side top of the frame rail. I will post on the welcome board and I'm getting up lots of Photos on Photo Bucket. It took a long time to finish my 55 but I can say one thing it drives and handles awesome I love it. I will post a nice write up on it soon.

AAA told me I have to go to DMV.

......And if you have to go to CHP, they want you to make an appointment. Usually about 3-4 weeks from when you call.
I wanna work for DMV.

Delux54Panel

You are right I had to wait about three weeks also. After waiting I went in for the apponintment to be told that the officer had to go to San Jose to assist in a demonstration that was going on at Meg Whitmans Estate.Fortunetly he called me two days later and ask me to come in the next day. I really did not have a bad expirence at the CHP.

move to Canada, easy to do business there........lol