Massachusetts registration

[Hojo]

I just passed my mass vehicle inspection and am posting what I know from my process. If it helps you, great. If it doesn’t, my name is Dave Smith.

I bought a partially built kit # 107 from a mechanic near Albany. He gave me the title to the parts car and the FFR certificate of Origin. I also got most of his receipts including the invoices from FFR and the inventory lists. All above was necessary to complete the process.

1. Call your insurance provider and get a insurance identification card from them and ask them to send you a Registration and Title Application. They will sign and stamp the back of the form in part K. Make sure you register as a Specialty Vehicle.

2. Rivet your FFR plate with the model and serial number somewhere prominently.

3. You will have to go to a Salvage title location to get a VIN # when you have completed your car. I went to the one near me before making the appointment and spoke to the State Police officer. He told me that I would need 3 copies of everything then he only used 1 to make the final folder. You can apply for an appointment on line and pay your $ 50.00 then. Salvage centers are located:
Bridgewater at 1580 Pleasant St.
Haverhill at Rt 90 and Broadway
Revere at 735 Washington Ave
Northboro at Rt 20 and Rt 9
Westfield at 93 East Main St ( completely hidden )
To make the appointment, call 857 368 7394
It took me 7 weeks from my call to my appointment. You will trailer your car there.
Bring in a binder, the following:
Insurance card
Registration and Title Application
Title to the donor car
Lien release if necessary
Bill of sale for donor car ( must include VIN #)
Certificate of Origin
Bill of sale ( if you did not get your car from FFR)
Invoice(s) from FFR
FFR parts order list
Reasonably complete set of invoices for the rest of the parts used in the build
The Trooper is mainly looking to make sure that nothing used in the build is stolen.

4. You will get your packet back from the State Trooper with his signature. You will take the packet to any RMV center and turn it in. In a week or 2 you will get your packet back with your title and a set of license plates. You will now smile.

5. I made an appointment with the MAC ( Motorist Assistance Center ) in West Springfield and he had me come in before my regular inspection. I’m not sure if that was necessary. The statewide phone number is: 844-358-0135

6. Make sure you have no CEL codes and get an regular state inspection. Tell them that the are to look you up as a kit car. If all lights, horn, wipers, windshield washers, etc are working properly, they will fail you for smog stuff only. You then have 60 days to get your exemption from your MAC.

7. Make an appointment and go to your MAC. My guy was very helpful. Since my engine and ECU were from 2004 ( more than 15 years old ) I was exempt. He wanted a receipt and wanted to see my charcoal canister and a NEW catalytic converter. I have no muffler and that was of no concern. He went into the state computer and changed the record for my car to N/A for the smog stuff.

8. Go back to your original state inspection station. They will bring you up, scrape off the “Rejection “ sticker and paste on the new one. Smile again.

The whole process took me 6 months. You will be less. I have a JDM motor and had a JDM ECU and the state computer didn’t like that. I had a bunch of codes to wipe away too. If I have left anything out remember that my name is Dave and add a post correcting me.

[jbs72697]

Thank you very much for sharing all the info. Before I even ordered my kit I did lots of research about it too. I even emailed the state police with my concerns. They told me basically the same. Although, did they give you any gruff over the catalytic converter? The officer that I was corresponding with told me the emissions equipment must be new and of the same configuration the donor car was originally registered with the EPA with, which means if the donor was a CA spec car, the new converter must be CA spec as well

[idf]

Thank you very much for sharing all the info. Before I even ordered my kit I did lots of research about it too. I even emailed the state police with my concerns. They told me basically the same. Although, did they give you any gruff over the catalytic converter? The officer that I was corresponding with told me the emissions equipment must be new and of the same configuration the donor car was originally registered with the EPA with, which means if the donor was a CA spec car, the new converter must be CA spec as well

This now rather old thread started by Quiny outlines my experience along with that of several others. The rules seem to change with time and the trooper on duty.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/show...ight=emissions

[jbs72697]

True. At least from all the info I now have going into it I feel I’ll be better prepared when the time comes

[Hojo]

The MAC guy in West Springfield wanted a new cat installed and wanted to see the receipt for it. Same thing for the charcoal canister. It didn’t matter to him that the cat wasn’t OEM. I described how I plumbed the canister in a fuel thread.

