Question, Would it by common place for a GT4 built in early 1975 have a title/registration in 1976? I checked the registry and it confirms the build as is on the car. Thanks in advance.
I believe so. My GT4 (10378) has a March 1975 build date and was originally registered and titled as a 1976 model. The previous owner, my wife’s cousin, was able to get it re-titled as a 1975 to bypass California smog rules. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
A lot of confusion with this subject. Rules aren't same depending on the country and cars could be import/export. Many people talk about built date but they confuse with registration date. Some talk about model year but again rules aren't same everywhere and can change with time ..... How many owners know the right built date of their own car ?
Correct. Here in UK there is no such thing as a model year. As far as I can make out my car #14302 was built in October 1978 but was not registered for the road till 5th August 79. Tony Willis (a well known UK Ferrari expert) who at the time was working for a dealer Coopers of Loughborough here in UK, remembers selling it new to the first owner and told me that at the time cars were just not selling (not just GT4s, 512BBs as well) and they had a lot of cars in stock just sitting there. A far cry from recent years.
I think this is especially true when one model is replaced with a newer one. The last examples of the older model take a lot longer to sell. I don't know in that era if these tend to be completed cars (sold as last of the line, no options selectable) or partially built at the factory awaiting customer paint choices & interior selection.
My GT4 was built OCT 1977, sat on the dealer's lot till late 78-early 79 (I have the paperwork stored away somewhere) but is still titled as a 1977. In the US it may well depend on the state that it was originally sold in. Some states use to title new cars as whenever they were sold, not when they were built. I have a Triumph TR4A that was built in 1965 but titled as a 1966 because that was when it was sold to the original owner. Many 1960's Triumphs sat on lots at the factory or importer for a year or two somewhat like GT4's did.
