I want to put collector plates on my 1980 HD Shovelhead. The bike is stock except for a flame paint job, pipes and carb. The frame is not stretched. It is not raked. It has stock size tires. My question is how strict are the rules that it must not be altered from stock? Other than the old mild paint job it looks stock. I would not have questioned it but they require photos of the vehicle to be sent in with the application. I have regular tags on my 53 Buick, and my two other daily drivers. Any thoughts on collector vs hobbyist plates? Thanks for the input. And, has anyone had troubles when sending the title in? My concern is that it is a Virginia title. It is in my name, but I have lived in WI for over a year now. In the two other states I have lived in I have never had to send the title in to get it transferred.
Sorry but you can not run colector plates in wis on your non stock bike, but you can do hobbyist and sending the title in has never been trouble for me but I always make a copy first! Gary
they are really cracking down. just a few years ago it would have been no problem. i would call first. i put regular plates on my chevelle because i got so frustrated. the lady i spoke to was a real bitch and didnt know a thing about cars.
That is the problem I am having, lucky for me the closest DMV for me is in Milwaukee. When I went to the DMV to get the title done and the "lady" (who was not so lady like) told me to just send it in. I tried asking about the collector vs hobbyist plates and was not given any useful information. I know the cars I deal with at work all have collector plates, but are all completely stock. I do not know anyone with hobbyist plates. They are the same in their rules of use? Is the only difference between them that one is stock and one is modified, or a kit? Thanks for the help
Call the special plates division in Madison and find out all the stipulations.On the car collector/hobbyist plates which I have both of require photos of the vehicle.If it's modifyed at all it needs hobbyist.I tried to get hobbyist plates on a 63 Catalina that was going to be a race/street car but I had not done any of the mods to it at the time of applying for the plates,and they turned it done and said the car is stock and I should be running colletor plates. Try a search on here there has been someWis DVM threads.Good luck
In a way, I'm glad that they're cracking down. I can't tell you how many times I've seen street rods, hot rods and blown Camaros with collector plates. Part of the problem is the DMV, and even a lot of the cops don't have a clue. Case in point; a friend of mine has collector plates on his '74 Satelite, and the same number with an "A" on is '55 Victoria. He got pulled over in the Satelite and the cop wrote the ticket out for the Ford! It's pretty sad because they expect us to follow the rules, but they don't understand them, themselves. If your bike isn't bone stock, you may have to run a Hobbiest plate. Too bad they're so damn ugly.
Yup, there's currently a big brouhaha in Madison over collector plates. Seems the pendulum has swung from too loose to tighter then a fat lady's stretch pants. Things like radial tires, updated radios, any non-stock chrome on the engine, aftermarket wheels are considered taboo. There is a lot of action on the part of car groups to negotiate this back to something more moderate. Funny thing is you can easily get a clapped out 20 year old mini van registered as a collector car but dont put ralley wheels on your '65 El Camino. Regarding your 1980 HD Shovelhead, if all you have is a flame job on the tank, you should be OK. So far I haven't heard of anyone being refused because of paint. I just registered my '74 Triumph without a hitch. As for the Buick, if it's "stock" or will pass for stock then go for it. Bear in mind three things. When considering daily drivers, you can't drive them in the winter months. Never ever ask a DMV desk person for advise on a collector or hobbyist plate. They are just going to read verse and scripture from the DOT regs (providing their head doesn't explode first) You can read it yourself and save cleaning the blood off your shirt. And lastly, if you run a rat rod with collector plates and you'll get pinched. Other than that cops have more important things to do than to determine whether or not your '27 Hupmobile originally had an eight track.
I have WI collector plates on my 50 Ford F-1 (350 Chevy engine), my 59 corvette (non numbers matching engine, ET wheels) and 68 Nova with 468 crate big block. Hobbyist plate on my 29 high boy roadster (no state patrol inspection). My impression is that if you send in the photos and forms as requested and pay the money as required, they don't care too much -- it's really about collecting the money. Xerox the title before you send it in. Oh, and if you just bought it -- don't lie about the purchase price. This raises eyebrows and again -- they want to make sure they are collecting all possible fees and taxes.
But....when did you get your plates? I have four "collector" cars and a bike and I agree that at that time the hardest part of the whole deal was reaching for my wallet to pay the fee. All of that has changed dramatically in the last year or so.
"Bear in mind three things. When considering daily drivers, you can't drive them in the winter months. " Actually the only month you can't drive them is January. This changed a few years ago. You also need something with regular plates on too in order to get collector plates.
Besides collector , antique and hobbyist, i see they have a collector special plates now, i.ve never heard of those before. They look like the regular plates but say collector on them. Sounds like you pay registration annually on those ones.
