Purchasing a Coupe

[Glen Davis]

I know there a people out there that know about this since I've never done it. I'm trying to but a coupe that is out of state, not the problem, and the Certificate of Origin is made out to Whitby Motorsport. The person that I am buying this from bought the kit from Whitby as a rolling chassis who was building it for a customer that pasted away before it was finished. The person that I'm buying this from installed a Gen 2 Coyote engine with a T56 trans. Now, long story short, he has health challenges and is unable to finish it.

Since the certificate is made out to Whitby and I am in California will that be a problem. I don't have a car that can't be registered. I'm trying to make sure that I can register it in California without a major headache.

[edwardb]

A potentially complicated situation, and will vary from state to state. You need to find out specifically what the authorities in California will do with it. I'd talk to them before closing a deal. A Certificate of Origin is not like a title -- it can't be reassigned except by a licensed dealer. Shows on the back of the form. Image below in case you haven't seen it before. So Whitby is the original buyer? Or they are a dealer and reassigned it? I would request a copy of the Certificate or Origin and show it to your local authorities. That plus a properly executed bill of sale (notarized if necessary) might be enough.

[Kbl7td]

Call FF and have them make a new CoO. I had to do that with race car replicas.

[edwardb]

Call FF and have them make a new CoO. I had to do that with race car replicas.

Don't think that's an option. While I don't have personal experience, it's been reported on here multiple times that FF doesn't re-issue CoO's. Especially to someone other than the original purchaser. The stated reason is they don't want to get into the business of determining ownership. The only one they know about positively is who originally purchased the kit. Makes sense.

[Kbl7td]

I don’t disagree. It’s going to be challenging either way, especially with California.

[Jeff Kleiner]

Don't think that's an option. While I don't have personal experience, it's been reported on here multiple times that FF doesn't re-issue CoO's. Especially to someone other than the original purchaser. The stated reason is they don't want to get into the business of determining ownership. The only one they know about positively is who originally purchased the kit. Makes sense.

And…they don’t want to open up the possibility of having multiple cars registered off of the same COO number.

Jeff

[Glen Davis]

I called California DMV today and they said that there is no problem since Whitby Motorcar a dealer who the Certificate or Origin is made out to as long as I also have a bill of from the seller in Florida. They also said the CHP has to make sure it is road worthy.

[edwardb]

I called California DMV today and they said that there is no problem since Whitby Motorcar a dealer who the Certificate or Origin is made out to as long as I also have a bill of from the seller in Florida. They also said the CHP has to make sure it is road worthy.

Great news. My state (Michigan) wasn't nearly so understanding with a partially built Roadster a few years back, which is why I raised the concern. Generally most states will work with you on this. But a few cases I've heard about were like mine. I saw a nearly completed Gen 3 Coupe with a Coyote for sale in Florida and now marked as sold. I'm guessing this is what you were talking about and you took the plunge? Good luck. We love our Coupe.

[Glen Davis]

Yes, that's to coupe. It's #95 sold in 2018. I really thank everyone for their concern with the registration as I know that can be a challenge from what ai read on the forum. I just hope I made myself clear and I understood DMV correctly and not just what I wanted to hear.

I've been looking and planning a coupe build for a couple of years and planned on ordering a kit the first of next year. Then this showed up with most everything I was planning on and should save me 18 or so months on the build. My body is not getting any younger, 74, but my brain thinks it's 19.

Once I get the coupe here, I will start a build thread with I hope pictures (I know, no pictures it didn't happen).