Is a 2G 'talon spyder' considered a kit car?

[96rsSTBRWD]

Hey guys I have a close family friend that works at the local DMV, she was visiting earlier and we were talking about DSM's and the different parts that were interchangeable. So then we were talking about her husband's cobra kit car, and it got me wondering what south carolina considers a 'kit car'. She told me about this unofficial site that was pretty accurate about vehicle codes. So we both got on the computer today and googled until my arms fell off. We found this:

The South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has two designations for custom-built cars―those that are homemade, and those made from kits.

Top Homemade Cars
Homemade cars include vehicles built from raw materials. The model of the car is determined by the year the car is actually built, not the age of the parts. If applicable, the title will be based on the previous title if there ever was one. The previous title must be assigned to only you; any liens must be cleared or released.

When applying to title your homemade car, you'll need to provide:

A Form 4038, available online using the free Adobe Reader.
Salvage Title, if you don't have the original title.
Bill of Sale or receipts for parts used.
The assigned Vehicle Identification Number (VIN); an authorized agent from the DMV will inspect the vehicle and assign the VIN.
A receipt for paid property taxes for the current year.
Title and registration fees, if applicable.
You'll register and tag this vehicle just like you would a regular car. Along with Form 4038, you will also need to complete Form 400.

Top Kit Cars
Kit cars are manufactured to resemble other vehicles already made, but at a lower cost. Some kits require you to purchase the chassis elsewhere, whereas some are complete with their own chassis.

These kit cars come with a Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin, which you will need to present when you register and tag your vehicle. The title issued to you will designate that the car is a kit car.

You won't need any special forms to register and tag your kit car, but you will need to complete Form 400 to apply.

She is checking at work but she thinks that if you have the title to your Eclipse Spyder then that might be the proper documentation to consider a talon converted Eclipse Spyder as a 'homemade kit car'. Ill be able to confirm in the next few days. But if this turns out to be true then I will definatly be considering this instead of selling my 99 spyder.

 

[dsmtun3r98gst]

and what benefits do you get from doing this ?????

 

[96rsSTBRWD]

1. Most insurance company's (like mine) offer discounts for kit cars.
2. If i am able to have the car registered as a 'talon spyder' It will literally be the first of its kind that is actually registered.
3. It will also be alot less work for me parts locating wise: having trouble finding a 2gb eclipse front end in decent shape, while there is a 2gb talon esi in the same color that was wrecked on the passenger side while the front and rear are intact about an hour away. Which also means I wont have to paint anything. (Like i need to on my spyder's hind end)

 

[ArticNemesis]

No, it's not a kit car.

^^ That's Grant's old car.

 

[azdave]

1. Most insurance company's (like mine) offer discounts for kit cars.

Until you have a claim and then they could deny payment for misrepresenting your vehicle since it would in no possible way be considered a kit car. If I ever saw a car with a title like that my first thoughts would be that is was built from a salvage title chassis and that you were trying to hide that with a "kit car" title.

2. If i am able to have the car registered as a 'talon spyder' It will literally be the first of its kind that is actually registered.

Thus further lowering its value.

3. It will also be alot less work for me parts locating wise: having trouble finding a 2gb eclipse front end in decent shape, while there is a 2gb talon esi in the same color that was wrecked on the passenger side while the front and rear are intact about an hour away. Which also means I wont have to paint anything. (Like i need to on my spyder's hind end)

Put whatever bumpers on it you want. It won't make any difference to DMV if it is an Eclipse with Talon bumpers. The VIN is all they care about. You may have to prove the Talon parts aren't stolen if you ever have the car titled and inspected in another state.

 

[snowborder714]

These kit cars come with a Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin

And I'm not sure where you'd produce one of these, considering both cars are production cars.

Also, the bumpers probably have a sticker on there with the Talon's VIN number, thus making it even less likely to be a kit car.

 

[TurboATM]

...im pretty sure i had Grants old car, which the bumpers were used on that exact car...or at least the front end..! I met him 1 or 2 times around here...god i miss that car

 

[96rsSTBRWD]

Okay so i went ahead and sorted everything out at the dmv, and i found that a 'talon spyder' can be considered a kit car as long as you can prove that most of the car was not manufacured by the actual factory, or it can also be considered a kit car if it has a salvage title and was rebuilt as a talon.

Until you have a claim and then they could deny payment for misrepresenting your vehicle since it would in no possible way be considered a kit car. If I ever saw a car with a title like that my first thoughts would be that is was built from a salvage title chassis and that you were trying to hide that with a "kit car" title.

As long as the state honors the car as a kit car the insurance companys do as well. But you also need to present the same documentation to them as you did to the DMV. And most insurance companys only allow you a 'modified liability coverage' kinda deal on a kit car. They can't cover you to replace the car if it is totaled for good because there is no way to determine the value of the car. They do cover any other damage you are at fault for, along with your personal medical bills if you choose that coverage for yourself. The only thing not covered by your insurance is your car itself, but if you are NOT the one at fault for the accident and it is another driver, you will get compensation for the repairs.

P.S. I still may convert mine to the talon but not in this way obviously seeing that i dont qualify without a salvage title. AND the only way to get the car legally renamed as a talon spyder would be to get it from salvage AND to rebuild the car more than what the DMV consideres 51%. Which could be a range of anything, it would be determined by that actual inspector whose view of 51% could be different from that of another one. So it really is a shot in the dark.