Maryland Registration

BaltimoreHokie

Goblin Guru
In short. Its pretty much a no go.

The long is that you must go to the MVA inspection station building D, in Glen Burnie. Only on Tuesdays, and only between 830-1200. You'll essentially line up with the salvage auction guys, wait your turn etc. You'll see a gentleman named Brian, who will complete the paperwork then ask you to have a seat and your essentially waiting for an inspector. At this point I thought it was going to work out. Finally a hour / two later, a guy named John, who is the only person who does Kit car inspections come over and said "Goblin" I of course said yes and was happy to be called for any news. Generally at this point they ask you to drive it into their facility. I didn't even get that far. He said "I've talked to you before," I said yes about a year ago on the phone. He said well, nothing has changed, it looks like a dune buggy and I will not be able to title it.

He said its a liability, policy etc. I explained that the difference between these and the factory five replica kits is the body panels cover the tubular chassis. I asked him how those were passing etc. He wasn't having it. I cannot remember which safety regulations in particular but essentially he said that Factory Five was certified in some way or another. He could have just been telling me this, but either way, this was essentially the only guy who says yes and no so all hope was lost. He said I was not the first person who has asked about the Goblin Kit Car, but I am not sure if that is really accurate.

When I was loading up the car he came over, at this point I had been polite and he said he appreciated that, he first mentioned registering it as another vehicle type but wasn't sure how that could be possible. He then said what he would do, or at least mentioned registering it in another state. He said at that point, only an MD State Police Officer could then ask me to remove it from the road if they deem it unsafe after stopping me. I asked him what the legal issues of doing so would be and he said he was not sure, he also mentioned that he see's plenty of cars that must have been registered in other ways on the road, but that its not his job to hunt them down.

So, I guess at this point...I either sell it to someone who lives in a reasonable state, someone who wants to track it, or register it in Montana. My last option is to try and register it in VA, where my sister lives. It looks like it may be a little easier based on the fact that you really send all of your information to be processed in Richmond.
 

Ross

Goblin Guru
Sounds like John told you the formula you needed to know. Now go visit your sister, or come visit me in Arkansas, and lets get that thing registered!
 

Ross

Goblin Guru
"If you can weld it, you can drive it" The lady at the motorvehicles was very helpful. I registered it as a DF Goblin, as that is the vin number on this kit. This was her second kit car registration in 18 years, so she had to phone head office, but it was super easy.

Before I bought this kit, I was asking about putting a modified VW on the road, and asked "How much of the car needs to be VW, to register it as a VW?" She said the vin number. Literally just the vin plate. The whole car could be something else, but if the vin is a 1964 VW, then it can be registered that way.

No inspection needed... But an officer could ticket me on the road if something is missing, so I am subject to the normal laws of lights, horn, etc.
 

BaltimoreHokie

Goblin Guru
"If you can weld it, you can drive it" The lady at the motorvehicles was very helpful. I registered it as a DF Goblin, as that is the vin number on this kit. This was her second kit car registration in 18 years, so she had to phone head office, but it was super easy.

Before I bought this kit, I was asking about putting a modified VW on the road, and asked "How much of the car needs to be VW, to register it as a VW?" She said the vin number. Literally just the vin plate. The whole car could be something else, but if the vin is a 1964 VW, then it can be registered that way.

No inspection needed... But an officer could ticket me on the road if something is missing, so I am subject to the normal laws of lights, horn, etc.
Yeah, I looked in your registration thread but it was not up to date. At this point I've got all the paperwork to go Montana, I just need to decide what I want to do. A little disheartening.
 

GuitaristChris

New Member
I live in Jessup, MD, only about 10 minutes away from you. This is tough to read.. I’ve seen other kit cars get titled and registered. Why are they making this so difficult? Really making me hold back. I’m so ready to build one!
 

