SB100 Registration - The "Definitive Answer" on Re

[Michael Murphy]

This posting addresses an issue that started in the "Brake Rotor Specs" thread. I have made this a separate posting to help those in the future who may be researching the registration process.

The question is whether the smog referee should designate the car as a pre-1972 car or the year of assembly. Turns out, it's both.

I went through the smog emissions test this morning at El Camino College. The BAR Referee was friendly and helpful. Apparently he frequently gets queries from other BAR referees about how to handle the SPCNS exemption paperwork.

Bottom line: He gave me a smog exemption certificate showing the following details:
Vehicle Year: 2003
Make: SPCN
Model: 1965 Lotus 7

He also gave me a copy of the smog exemption certificate, which was sent electronically to the DMV. The certificate says that the vehicle is exempt under SB100.

I tried to argue that he needed to designate the car as a 1965 Lotus, not a 2003. After some good natured debate and hand waving, he convinced me that he is right. (His position does seem to be consistent with the explanation of the process on the DMV website.) As for the other late model Caterhams that have been registered as 1960's cars, he invites all of them to come in and he'll gladly correct the paperwork.

[Roll a 7]

My car was inspected @ Southwestern CC here in San Diego. I brought old road tests of Series I and Series II sevens to illustrate that the car was a replica of a 1960 Lotus 7. The car is now registered as a 2002 SPCNS and has the state sticker on the firewall describing the car as a 1960 Lotus. This provides the smog exemption; along with the SPCNS SB 100 designation. The car was placed on the rollers for the state to maintain a database regarding the environmental impact of SB 100 cars and I was informed that the car was running "rich". No remedial action was required due to the SPCNS status. The car was also videotaped from end to end sans bonnet for the state records. A college employee driving by on a forklift helped the process when he shouted out: "That car looks like an old Lotus Super 7"! Of course I said that it is!! The appointment took about 45 minutes and I must say that the inspectors showed very little interest in what they were doing.

[moosetestbestanden]

Thanks Michael. I never got an exemption cert. from my test. However, I looked at a printout of the 'Referee Administration System' screen that he used to enter the data back to Big Arnie's Big DMV Database and under an input box titled 'Certificate Type" is entered 'Exempt - Veh not part of program'. Just below is another input box titled 'Exempt Reason' and the data that was input says 'SPCN - SB100'. On the same printout is the following:

2004 SPCN SUPER 7 REPLICA each in its own little box.

So. I'm exempt, most likey. Unfortunately nothing says anything about my chosen year 1964. Pity as I reckon that may mean grief should I ever choose to license the car in another state. Whatever - I'll burn that bridge if I ever get to it.

I think that the process has evolved since the first several years of the program, at the DMV.

So far, so good.

Thanks Michael!

[ttweed]

Re: SB100 Registration - The "Definitive Answer" o

I tried to argue that he needed to designate the car as a 1965 Lotus, not a 2003.

I was told at DMV that the "Model Year" of a kit car for registration purposes is always the year that it is first presented to DMV for registration. The designation as an earlier model is strictly a BAR function, for smog purposes only, and it is the choice of the owner to designate it as the model year of the engine or the model year which the chassis most resembles, when presented to the Referee. Obviously, to be smog exempt, one chooses the earlier designation, but it has no bearing on the DMV-registered model year of the car. It will always be an SPCN of the model year when it is first presented to DMV for registration.

BTW, as of Feb. 27th, all 500 of the sequence numbers under SB100 have been assigned, so Jan. 1, 2005 will be the next opportunity to take advantage of this law. I got mine done in Mar. last year, and I was #349, I believe, so people are catching on to this process.

TT

[jeffareid]

The SB100 sequence number you get is independent of the registration process. The DMV just wants to see the VIN to allow you to get a sequence number assigned for the vehicle. You can get a temporary permit to drive the car on the street, but it's not required if all you want is the sequence number. I'm not sure if the car even have to be assembled, as long as the DMV can see the VIN on the car body (in my case they accepted a bill of sale for the VIN number, but this was back in 2003, and other DMV's may be more picky).

SB100 allows you to choose the car year, engine year, or the year of the car that your kit car resembles. If the kit car doesn't resemble anything, it will be considered pre-1970 (smog waiver). This is only for the smog waiver.

As posted, the year of registration will be the one used for the car for all other purposes except the SB100 smog waiver.

I'm curious as to why the sudden jump in demand for SB100 sequence numbers. They didn't run out in 2002 and before. They were at 406 in May of 2003, and probably ran out in June or July. The ran out at the end of February 2004 (probably pent up demand from 2003). I wonder what type of kit cars are being sold now.

[Steve Stephens]

I'm curious as to why the sudden jump in demand for SB100 sequence numbers. They didn't run out in 2002 and before. They were at 406 in May of 2003, and probably ran out in June or July. The ran out at the end of February 2004 (probably pent up demand from 2003). I wonder what type of kit cars are being sold now.

Could these possibly be older, already registered cars (and not necessarily kit cars) which had been registered so they have to be smogged and owners are now trying to get them re-registered under SB-100 so they don't have to be smogged? I think I had heard something about that.
Steve