Rat Rods got tickets or Just stopped by Cops?

The laws on what can be street driven in Michigan it's hard to get pulled over for a violation like that.

I see open cockpit tube frame dune buggies driving around the Metro Detroit area all the time. Unless your car is half missing and on fire I doubt you will get anything more than an interested glance.

 

I have proof of one of the Vaughn tickets. In 1976 my brother Cory (customcory) had just turned 15 and had just got his 48 Chevy running and decided to go by himself on a little test ride. In NC you cant get that creative with anything when it comes to the Highway Patrol. He got caught. Here is the ticket I saved.

 

most police i've run into in my 55 are pretty cool. most of them seem to have a respect for the classics so long as you respect the rules of the road. i've gotten away with a few that i probably wouldn't have in a late model. hell, i even had a sheriff come to one of our hangout spots and check my car out. he was just another car guy and he started telling me about the 70 camaro he had at home he was building. another time i rolled into a sobriety checkpoint and the cop looked at the car and said "i know you're not driving this car drunk. nice car, have a good evening."

it's all in the attitude and how you carry yourself. if you're acting like a prick, they're going to treat you like one. we don't really have many scenesters and poseurs around here, most car nuts are just working guys that put in their own time and effort to keep their rides on the road.

 

With the new team in DC, I'm wondering if I could get a ticket for having more fun than the law allows?


As a lot have already said it, and it's always been that way, attitude, attitude, attitude. If you do get stopped, don't whine and blame the messenger for pointing out the infraction.

 

You're not serious, are you? The sidewall is what is not DOT APPROVED in the tire. There's way around it and I've done it but won't let it out in an open forum. You're asking for trouble.

In general cops are human beings like you and I. Some of us are just dickheads and that includes some of them. No hood? I'd fight it. Flamethrowers in PARK? I'd make a complete ass of that one in front of the judge. Same with the no seatbelt in cars that don't have em. In all fairness to younger cops they can't fathom things like having to pump the accellerator to start a car, or that any car woulda been built without seatbelts. It's easy to think everyone is into cars and hotrods but we're really a small percentage of the population. I've driven some of the most expensive and awesome cars around that didn't even get noticed. How do you not recognize a Duesenberg? Funny sometimes how other drivers are somewhat "blind"...cops too.

 

For the most part we are our own worst enemy... We know that driving with no fenders (Ca.) loud pipes, no windshield wipers, slicks, no front lic. plate (Ca.) or violations like speed, no signaling etc. are against the law. We do them but bitch and moan when caught. I am guilty of most of these and have nobody to blame but myself. Life would be boring if we conformed to the cookie cutter image of a model citizen. I have had warnings and ignored them, I have had citations, paid them and repeated the offence numerous times, I have even been let go with neither. Avoiding getting stopped is important, loud colors attract the eye of the police, loud noise mufflers, stay with the flow of traffic. Gm, Ford ect. were kind to you they gave you a rearview mirror, watch the review mirror as much as you do in front of you, thats where the copper usually sneaks up on you.

 

When...???

Not that it doesn't happen... but the only and last time I've heard a Wisconsin Officer requesting a vehicle be "Towed" from a scene was when Cadillackid finished his Tudor at 3 a.m. and got Stopped at 3:02 a.m. for "Speeding, no exhaust, and no registration!

But there were several violations that warranted not only probable cause but enforceable citations... but no citations were issued after we called for the trailer... in fact they helped push the car on the trailer...!

We all had a "Great attitude" did as we were instructed..., weren't drinking and didn't threaten the officers in any way!

Here's the video of that very morning...

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I rolled out of my garage on a maiden voyage in my pro-street 56 with no bed, no hood, no interior, no headlights, etc. I stopped for a red light and a cop rolled up across from me. Yup, I got stopped. He was checking out the shiny motor and I had license, reg, insurance, and I bet he was surprised at that........ No ticket.

 

It doesn't have to be an older rod to get harrassed by the cops. I've been profiled by few cops just because I drive cars that are different. I was driving my 92 Buick sedan delivery over to my daughters house one evening and the sheriff who passed me turned around and followed me, 2 feet from by rear, all the way to her house. I stopped, got out, waved him down and asked him what's up. He said that there has been drug activity around this area and they are watching for suspisious drivers (I've been told that before) I turned and looked at my car with amazement and said "You gotta be kidding, right!? You're profiling that car, with my name on the sides, phone numbers and website lettered on the back window!" He smiled and left. But, the funny thing was, as my daughter pointed out, I had all my diabetes and pain meds in a baggie sticking out of my shirt pocket. I've been pulled over many times for the way my ride looks. I always try to keep my attitude in check but some of the cops I've dealt with are reall assholes. On the other hand, I have cop friends who are hot rodders and they can't stand cops who treat us like criminals.

