Well, after a little work, a bit of money and a lot of time, my '53 is ready to go to the shop that will install the disc conversion kit, dual master cylinder, all new rear brakes and a new tie rod for the front. Once done, she'll go, stop and steer!

I let my registration lapse; last registered in 1995 or 1996 when my parents still owned it. Since it has been out of the system for more than 7 years, I will have to take the truck to the CHP for them to verify the VIN. I assume they will check under the truck in the usual spot. After that, I can register it with DMV. Here are my questions:

1. What do I need to do to be able to use the original black and yellow CA commercial license plate it had had all its life?

2. What kind of penalty, if any, (family transfer due to death) am I looking at?

Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

BDL

 

Wow, you are getting close. I'm excited for you.

 

You will have to have the pink with the org. Plates on the pink, otherwise there is no way to have the org. Plates on the truck. I have been there, I dont think you will have to take it to CHP for vin ver. The DMV can do it for you. Good luck.

 

It sounds like the first thing you need to do is have the title to the truck transferred to your name. All late penalties will be assessed at that time. I bought a 54 F100 a few years back that had been sitting in a guy's yard for about 8 years...it cost me $528 to get the registration current. Unless you speciifcally wish to have NEW plates, the DMV will register the truck with the existing plates on it.

 

As a family gift they are no taxes for that, but they get you in other ways. If you have both plates on the truck there is no need to replace them. Have the plates on the truck when you get the VIN verified as there is a spot on the form for them. Any peace officer in the state can do a VIN verification also if you are a AAA member (insurance or auto club) then will do you VIN check for you, saves alot of hassles at DMV. Check your local law enforcement about coming to you and the truck for the VIN verification, we do that all the time. You can always PM me if you have any questions.

 

That is F'd up why should you pay penalties for a vehicle that wasn't on the road nor was it yours for all those years.

Here in Texas its not as bad. If a truck hasn't been registered for several years then you buy it, you just have to pay the taxes on its Value not what you paid. No penalties unless you purchased it and waited more than a month to transfer the title. Unfortunately here is if you paid $500 for a truck and the registration office said its "value" is $2500 then you pay taxes on $2500. The only way around that is to have it appraised and hope the appraiser shows the value at what you paid.

 

I hear ya...the governor of CA has the power to pardon a convicted murderer but he can't do squat for you if the CA DMV has revoked your license. Some things just make you want to scratch your head...

 

California won't treat you too badly....if it's out of the system, and you sign a statement of fact saying that it hasn't been used on the roads of our great state, there won't be any penalties. It'll probably cost you $9 to transfer it since it is a "within family transfer" so no tax on that. That will get you a title. They may want to verify the vehicle....you can either do that at the DMV or have a peace officer inspect and sign the form. If the title and the VIN match, there won't be any issues.

California will charge you too much to register it...trucks pay a weight fee, to it'll probably be $150 a year.

I guess Charlie was pretty close...it will come close to $200.

 

If I can get what I want and need for less than $200.00, I'd be a happy boy.

Thanks!