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Q: Using disassembled car parts to create an entirely new car (Z32 Nissan 300ZX) ( No Answer,   2 Comments )
Question  
Subject: Using disassembled car parts to create an entirely new car (Z32 Nissan 300ZX)
Category: Sports and Recreation > Automotive
Asked by: bravis-ga
List Price: $19.50
Posted: 20 Dec 2005 22:04 PST
Expires: 19 Jan 2006 22:04 PST
Question ID: 608324
Firstly, all this information needs to be relevant to the rules and
regulations of North Carolina, specifically Union County.

I have enough spare parts to construct an entire vehicle
(specifically:  A Z32 Nissan 300ZX).  If it were a US car it would not
be a problem to register using the existing VIN numbers and title
information, but the problem lies in that the chassis is from a
Japanese car and is right hand drive, and has therefore never been
registered in the United States.  All other parts of the vehicle are
just spare parts I've accumulated from different cars throughout the
years and the only difference between this car and any other old 300ZX
is the location of the steering wheel.

Some of my questions are:

1)  Once the vehicle is assembled and in running condition, what steps
will I need to take to get a title, registration, and VIN number?
(Sub question:  Will the Japanese VIN be cleared and reused, or will I
be assigned a new one)?

2)  What type of title will the car hold (salvage, kit car, reassembled)?

3)  What are my options for insuring the vehicle?

4)  After the car has a title, registration, VIN, and insurance, will
anything else be required to legally drive the car on the road?

5)  Although the vehicle is identical to a US model Z (except the
location of the steering wheel), it does not have a compliancy sticker
that says it meets US safety standards.  Does this even matter?  I
have read some places that in order to title the car it has to undergo
a safety inspection--does this verify the safety of the car or is that
compliancy sticker necessary?  If the latter, what must I do in order
to obtain a compliancy label?
Answer  
There is no answer at this time.

Comments  
Subject: Re: Using disassembled car parts to create an entirely new car (Z32 Nissan 300ZX)
From: markvmd-ga on 20 Dec 2005 23:14 PST
 
When I was a teenager, a couple of friends and I took the hulk of a
Triumph GT6+ and built a Sterling engine for it. Amazingly, after
about six months of work, we had a drivable vehicle. I then called the
registry of motor vehicles and asked them about obtaining an
"experimental car" registration for it so we could (okay, this is the
stupid bit) see how it would perform on the streets. After the very
nice lady stopped laughing, she explained that in Rhode Island all the
car had to do was pass inspection to be registrable.

Two weeks of examining the inspection criteria-- emissions and
safety-- told us we weren't gonna get this baby on the street. Er, not
legally. And this was back when cars killed you just by being in the
same time zone.

The right hand drive isn't a problem-- I bought a used postal jeep
many years ago for a hundred bucks that was RHD, with that terrific
inline six-- but the lack of safety and emission compliance is gonna
be a mountain to overcome. If you imported a car without them, you
would have to post a bond (in the 1980s it was something like $20K, as
I recall) and have a limited time to comply or forfeit.

I don't even want to begin to think about insurance for it. And your
liability if you injure someone...  *shudder*   A brain-dead attorney
with halitosis, leprosy, bubonic plague and head lice the size of
chipmunks could persuade a jury of lingerie models with organic
chemistry PhDs to make mincemeat out of you if you hurt a pedestrian,
passenger, or a well-liked pigeon.

You might want to make a non-street racer. Alternatively, you could
see if there is a back door to exploit-- the car being over 25 years
in some states exempts it from inspection (RI and MD don't do safety
or emissions on them), or "orphan" cars can get similar treatment (if
it is a Datsun, for example, it's an orphan because the marque is no
longer used).

I look forward to a Researcher's answer on this one.
Subject: Victory?
From: bravis-ga on 21 Dec 2005 13:44 PST
 
Just called the NC DMV/DOT and got almost everything I need.

1)  Call the DMV inspector to come and examine the car.  If he deems
it road worthy he will then decide whether to reuse the original
Japanese VIN or assign an entirely new one.
2)  Get an indemity bond written by my insurance company (requires
getting 2 appraisals, then taking 1.5x's the lowest one (I think she
said lowest).
3)  Fill out paperwork (NVR, NVR-1, NVR-55, NVR-92H) to apply for and
acquire title.
4)  Standard state inspection and emission regulations.

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