In US - Salvage / rebuilt Titles for Challenge Cars?

In Florida after a simple inspection they title golf cars with headlights and turn signals.

 

Interesting loophole but I don't think I would ever want to run my 458C in the street. First to consider is that a car with a full cage isn't safe unless you have a helmet. You can easily bang your head on the cage, etc...

Then what about tires. The whole setup is optimized for slicks. One would need yet another set of wheels and a compromise setup.

Finally, I'm not sure street time would be worth the wear on the engine / transmission / etc...

Arnaud

 

Even in the unlikely even that this idea works in some state(s) and you get a title, good luck getting the insurance required to obtain a license tag. Race car VINs are sure to sound alarm bells when you try to buy liability coverage.

 

When it comes to Ferrari challenge cars, 348CH, 355CH, and 360CH all have "normal" VINs. I don't think that any officer or insurance agent will be aware of which VIN is a challenge car, and which one isn't. Even F-register.com has recently erred... (see http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/challenge-gt-cars/517386-road-legal-360-challenge.html ).
Other issues, such as the legal aspects varying from state to state might render the endevour more risky/difficult.

 

Are you sure about this? I thought that only 348CH and 1995 355CH cars had normal VINs?

 

I looked into getting a title on a '97 Challenge car imported from Venezuela. It would have worked in Texas if I could have gotten the emissions sorted - the car did not have the OBD II sensor so they couldn't test it. In Texas, you need the emissions okay before they'll give you a title, so it was a no go. I installed the headlights, turn signals, horn, etc. When I did drive it around on the street, I kept grounding out so I gave up on the idea. I sold the car because I didn't have time to track it. Haggerty insured the car without any issues and with the Venezuela VIN.

 

Incorrect- only 348 CH and early (1995) 355CH have normal VINs, not the others you cite. Even with the 348/355s, many insurers won't underwrite a race-equipped car regardless of the VIN- some specialty insurers, on the other hand, will. I speak from personal experience here.

 

That's a statement! Could you tell me, how you differentiate the VIN of a 360CH from the VIN of a normal 360 Modena? I'm always eager to learn.
David

 

With the 355 model, there is absolutely no difference in the VINs. I have the lists of most if not all of the vins for most models and the 355 challenge cars fall in here and there in numerical order. There is no added letter or number to a 355 challenge. Only one person now has most if not all the info on these cars and he had to make many trips and phone calls around the world to get it all together. Thanks again Robb.

 

Want to drive it on the street just get a dealer plate, much more cost effective in the long run.
Trying to trick the system you will eventually get bit.

I drive one of my 355's on the street just to an occasional very local event, no joy in that. Rather trailer it.

My 348 is softened up for the street and still a bit rough

 

As long as you own the vehicle you slap the dealer plate on it. No title is needed just a bill or sale of agreement to purchase. You don't have to register or pay tax on it either. I had 20+ dealer plates at my last shop.
You pay insurance per plate you have, that covers any vehicle you put it on

 

In the earliest days of FoW's race team, we had one driver with a pristine 348CH. It got dinged once, and he didn't like that, so he stopped racing it and just drove it as a street car - with full livery and all the race car bits still installed. He'd bring it to track events now and then, and would just change the tires for some "spirited" track driving (which is probably what he should have been doing all along....).

gp