[Hojo]

I forgot to mention that the Mass inspection station I used told me that all my lights needed to be stamped “DOT” and that I needed tail lights that could be seen from the side. I bought some 1” EBay leds and used them on the sides and used 3 as my 3rd brake light.
27752C2B-4B79-470E-AF45-C0AECA7AA2DB.jpg

[CU9DZ]

I titled and inspected my 818s in 2016. The guy at the Mass inspection station wanted a third brake light installed. He didn't say anything about it being DOT approved. Also nothing about side marker lights. He also wanted a wiper and washer installed. Since this is a topless car I don't think I will be using the washer but his form had a check off box for wiper and washer.
The guy at MAC center just wanted to see receipts for cat and charcoal canister. I got a small canister from an early Impreza and the shortest cat I could find new.

[Hojo]

To clarify, I went to the Mass inspection station near my house and got a courtesy check of my car before going to the Salvage inspection station. The inspection guy there was the one who told me that he wouldn’t pass me unless the car had the third brake light and brake lights that could be seen from the side. He also said that the lights had to be stamped “DOT”

[cob427sc]

I just completed the whole process on my 33HR and it went smooth (having done this before I expected all kinds of issues). The RMV official actually came to my house to do the inspection on his way home. Going to the Registry office to get the registration and title was a problem in that nobody there could figure out how to load an assigned VIN into the computer. Took 1-1/2 hours until somebody did something and pushed it through. Recieved my title today, and even though the application stated it was a replica, title is a clean 1933 Model 40 Ford.

[Jack FFR1846]

It might be helpful to mention which inspection station you went to. It sounds waaaaay more stringent than it used to be but I sense from reading these that it depends which station you went to. I'll describe my Cobra inspection from back in 2000 in Northboro.

Everyone knows that you MUST flatbed or trailer the vehicle and that it has to run and drive into their garage.

Trans and engine number need to be easily seen by the state cop doing the inspection. For the Cobra, this meant to leave out the carpet and leave the center console cover unscrewed.

My Cobra was unpainted. Blue gel coat. They didn't care. Lots of stories from that time that Bridgewater (stay away!) would fail for that.

I had one gauge in the car. Speedo/odo.

All my lights/horn etc worked.

I had a spread sheet of all parts and whether Ma tax paid or not. Cop didn't care. Registry loved seeing that.\

I had one copy of receipts. Cop told me where there was a copy place. I went there and made 2 copies. No idea why. He did nothing with the 2 copies and neither did the registry.

My car was back before the Shelby lawsuit. FFR certificate of origin had 1965 as the year, Cobra as the make and Replica as the model. That's how the registry titled it. Made it easy for the buyer, 11 years later when I went to sell it out of state (NH). I really sold the car because Mass kept changing the rules. I had cats, new from FFR. I used the canister. The DOT requirement was a no go for me. FFR headlights, tail lights and the lexan windshield wouldn't pass. I had no stickers for emissions or "unleaded fuel only" or other BS. So yah...I drove a year without getting an inspection, then gave up and sold. I suppose with an 818 build now, it's not such an issue as you know up front. But for me, the rules changed after having a legal car on the road for 6 or 7 years.

[cob427sc]

I went through the Bridgewater inspection station and as I outlined above, this was the easiest inspection I ever had. I've taken over 20 vehicles through this process over the years and the worst place was Northborough. All seems to be which Registry guy you get. I was tipped off to ask for "Leo" at the Bridgewater site and he was unbelievably helpful and as I mentioned, did the inspection in my garage on his way home!

[TheHelixx]

I tried to pay the fee and schedule my appointment on line today. When I do it requires a VIN number to proceed which I don’t have. I used the VIN from my donor but it gets rejected as not a salvaged title. I tried calling the 8573687394 and it went to a woman’s VM that advised me to call 8573688000 to schedule an appointment. This number is just dumped into the RMV call queue. I spent a combined half hour listening to the announcements and menu options and got nowhere.

Do any of you all remember going through this part? I feel like I’m missing something here.

[cnutting]

Not sure you can do this online since it isn't a typical transaction. Best is to go in and find a supervisor. You need to pay the fee for the appointment, then schedule the appointment to get a VIN, then go back to finish the registration transaction.

As others have said, go to Bridgewater and ask for Leo. Bring 3 copies of all your paperwork. He will probably check it all before you go through the hassle of towing the car down. Courtesy pre-check which was super helpful.

[TheHelixx]

Not sure you can do this online since it isn't a typical transaction. Best is to go in and find a supervisor. You need to pay the fee for the appointment, then schedule the appointment to get a VIN, then go back to finish the registration transaction.

As others have said, go to Bridgewater and ask for Leo. Bring 3 copies of all your paperwork. He will probably check it all before you go through the hassle of towing the car down. Courtesy pre-check which was super helpful.

Ok I was under the impression I needed to do the inspection before the RMV and it said it had to be scheduled online. I’ll try and go through Taunton or Fall River on my next day off.