Sounds like, you are wanting the "collector" plate for the one time fee. "COLLECTOR" plate is OK, if, the photos you send to DOT show the vehicle to be unmodified. "HOBBYIST" plate, DOT may require a Wisconsin State Patrol vehicle inspection. Motorcycles may get a closer look because of the numerous stolen motorcycles. I wouldn't trust an LEO or inspector to be knowledgeable enough about stock versus modified motorcycles. If, the LEO or inspector has any doubt about the motorcycle, the modifications, compati- bility of parts or anything else, the motorcycle will be confiscated. "HOBBYIST" plate is a "specialty plate", does not exempt the vehicle from any vehicle equipment requirements. You DONOT have to get a "HOBBYIST" plate, if your vehicle is modified. Get a "HOBBYIST" plate and DOT will brand your title "street modified", "replica", "reconstructed" or "homemade". Semi-annual registration is less complicated, usually, no waiting and your title is not "branded". Other than the one time registration fee, the rest of the hoops DOT has you jump thru are a PITA. Curt R
I have the '53 Buick registered with "Wisconsin Salutes Veterans" "regular" plates, because I wanted NLINE 8 on the plates. I also have a car and pickup with "regular" plates. Sounds like I will just send the pictures and title (after I make a copy of course) in for "collector" plates. I do not want the title to say street rod or modified or something. I bought the bike back in '06, it is in my name. Worst case is they say it doesn't qualify for collector plates. I thank all of you for the help. This is one of the hardest parts of moving to a new state, figuring out the rules. Every state is so much different, except for the fact that the local DMV is a pain. This is the first time I have had to send in a title, and first time I couldn't get antique vehicle type plates locally.
I have a friend that lives in Appleton whom owns a nice M-1 pickup. Mostly stock except it has a T-5 (undetectable) but he couldn't get collector plates because it was converted to 12v and an alternator by a previous owner.
FWIW, this issue will be coming up for legislation again this winter. Currently, WisDOT/DMV is extremely strict in their interpretation of Collector requirement laws. Lots of "collector" cars are denied for the wrong reason. Things like radios, safety glass, dual-circuit brake masters, paint color/s, wheels & tires (etc.) should not be reasons to deny Collector plates. During last spring's efforts to correct the damage WisDOT did when they passed their Military Collector (HMV) plate law, WisDOT verbally agreed to changes to Collector plate laws. For Hot Rod owners who have Hobbyist plates, nothing will change. But we intend to hold WisDOT to their word, and change the laws to allow minor modifications to Collector cars. Please watch for notification or pm me for more info. Here are some considerations: Having DOT try to determine what is "original" on an old car is near impossible. They just don't know enough about the details. Leave this determination to the pros, and car shows. Never mind a new CD radio, under current laws, you are prohibited from upgrading your car with safety glass windows, seat belts, or even factory recall upgrades, because they do alter the car beyond "original manufacturer specifications". The law needs to change.
" If the photos you send to DOT show the vehicle to be unmodified. Does anyone at DOT ever check to see if the photos are the same car being registered or maybe a different car,M/C altogether. I know in our State they don't. Just saying .
From my personal experience, the Wisconsin DMV can be a real pisser. I ended up just putting regular plates on my Olds. Listen to what CurtR tells you. He gave me some good advice and is very knowledgeable about the laws. Tom
How do the hobbyist and collector plates differ in practical terms? Collector plates are for life and hobbyist requirs bi-annual renewal?
Only because with the Hobbyist plate, you are free to drive a modified vehicle, and with the collector plate you are supposed to remain pretty much stock. Tom
i just registered my 54 chev in june. had illinois title and had rally wheels on it. granted i already had the collector plates from my last car, but didnt have a problem. took all of 6 weeks to get title back. heard you might be able to just drive to madison dmv and get title right there & plates by mail like they used to here in milwaukee. would definitely call first before making the drive.
I have a 79 jeep wagoneer that is not stock but I put collector plates on it last year. When I sent them all the pics they wanted it sure looked stock. I would change the tank just for the pics and change it back.
Just a warning to those who think they are home free if they are driving thier modified car with collector plates. A guy with a 70 Cuda that was next to me at a local show told me he had collector plates on the Cuda, it is a stock 340 and all original, except that he put some aftermarket wheels on it. The Wisc. State Patrol pulled him over and gave him a 5 day ticket for non compliance in regards to the collector plate rules. He took his car to MVD along with his title and they told him he had to either change the wheels to stock wheels or surrender his colector registration. He is now driving on regular plates.This happened in June of this year and he told me he had been driving the car for two years with the collector plates. I don't know the guy but I had no reason to doubt his story. Long story short, the state is clamping down. It's all about revenue, and nailing the modified cars with collector plates is easy money.
How can we get the WI DMV to change the color of Hobbiest Plates? Green and Yellow colored plates belong on a John Deere, not on a beautifully modified and painted Hot Rod or Custom, or for that matter an unpainted Hot Rod or Custom.
Exactly! This is why I can't figure out why they don't pull their heads out of there asses and let us run vintage plates to match the year of our car providing that number is not being used. There are a bunch of other states doing this, and have been for years. They could still collect a the fee (one time or annually, I really don't care at this point) and not have the cost of providing a new set of plates. It's a win/win for them and they don't see it.
I know a bunch of people running collector plates on modified cars and never get pulled over probly just depends on the cop you come across. i just got my 30 chevy coupe titled in my name got a new title over the counter in Beloit and it was a out of state title from 1947 that i brought in. They even sent me the old title back just had to have them put a note in with the old title and a pre paid postage envalope got it back in 2 weeks.
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