making a rail street legal

[jesse]

just curious if anyone has a list or knows a site that shows what all has to be done to be able to plate a rail to be able to drive it on the street. i'd really like to be able to do that with mine.

[74vwbaja]

www.michigan.gov/documents/BFS-72__09-03__83315_7.pdf

www.michigan.gov/documents/TR-54_38480_7.pdf

Here are the SOS forms

[bren]

And when you get the "green form" (TR-54) filled out by the police officer make sure parts one and two are filled out. Officer only did part 2 on mine. Sec. of State said it was ok but then Lansing rejected it and I lost time getting it completed. It helps to know an officer that will help you through the process.

[davep]

Go to the Michigan Secretary of State and request the following forms:

1) TR-54
2) BFS-72

Essentially you need receipts for all the major pieces that comprise the vehicle, or you need to buy an old VW Beetle and assume the VIN. In addition, you will need lights, windshield, and wiper.

[drwingtipshoes]

They're BOTH downloadable .pdfs available on this web page:

www.michigan.gov/sos/0,1607,7-127-1585_11459---,00.html#8

[bren]

I would not recommend assuming a beetle VIN/title for a tub or rail. I have heard police check that especially around Silver Lake. It is not a beetle and they will hit you for that. I would recommend taking the time to do it right and get the assembled roadster title.

[jesse]

would handwritten receipts work? basically i bought the frame and a few parts like the engine from friends so i dunno how that would work?

[bren]

Hard to tell. They did not seem too picky about that with me. However, I bought mine as a complete running off road vehicle. I showed the ad and price etc. All I did was finish making it street legal. Probably good to get the receipts. Anything with a serial number on it make sure that is written on the receipt. They did seem interested in that info on the trans, engine and rail frame. If you know a police officer that helps. They can guide you a little better.

[74vwbaja]

Personally for a tub I would just use a beetle title for it. It is essentially a bug with a different body.

[Ruffuss]

I'll agree with Bren on this one, If you ever plan on going to the dunes or 2 track in an Federal rec. area they check them and hassle you. An assembled vehicle title is the way to go. I've heard of buggys both rail and tubs being confiscated by the dnr. and owners fined until they prove it belongs to them(along with all parts). I have a friend who's buggy was held for a whole weekend while they checked it out and he had to reassemble it. If you go the way they think is proper they'll leave it alone. Just easier it he correct way from the get go.

[Pikeman]

Finding a cop to inspect a rail may be the hardest thing. van Buren County sheriff dept. told to call to call a decatur cop who does it off duty (cost me $50). Have receipts for everything. I bought my buggy as a running rig,and had a signed receipt for it. I went to Kalamazoo SOS office and was told I needed to contact the person who sold it to the guy I got it from and get receipts for everything. I took the same receipt to the Paw Paw branch, got greeted by name, and was out of there in ten minutes. I just had to wait for the clueless young lady from Lansing to drive out and put my VIN sticker on. When my buggy gets a new frame, I may cut the tube my Vin sticker is on and weld in on my new frame, rather than got through the agony again. Learn to be nice to the drones at SOS office, it may help

[bren]

That just seems wrong, having to pay for that inspection. That should be part of their job.

[81pumagtc]

You don't have to pay to have the vehicle inspected, but they do not have to drive out to your house to do it.

I have always set up an appointment to have things inspected, and trailered it out. Never an issue, but smaller departments work better. Usually there are only a few officers that know enough to do it for most departments. There are lots of hoops to go through, and you really want your paperwork in order when you go to the SoS.

I personally have no issue with having all of the proper paperwork and receipts to license thing for the SoS. I am more than happy for everybody to have to do this to make it harder to register stolen stuff, especially if it was once mine. The hassles involved protect all of us. Folks who have buggies should be most grateful of all, since they are the ones who vehicles are the easiest to fake...no hidden VINs, etc. like with real cars.

The plates they use are very difficult for the average person to remove or switch without being destroyed, as it should be. You don't want to be able to counterfeit a vehicle by moving a sticker...

Pikeman went to a SoS where he wasn't known, and was asked to document everything...he then went to a place where he was known, and things were relaxed a bit because they knew him. I suspect if he did not know the folks at Paw Paw, that it would have been the same as the first one.

Seems a bit odd to complain when they are doing everything to protect us from registering stolen stuff, and to prevent folks form registering stuff that has been stolen from us.

You should have to wait for "the clueless young lady from Lansing to drive out and put the VIN sticker on." You do not want them to give them out like candy, you have no protection at all under a system like that.

It may be painful, but it still better than most. There are only a limited number of assembled vehicles that are allowed to be registered each year in California. If you don't get one this year, you wait for next year.


Dave

[Pikeman]

van Buren County has no one at the sheriff dept. qualified to do the inspection. I have a tow bar, and would have towed it to save 50 bones. The local state Police post also referred me to the cop I had to pay to inspect it. My post was not really meant as a complaint, but a example of the frustration when you get all the paperwork they ask for, then you show up all of a sudden they need more documentation. I lost 8 grand on a Harley basket case I bought with an assembled title, because the engine had been stolen, but was inspected when the title was issued. As grateful as I am supposed to be, the system needs to run by people who know what they are looking at. Paul

[81pumagtc]

I agree with the frustration, it always stinks to be all dressed up and no way to go. Really sucks to buy something so expensive and have it be stolen. There was a story a few months ago about a bus that was stolen over 20 years ago that was caught being shipped overseas. It had been sold several times, and restored at least twice...the last being a very expensive total restoration. Really sucked to be that shop...they lost the bus, plus all of the money (over $20,000 dollars) spent restoring it.

Computers really help today, and as more and more databases get updated, the chance of getting away with stuff is getting less and less. I guess that there are even companies that will laser-etch everything from frames to rear axles now to aid in recovery of stolen vehicles.

A number of states are going to regional centers where the SoS handle most of everything, and hopefully Michigan does too. With the economy the way it is, however, I think it's just a pipe dream.


Dave