[cob427sc]

I couldn't get an appointment online last year so ended up just going to the registry under the false pretense of registering a vehicle. Be prepared for the people not knowing what to do with your application - all you need is the receipt for paying the $50 and then on to the inspection process. Again, I have done this over 20 times and it all depands on which registry official you get. Northborough has been horrible over the years, to the extent I was involved with an investigation of the assigned officer for his actions. If you can go to Bridgewater, I showed up with my copies of all the paperwork and asked for Leo. He met with me, went through everything then scheduled a date to do the actual vehicle inspection. Went smooth as ice! taking the paperwork to the registry office was a problem as they couldn't figure out how to load the paperwork.

[Hojo]

The whole “need a vin to get an appointment with the State Police “ thing led me in circles too. I finally got through to a human who gave me a name and address to send the $ 50.00 to. I did that and she then cleared me in the State computer to make an appointment with the Westfield Salvage Title place. I immediately went on line and booked the first appointment I could get which was 7 weeks out.

[TheHelixx]

I managed to get a receipt from the Taunton RMV. It took 4 of them but they were able to get me one. This is the form you need to have filled out…

https://www.mass.gov/doc/application...umber/download

After 4 calls and 6 weeks of waiting for a call back from the state police for an appointment, I finally just took a ride to Bridgewater. Couple of things I found out..

Leo no longer works there and has been apparently gone for months. There were 2 other troopers there that at first impression were not going to be helpful. I was told that I had to wait for a callback from Jamie at the scheduling number for an appointment and that my receipt wasn’t even correct. He asked for my paperwork and went inside to check it out for any other issues. When he came back out he asked “it is ready right?” And when I replied yes, he gave me my paperwork back and said I put you in for 4/22/22. He told me paperwork was all good too and noted that all the factory five guys are pretty good with that stuff. I shook his hand and tried to contain my excitement as I left. Just got a little more waiting to do, but finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.

[michael everson]

HOJO. Did the trooper care that the COO wasn’t in your name? I will be going through that soon
Mike.

[Hojo]

I had signed it but not submitted it. No one cared. I think you made a cover plate for Ian’s 818 oil pan. He didn’t need it and gave it to me. It was genius. I live on a dirt road and it’s perfect. Let me know if you were the maker and I will post my thanks and proclaim your very large brain.

[idf]

I had signed it but not submitted it. No one cared. I think you made a cover plate for Ian’s 818 oil pan. He didn’t need it and gave it to me. It was genius. I live on a dirt road and it’s perfect. Let me know if you were the maker and I will post my thanks and proclaim your very large brain.

It was actually Bob Boig who designed/made the skid plate.
Ivan

[cob427sc]

Sorry to hear Leo is no longer there but it sounds like they at least helped you along. When I went to the RMV office after the troopers did their inspection, no one could figure out how to load the info into the computer. Expect to spend some waiting/frustrating time. Took 90 minutes until somebody figured out what to do, but then titled my hot rod as a real 1933 Ford Model 40.

[TheHelixx]

I am at the pint now where I need to go to the MAC center. I have an issue however.. Since Cobb has taken away the ability to shut off emission related DTCs I am left with a couple of codes. P0453(Fuel tank pressure sensor high) because it note the wiring for it are there anymore. P0462 (Fuel level sensor) because I have an aftermarket gauge which is only using 1 of the 2 sending units.

My question is, does this matter when I go. I do have a working EVAP with brand new charcoal canister as well as 3 O2 sensors and a CAT, all brand new with receipts. I read in previous posts that the MAC plugs in, but it wasn’t clear if they definitely need to see no codes registered.

If I have to beat these codes to get an emissions exempt status I need to get a new plug for the pin out of sensor and add a resistor to the ecu’s fuel level input to offset the incorrect reading. Or now have to learn an open source route with tactrix in the next 60 days.

I don’t care about the CEL, just want to get this over the last hurdle to graduate it.

[Tooth]

MA differentiates between "kit car" and "replica". If you use a donor, then this is the process, and you will need whatever equipment the donor had (cat, brake light, whatever). If you are using all new parts, you need to sacrifice a car to the gods of the MA dmv ("crusher car"). But, from what I'm reading as a "replica", you don't need a cat, 3rd brake light, or anything that wasn't on the car in 1965. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong. I know someone at the registry, and that's what I've gathered from the pile of papers she gave me.

But, from everything I've gotten my grubby little hands on, it really seems registry dependent. In regards to having a hard time anyway.

Anyone have experience in Haverhill? That's the closest to me.

