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Hot Rods Pa. fenderless cars?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by 64gal, May 18, 2010.

  1. 64gal
    Joined: Jan 18, 2007
    Posts: 147

    64gal
    Member

    I see a lot of fenderless cars with regular tags and was wondering if you get a lot of grief or do they leave you alone? I dont want a street rod title and plate and I think I would get more grief with an antique tag and no fenders verses a regular tag and no inspection and no fenders. What have you found? I just bought a 31 sedan that still is complete with fenders, it will be awhile till it is roadworthy, but I really want a fenderless car. When the title comes back, I would like to get tags, just dont know which way to go. Thanks, Tom.
     
  2. GARY T.
    Joined: Mar 23, 2008
    Posts: 1,985

    GARY T.
    Member
    from S.W. Pa

    From what I hear it's a real pain to get the streetrod plates,but I think thats the only way fenderless is legal in Pa
     
  3. 64gal
    Joined: Jan 18, 2007
    Posts: 147

    64gal
    Member

    I know that the two options I listed aren't legal, just want to know how others handle it? Thanks.
     
  4. LongT
    Joined: May 11, 2005
    Posts: 968

    LongT
    Member

    Pretty obvious to me. I think you'll find some cops will bug you some/most won't. It is illegal to be fenderless without the Street Rod Plate so if they want to they can stop you.

    I would think you would rarely get hassled but you never know. Could be worse near shows and cruises since the police would have a place to find a concentration of possibly illegal cars. I believe York used to be that way around NSRA time, might still be. There are a lot of cars running 'normal' plates with no fenders.

    I went through the street rod licensing and it wasn't very bad at all. Of course that was before the enhanced inspection.

    Bill
     

  5. thunderbirdesq
    Joined: Feb 15, 2006
    Posts: 7,092

    thunderbirdesq
    Member

    I went through the enhanced inspection BS down there when I lived in PA. As it seems to be for most who go through it, it was a big ol pain in the ass. But, you just do what they want until you get your tag. Then, yank all the stupid shit they made you modify to get it!:D
     
  6. The PA state police have impounded illegal cars at times be careful.
     
  7. fleetside66
    Joined: Nov 20, 2006
    Posts: 3,003

    fleetside66
    Member

    I'm going the "street rod" (legal) route, but it IS a royal pain in the keyster. I'm on my third appeal & am going the route that Thunderbirdesq mentioned...do what they want, then remove the crap. My latest turn down from a supervisor of the female gender said (about my gas tank behind my cab), "not exceptable (I'm assuming she meant "acceptable"), gas tank must be enclosed in a box." Right.
     
  8. HOT40ROD
    Joined: Jun 16, 2006
    Posts: 961

    HOT40ROD
    Member
    from Easton, Pa

    Yes and they can not be Fuel cells or kegs tanks in pickup beds must be under the bed or protected from be hit from something rolling around in the bed. Also the fill must be out side the bed. tank can not be in the passenger compartment on in trucks.

    As for the enhanced inspection and tag. Make sure you have all the receipt for everything you bought even the nuts and bolts. Go to one enhanced station and stick with them to the end. If you go to more then one enhance station you may get more then one answer for every question you ask. The rules are pretty much up to the station doing the enhance inspection.

    All Harrisburg does is look at the pictures. and if they see anything that does not look right they will question it.

    They will hit you for Blue dot, tented glass, any part of the motor sticking through the hood if you are running one. ( Need to be under a hood scoope)

    Exhaust must ran past the back edge of the rear doors. Chopped windshields nothing can stick up in view of the windshield. fan if running no hood must have a shield around them. Dot approve tail light. They just failed me for to small of a tail light on my motorcycle.

    That just some of the items I can think of, off the top of my head.
     
  9. Clark
    Joined: Jan 14, 2001
    Posts: 5,130

    Clark
    Member

    I've run regular tags with no inspection on my 48 for 6 years now with no problem....funny thing is it will pass inspection.

    I also ran all my other hotrods with regular tags and no inspection. 4 or 5 of them.

