Question On rebody? 1973 Z-28

[MultiMopars]

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Don't the home-made street rods usually get some type of state-issued VIN plate for registration purposes?

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Some do some don't. It usually depends on wheather or not there is a legal valid title for the car that was modified.

Lets use as an example a 32 Ford streetrod. Regarless of the updated engine, suspension, wheels, instruments, A/C, or any other upgrades to the car the owner made, it is STILL a 32 Ford. If legal title hasn't been lost over the last 77 years then it is still used to title and license the car. If it has been lost then the guy has to deal with the State he is trying to register it in. Typically the State DMV inspector is going to try and determine what the car started life as, try to find and original V.I.N. for the car, check to see if it was ever reported stolen, look for V.I.N.s of any parts attached, check to see if they are reported stolen, etc. THEN, regardless of weather it has a FACTORY V.I.N. plate or not they MAY create a State issued V.I.N. plate and attach it and create a control number with a file of their actions that will follow the car for the rest of it's life. In this example of a lost title, it is the discretion of the inspector regarding a State issued V.I.N. tag. However, MOST people are aware that titles for older cars are easy to get and do so BEFORE the show up at a DMV office and don't have to deal with this. The thing that you ALWAYS want to do when you are considering buying a car without a title is to call law enforcement with the V.I.N. and tell them you are considering buying the car and ask them to check and see if it has ever been reported stolen BEFORE you buy it.

Back to the street rod senario. A street rod is typically NOT considered "home made." As stated above, they begin life and are still considered by the law and DMV as what the were born regardless of the modification made to them.

V.I.N. plates for "home made" licensible items are things such as trailers. Some home built motorized vehicles such as kit cars, motorcycles, and cars built from scratch can also fall into this catagory, but it has become much harder to comply to federal and state laws to make this cost effective for most people.