[sam_sturdy]

I'm still trying to reach a human anywhere to schedule my VIN appointment. Sent in the payment a few weeks ago and the phone always goes to voicemail with no response later on.

[cnutting]

Tooth, the crusher route is one option, necessary however if you are going with a coyote. Another is to use a pre-1974 engine block. No crusher needed for that.

[TheHelixx]

I'm still trying to reach a human anywhere to schedule my VIN appointment. Sent in the payment a few weeks ago and the phone always goes to voicemail with no response later on.

That’s the problem I had.. kept going to a Jamie.. I as well as another builder who has taken several through went direct to the inspection to humbly ask to get an appointment. You will need to get a receipt to get it inspected however.

[cob427sc]

go directly to a Registry office with the form filled out. It usually takes them awhile to figure out what the form is for but eventually you will get the coveted receipt. Calling the registry at there listed numbers is hopeless. One time I had a number my insurance agent gave me that went straight to a real person. As usual, that person is no longer there.

[cob427sc]

Just had my Mass State Police Inspection today in Bridgewater on my 818. I was concerned going because I had bought a partially completed kit from another builder with the Certificate of Origin in his name. Got there 1/2 hour early for the appointment and they took me right away. Grab my paperwork and went inside for about 10 minutes, came back and put my VIN sticker on the car and wished me a great weekend! Never checked anything in the car except where FFR had stamped the frame. @ really nice Troopers!

[mrprgrmr]

Just completed my full MA safety/emissions inspection process. It was a long story that involved a trip to Cape Cod, a tow, a transmission rebuild, and lots of time driving around getting my EVAP system to show up as "ready" (may not have been necessary).

A few notes that might help someone else...

• I thought I was done a year ago because I had a working OBD system and passed emissions inspection at a local shop. Apparently they had not selected "Kit Car". Later on, the state flagged it in the system, so I failed inspection at the shop this year regardless of the OBD situation. Don't let them pass you on that first try. It is not doing you any favors. You want that reject sticker the first time around.
• I called up the state and went to a MAC center for visual inspection, and then back to the local shop to finish up the inspection.
• At the MAC center, they told me that the vehicle will be emissions exempt from now on, since the drive train is over 15 years old. It only needs a safety inspection.
• The couple of folks I dealt with there were super helpful. They want to help you pass inspection but they also must comply with the changing MA rules and laws.
• Anything marketed "50 state legal" (e.g. AccessTuner, catalytic converter) should have California ARB Executive Order. I thought it helped to print out that documentation and receipts to document that I was complying with emissions requirements. You can search up the ARB documentation online.

[Mastertech5]

Did they require wipers or anything else you need to install extra? You probably have those anyway on your 818.

[jbs72697]

Good info. Does MA care whether or not the donor vehicle was 50 state spec or not? I thought I read somewhere the finished kit has to be the same as the donor, emissions wise

[cob427sc]

I went through the same Mass inspection a year ago and there was no questions about meeting 50 state requirements. However, my drivetrain was also 15 years old so it was exempt. There were no concerns with emission testing as a result of the age of the engine.

[idf]

After passing emissions with my 818 yearly since 2015 (experience detailed in the thread referred to in post 3 of this thread), this year the machine spit out an "R" sticker. the inspector, who has inspected it every year, had no idea why and suggested I drive it a bit and return. I drove 100 miles on a pleasant Fall day and returned. This time the computer said to contact the MAC center. The inspector called the MAC and told me to call them within the hour. Mike at the MAC said the car was never properly entered into the system, or perhaps information had been lost when MA changed vendors. He thought he might be able to fix it on his computer and to give him a few days. He called back a couple days later to say the date of manufacture of the engine (2006) was not entered, that I hadn't needed to have had emissions checks for the past 3 years and I'd never need one again. Went back to the inspection station and got a sticker without even needing to plug in the OBD. What I thought was going to be a huge hassle turned out to be a blessing in disguise thanks to a helpful MAC inspector.

[Hojo]

I have been getting my inspection at Subaguru in Ware for the past 2 years. He told me last year that he no longer has to plug in to the State computer. He calls them and they give him the okay to give me the sticker. This winter I’m going to swap in an STI turbo, new injectors and replace the USDM ECU with the JDM ECU that came with my motor. I couldn’t use the JDM ECU when I got my first inspection because the State computer doesn’t recognize the JDM. I had the buy a USDM ECU from iWire. That meant that I couldn’t take advantage of the variable valve timing of the JDM motor I had. The only bad thing now is that all the new stuff will make it necessary to get another dyno tune. I will go to Matt in RI.