Manx Club

Hi fellow dune buggiers.I have California certificate of sequence questions.I know some people here got one this year,(as did I allegedly).I went to the DMV the first day they were open this year,(January 3rd).I got there when they opened.There was one lucky customer before me that got C.O.S #8.Fighting with the dmv for near an hour about weather a previously titled buggy could apply for a C.O.S.,(as stated in sb100) pushed me back time-wise until the phone lines in Sacramento were swamped......I was told to leave my paperwork and wait for a phone call.Fortunately I was contacted around 2:30 that afternoon and was told that I should come and pick up my paperwork."I had certificate #323.I went got my paperwork and happily left.Every insinuation from the DMV was that I would get more paperwork in the mail........It never came.My buggy was previously registered so I was told I didn't need a CHP inspection before going to the Smog referee.(The DMV rep.x'ed the CHP reference out in black marker).After not recieving any paperwork I called the DMV 800 number.The woman on the other end of the line "guessed" I should go to the smog referee.I called the referee.They asked why I thought I needed a referee inspection.I explained that I had a certificate of sequence.The smog referee person asked me for the number.I told him I was #323,he replied,"and",I said,"and what".He claimed that is not a complete number.My questions are,(I know some people here went through the process this year),did you recieve any sort of actual "certificate" (or any other paperwork in the mail after having applied in person at the DMV)? I was sent away with my initial stack of paperwork which included my pink slip,paperwork showing my buggy is non-oped etc.the only extra paper I left with was a very standard form,(I'm VERY familiar with DMV paperwork/procedures as I've reg.'ed over 100 vehicles in the state of california) that I filled out.Besides "2005" & "323" at the top of that form in the DMV reps handwriting there is NOTHING indicating that a C.O.S. is being applied for,granted etc.My buggy is a manx clone on a 63 pan with a cherry rebuilt 63 1200,new carb,muffler etc (just to jump through this stupid"hoop").I havn't dropped the ball and time is of the essense.I have only til the end of the year to get this done. Being in the middle of a nasty workmans comp battle the last thing I needed was to be jerked around by the state! I DESPERATELY Need any help/info/clues from those of you that have gone through the process. MCM# 2501

I know i have no idea what you are talking about... I went in to dmv with a buggy i never had before and had no papers for. told them i owned it for 15 years LIE and lost the paperwork. they gave new paperwork and all i did was have them (DMV) verify the vin.. that was it...

What is a certificate of sequence?? I have registered at least 5 buggies, in california, having the pink slips, and usually the registration was in the arears from 5 - 20 years. DMV calculated the use tax, late fees and such, around $200-$300 and out the door I went with new plates and current registration. All registered as Volkwagens, from the original pink slips. One time I had only a bill of sale, filled out the required facts, with the previous owner, both of us signed it, CHP verified VIN and put a tag on it and away I went, it all took time, but it works. :2cents: Jimbo

I know someone at work that brought in a Shelby Cobra from Oregon (New, but with a 74 chassis). He got somewhere around #400 I believe. If I see him today, I will ask him about it.

I went through the whole process with my Manxter. Don't worry about trying to finish up by the end of the year. I got my number in 2004 (Sequence Number 2004471) and didn't finish the registration until this year. Your number remains with your car you just have to pay new fees for each year. After I went to the DMV to get my number I recieved a form - Specially Constructed Vehicle (SPCNS) Certificate of Sequence - which had my sequence number on it. I know it not easy to work with the DMV, but if you did not receive this you sould contact them to see if you can get a copy. Everywhere I went, CHP, Smog, wanted to see the form. Even though the DMV said you didn't have to go to the CHP, I think you will because they are the start of the process to verify your buggy and vin number. When you go to the smog referee, they want to see the CHP verification. It took me awhile - several trips to CHP, a couple times at brake and light inspection - but my car is registered now.

My buggy was off the books with no paper work at all. I went down to TONY's Vehicle Registration Service in Monrovia and they took care of everything. They came out to the house to check the VIN (as it didn't even have the engine in it yet) cost me 40 buck for that. They said I could have tow'd it in. Three days later I have my plates and Reg. The pink came in the mail a few weeks later. It might be too late to start over but you might want to give them a call. (626) 447-2450.

Talked with my friend with the Cobra yesterday. He said that after he was notified about his sequence number, he went down to the DMV where he picked up his paperwork that referenced his number (maybe the certificate that GotManx is talking about). The number stays with the vehicle, so they should most likely be able to generate the paperwork right there. He then made an appointment with the Bureau of Automotive Repair for his inspection. Once inspected, they put an exemption sticker on the body, so now the Cobra is smog exempt for life.

