CA DMV

[Kirby]

I have searched, and read the DMV site .... and have not found a clear answer to this question.

To get my 1974 712 presently in AZ and registered there, registered in CA - do I need to take the actual vehicle to the DMV ? (no change of ownership...yet )

I have read more than I want to about smog stuff and all that... but must have missed the answer to my question.

[HafWit]

If it was registered in Arizona, and you have all the paperwork that shows this and that it was legally sold to you, you should be able to do the transaction at the DMV or AAA with just the paperwork and without the vehicle.

[David Dunn]

It needs a VIN inspection. Simplest is to take it to a Auto Club, they can do the whole thing there. LEOs can also do the form, as well as DMV services( but they'll charge).

[edzz]

Yes what Dave said needs VIN inspection. Been there done that. Smog for a 1974 not an issue. Remember as others have said, rear seats up and equipped with seat belts for the inspection (seats for 4 would suffice would not want to show full seating capacity) and register as utility vehicle or you may end up paying weight fees.

Ed

[David Dunn]

Seat belts aren't required for the VIN inspection and classifying the vehicle.

[Kirby]

Thanks for the info guys, I have AAA, so that will help.

[justfred]

AAA may not be able to do the inspection, they couldn't for the Haflinger (though that was a lost title).

[David Dunn]

AAA may not be able to do the inspection, they couldn't for the Haflinger (though that was a lost title).

Auto Club can do any transfer... if there wasn't any paperwork before, you have to go to the DMV, or pay a DMV Service

[pinzwheeling]

Seat belts aren't required for the VIN inspection and classifying the vehicle.

Seats are required for classifying the vehicle for anything other than a truck. Our DMV inspector said that there needed to be seatbelts for her to classify the Pinzgauers as utility instead of as a truck.

[David Dunn]

Remind me to stay away from your DMV inspector.
I never had a problem on registering a 710M,712M or the Vampire as "utility". Some inspectors will overstep their boundaries.
It is a VIN inspection...aka is the vechicle is what the paperwork says. It is not a safety inspection, and it is not registration.
Simple case in fact.... if you bought an old vehicle for restoration and trailered it to DMV for transfer ( title and or registration ) the VIN inspection is required for the title, they aren't going to check for seatbelts.
A station wagon is still a station wagon, even if the seats belts are missing... it is a safety voilation if anyone is in those seats while on the road.

Kirby, Why do you want to register the vehicle in Ca, if you have sold it back east ? IIRC, an AZ title just needs a notarized signature for tranfer... why go to the expense to give Cal money?

[Kirby]

Kirby, Why do you want to register the vehicle in Ca, if you have sold it back east ?

I had another potential buyer in CA. One of his concerns as other potential buyers in the past from CA - they would like to make sure before they purchase that they knew it was going to "get into CA".

So, to open the pool of potential buyers, I was going to give Arnold some business it would put the potential buyers at eaze.......
Now.... I don't have to do it, as you stated, it sold and is going to the East coast.

[David Dunn]

I can appreciate that. But to anyone in Cal, the '74 is a slam dunk for registering ( I'd say a 'no brainer', but that could exclude some athletes from registering them )

Hope the rest of the transaction and the transfer goes smoothly for both of you.

Cheers