Gyrogear you are right. I think that the '84+ model and a 9 digit vin threw them into a panic. No problem with my '71 Deuce but when I bought the 923 I got the plate then 2 weeks later they told me I had to get it inspected by the Highway Patrol. I took it to the inspection station they verified the vin and I was on my way. I did get the title back saying "Not built to U.S. Standard". I haven't had any trouble getting plates. So good luck and enjoy it sounds like you have big plans for what ever you get.
Not sure what who "they" (I suspect your local DMV) are but when I took my title to Jeff City for my historic plate, they didn't have any problem with it at all. If you start getting into a bind, I would suggest you go straight to Jeff City I don't think you will find any issues there. If you buy your unit out of state, they recalculate your sales tax to Mo. rates so there may be a few bucks owed (there wasn't in my case.) Insurance and title app and your good to go. I would suggest you have an ID/OD done just to be on the safe side (if you are going with a lisc that doesn't rquire a safety inspection.) They did require I have one done since it was an out of state title. No big deal, take the truck to a safety inspection station and tell them you need an ID/OD, they compare the serial number on the title to the one on the frame and as long as they match you are gold. If they don't you have a problem, but that should be one of the first things you check when you are buying anyway.
The ownership, by civilians, of former military vehicles seems to be under fire not only in Missouri, but a number of other states.
My
local DMV office here in Missouri had no idea on how to get title and registration on a FMV. I have spent many hours perusing the DOR's website and also the state statutes looking for specific information on MV's. There is none. I have spent many hours on the phone with the DOR ("your call is important to us and will be answered in the order received....You are number 48 in line.") I also talked with the deputy director of the inspection division of the Highway Patrol, who admitted there had been a problem licensing FMV's, but thought it had been resolved. He gave me the number to the inspector at my regions HP Troop. I left several messages for a callback at that number and never got a reply. The last message I left, I punched 1 on my phone out of habit from leaving voice mails for friends, etc. and got the familiar phrase "to deliver your message with normal delivery press 1..... There had been no instructions to do this on this, or on my previous messages, I had simply hung up at the end of my message. This last message was received and responded to by the inspection officer. I told him what I wanted to do; mount a motorhome box on a FMV. He told me in this case it would no longer be a military vehicle and he would re-classify the vehicle as a motorhome and issue a new VIN for it and there would be no designations like "not for highway use" or "not built to U. S. standards".
This opportunity to reclassify as a motorhome was music to my ears. It will not only save me money on insurance and licensing, but more important it meant I would no longer be "ping ponged" back and forth between the DOR and the HP as each blamed the other for the problems.
So, that is where I am at as of last weeks conversation with the inspector. I just hope this is still the case when I find the vehicle I want and get the MH box mounted.
A note on Missouri's historic vehicle plates. They have recently reduced the mileage you are allowed to drive from 2000/year to 1000. You will also need to keep a log book recording miles driven, odometer readings, etc on a log form that you can download free from their website. Just do a search there for "historic vehicle log" and that should turn it up.
