Vehicle registration.....
Last week I called the Harris county tax office to find out what steps I needed to take in order to have the Ramcharger registered as a diesel. They told me that as long as the two vehicles involved in the swap were rated lower than 2 tons capacity that I didn’t need to change the title. I thought this was way too simple.
As it turns out that was too simple. I went to the courthouse yesterday to transfer the title into my name and get the registration done. After waiting in line for 45 minutes they said that since I purchased the Ramcharger from a county that does not require emissions testing that I had to take a form to the inspection station and have the emissions tested, After it passed emissions test then they could register the Ramcharger in Harris county. I told them that emissions test would not be required since I had done the engine swap and put in a diesel. I got the “deer in the headlights” look. She said “I’ll have to ask my supervisor what to do”. I waited about 15 minutes and she came back and said “We’re going to have to call the state office for instructions”. I waited another 20 minutes until she came back. She gave me a form “61” and said I had to fill it out detailing everything that I did during the swap to make the Ramcharger a diesel powered vehicle. That took me about a half an hour to complete.
Well, after about 2 hours at the window it is done. The Ramcharger is now officially registered as a diesel vehicle. Today I’m going to install the radiator and the rest of the grill. Then I’ll double check that all bolts are tight and all things are in place.
I’m taking the kids for a drive to the park in it later this afternoon. The official “maiden voyage”.