Registering a "modern" (not GT40) vehicle in Washington State

Hi all,

I know these registration questions get posted to death, but after searching extensively for weeks, I still have many questions.

My main one is regarding emissions testing in King County.

I'm considering a modern car, such as an Ultima, or SLC, and am seeing what appears to be a few different approaches to registration in WA. I see that it could be done as a "kit vehicle", "home built / custom", or coming up soon, "collector".

It looks like the vehicle gets titled either as the year of inspection, or in the case of a replica, the year of the body that it most closely resembles. This is great for a Cobra or GT40, but are modern looking cars (Ultima, SLC, Atom, Noble) being registered as the current model year, requiring them to go through emissions? The reason I'm asking is because I've seen several of these locally, and none appeared to have cats. Living in King County, if I registered this way, could I keep getting waivers for the next 10 cycles, or is there a better approach? Registering in a no-smog county? Can you pass off a SLC as a replica of a 25 year old car, making it emissions exempt?

Now I see that next month, HB 2359 goes into effect. Will this trump the other requirements? Who makes the final determination whether or not if fits the definition of "collectible"?

HB 2359 - 2013-14

15 NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 46.04 RCW
16 to read as follows:
17 "Collectible vehicle" means a vehicle that complies with the
18 following:
19 (1) Is of unique or rare design, of limited production, and an
20 object of curiosity;
21 (2) Is maintained primarily for use in car club activities,
22 exhibitions, parades, or other functions of public interest or for a
23 private collection, and is used only infrequently for other purposes;
24 and
25 (3) Has collectible vehicle or classic automobile insurance
26 coverage that restricts the collectible vehicle mileage or use, or
27 both, and requires the owner to have another vehicle for personal use.

Any guidance would be appreciated. I know I can just keep trying until I get it through, but I don't want to kick myself later for not doing it a different way.

Thanks in advance,
JH
 
JH,

Regarding HB2359 - 2013/14, the amended section you reference doesn't deal with registration requirements of vehicles in WA, rather it simply exempts "collector cars" from emissions testing. They're two very different things.

Your first task is to find a way to register your modern car with a valid WA title which can be transferred if necessary and which holds the usual advantages of title.

Secondarily, you'll have to address the emissions requirements of WA registered vehicles. As you may know, vehicles 25 years old, or older, are not required to pass emissions testing. Related, "collector cars" which are newer than 25 years old should be exempt from emissions testing as soon as HB2359 is passed and effective. However, again, your first challenge is to find a way to be able to register your car and get it a valid title which can be transferred if necessary. If you don't have a title you can transfer then your car will have limited marketability if decide to sell it one day.

Getting your car registered in WA is going to require a State DMV safety inspection at a minimum. My experience has been that this can range from a minimal inspection to a very detailed inspection which can be quite difficult to pass. I have failed the safety inspection in past years because of a ride height which was too low, absence of reverse lights, excessively loud muffler, etc. My recommendation would be to take your car to a rural inspection station when you get to that point (seems to be less rigorous).

Just my $.02.
 
Cliff brings up a good point. If your only interest is avoiding emission testing use the new wa bill 2359. If you wish to title the car as a 1960's year to make it more desirable to sell the car to another state in the future use 5585 and title as a custom vehicle. State police inspectors seem lax as far as the 1960's car you're replicating. There was a recent lawsuit by an Ariel Atom owner in wa that was refused registration period because someone in DOL said the Atom was a race car and couldn't be titled. The owner won the lawsuit and got titled under 5585 as a Lotus 7 replica. 5585 says the car can be a modified version of the car it replicates. Maybe claim you're Ultima is a modified replica of a 1966 Lotus 30 or a 1968 Lola T70. I helped write 5585 with SEMA and Morrison chassis of Lakewood that builds resto mod chassis. The police inspectors seem more interested in receipts for sales tax and no stolen parts.Be aware that custom car registration under 5585 gives you a one time fee, but limited use. Limited use means car events, club activities, or testing. On a practical level you can do occasional pleasure driving, just don't go to work with it regularly.
 
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Julian

Lifetime Supporter
A red Ultima CanAm bears a reasonable resemblance of a Ferrari P4 in my experience, at least in the eyes of a NV DMV inspector..... hey it's red isn't it!

Better still it's going up for sale soon as I'm relocating to Calgary and cannot get it in to Canada.

Julian
 
Thanks for the info, guys.

As suggested, my first priority would be to simply get a title. My thinking is it wouldn't be the end of the world if it gets classified as a 2014 because 5 years from now, when I have to get emission tested, I could simply fail, take it to a shop, fail again, then get a waiver. Would it be this simple, or would the fact that emission equipment isn't even present get it hung up?

I can see how getting it titled as a classic would certainly make things much easier though, and make the car more marketable if I decide to sell.

Of course this is all insignificant compared to the challenge of getting my wife to buy off on it. Fingers crossed......
 
I don't know about your state, but in mine, the emissions test is just a readout from your OBDII port. If it has readiness, you passed. I don't see the inspectors even looking for cats, etc as they used to.

The significance of this is that modern GM crate engines (the likely suspects in an SLC, for example) can pass those tests, and be relatively clean as well, with no driveability problems.

So you can have a modern date title, and pass emissions as well. And even actually have a clean car. It's remarkable what modern computer-controlled engines can do in terms of power, economy, and yes, emissions, nowadays.

Your state may vary, but that's how mine works.
 
Be sure to get the manufactures statement of origin when you purchase it (mso) needed when registering it. It will state what "year" the vehicle represents. In some cases the year can be optional. (daytona coupe 1964 or 1965) (gt40 mk i 1964, thru 1971) etc).
 
Jim,
You might want to get in touch with the Ariel Atom owner that had the lawsuit with WA DOL. I used to have his e mail, but don't now. Try the Ariel Atom forum and WA owners. He was trying to title as current year and apparently DOL had Atoms singled out to deny registration. The lawsuit was drawn out as usual and he finally won. Compromise settlement was to title as a custom vehicle under 5585. Just a heads up that DOL may give you a problem as a 2014 Ultima.
 
This is great info. Thanks again.

Another dumb question: What defines an MSO/MCO?
I know what they are, as I've owned/titled off-road motorcycles with them, but I guess my questions is what makes them official? If I were to buy a serial numbered frame or chassis from somebody building race cars out of their garage, could he just write me an MCO, or does the builder have to somehow be registered somewhere as a manufacturer?

I think I'll go down to Redmond Town Center tomorrow, and see if anyone brings anything interesting down that I can learn from. Hope the weather clears.
 
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