Blue dots that is. Just got a call from the notary where I sent in my application for street rod plates. I already went through the enhanced inspection and he didn't say anything about them being a problem, now three weeks after sending in my pictures etc I get a call saying my car was rejected for having blue dot tail lights. Just a heads up for my fellow Pennsylvanians.
Pa Dept of Trans uses the same logic as the FAA when it comes to Private Pilots...Were not happy unless your not happy. Enhanced inspection supposed to be the "its ok" check.
They are illegal in many states, but like many aspects of older cars, cops overlook things if you dont drive like a maroon.
Legal or not, you won't get antique plates with anything non stock. Photoshop picts. If you need help send 'em to me. Stupid rules!
Yeah You have to get a reconstructed title to be able to get Streetrod plates and that is the only way you can legally run w/o bumpers, fenders or a hood in Pa. I just ordered a set of plain red lenses and will put them on for the official picture I send to them. What a PIA.
I'd just photoshop the pic. Worked with the windshield of someone I know. The inspector said it was too dark. Well actually he said it looked too dark in the pic. No cop would ever stop or ticket for it. It was supposed to be a legal replacement tint. PennDOT required a light transmittance test if it looked tinted in the pic. For some reason aftermarket glass was failing even if to the eye it looked OK. PennDOT would refuse. Photoshopped it. Passed. Bill
Here in Pa if its not clear glass they will refuse you application. Blue dots will get it refused every time. Also if your running a hood none of the motor can stick through it. Also in Pa if it is refused tree times. They can make you start from square one. Good old Pa all they want is your money. They also check for recipes for every nut and bolt you put on the car. If there are no recipes or paid the tax on the recipes they will turn you down. Now even bring a car into this state with street rod title or reconstructed titles they will make you go through the inspection and application again. The only difference is you done need recipe for the parts. Yes they have someone in Harrisburg looking at all of the pictures. My chopper just got rejected for to small of tail light. It got through the local inhanced inspection and application. but I got a letter from Harrisburg saying the tail light is not dot approved because it is to small. Now I have to mount a new light and also need the recipe for it. Take pictures and send them in. I been running a car with out fenders, hood and bumpers for four years with regular plates. Have not had a issues yet.
PA has loosened up a lot in the last few years. When I bought my T project, 2000, I was told that it would NEVER, the guy that told me was emphatic, be licensed in PA. 5 years later I had 1 refusal for not paying enough sales tax. Long story and I do think I was ripped off but for $90 more it was worth it to get the license. 5 1/2 weeks or so from 1st application to plate in hand with that 1 refusal. This was before the enhanced inspection process. Hope this isn't hijacking the thread!
Exactly. Get your tag and put the other lenses back on. When you get stopped just say "Oh Gee officer I didn't know, it was like this when I had my enhanced inspection." Then look a little perplexed Of course your other option is to just jump out and dump out a can of whup a_s on him. But that usually doesn't work.
Tell them those were just stickers and you will take them off immediately. Then send in new photoshopped photos! Seriously, good luck!
Don't complain, they got to find something, it sounds like you got off easy. Be thankful that is all they picked up. It took me about 3 months and several phone calls to get my title and plate.
The guy that did the enhanced inspection said he has had street rods rejected for tinted windows, and not having an outside gas cap. He said if they don't see it they reject it. I don't know why he didn't say anything about my blue dots. I'm gonna call him and give him a heads up on that one just in case. I'm pretty sure I have all the other reasons for rejecting my car covered but who knows. I guess I'll find out when I send in the new pics.
The problem with regular plates is you need fenders, bumpers, hood. With a Street Rod license you don't need that. My understanding is once you modify it, 1948 and earlier, you need a Street Rod plate to be legal. Of course I've seen many hot rods running around with standard plates. The only problem MAY come is should you get pulled over.
Outside gas cap? WTF? Coupe I am building will have gas cap inside the trunk where the tank is, vent tube to the outside (or maybe near the driver's seat where I can suck on it!). Outside gas cap? WTF?