Mikey
"Intense as Hell...Doing it Well"

 

There[cops]job is also safety of others,yes some can be assholes just as some of us,I got a BS ticket for dim tail lights on my full custom Henry J a long time ago by a cop named Dick something,OK mybe it was Richard.
But if your driving a rusty,holy,dented or just bad ruff flat black want-to-be-rod,then too most it looks like it looks to them,a shit box that needs a lot of work yet. Guess what, many do,so don't be mad at them for asking if it's safe [some are not],it don't look safe to most and if they are nice about ,great,but be nice your self,later ya can tell some big BS story to your buds,just stay off the hook and go home and work on it,keep making it better,takes a lot of work.

 

That depends on who your riding with or what town your in.hehehe...remember pigeon forge and b's sudan. Got a ticket for not having a 14" ride height.

 

i'm told that in Kansas seatbelts and license plate illumination cannot be grandfathered in- i have to install them. for the best, i'm sure, but 5 point harnesses are not legal, since they aren't DOT approved

Got stopped one night in my '49 Willys Overland 4X4-63 Jeep Delivery for only having one tailight. Right in the middle of the left rear door. After explaining that in 1949 this is how jeeps were, he actually stepped back and said that he thought it was some new kinda Cherokee. wow.

 

Read some of these posts and it sounds like most cops are OK. Twice now I've been followed with my 23-T. Guess some young cops don't know what a hobbiest plate means until they call it in. I'M 60 now, but I can remember back in 67 on a Friday night taking the front bumper off my 56 Ford to look cool. Never made it through town once. Put a new glass pack on back then also and got stopped that next day with the bumper on. Cops seam a lot less likely to stop ya now days. Maybe because they never watched all those B- rated Hot Rod movies from the 50's & 60's.

 

Been stopped twice.

First time was a county sheriff who followed me for over a mile and then hit the siren and lights. I stopped immediately, rolled down the window and had both hands on the window sill, and he walked up and said, "Relax, relax, I just want to see your car. I saw what you had. Knew you would either pull over or make a run for it. I was hopin' you'd run for it. I used to race. This thing looks FAST!" We spoke for 20 minutes, just chatted and visited a little and off I went. He was cool.

Second time was for speeding, 82 in a 55 mph zone. Had to go to court. The judge asked the trooper if I was polite and cooperative. The trooper affirmed. I got traffic school, no ticket, no points, no record.

Attitude. Be polite and cooperative. Those are the two magic words.

My buddy is well into his '60s and still drives the hopped up '57 he had in high school, completely unrestored. He got pulled by a very young trooper near Culpepper, VA. The trooper asked him, "Sir, do you know how fast you were going?" Tom said he really didn't, since the speedometer needle jumps around at speed. The trooper said, "Sir, you were doing almost 80. I didn't think you or these old cars would go that fast, but you were flying. Just stopped you to make sure you were ok. Have a nice day!" Let him off with a warning to fix the speedometer. No ticket for speeding.

Attitude.

Pete
Richmond, VA

 

I found out this don't always work that well, I asked the last cop that pulled me over if his wife was good in the sack?
I'm up for parole in six more years........

 

Oh man, don't leave us hanging...so what happened to your brother? What did the court order? You gotta tell us the rest, this story is too good.

I grew up in Raleigh. My buddy "high-jacked" the family's '64 Malibu one night for a joy ride. Woke up Mom as he was leaving. No cops, but he had to deal with Mom, which was worse. She was there on the front porch waiting when he got back. Not good. He ended up with a very long and successful career with GM. Guess he found his calling.

Pete
Richmond, VA

 

I recall back in the day, Larry Watson had so many "Too Low" tickets in his square bird that they revoked his drivers licence. I got stopped for blue dot taillights once, no ticket, just said if I see them again, you will get a ticket. Never was stopped again.
Friend of mine has a 48 anglia that was a former race car with a 488" rat, drove it on the streets in So Cal for years on slicks. Never was hassled. Had a sign in the window from a Clint Eastwood movie
"Are you feeling lucky punk? Well are you?" Are you out there Rick?