    My wife even works at an enhanced station and i won't go through the BS.
    Clark
     
  10. Graystoke
    Joined: Mar 23, 2010
    Posts: 437

    Graystoke
    Member

    I once saw a local cop walk through the parking area of a car show and check all the inspection stickers and plates. The local police are on a revenue mission lately, and are writing tickets for any possible violations to raise money for the government.:eek:
     
  11. fleetside66
    Joined: Nov 20, 2006
    Posts: 3,003

    fleetside66
    Member

    The frustrating part of this whole thing is the fact that (in my case) I am in compliance with all of the written rules (which I might add are very hidden). My gas tank is not in a passenger compartment & my "bed" is not a cargo hold. There's no floor, so how can it hold cargo? To compound the irony, the gas tanks in the 32-34 Ford trucks WERE in the passenger compartment! The '66 Chevy truck I've been using as a daily driver for the past 13 years is behind the seat! The enhanced inspection guy had no problem with my ride...he was quite impressed, if I must say so myself. I did have to correct the way my hairpins attached to the rear casing, but that was it. I really have to bite my tongue when I'm dealing with these people, because they are subjective & irrational. If I piss her off, than I may as well kiss my three years of work goodbye in PA. Like she told me.."You just have to patient, sweetie." Sorry for the rant...I feel a little better now.
     
  12. ken1939
    Joined: Jul 5, 2008
    Posts: 1,558

    ken1939

    The other silly sidebar is, if you went in to get regular tags, its like there was never a problem.

    Sema has done a great job in helping the "rodding community" at large when it comes to alot of the written laws and such. We have some great agents in Haggarty, Sneed Robinson and Gerber as well as Grundy that get what we are doing.

    As to the Commonwealth of Pa, they will never understand it.

    A great example is the Emissions testing. It was to be mandatory due to fed regs. Well first, they didnt test the whole state. :confused: Just a select few counties. Now we find out that the feds passed a law in the late 90's that newer cars could be exempt from testing as they were above standards.

    Funny how we the people never heard about that.
     
  13. thunderbirdesq
    Joined: Feb 15, 2006
    Posts: 7,092

    thunderbirdesq
    Member

    It really is quite nonsensical. Turkeyjerk is going through the same hassle with his T roadster pickup right now. His pickup bed is 20" long and houses the battery and fuel tank. It's sole purpose is to hide the tank and battery! There is literally NO room to put any cargo in there if he wanted to. I mean not a thing! The DMV supervisor said it doesn't matter, someone else might try to haul something in there (or ON there, as the case would be...) some day and it might puncture the tank. yeah....... um...ok. So we're sealing it off with a top panel and an exterior filler to get the tags. Gotta do what PA wants...:rolleyes: The inspection mechanics had no problem with the way it was set up. This is what happens when you have people with no automotive experience making laws about what's safe and what isn't. Oh well, I guess it's better than it ued to be though!


     
  14. skidsteer
    Joined: Mar 19, 2007
    Posts: 1,251

    skidsteer
    Member

    What Greystoke said. Some towns are using tickets to balance their budgets. And, with the PennDOT budget being so far in the hole, you may see more ball busting in the future, just because pressure is on to get the extra $$.
     
  15. shitbox2
    Joined: Sep 5, 2005
    Posts: 434

    shitbox2
    Member

    i always get a laugh when i got pulled over for driving my 48 down the road...i didnt do a damn thing .... no ticket or anything just wanted to see what i was driving
     
  16. ken1939
    Joined: Jul 5, 2008
    Posts: 1,558

    ken1939

    Hmm and the NSRA went to cars PRE 1980...I smell collusion.
     
  17. 64gal
    Joined: Jan 18, 2007
    Posts: 147

    64gal
    Member

    Thanks guys, I'll continue to weigh my options. As an aside, in the late 90's I was breaking in a new FE in my Galaxie, just before we painted it, no bumpers or hood or lights and I'm up and down 611, a Pa. State Trooper comes down 212 just as I'm turning around at the lock and his lights come on, dang, I'm looking for my insurance and reg. which I had, and he says, dont worry, I just want to check out your engine! We shot the breeze for a while and he left. Pretty cool! Thanks again, Tom.
     
  18. 5window
    Joined: Jan 29, 2005
    Posts: 9,517

    5window
    Member

    If your problem is with the DMV folks and not the inspection shop, the trick is NOT to send your application in to the DMV. Take the applications, receipts,photos,etc. to your state representative and then have him/her take it to the DMV. It will be faster and way less crap to deal with. This is what your state rep is there for-to smooth over their constituents problems with the state government. I found this to be very effective and my problems cleared up. And, my understanding is that if your vehicle came with an "internal" fuel tank,then you can keep it that way, but the regulations are open to interpretation.
     
