Cali Registration Woes

rbullockv8

rbullockv8

Senior Member
Okay, so I trailered my '32 Model B Roadster PU down to DMV a few weeks ago because they needed to verify the VIN for the title transfer from my deceased father (1975). Other than the trailer rental cost, that part went well. However, I still needed to go inside to finish the paperwork. The VIN verification gal said don't even think of leaving my truck in the parking lot or street--too many weirdos hang around the DMV every day and she said it wasn't safe. Good to know.

So, took the truck home, unloaded it, and returned the rental trailer. Then I made another appointment with DMV for the next week, because you NEVER want to do a walk-in at a Cali DMV. On arrival, everything was going well until the gal at the window said, "Where is your weight certification?" I tried offering the factory specs--2,480 lbs-- (I had the books with me from VIN day just in case of...who knows?), but that wouldn't do. She said I have to take it to a weigh station and get a certified weight slip. Is this something new for all pickups, even ones 85 years old? Maybe because it's being registered in my name for the first time since my dad passed away in 1975? I mean, it's not likely I'm going to be hauling commercial loads of gravel or lumber or anything.

I mentioned it would have been nice to know the need for the weight when I had the trailer rented. She wasn't sympathetic. The nearest scales are about 5-6 miles away, but that's through the busy downtown, and the farthest I've driven it since running is about a dozen blocks. With a truck that hasn't been on the road in 42 years (and one I've just assembled to running condition), I'm a little leery of setting off that far.

At least she was willing to give me a two-month temporary so I can do some reliability runs around the neighborhood, but now I'm fighting an irregular but steady pop-pop miss coming out the exhaust. Can't quite tell if it's getting worse. Have been playing with spark plugs, points, carb adjustments (new Tillotson from Macs), and condenser. Seems like it should be electrical.

Woke up this morning at 4:00 a.m. with a nightmare about leaving the truck outside building for a few minutes and returning to find it half-stripped. Oh, these are fun times.
 
Don't feel bad. I had to also get a weight slip on my 31 when I registered it. :confused: And your last paragraph was very humorous,but could also be very true, living in California. :rolleyes: Good luck with your project.
 
I have two 1934 Ford pickups registered in California..as PASSENGER vehicles. DMV rules changed in the early 1970's to allow 1/4 ton, 1936 and earlier pickups to be registered as passenger vehicles. Therefore, there is no need for weight information. I had to gently request the DMV clerk in Culver City to contact Sacramento for clarification (which, thankfully she did!). If you are polite and patient maybe you'll hear the clerk say what I heard.. "I never knew that." Judging by the early pickups I've seen with commercial plates I believe many are wrongly registered. Here's proof of what I said. Vehicle registered a few years ago.
 

Attachments

  • Safety Pays P66 on Ernie.jpg
    Safety Pays P66 on Ernie.jpg
    49.2 KB · Views: 59
I don't remember a weight certificate when I transferred my '31 RDPU about 40 years ago. Ask at another DMV before you roll over. I assume it would be easier to do the homework than the leg work. The average DMV doesn't get many '32 vehicles. I assume you are going to run passenger car plates, that might avoid the weight certificate requirements. I know that I do not pay a weight fee since the vehicle code says I don't have to on a pre 1936 commercial vehicle. The section allowing you to run passenger car plates on a pre 1936 vehicle is buried deep in the vehicle code. The only reason I found out about it is that my girlfriend at the time worked for AAA and read all of the changes to the vehicle code as they came in.

Charlie Stephens
 
Thanks, guys! I'm going to check that out. Would sure take the pressure off since all of June is packed with travel and company. I'd as soon not worry about the weight certificate.
 
Rich,

Just a bit of trivia on condensers. I don't know if you can find a good Model B condenser today but the last I looked you couldn't. If you have a good source please post it. Here is how I solved my condenser problem. I bought the highest quality Model A condenser I could find. I think at the time Bratton's (Bratton's Ford Parts, (301) 829-9880) had the highest quality (check with the Model A guys). They had two quality levels, get the best one. Next I elongated the hole for the mounting screw so I could use it in my Model B distributer. The final thing was to make a short pig tail to connect the condenser to the Model B distributer. Ignore the block "B" on the head in one of the pictures as it is a Model A Police head.

Charlie Stephens
 

Attachments

  • IMG_5690.jpg
    IMG_5690.jpg
    82.6 KB · Views: 69
  • IMG_5691.jpg
    IMG_5691.jpg
    48 KB · Views: 68
I'm guessing the pop-pop ,missing is your valve,s sticking. THe engine sat for some time ?
I've used MMO in oil and gas , double ,maybe triple the normal amount . It helped a lot ....
 
I can relate to your DMV issues! I just went through an agonizing process to get my car registered. This weight issue was particularly annoying as I had the book with me showing the weight of the car but, no, I had to have it weighed on an electronic scale! I had a whole lot of other hoops to jump through but finally got it in my name. It's a frustrating business but you'll be glad in the end, so good luck to you!
Doug.
 
