New WA SEMA kit car bill

All you Washington GT40 owners please call Sen. Mike Carrell (360) 786-7654 to support his introduction of S.B. 5585. This is a SEMA model bill allowing kit car registration as the year it replicates like OR does. Please also call the other senators of the transportation committee listed on SEMA's website or contact me for the list. I'm awaiting info on whether passage of this bill would allow retitling of our existing cars to conform with the bill. If so you get a 1960's title and no more emission testing BS! Thanks.
Dave Miller
Brush Prairie, WA
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Thank you Neal! I haven't gotten any responses over on the NW Cobra forums or from e mails. Where are you WA kit car owners?
 

Kelly

Lifetime Supporter
I'm awaiting info on whether passage of this bill would allow retitling of our existing cars to conform with the bill. If so you get a 1960's title and no more emission testing BS!

The same SEMA sponsored law became effective in Iowa Jan 1, 2010. I waited 6 months to title my car until the law became effective because once titled, you're pretty much done and it takes an act of God to change a previously titled car here so good luck to you on that part. Iowa is not a stringent emissions testing state, but the primary motivation for me was when titling as a 1966 is the annual registration fees are based on value but >25 year old vehicles are a flat $50 per year. If it were not for the new law, I would have had to title the car in the year it built on the certificate of origin and that would have cost me several thousand dollars per year for tags and registration.

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Most of the laws allow you title by model but not by make, meaning it can be identified as in my case, a 1966 GT40 MkII, but you cannot title a replica by make as a Ford, because it is not. The make on my title is Superformance. I agree with this because there are those that would mis-use this. I know some have succeeded in getting their replica's titled as Fords and laws vary by state, but in general this only happens because the DMV employee performing the title and registration work was not knowledgeable and allowed it to occur.
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As an aside, I have started making an annual contribution to SEMA because of the money they've saved me and the fine job they are doing looking after the interests of automotive enthusiasts.

Best,
K<o:p></o:p>
 
Thanks for your reply Kelly. I would be interested to know if anyone has gotten a car retitled after a SEMA law went into affect. I am awaiting an e mail response from Steve at SEMA. I have a friend that got his 1967 Lotus Cortina retitled to a 1966 in WA even though it had been titled that way for many years. It did require an appointment with an inspector and documentation, but he got it done.
 
Dave M.; Is this for "kit" cars constructed here total bulids, or for Superformance or CAV rollers also? I got my Superformance Daytona through in Washington state as a 1965 with the MSO sheet from Superformance (Dynamic Motor Sports) at the time. I bought the CAV GT40 used with 955 miles on it, and the owner had the MSO in the pile of paper work it came with. DMV processed it, had to call Olympia for the proper coding is all, as the cars were not on their printed list. The Daytona code was "RSPC" which breaks down to "R" for replica and SPC for the abreviated Superformance Coupe, it was critical to put the "R" in front of the SPC as their computers in Olympia will not take it as SPCR, which they tried entering first. I have 1965 & 1966 plates on both now that you pay once and no renewal fee. I get a renewal slip each year from Olympia with $00.00 due showing.
 
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You were lucky Rich. By 2008 most licensing offices were wise to WA law requiring model year as manufactured, not what it represented. My MSO also said 1966 GT40. Went to 13 different offices from Everett to Vancouver (Clark County). I tried to quietly just go with the MSO, but they either knew the law or called into the state office. If you read the statutes it's pretty plain. Consider yourself lucky.
 
There is a transportation committee meeting on this bill tommorrow the 9th, 3:30pm at the Cherberg Building, Olympia. I and another GT40 owner will be there. Please come if you can. I got clarification from Steve McDonald at SEMA that when SEMA bills are passed it usually is possible to retitle your car to take advantage of the 1960's year designation. If you can't make it tommorrow please call Sen. Carrell to express your support. Will keep you posted as this moves thru the legislature. Even if you don't live in an emissions area the 1960's title increases your resale value.
D. Miller
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I called Sen. Carrell's office today and voised my opinion and others in the Spokane area. They said Steve McDonald could not make it to the meeting tomorrow but sent a letter to be read. Other big horse power people will be there, they said. Our district #4 here currently has no rep. for the "transportation" sector for this bill, so we have to push for this via Olympia as well. The office number to call is 360-786-7654 for Sen. Carrell
 
Thanks Rich, Paul, Neal, and any others that called WA legislators. The hearing went very well. 4 of us testified including a WA muscle car part manufacturer. No opposing testimony. Thank you Tim Dutton for testifying. No committee vote yet, but we think we're over the first hurdle. Will keep you posted when it comes before the entire Senate.
 
Hey all you guys (& gals) in Washington state! After doing the above, you now can get the year of the vehicle license plates to go on it. First check with your nearest DMV to see if the plate you want is avalible. Then find a vintage plate of that year, or have one custom made. Next you have to present it (show It) to DMV and get your registration transfered again to this plate (minimal fee). I found "licenseplatestv.com" in Florida that can make "any" plate. Go on line and build it to see what it will look like. (about $80.00). Be sure to have the actual plate present or the knuckel-heads at DMV will not do the transfer. My first plate came in 4 days, the second one for another car took 2 weeks. The best thing is no more license fee ever. You get a renewal slip each year with $00.00 due.......If you don't want a vintage plate, they can issue you a "collector vehicle" plate with a random # on it. The good thing also is now you are only required to run just "one" plate on the rear.
 
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Like your enthusiasm Rich, but we have to get this bill passed first! Several hoops to go thru so please write or call your state senator now. This could be voted on next week.
 
Thought I'd let you know I dropped off the amendment to S.B. 5585 allowing already titled cars to retitle as year of replication. Sen. Carrell's office called back today. He will introduce this as a floor amendment to the original bill. PLEASE CALL YOUR STATE SENATOR TO SUPPORT THIS BILL AND THE AMENDMENT. This is an uphill fight, but we can get this done if you all pitch in. Thanks.
For Senator contacts:
Washington Street Rod and Custom Vehicle Bill Approved by Transportation Committee

Dave Miller
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Neal

Lifetime Supporter
Thanks Dave. Hopefully we can make headway as my GT is duebto be sniffed at the end of the year. I'd like to avoid the hassle.
 
WA S.B. 5585 passed the full senate with the retitling amendment! Thank you Sen. Carrell and thank you Cobra supporters! Full info on the bill at
SB 5585 - 2011-12
Now we have to get it passed in the House Transportation Committee and full House. PLEASE CALL TRANSPORTATION MEMBERS AND YOUR HOUSE REPRESENTATIVES We can do this if you keep calling or writing. No more emission tests, a 1960's title, and historic plates!
Dave Miller
 
You're probably tired of hearing from me, but S.B. 5585 Custom Car Registration reached the WA House Transportation Committee. Please contact as many Committee members as possible from the list. At least contact the Chair and 2 Vice Chairs. DO NOT CONTACT REP. FRED FINN. He has a personal vendetta out for collector cars. He introduced bills to first eliminate collector car plates and later to reduce the 30 year old window to 40 years old. I'm afraid if he gets a wiff of our bill he may be trouble. In your calls/letters note the unanimous Senate approval 48-0. If we can get this out of Committee I think we're home free. THANK YOU!!
Dave
Committee Members and Staff
 
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