Yes good Ole Pa is a real treat when it comes to street rods and hotrods ! They love them ! I was also told that if you have no hood you must have the fan covered or have an electric fan . You can't have a fuel cell or Beer keg tank in the back bed of a p/u ! BUT you see all these construction and farmers with those huge fuel cells in the back of their p/u all the time and they all pass inspection every year ! So you ask why can't we do that . Well it has to have a cover over the top & sides of the tank according to the enhanced inspectors ! There are so many stupid ass rules that are suppose to be gone over at the enhanced inspection station . I was told by many hot rodders to have you local senator or house of representatives take the paper work over for you . They seem to get everything through much faster . Now I am building a 37 Plymouth p/u . Can anyone tell me if there is a rule book I can buy so I can get the BS done ? I know they are mostly looking for safety issues but I am sure there is a ton more I will have to do . I looked on the Pa. web site but that was a joke trying to figure anything out from there . I can use all the help I can before I start the build . Seems like everyone knows the rules but no one has an idea what rules to use ! I would just do the changes after you get the tags ! Then just don't ask for trouble from the local town clowns ! Most of them only get on people with open headers or very loud exhaust . Retro Jim
So what's the procedure for improper equipment tickets? Can you just show them you fixed the problem and get it dismissed? Or do you need to get a third party (like a cop or a vehicle inspector) to sign off that you fixed it? Or do you just have to pay regardless.
I have a spun aluminum tank in my trunk and a fake filler on the outside. I also run regular PA tags with no hood or fenders ETC.. Haven't been stopped in my latest hot rod yet, but I know it's coming. Just look confused and apologetic, then wait to hear what the officer has concerns with, then, have a good story to tell them. So far I have told "The Tudor story", a gripping tale of a farmer's special car. I have told the "Master Coupe story", different farmer, basically the same story. I have said nothing, which is probably the best story of all... but claiming stupidity is easy for me...I have the face for it. Spike
I only went through all the legal hassle this time for peace of mind. I have had cars in the past with regular plates, no sticker and no fenders or hood etc. Passed many cops on the road and never any problem. In fact one time at a gas station a state trooper pulled up to the pump across from me. At that time I had a T Bucket with no fenders etc but Pa had just lightened up the rules to allow no fenders etc on street rods. He complimented the car and asked if any one ever gave me any problems running w/o fenders. I told him about the rules changes and he said he wasn't aware of it. That was a few years ago so maybe things have changed but seems like the cops don't concern themselves with pulling over streetrods unless you do something stupid. So just in case I do something stupid I want to be legal.
As for the rules. It is pretty much up to the enhanced inspection station. All Harrisburg does is look at the pictures and the receipts for the taxes. The enhance inspection station does the inspection and makes sure all of your paper work is in order. Then take everything to the notary were you pay all the fees and taxes that have not been paid yet. Then they sent off to Harrsiburg. Best thing to do is go to one enhanced station ask questions and stick with them to the end. become good friends with the guy. You will get different answers from different stations. "I know someone" who built a car left the title open ( Out Of State title) until he wanted to register it. Told the enhanced station he bought it that way. No receipts and it went right through.
The suggestion above to take the paperwork to a local state rep is the way to go. At least it was for me. I sent the paperwork through a local state rep. About 4 weeks or so later I got a refusal, more sales tax needed to be paid. That day, a Friday, I sent the paperwork back to Harrisburg with the extra tax. However, I had misread the note attached. It said to send back to the Harrisburg office. I assumed PennDOT. I was supposed to send the package to the state reps Harrisburg office. I called the state reps office on Monday to tell them of my mistake. The secretary said that was too bad because she meant to send it back to her. She added that she couldn't do much once PennDOT had it. However she would make a call. I got a call the next day, Tuesday. She had my plate in her hand was putting it in the mail. I got in Friday. Definitely go through a local representative!! I also sent her some flowers. Bill
Turkeyjerk's T bucket just got rejected because he doesn't have an outside filler neck and the tank is in the 20" long bed, considered a cargo area by PA DMV. With the tank and battery back there, there's not enough room to slide a pack of smokes in there. They're worried we were going to haul cargo around in his T that might puncture the tank. Yeah, we're gonna go down to home depot and pick up a load of cinderblocks in his hot rod T roadster pickup! WTF? Also, getting rejected for the street rod plates is a big pain in the ass, much worse than just switching the lenses around. You have to haul the car back to the enhanced inspection station just so they can take pics of the corrected item(s) to send to Harrisburg... And then... you wait... again.... Kind of annoying when you've already been waiting weeks for them just to look at it. And when the car is sitting in your garage ready to enjoy...
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