Thanks for the responses so far.I TOTALLY understand the "What's the problem" mentality.Like I said I have reg.'ed over 100 vehicles here and know how smoothly this SHOULD HAVE gone down! Instead,here's how it went: I purchased the bugggy in 1992 from a good friend that I had formed a business relationship with buying Volvo parts,(He had a VW/Volvo wrecking yard),Had the buggy for years and intended to get it going again.After a LOT of prodding,$500 brought home the buggy plus anything I wanted off a Mini T that was next to it.(I took only the gas filler,in retrospect I should have taken the whole damn thing).The buggy had no papers and a check of the vin revealed it was "off the books".(I've dealt with several cars with NO paperwork,that have "fallen off the books",none were Specially constructed vehicles,'SPCN',though). I also lied and claimed my father built the car in the 70's,(the guy I got the car from knew the builder who was since deceased and I wasn't lookin' for any trouble,How ironic huh?) I tried to push the car through as a 1963 Bettle.Everything went fine until it was time to verify the vin.The CHP said it was a specially constructed vehicle and wouldn't verify it as a 63. Back at the DMV the woman told me that because it was off the books and was a specially constructed vehicle,it would be treated as if it had just been built,PERIOD.(Trust me,I argued but was all of 24 at the time and this B*#@! wasn't about to be pushed around by some "kid").I filled out statement of facts stating the car was built in the the early 70's using a 63 pan and engine,(a lie at that time since the car had no engine but I figured I'd come up with a 1200 if they ever wanted to inspect it).Back to the CHP... The CHP inspected it and told me they would assign it number 2Z134p.....Blah blah blah. I argued that that was stupid since the vin number was still clearly stamped in my pan."Too bad" was basically the response.After a few moments of desperate thought I asked "mr CHP guy" if it wouldn't present a problem in the future if some one checked the VIN on the pan instead of the one he was attaching to the buggy body on the drivers side,(Yeah I know,I know,........I TO have seen the reassigned vin sticker riveted over the number on the pan.Mr CHP was adament that it should be as close to the left side of the dash as possible,"where a vin number oughtta be").After a LOT of begging and some sensless ego stroking and bowing down,I got mr CHP to (reluctantly) assign the original vin number on the replacement vin sticker.They would NOT budge on the year model however. So my buggy is titled as a Year model "00",(that would be 1900 as the paperwork was assigned in 1992) but has an " Astrisk year" of 1992.(for those of you who don't know the astrisk year is the year the vehicle was last monitarily assesed,usually by the owners statement,for figuring registration costs,tax etc.) ....I just realized while typing all this what a contradiction that all is.They claim the vehicle is a "1900" but since it was monitarily assesed as a 1992 they want a smog.I have had several other cars assigned "astrisk years" that were smog exempt and they were never kicked into the smog program.My guess is I happened to have run into one stupid fool after another. The DMV's inconsistancies bite me in the Arce again! Interestingly enough I walked out of the DMV registered etc.My Vanity plates,(DNE BUGY) arrived a few weeks later,got my pinkslip etc.The following year I went down and paid my registration,(The buggy still wasn't running) got my sticker and was once again happy..... The third year I was informed that I needed a smog.The buggy still wasn't running,(I was still a broke kid,misspending my meager salary,and the buggy needed everything).After that I got an 1835 and never even tried running it through smog with the large dellorto. So after dragging my buggy around for 14 years,(thankfully after a few years of lapsed reg I non-op.ed it),I found a real nice 63 1200 motor in a wrecked,(had been gorgeously restored) 63 ragtop bug.(From my buddy the Junkyard guy).New carb and muffler later I have a 63 motor on a 63 pan and just need to complete my cert o sequence.For those of you unfamiliar with the certificate,there was some good discussion last Oct/nov or so here about them. It is basically a form/certificate,(obviuosly talking out my arce somewhat as I don't have MINE and have never actually seen one) that is assigned by the DMV to specially constructed vehicle owners.Only 500 a year are issued.A few years ago you could get one as late as early/mid febuary.They now disappear in the first day/day and a half of the year.The certificate allows you to take your specially constructed vehice to the chp for verification of chassis year model and to the smog referee for engine year/application verification.It is my understanding that the owner is able to pick between the chassis and engine year for the sake of determining the cars year model,(I know it sounds unbelieveable,but it gets better).If the year models of the components can't be positively ID'ed the vehicle is automatically Reg.'ed as a 1960 year model. To further complicate the issue MOST dmv rep.s have no idea what the certificate of sequence program is all about and there were 4,(yes FOUR) people in Sacramento this year fielding all the calls from all the DMV offices.My DMV rep dialed,(she claims only stopping for her 15 minute break) for 5 hours to get through and get my cert info transmitted as well as another guys,(also an orange clone owner).Hey they should get computers at the DMV then we could simply........ah,nevermind. So thats my story.I could have stated the cert. info a little more clearly and I may be off by a little as I havn't gone all the way through the process,but thats my best understanding of the process.I am going to the DMV today to see if I can get more info,(maybe an actual "certificate")! Fingers crossed! Hey I just wanted a cool fiberglass buggy,anybody jealous so far?! Sorry for the long post! Dunebubby MCM# 2501

Thank goodness I live here in NC! BNC