Under-register 5-ton to avoid CDL in CT ?

[linesplice]

Arcane,

I contacted the guy who runs the Connecticut Military Vehicle Club and he said I would have no problems registering it as antique. You say isn't not going to happen because of the GVWR (does anybody know where that is listed on the truck?) is over 19,000 making it commercial.

I saw a few trucks at an antique truck show (big rigs) in CT a few months ago who were registered with antique plates. I tried to find them to ask, but no luck. I've gotten a different answer with each different person I've talked to at the DMV.

I don't want to go on a limb and purchase the truck and ship it here if I need a CDL to drive it, unless some kind soul out there has a CDL and truck and wants to waste some time at the DMV with me.

Thanks for all the info so far. I'm still interested in hearing any other thoughts anyone has.

 

[rmgill]

Get a Commo Shelter and install it in the Bed. Then convert that with a porta toilet, bed and some cooking gear.
Instant MV RV.

Well, sort of instant....just add green paint...

 

[acrane]

linesplice - What can I say? Here is what happened to me with a 2 1/2 ton truck. I belong to COMVEC and three weeks ago I tried to register my deuce as an antique and the DMV told me "no way, over 19,000 lbs it's commerical get it inspected". I stood at the DMV and argued with the clerk, the supervisor and the branch manager and they all said no dice. I redid my paper work and went to a different branch and because the GVWR was now under 19,000 they didn't give me a problem and gave me my temp plates so I could bring it in to do the VIN verification. I went back to the same branch that gave me the temp plate and the inspector took one look and said "You have to get a commercial inspection in Wethersfield." I tried to explain to him that the gvwr is under 19,000 and I was registering it as an antique. His answer was "Do you need directions? It's military and it's not street legal."

I went back to the 1st branch. The inspector came out and verified the vin, but immediatly started asking me where I had got the GVWR that was on the reg. He went as far as to climb into the cab to read my data plates (that is where the GVWR is listed by the way). He then went in and got a safety inspector who came out and started telling me all the things that were wrong with my truck and all the modifications I had to add to it. I explained to him that it was an antique, and he finally said "Ok, you don't have to worry about that" AFTER he TOO checked the GVWR on the registration form.

So the bottom line is, I was able to register it after 4 trips to two different branches. It may be different at another branch, or there may be some trick I'm missing but this is what I went through less than a month ago. Just be prepared to deal with that. If the truck was never registered in CT they will need to do the VIN verification and they will look at the truck. Make sure you find the number on the frame or etch one in yourself because they do not like taking a vin off of a data plate (that's a whole other story)

And as far as the regs go, 19,000 was some magic cut off that everyone seemed to be focused on who handled my paperwork.

 

[linesplice]

Arcane,

Thanks for the info. It sounds like I won't have any luck with trying to register a 5-ton as an antique no matter what anyone else says, considering your experience. That really takes the wind out of my sails. Some people are telling me to not bother looking at an ex-firetruck either. Hmmm. That's what I was looking at.

Thanks for the info.

 

[acrane]

Don't get discouraged linesplice. They're are plenty of deuces out there and they fall below the weight restrictions. In fact, I have an M211 for sale cheap if you are interested!

 

[rmgill]

Ga supposedly only registers trucks that are 14000 lbs or less empty. Deuce just qualify. 5 Tons don't. I went to get a PX tag for my M813A1 when I was first getting it registered. I laid all my cards on the table. Picture of the truck, pictures of my armored cars I wanted to move with it, explained to the lady behind the counter who called her supervisor who looked at everything I had and wouldn't give me the PX (commercial tag) for the weight of the truck. Said, I was clearly a collector and that it was a collector vehicle, regardless of age and weight in my case. Gave me a collector tag for it too. She was about to go on vacation so it may have been that she was just in a really good mood. But I saw her about a month later and she was still nice.

So sometimes, if you're really nice and really honest, they really give you a break. Odd thing is our County CEO is a crook, but our staff at our tag offices tend to be really really really sweet people. funny that...