I need a "weight certificate" for a 1963 Champ P/U

[brngarage]

I just acquired a '63 Champ pickup with no title, and to register it in California, I need some paper work that certifies empty, unladen weight. I don't have any old registration slips, so I need to have the weight certified by a commercial scale. Problem is, the truck hasn't run in many years and presently has no brakes. I'd like to avoid trailering it to the scales, unloading and reloading it. Does anyone know where I could get an "official statement of unladen weight", like a Studebaker book or is the Studebaker Museum the best source?
If someone has an old California registration for a 1/2 ton Champ that shows the weight, maybe I could get a copy to show the DMV? THANKS!

[Warren Webb]

Howard, Take a picture of the vin plate. It has the GVW on it. That may be good enough for the DMV. My wife works at Auto Club. I'll ask her.

[studeclunker]

It may be good in So. Cal. but it ain't in No Cal! They want the thing weighed and a certified weight slip attached! Gotta love the DMV. Best of everything with this issue.

[Bud]

I'm sure the DMV will require you to bring a weight slip from a certified scale. They made me weigh a new Chevy Silverado that I bought in Las Vegas and wanted to register in California. Even though I had the certificate of origin from Chevrolet with the unladen weight on it, I still had to have the truck weighed to make the DMV happy. Bud

[brngarage]

Thanks everyone for your advice. I have a copy of a friend's Champ registration which I'm gonna take to a scale facility and see if they can give me a certificate for the truck.

[Warren Webb]

Howard, my wife checked with the DMV handbook & there is no way around it, you must have a weight certificate from a weigh station. Don't you just love the extremes one must jump through in order to do a simple thing!

[Gunslinger]

DMV's do such things for basically one reason...because they can! It's a lot like county inspectors around here...they make you jump through hoops when it's unnecessary because they have that authority. Here...it's all a fundraiser for the county.

[brngarage]

Thanks again everyone. Looks like I'll have to drag the pickup and trailer to the scales, unload and weigh, and reload and then take the certificate to the DMV. Oh well.................

[Dick Steinkamp]

You might apply for a "non-op" registration, then have it weighed when the truck is road worthy.

[brngarage]

Good idea Dick, but that is exactly what I am doing. I'm applying for a new title (since the old one was lost) and non-op status. They still want a weight certificate.