MGB MGB Registration Questions [CA specific?]

[jjbunn]

Supposing I get my '73 GT to the stage where I want to actually drive it on the road, I will obviously need to register it.

I believe it was last registered in 2000. It has blue California plates on the back. I have the Title and Bill of Sale. According to the CA DMV website it will be exempt from Smog since it is pre-1975.

Will I retain the same blue plates that are currently on the car? Will the car have to be tested for roadworthiness?

I know for a fact that some of the emissions equipment under the hood is not properly connected (e.g. the carbs I don't think are original to the car) ... will this matter?

If anybody has experience in this area and can advise, I'd be grateful.

Thanks!
Julian

 

[Rob_P]

Julian,
Each state is a little different, and i have not registered a car in California. that said, there shouldn't be anything different about registering your MG than registering any car, with the exception of not having to get the emmisions tested since there is a pre 75 Smog Exemption.

Does California have a thourough safety inspection? When i was in NY, they had a basic safety inspection that didn't go much past checking your lights. Florida has no inspection at all.

Rob

 

[Monark192]

Julian. You are correct that the car will be smog exempt. There will also be no roadworthyness test. You may have to get the VIN number inspected by the DMV or approved representative (I used the AAA as the lines are much much shorter) and I am not sure what will happen with the plates. Also, there may be some back fees / penalties to pay depending upon its previous registration status and if a "Planned Non Op" was ever filed. It may help if you have any evidence that its wheels have not touched a public street since its registration expired - pics of it in storage or being moved on a trailer (dolly does not count as back wheels are on the road). Hope this helps.

 

[Stewart]

Was the car non op'd prior to you buying it? If it wasn't you may have to pay the back registration due. You should be able to keep the plates. No inspection needed you just have to brave the DMV. Make sure to have an appointment but expect to stand in line for at least an hour just to sign in to say your here for your appointment and then another hour after that.

 

[Kimberly]

You may have some financial penalties for not transfering title and registering the car for years. Other than that you should have no trouble. If you are a AAA member, call your local office to see if they can transfer the title. The longest I have ever had to wait in line to register my vehicles at AAA was fifteen minutes, usually I'm in and out in less than ten.

 

[Monark192]

AAA is the way to go - everytime I take care of a DMV issue there (and they will inspect VINs) I feel like I am recouping my annual membership fee in saved time and aggravation.

 

[jjbunn]

[ QUOTE ]
AAA is the way to go - everytime I take care of a DMV issue there (and they will inspect VINs) I feel like I am recouping my annual membership fee in saved time and aggravation.

[/ QUOTE ]

So do I just wander in to AAA with my Title and Bill of Sale? Obviously I can't drive the GT down there, so how would they inspect the VIN?

 

[jlaird]

haha, unscrew it and take it with you?

 

[Bills73BGT]

Yes! definitely go to AAA. They are extremely helpful. Also, if they tell you that there are back fees that need be paid, ask them to waive them. When I registered my '68 mustang a few years ago that had not been registered in 7 years, they tried to hit me up for $800 in back fees. I told them the car wasn't worth that much - she was nice and waived all fees.

 

[69MGC]

Jack

If the car has dropped out of the DMV system then (I am told by the DMV) that it doesn't need to be registered until you are ready to put her on the road. I have a car right now that has neither any registration or pinkslip (just a bill of sale and the VIN isnt' in the system)the DMV told me that when the car is completed and ready to drive to have a local police or CHP officer come by and verify the VIN, then take the bill of sale and report from police to DMV office and register it.

If you aren't going to get the car on the road right away and you have past registration proof, then non-op the car with the DMV and when you are ready to get her registered the car will already be in the DMV system making it easier to register.

Now, you know the DMV and some of this info I was given may not be suspect, but I'm going by what I've been told and hoping what I was told is correctly. Otherwise I may have some MG parts for sale. LOL.

 

[Monark192]

Kev is correct - you can wonder in the the AAA with title and bill of sale. I am not sure if you can actually non op the car without the VIN inspection (I took mine there on a trailer) but I beleive you can everything bar that which will stop any further fees or penalties accumulating until such time as you can get the inspection.

 

[jjbunn]

[ QUOTE ]
Was the car non op'd prior to you buying it? If it wasn't you may have to pay the back registration due. You should be able to keep the plates. No inspection needed you just have to brave the DMV. Make sure to have an appointment but expect to stand in line for at least an hour just to sign in to say your here for your appointment and then another hour after that.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks Stewart and everyone for the input. This forum is really excellent, thanks to you all.

I don't know if the car was no-op'ed. All I do know is that it was donated to a charity at some point, then bought by a dealer, who sold it to the PO, who sold it on to me.

I wish I could get a list of all the previous owners. I know one of them was a lady, or if not a lady then a chap who enjoyed wearing red lipstick (Full stick found under the driver's seat). There was also a well-used small wooden pipe for weed smoking ... it has a heady aroma to it.

I tell you, it was like a time capsule under that seat /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jester.gif

 

[jjbunn]

Bill,

I think your '73 BGT is the colour my '73 BGT used to be, before somebody painted it white (amateurishly). I really like the colour ... is it "mustard"?

 

[Steve_S]

There is a good chance you will not be able to retain the blue plates. If the car is out of the DMV system, it will be a new registration. Black/yellow and Blue/yellow plates are not covered under YOM laws, so they cannot be assigned to a vehicle they are not already assigned to. Hopefully the car is still in the CA DMV computers with that plate number.

You will probably have to go to DMV to register since you can't drive the car. AAA will require the car to be present for VIN inspection.

 

[linmalki]

If nobody has done any DMV inquiries on this car in five years, it is out of the system and no penalties are due. If the latest paperwork is less than five years old, it would be well worth NOT doing anything until you have passed the five year mark, because you do NOT want to restart their clock. You should be able to retain the blue plates by filling out a Statement of Fact form that the car has collector value with its original plates. You will need a VIN verification, which can be done by the DMV or AAA or CHP but you will need to trailer it there or get a temporary moving permit from DMV. You can also have it done by any badged peace officer, if you have any helpful friends or relatives in the law enforcement profession. As long as you have a complete chain of title from the last official paperwork you shouldn't have a problem, and I've found that the DMV and AAA people are usually fairly helpful in explaining what you need, although sometimes the AAA can't do some oddball situations. If you do need to go to the DMV, call and get an appointment! Saves lots of time.
The papers you will need are: (assuming no current DMV record)
Your existing title papers, including cost
Application for registration and vehicle verification (can get from DMV or AAA or most any car dealer)
Statement of Fact to retain blue plates
Current registration and license fees--about $15-20 for basic fee plus 2.2% of the cost of the car, roughly.
That should do it---
(I am a licensed used car dealer, and have bought and sold garage queens...)

 

[LLAngus]

Just an additional note--When you go to register the car you can submit the paper work, pay the fees and ask for a 3 month sticker. This is generally done for getting a car registered that needs to be smogged. This lets you get to the office for a vin inspection. In our town I only go to AAA unless I absolutely have to go to the DMV. There have been several times the DMV had clerks that did not agree with each other and it was a mess when I had to return to the office. I would get a blue one day permit ($10 here) and drive the car down to either office.