California registration rule

AA Ford Discussion Group relating to the repair and restoration of your AA Ford.
RustydoubleA
Posts: 108
Joined: June 18th, 2014, 10:22 pm
Body Type: express
Model Year: 1930
Location: N. Calif.

California registration rule

Post by RustydoubleA »

Hi, for those of you living in California wishing to reduce your yearly registration fees and still carry items in the bed, attached is a picture of the 2014 version of the California Vehicle Code. You end up paying passenger car fees and still have the full use of your truck. This rule is way better than Historical plates. If you do this option, be sure and carry a copy of this rule with you for the education of conscientious but uninformed law enforcement. Steve.
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cvc9401a.jpg
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ModelAkid
Posts: 478
Joined: June 3rd, 2013, 6:15 pm
Body Type: 186-B stake
Model Year: 1931
Location: LHC Arizona & UP Michigan

Re: California registration rule

Post by ModelAkid »

Thanks for posting that information, good to know.
Bob C
Posts: 1442
Joined: April 24th, 2003, 11:50 am
Body Type: Mail truck, Stake tr
Model Year: 1931
Location: SO CAL

Re: California registration rule

Post by Bob C »

I'm still a little confused, OK maybe a lot confused, I took a copy of section A when
I registered my AA a few years ago and they issued passenger plates. Reading section B
it sounds like you still need to pay the weight fee to get commercial plates so you can haul something.

Bob
RustydoubleA
Posts: 108
Joined: June 18th, 2014, 10:22 pm
Body Type: express
Model Year: 1930
Location: N. Calif.

Re: California registration rule

Post by RustydoubleA »

Hi Bob, What legal written type rules are not confusing? I see the rule as an EXEMPTION, the same as on CALTRANS dumptrucks, county and city trucks, etc. They can still use the trucks in what they were designed to do but have an exemption on paying the weight fees (or any fee at all). The (b) part says that you may register the pre-37 vehicles using commercial plates if you wish to, for instance there are special parking zones in San Francisco for commercial trucks only which require commercial plates, and the meter maids will write you a ticket if you do not have commercial plates. Also, whoever conjured up this exemption (in 1981) did not broadcast it to the world, so you would need the (b) part to not penalize the uninformed. It was probably a state senator who tagged it on the end of a bill in the legislature for his own car collection, the same circumstances as the 300 a year car exemption for custom built non-smoggable cars. Anyway, I take the word EXEMPTION on face value and carry a copy of this rule with me. An EXEMPTION is different from a RESTRICTION, as with the Historical plates. I am not a lawyer, so I may be totally mistaken, anyone wish to go to DMV or even better to the CHP for clarification? It saves about $50 to $100 per year for each truck on registration fees depending on 2,000# or 3,000# classification. Steve.
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Chris Haynes
Posts: 2203
Joined: September 7th, 2003, 5:18 pm
Body Type: 82A
Model Year: 1930
Location: Camarillo, CA

Re: California registration rule

Post by Chris Haynes »

I have the commercial YOM plates for my AA. :-)
1930 Pneumatic Commercial CA plates were a bitch to find.
ModelAkid
Posts: 478
Joined: June 3rd, 2013, 6:15 pm
Body Type: 186-B stake
Model Year: 1931
Location: LHC Arizona & UP Michigan

Re: California registration rule

Post by ModelAkid »

Bob, don't ever expect the local DMV staff to know what they are doing. They just pretend they do. When I went to register my 1931 YOM plates, the staffer had no idea what a YOM plate is, had no idea what I was talking about.
RustydoubleA
Posts: 108
Joined: June 18th, 2014, 10:22 pm
Body Type: express
Model Year: 1930
Location: N. Calif.

Re: California registration rule

Post by RustydoubleA »

Hi, Since I have been drawing conclusions based upon WORDING in an area where logic has no place, the CVC, I decided to make a visit of the local branch CHP offices, just four miles from me. I placed my registration and a copy of the rule (picture attached) on top of the counter top and asked the Officer if I could carry things in the bed of my truck. He read the rule and looked at my registration and replied "YES, you can carry things in the bed". He said that it is an exemption based upon age of the vehicle. He also suggested to carry a copy of the rule with the vehicle as it is a very specific and not a widely known rule. Then I asked him about signal lights on old trucks; I will write about his response in another topic! Steve.
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reg1.jpg
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Last edited by RustydoubleA on February 4th, 2015, 3:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Bob C
Posts: 1442
Joined: April 24th, 2003, 11:50 am
Body Type: Mail truck, Stake tr
Model Year: 1931
Location: SO CAL

Re: California registration rule

Post by Bob C »

Thanks Steve, that helps clear things up.

Bob
ModelAkid
Posts: 478
Joined: June 3rd, 2013, 6:15 pm
Body Type: 186-B stake
Model Year: 1931
Location: LHC Arizona & UP Michigan

Re: California registration rule

Post by ModelAkid »

Steve, your registration seems to indicate a Canadian VIN, but the number is not right.
http://www.mafca.com/data_eng_canada.html
RustydoubleA
Posts: 108
Joined: June 18th, 2014, 10:22 pm
Body Type: express
Model Year: 1930
Location: N. Calif.