 

I remmember the first week i drove my 34 to high school,i was 16 ,no fenders,no hood,no side glass,no interior just 2 bucket seats,a set of header mufflers,no wipers,just headlights and tail lights to be legal,,,i was pulled over and the cop came up and screamed "do you know how fast you where going in this thing?!",i pointed to my dash and said no!,i have no guages yet!,the look on his face was priceless,then he asked about my hood,fenders etc.,and i said in a calm voice officer its a 1934 ford,maybe you can tell me where to find those parts for me?,cause i cant find them (with a smile),then he asked wheres your seat belts?,i told him they did not have seat belts in 1934 officer,,he quickly said yea,they did not have small block chevy,s and mickey thompson tires either,,,slow down and walked away,,,,that was in upstate new york in the early 90,s,small town,,,

 

The car still looks the same today,,,,,

 

When I was stopped in Wisconsin and was told "Either you call a tow truck or I will" By the cop. I had my Pregnant Wife in the car and Believe me I looked like the boy next door. I never Argue with a cop ! He just said This Damn Thing is Dangerous. He said I DO NOT Believe you can safely operate this thing... A Bit loud Headers with Thrush Mufflers. No Rear fenders. So I pushed it into a Private Driveway. Came back 6 hours later and drove it home. I Stayed out of that town (Just outside of Hayward Wisconsin)

 

Paid the ticket, pretty long string of tickets followed as I remember. Cory allways had long hair and thats a recepie for a ticket in any town. Here is the 48 about 1978.

 

had a cop smash out my headlight with his flashlight once when i asked him why he pulled me over he said because i had a headlight out

but i think it had little to do with my vehicle and more that i wouldnt rat on my buddy a week earlier when i was handcuffed to a chair being beaten with a phone book

 

I saw a 40 Ford more door pulled over about half way between Tulsa and Joplin on friday. He passed us like we were sitting still. Seen the car arounf Tulsa, don't know the guys name. Wonder if he actually got a ticket. You had to know being a holiday weekend the HP would be out.
______________________________________________________________________
Like I told the kid, "Your music's not too loud, it's just like OKC, it sucks!"

 

Massachusettts....60s. Model A roadster on 32 frame. Cycle fenders on...off....on again. Headers (outside body) on...off....on again. The cop that stoppped me for outside headers actually burned his shin on the collector pipe. I almost wet my pants laughing....which didn't help at all.
And I wll not mention the Casler slicks on the rear wheels. But, I had my shops "Repair" plates on the car and he couldn't do a damn thing. Oh, yeah, he did write me up for nonsense...a hand operated wiper blade. Later thrown out of court by a judge who knew something about antique and classic cars.

 

I've posted this before, but here it is again. As a rule, Officers have less than a second to decide if any given situation is going to kill them. If you can avoid doing anything stupid during the half second that you have their attention, you'll usually be alright.

A word about attitude...let me know where you work, so that I can come into your place of business, call you a cocksucker, act like an idiot, and then expect to be treated with respect!

 

I wish more cops would ticket rat rods. Rat rodding should be against the law.

 

Only time I've ever been stopped in my '38 Ford pickup (avatar photo) was Monday of this week by a local Barney Fife who didn't know the law on year of manufacture tags and didn't think my tag was legal. Had to explain the law to Barney.

 

69Fury said, "Got stopped one night in my '49 Willys Overland 4X4-63 Jeep Delivery for only having one tailight. Right in the middle of the left rear door. After explaining that in 1949 this is how jeeps were, he actually stepped back and said that he thought it was some new kinda Cherokee. wow. "

Legislation to ticket rat rods is legislation to ticket hot rods. The line is clear to you and me but we're not the ones issuing tickets. Most people lump us into the general category of "weird old cars that don't look like mine or my friends'."

Like it or not, we're in this together with the rat rodders, ckustomizers, billet boys and restorers. We can have our little divisions among ourselves but when it comes time to make laws, most old cars are thought of as simply old cars.

 

Don't tell me, ... you're one of those: cops can do no wrong and are really super, steller, more than human, saintly angel types, who always defends their every action?

 

Well, then where does one draw the line? To some of the hippycrits in the senate, they are all rat rods that need to be crushed. These are the same yahoos that want to force you to buy the smart car. So, then why give them more fuel for their fire? Even if I don't particularly like rat rods or rice racers, we are all really on the same side. That is to say, the side that believes in freedom of self expression in all things, including and especially what we CHOOSE to drive.