Greetings,
first time poster with a lot of questions. For now I just need info about getting an old truck registered in CA. So I'm getting a 51 ford f1 pickup tomorrow. It does not run. It has a motor and a transmission and rear end on it, the body is pretty good, the interior and wiring are shot. Ill post pics of it later this weekend after I have it.
The PO hasn't registered it and he does not have the title. There is no vin number, but there is a serial number on the frame.

1. Can I get it registered as a 1951 truck or does it have to be registered as a specially constructed vehicle?

2. Can I get it registered/titled in another state and the transfer it to CA?

3. Will I need to go to chp for a vin check or can I hire a vin verifying company come to my house and check it out?

4. It wont see the road for a few years. If I have to get it registered as a specially constructed vehicle should I have the bill of sale dated for dec of 2011 so i can go in next jan and try to be one of the first 500?

5. Is there a time limit from the time a vin check is done and when it has to be registered?
Thanks for your help.

 

Welcome to the forum,

I had to deal with some of this when I registered my '49. It hadn't been properly registered by the PO when it was purchased 30 years earlier. Fortunately, I still had a lot of the original paperwork (and an actual pink slip, believe it or not...) so my DMV experience was surprisingly straightforward. So here's what I think:

1. If it is still in the DMV system you would be able to register it as a truck. I'm guessing it is not since your description indicates it hasn't been driven in a while.

2. Possibly, but you may have to wait a year after that to get it titled and registered in CA.

3. I was told with mine that I needed to get a CHP officer to verify the VIN, unless I brought it into the DMV. But then, I've never heard of a VIN verifying company either.

4. No help here...

5. Not as far as I understand. Mine is currently registered as a non-op, and the kind lady at the DMV told me I could keep it with this status even if I didn't get the VIN verified. However, when I finally get it running, I can't get an active registration without getting the VIN verified.

From my experience in these matters, expect to get a lot of conflicting instructions from different folks at the DMV. Just keep going back, or try a different location, until you get someone who is reasonable and/or knowledgeable enough to fix your problems.

good luck,

BH

 

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Based on my very recent (last month) experience with the DMV here in El Cajon here are my recommendations:
- the truck is more than likely "out of the system" which means that the DMV purged its files on this truck after seven years of inactivity
- get a bill of sale from the PO and use the VIN from the frame on the BOS
- hire a private VIN verification agent to complete the paperwork for you...it was well worth the $75 that I spent because the clerk at the DMV did not have any decisions to make about that issue
- under no circumstances do you want or should you need to have this vehicle registered as a "special construction"...this opens you up to all kinds of unwanted govt intervention later

I am more familiar with the F100 models than I am with the F-1 series but I would find out if that particular truck had a VIN plate on the glove box door or door jamb...if so, buy a repro now and get it installed BEFORE you have the VIN verified. Anything that you can do to grease the skids for the verifier and the DMV will save you untold heartburn later. Good luck...

BTW - I am not sure what area of Calif that you are in but if it is close to Valley Center/SoCal then I can give you the name of my verifier, she is retired from the DMV after 35 years at the desk and knows her stuff.

 

Cool thanks for the tips guys.
BH Im hoping to the non op status as well so hopefuly that will work ok.

4tl8ford thanks, I just printed out 58 pages of wonderful regestration info, only ca could make it this hard.

CharliLed thanks for the info, Yep I want to stay away from the special construction status. As I understand it there isnt vin#s for these since there so old, but the frame is stamped with a serial number in 2 or 3 places. Once the vin verifier checks that its not stolen I guess they give you a sticker and a vin number? Im in central ca near modesto. Theres a few traveling vin people up here Ill try to contact, thanks.

 

From my experience:

In California your truck is a "commercial vehicle". All that means is that you must provide a weight ticket along with your paperwork. Figure $20 bones at a recycling center for a weigh. You then need to have an inspection by the DMV. Don't take any guff from them about the drivability. The Supervisor will straighten the inspector out if need be. Have your frame at the serial number clean and easy to read. I used some white chalk with a post-wipe to make it easy to read.

Have a bill of sale, the weight ticket and the DMV paperwork. If you have Auto Club it's a lot easier. If not, put up with our States finest but be nice. Not being nice can result in DMV hell.

 

Having done this a few months back I can relate my experience which wasn't fun but ultimately successful. I have a 56 F100 that is drivable, was registered in another state with the title from that state. There was no VIN plate on the vehicle so it had to be verified. I couldn't find a private verification locally here in Northern California that's not to say there isn't one. I took it to the DMV but if it's not drivable and/or easily able to be verified off the frame they'll send you to the CHP. I took it to the CHP after being referred there and had it verified on the spot. Personally having seen the verifiers at DMV, if it can't be verified easily with a dim flashlight they'll punt. The CHP officer doing the verification printed a new VIN Tag and attached it to the door frame after he read it off the frame. It wasn't completely readable except for the serial number portion of the VIN but that was no problem for him. In talking to him I found out they will come to your business or place of residence if you make an appointment so it doesn't necessarily have to be in drivable condition and still be verified. I didn't ask if there was any additional cost but I wouldn't be surprised if there was. You'll also need to get a weight certificate if you don't want to hassle the DMV. However their own rules say that trucks registered in another state with a laden weight on the title are exempt from the weight certificate requirement.

 

Here's a page from Dennis Carpenter's catalog...a data tag mounted on the passenger side firewall with the serial number off the frame should work well.