Re: California registration rule

Post by RustydoubleA »

Well, I pieced this particular roadster pickup entirely from swap meet parts, the frame number was not legible. I had a bill of sale of each item from most everyone that I bought stuff from, applied for registration from DMV, and then I had to take it to the CHP for inspection of the number and they attached a CA number on the door jam. It was the easiest registration that I have done, but I have had nightmare registration ones as well. With one truck the Officer would not believe it was a Model A pickup or a Model A engine, although I had books with pictures to show her. She asked the questions "did it come from the assembly line like that" and "What year is the engine?" The engine had some weird rebuilders number stamped on it. The sheet metal was patched together and sort of beat up, but was totally stock. She called it a "Frankenstein Truck". I had to obtain one of those exemptions from the BAR, who declined me a waiver the first application because it was a STOCK Model A, I brought a BAR letter stating that it was a stock Model A back to the CHP Officer who would not budge, so I returned to the BAR and begged for them to give me an exemption. They had pity on me and I got one of the 300 yearly custom car exemptions for a STOCK Model A. I had to get $150 brake and light inspection for that one as well. 3 different brake and light inspection stations refused to inspect it as it is all 1931 and must meet 2011 standards. Finally I found a station who had an inspector that was in another Model A club. I installed signal lights as well as the old time sealed beam conversions so the alignment could be clearly checked and brought my own hub puller. The registration on that one says 2011 1931 Ford PK with a CA number on the door jam as well. Over the years I have registered over 3 dozen Dodge Power Wagons and WWII army trucks that were totally out of the DMV records and NEVER once was I questioned when registering them! Now I feel like I am gambling every time I bring a truck to the CHP! This is a hobby for me, I do not make money from this junk, so it can be frustrating. Steve.
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1929 put together from swap meet parts
1929 put together from swap meet parts
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ModelAkid
Posts: 478
Joined: June 3rd, 2013, 6:15 pm
Body Type: 186-B stake
Model Year: 1931
Location: LHC Arizona & UP Michigan

Re: California registration rule

Post by ModelAkid »

So that's it! What a headache. The CA DMV people can be completely idiotic sometimes. A VIN-checker officer told me I had to show him 2 places with the serial number on a Model A. I told him I was not going to lift off the body for him so he could see the number on the frame. He said "well you'll just have to". I said Model T's only had one number on them, on the engine, so what do you do with a Model T? He was not interested in facts and insisted all cars have VIN numbers in 2 places. Realizing he was an idiot, I looked for another way to get the registration done.
I found a retired DMV employee who has a part time business helping people get DMV work done. She knows how to "git 'er done". She got CA title & registration for 2 Model A's from out of state for me, with a set of YOM plates registered on one. She just checked the VIN on the engine.
Drew Mashburn
Posts: 496
Joined: April 25th, 2005, 2:25 pm
Model Year: 1930
Location: Ojai, California

Re: California registration rule

Post by Drew Mashburn »

ModelAkid & others:

If the California DMV or other like state agencies want to see a VIN, do they really know where the VINs on AA's and A's are stamped? If not, why not just stamp the VIN on your vehicle somewhere that it can be easily accessed? That is, if an owner doesn't have a problem doing so.

-- Drew
Drew Mashburn
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Chris Haynes
Posts: 2203
Joined: September 7th, 2003, 5:18 pm
Body Type: 82A
Model Year: 1930
Location: Camarillo, CA

Re: California registration rule

Post by Chris Haynes »

Whatever you do NEVER EVER TELL THE DMV YOUR VEHICLE WAS ASSEMBLED FROM PARTS. That will cause you nothing but grief.
RustydoubleA
Posts: 108
Joined: June 18th, 2014, 10:22 pm
Body Type: express
Model Year: 1930
Location: N. Calif.

Re: California registration rule

Post by RustydoubleA »

HI, Some Officers know where the numbers are and some do not. I bring the vehicle into the CHP with the body blocked up and a cut out in the splash apron area exposing the frame number. The problem with trying to show "another" number is that you never know what the Officer knows and I certainly do not wish to get caught not being honest with these vehicles. The apple and orange comparison also applies, the CHP wants a Frame number where they were originally registered by the Engine number. Back then when you swapped out an engine, you were supposed to change the registration with the new engine number, but most people never did. California changed registrations from the Engine number to the Frame Number in 1951, so all of this pre-war stuff becomes messy. A lot of frames have rusted frame numbers, 1) because the frames were stamped AFTER painting causing unprotected numbers, 2) because of the welting held moisture and 3)because of the battery acid spewing acid from overcharged batteries for lack of regulators. Also, I have one AA truck and one A car that do not have frame numbers, they were never stamped at the factory! When one drags home a $200 frame for a project, you don't really know if that frame number is still active on a street rod. Honesty is the best policy or you may get your vehicle impounded. I know some one that got this 1965 Mustang impounded and given back to the "real" owner thirty years later, some intermediate owner swapped parts around and resold it. The CHP found the real numbers somewhere on it. Whenever I register a vehicle, I just throw it together in running form without restoring it and get the thing into the system before I have too much invested. Steve.
ModelAkid
Posts: 478
Joined: June 3rd, 2013, 6:15 pm
Body Type: 186-B stake
Model Year: 1931
Location: LHC Arizona & UP Michigan

Re: California registration rule

Post by ModelAkid »

I told them one of my Model A's had a lost title and had been sitting unused on my property in CA for over 10 years. It seemed that is something you can tell them which makes the process easier, although they may still want to have the VIN verified.
Drew: Good idea!
note: in 1932 Henry started stamping the frame VIN on the top left side just in front of the cowl where it is easily seen. In other words, just a bit forward of where Model A frame VINs are stamped.
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