Iski,
Oh man, I just spent some time reading through documents posted online regarding this VIN check, and it boils my blood all over again. The information is so ambiguous and vague, it is ridiculous. As Iski stated, it does state that "former military vehicles" needs to be vin inspected at a dmv location. But again, the vin verification form details nothing further than it is exactly that and only that; a vin check. Nowhere is it stated that there is a "courtesy" or "safety" inspection is conducted with the vin check.
So they basically want you to bring it to the inspection lane so that can bust your chops.
Even the other vehicles listed requiring a dmv inpection lane trip for the vin check is vague. ANY dirt bike or motorcycle that closely resembles a dirt bike? Vague. Grey market vehicles? Vague. The dmv is basically taking this opportunity to flex their muscles, make their own system, and prevent registration on their own terms, at this point of the process.
Further, as for antique vehicle, per statute 14-1 in the CT law book, you can't modify the vehicle, yet here they are asking you to modify it at the inspection lane.
(3) "Antique, rare or special interest motor vehicle" means a motor vehicle twenty years old or older which is being preserved because of historic interest and which is not altered or modified from the original manufacturer's specifications;
I would love to escalate this, but I don't have the time, and it is probably a waste of time without other support.
So again, I say find an emissions station that will do this inspection for you. There is a list of dozens of stations that do this. Eventually you will find one that will do the vin check for you. SF-97 or not, it doesn't matter, as you have a temp plate already and they don't even need to see a title or any other form. On top of that, CT does not even require, nor print new titles for vehicles before 1981, so you only need that for the registration process at the dmv hub. You only need ownership history at the point of registration, so a title for these old trucks is not needed.