I always found California's obsession with pickups versus cars to be strange. Most states make no distinction or get hung up over the weight of the pickup.
 
Hi; Oregon has some traffic cops who know that a diesel dually with any kind of a load is going to be over the 10,000 lbs limit for passenger plates. It is creeping into our State too. Newc
 
2ndgeer said:
I have two 1934 Ford pickups registered in California..as PASSENGER vehicles. DMV rules changed in the early 1970's to allow 1/4 ton, 1936 and earlier pickups to be registered as passenger vehicles. Therefore, there is no need for weight information. I had to gently request the DMV clerk in Culver City to contact Sacramento for clarification (which, thankfully she did!). If you are polite and patient maybe you'll hear the clerk say what I heard.. "I never knew that." Judging by the early pickups I've seen with commercial plates I believe many are wrongly registered. Here's proof of what I said. Vehicle registered a few years ago.
Click to expand...
What he said ^^
 
Vehicle Code - VEH

​
DIVISION 3. REGISTRATION OF VEHICLES AND CERTIFICATES OF TITLE [4000 - 9808]

( Division 3 enacted by Stats. 1959, Ch. 3. )
CHAPTER 6. Registration and Weight Fees [9101 - 9808]

( Chapter 6 enacted by Stats. 1959, Ch. 3. )

ARTICLE 3. Weight Fees [9400 - 9410]

( Article 3 enacted by Stats. 1959, Ch. 3. )

9401.

(a) Motor vehicles manufactured in or prior to 1936, are exempted from the payment of the weight fees provided for in Section 9400.
(b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), any person who owns and operates a commercial vehicle manufactured in or prior to 1936 which is registered to such person, may pay the appropriate weight fees, and the department shall issue license plates of the same type as are issued to vehicles which are required to pay weight fees for such vehicles.


I took a copy of this with me when I registered my AA.
Use AAA x2


Bob

 
Charlie: Thanks for the condenser info. However, that's one of the reasons I had Renner's rebuild my distributor and convert it to 12v modern points and condenser. Those B parts were really getting hard to find. And I did check with AAA a while back, but because I was transferring a title from my long-deceased father, they said it was too complex for them.

Step-down: You said, "I've used MMO in oil and gas , double ,maybe triple the normal amount." How much is the normal amount? I also saw Sea Foam at Auto Zone. The guy there said to also use it in gas and/or oil. He swore by it, but of course he's selling it. Is it similar to MMO?
Bob C: I'm printing out that Vehicle Code info and taking it with me. New appointment is next Friday--that's the soonest available! Sooo slowww and under staffed here. I really hope the clerk accepts this info. Seems like they could quickly look it up and verify it online.
 
rbullockv8 said:
Charlie: Thanks for the condenser info. However, that's one of the reasons I had Renner's rebuild my distributor and convert it to 12v modern points and condenser. Those B parts were really getting hard to find. And I did check with AAA a while back, but because I was transferring a title from my long-deceased father, they said it was too complex for them.

Step-down: You said, "I've used MMO in oil and gas , double ,maybe triple the normal amount." How much is the normal amount? I also saw Sea Foam at Auto Zone. The guy there said to also use it in gas and/or oil. He swore by it, but of course he's selling it. Is it similar to MMO?
Bob C: I'm printing out that Vehicle Code info and taking it with me. New appointment is next Friday--that's the soonest available! Sooo slowww and under staffed here. I really hope the clerk accepts this info. Seems like they could quickly look it up and verify it online.
Click to expand...
Rich,
I had a hunch that AAA wouldn't want to step up for the whole task but I thought they might be able to advise you if you need to weigh the truck. Of course DMV will make the decision but if you had a vehicle code section to point out it might push the answer in the right direction. Have you tried calling DMV in Sacramento?

Charlie Stephens
 
Charlie Stephens said:
Rich,
I had a hunch that AAA wouldn't want to step up for the whole task but I thought they might be able to advise you if you need to weigh the truck. Of course DMV will make the decision but if you had a vehicle code section to point out it might push the answer in the right direction. Have you tried calling DMV in Sacramento?

Charlie Stephens
Click to expand...

I haven't tried calling Sac. Good idea. But I do have the vehicle code section above and from a couple of websites I Googled, and they all say the same thing: that 1936 and older don't require weight certificates or fees. I'll give DMV Sacramento a call next week before my appointment and see if I can confirm Section 9401 and ask if the local offices have ability to check that section while I'm in the office.
 
Another good reason to use a registration service. Their fee is so reasonable that I cannot think of a reason to not use them. On my 40 pickup she told me early on that I needed to take it down to the truck scale a get a weight certificate. I did that and with everything else she got it registered with my YOM commercial plates with no issues at all..
My 32, in pieces and on a out of state bill of sale , she got the whole deal done even without having to get a modern VIN tag attached. I never even walked into the DMV office. This is in California.
My opinion
 
I have used Donna Leek for registration service in california, and had no problems or headaches. she advertises in cruisin news-northern california car news paper. phone number 530 320-5708.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top