BaltimoreHokie

Goblin Guru
I live in Jessup, MD, only about 10 minutes away from you. This is tough to read.. I’ve seen other kit cars get titled and registered. Why are they making this so difficult? Really making me hold back. I’m so ready to build one!
Talk to John, he is the inspector. You'll have to Google to find his info (I don't have it) but just look for salvage inspection etc. See if anything has changed.
 

Jmgraham87

New Member
I read all of your build page and then saw this. I'm also in maryland and had been looking at a kit.

Just curious if you think it would have made a difference to get it registered in a different state getting you a title and vin. And then registering it in maryland afterwards. Would something like that work or would it still have to go through the a-hole inspector at the mva?
 

Karter2026

Goblin Guru
I read all of your build page and then saw this. I'm also in maryland and had been looking at a kit.

Just curious if you think it would have made a difference to get it registered in a different state getting you a title and vin. And then registering it in maryland afterwards. Would something like that work or would it still have to go through the a-hole inspector at the mva?
If it works anything like PA you will still have to go through the inspector.
 

BaltimoreHokie

Goblin Guru
As Karter said. You'll at least have to get through inspection in MD...they have what's called the MSI which is pretty comprehensive. But if you have the option just keep it in the other state. It was a lot of fun to build and I had fun driving it while I had it.
 

PALYDIN11

New Member
Good evening all. I live in MD as well, Salisbury. Has anyone had any luck getting a Goblin inspected and titled in Maryland yet?
 

noddaz

Member
I am dragging this back up from it's semi comatose state to see what is going on with having a Goblin legal in Maryland and elsewhere.

And maybe, (slim chance) this will help. Maryland decrees this:
How do I title a kit car?
A kit car consists of a body, steering system, frame, and related accessories intended for assembly with an excess or salvage engine, transmission drive line, rear suspension, rear axle and related accessories. A kit car has the outward appearance of a Historic or Street Rod vehicle (though it is not titled as such).

Bold of the last sentence is my doing and may hold the key. Maryland wants to pigeon hole the Goblin as a "dune buggy". Which of course it isn't, a Goblin does not look anything like a Manx or it's clones. And I think Maryland means "sand rail" when Maryland says "dune buggy". Which is a bit closer in outward appearance than a dune buggy.
The possible solution? Tell the MVA, "no, it's NOT a sand rail or dune buggy. It is a modern interpretation of a Lotus 7. Which is a road car.





Lotus Seven

The Lotus Seven is a small, simple, lightweight two-seater open-top sports car produced by the British manufacturer Lotus Cars (initially called Lotus Engineering) between 1957 and 1972. ... The Lotus Seven design has spawned a host of imitations on the kit car market, generally called Sevens or Sevenesque roadsters.

Anyone game for this? This seems to fill Maryland's definition of a Kit Car.
A kit car has the outward appearance of a Historic or Street Rod vehicle (though it is not titled as such).

noddaz (Who wants to build one)
 

Ross

Goblin Guru
British green and a Lotus yellow stripe, of course it is a Seven replica. Andy made this one.
27055
 

BaltimoreHokie

Goblin Guru
Another option would be to tell Maryland it is a Track T.



Which is also NOT a dune buggy.
What you tell the MVA is not really the problem. They are just doing paperwork. The issue is the physical state inspection that happens at the Glen Burnie MVA. Then I think the follow on issue is then going to be the safety inspection that could happen at any authorized shop.

I think whoever is interested in building one should give it a shot, but I'd just be prepared and okay with titling it in another state after the fact.
 

TRISEM1

New Member
Sorry to bring up an older post! And hello everyone, I’m new to group, but I feel that this topic needs some more info
I was hoping someone has some new insight??
I have some ideas I would like to kick around, but first wanted to start this thread back up
 

Jmgraham87

New Member
I'd be interested in what your thinking. I've been watching from the sidelines for awhile now. Gotta get a garage to put it in first but the wife finally gave me the green light to get one.
 
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