  19. GARY T.
    Joined: Mar 23, 2008
    Posts: 1,985

    GARY T.
    Member
    from S.W. Pa

    just what all is involved to get the streetrod plate? I've heard that its a pain,but don't really know the details. For instance I hear that you need receipts for everything,I've bought a lot of stuff from private partys,swaps,etc and there was no receipts involved. Or what if you buy a "done" car ? You would have receipt for the car .but not the parts in it??:confused:
     
  20. Scott B
    Joined: Dec 31, 2002
    Posts: 549

    Scott B
    Member
    from Colorado?

    Inquiring minds want to know what Gary T just asked.

    It seems of much greater personal interest since deciding to relocate there...
     
  21. captmullette
    Joined: Oct 15, 2009
    Posts: 1,929

    captmullette
    Member

    come down here , get a plate, 10 min. gone......... take it back to wherever and register...
     
  22. Clark
    Joined: Jan 14, 2001
    Posts: 5,130

    Clark
    Member

    captmullette...fla is one of the places I've thought of using. Can i get a plate without coming down there? I know a cop has to verify the vin. Can one of my local cops verify it?
    Clark
     
  23. HOT40ROD
    Joined: Jun 16, 2006
    Posts: 961

    HOT40ROD
    Member
    from Easton, Pa

    Pa all about the money they can make. Even a car that was street rodded in another state has to go through the enhance inspection if you want street rod plates.

    Most of my car have regular plate and never had an issue yet. Right now I am going through an enhance inspection on my Harley because it was a salvage title. Got through the inspection no problem. But at harrisburg they decided that my rear tail light was to small. Both side marker also light up with the tail light
     

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  24. fleetside66
    Joined: Nov 20, 2006
    Posts: 3,003

    fleetside66
    Member

    Well, here's the deal on the receipt thing, as far as my perceptions go. I kept all of my receipts & had to pay taxes on all of it, even the stuff that I bought out of state, such as Ebay, other HAMBers, etc. However, the guy at the enhanced vehicle inspection station told me to scale the receipts down. He said I could get away with about two thirds of what I had. I did edit the whole thing & they (the state) did not say a word about it other that keeping my check in limbo until I eventually (I hope) get the thing approved. So, I wouldn't sweat swap meet stuff you bought or stuff you already have, when it comes to the receipt thing. For example, I bought a trans at a swap meet for $75 & had it rebuilt by a guy in another state for $600. I didn't list it & they never said a word about it. Keep every penny of the receipts for stuff you bought in PA that you paid taxes for, but be discerning about the stuff you bought out of state (because you'll have to write out a check for that). You just want to show that you didn't pay only $500 for a complete car, when all was said & done. But, to be safe, keep ALL of your receipts.
     
  25. oldspwr
    Joined: Feb 21, 2007
    Posts: 265

    oldspwr
    Member

    This is all good info... I have an appointment tomorrow morning to get my buddies '46 Chevy truck inspected (enhanced inspection) in Scranton.

    Here's a question... the truck was already done when we bought it. So I won't have any receipts to turn it... now what happens?

    Tom
     
  26. Graystoke
    Joined: Mar 23, 2010
    Posts: 437

    Graystoke
    Member

    You'll need a Bill of Sale and photos of all sides of the vehicle when you bought it. Then you'll pay PA Sales Tax on the the sale price.:( That's what it's really all about anyway....TAXES! The purpose of wanting receipts is to collect all the tax on parts that may have been purchased from other states (mail order, etc.) with no taxes paid.
     
  27. baspinall
    Joined: Dec 8, 2009
    Posts: 447

    baspinall
    Member
    from SE PA

    Is there somewhere online that you can view just what a "enhanced inspection" involves/covers? I'll be going down the bumpy road as well. Didn't see it anywhere.
     
  28. baspinall
    Joined: Dec 8, 2009
    Posts: 447

    baspinall
    Member
    from SE PA

  29. duffy.
    Joined: Jun 16, 2009
    Posts: 78

    duffy.
    Member

    I have a buddy that lives in bethlehem & drove his hoodless & fenderless 30 5w all year round with reg. Plates & never got hassled. But i must say bethlehem cops seem to be pretty cool about stuff like that.
     
  30. i think it all depends on the cop and whether or not your out raising hell... my car hasn't been on the road too long, but the only problem i had was a cop was following me and i actually had a problem with my steering and i was just trying to make it home. well he saw me "swerving" and thought i was drinking. once pulled over, he realized i wasn't drinking and told me to be careful and that my car was cool. in the state of pa, there isn't too many things legal in my car...below is a pic
    [​IMG]
     

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