Some of this doesn't sound right? How about posting exactly what make/model and what was done to better understand what is being discussed. Is there even a ***le as "Certified Automotive Engineer"? So they are an electrical, mechanical, fluid, etc engineer all rolled up into one? Wouldn't their inspector explain the reason why you would p*** or fail? No bashing I just think you need to get real info here.
I know it doesn't sound right but here is my situation. Im building a 36 ford pickup. Homemade from from 2x3 .120 wall tubing. All weld joints beveled and plated. Welded with .030 mig wire. During the process of my friend getting his car through the composite vehicle inpsection a ? was asked about homemade frames. Inspector said they needed to be signed off by an engineer. I emailed CT DMV and a DMV Sergeant replied stating that any homemade from must be inspected and signed off as being built to industry standards by a certified automotive engineer. As well as any welded modification made to a stock frame. I then asked where i could find a certified automotive engineer and was told to look online. Now if you goto the CT DMV website and download the composite vehicle guidelines there is no mention of this anywhere. But without spending alot of money on a lawyer how is one going to fight the dmv inspection process. Now i believe this is all just an issue of liability in case a car dmv p***es falls apart hurting someone
There is one other element to consider here regarding the DMV 'making up the rules". It depends on the wording in any legislation that created, or has been amended since creation, the DMV. Many government departments are granted "Regulatory Authority" to draft and implement the rules of their function as they see fit. The alternative is that the Statutes governing their function are p***ed by the Legislature and given to the department to administer accordingly. Big difference in the consequences of those two approaches. Hope that yours is the latter and the DMV is overstepping it's authority, but don't be surprised if it's the former. Best wishes, Ray
as long as you have good paper work/***le, register the truck in Maine, then register it in ct. you will only need a vin verification from the local emission station.
I do have an Automotive Engineering degree from a NY State school, does this count as certified, maybe not in CT though.
"Im building a 36 ford pickup. Homemade from from 2x3 .120 wall tubing. All weld joints beveled and plated. Welded with .030 mig wire. During the process of my friend getting his car through the composite vehicle inpsection a ? was asked about homemade frames. Inspector said they needed to be signed off by an engineer. " Buy a junk or roller 36 pickup with a good ***le and stock frame. Register the stock 36, get your plates then "upgrade to your 2x3 tube frame during the build. Might cost you less than hiring an engineer and ****ing around with the DMV and their goof ball employees. Hell, a huge % of Rodded Model A's are on aftermarket frames. Model T Rods are probably 90%+ non stock frames.
In Washington there is a stupid unenforceable law that you need a certified welder to do all welding, but there are so many different welding certs that the WSP said that they won't enforce it. My dad and I built a car when I was in high school and they gave him a hard time about it and wouldn't p*** it. He told them he would there every day they were open till they p***ed it and they relented. They were kindof ****s back then and they also inspected every car that came in from out of state for stolen. They were busy as Bremerton is a navy town. Now you usually wait a month for an inspection and if the out of state car is in your name they just transfer it. Jim Ford
Up here in Q'ld we don't require engineers to sign off however welds need to be inspected in raw unfinished state. In those other states south of the border you do. Us northerners are obviously smarter and better at what we do. The new National guidelines were based on Q'ld guidelines, this says something about how we do things up here. I like others have seen some abysmal welding as being good enough and I wouldn't place my safety or that of others including loved ones by driving anything substandard. Anyway when I did my car the powers to be said it must be RHD and not LHD so I politely requested that it been identified where this was articulated? They couldn't. I'd suggest going through the legislation etc and have CT DMV demonstrate what the criteria are and where the requirements are located. If they want it done correctly they should know what the policy is and where it can be located.
If all else fails, take it to another state, ***le it there, later on bring it home. Then its just a ***le transfer.
Ask them for the form that the engineer must complete and sign. Or where on any of the forms it provides for the write off. If they can't, you take that, the vehicle code and any new legislation as high up the ladder as you want until they realize they are mistaken. I did it here in ca on a more minor issue but I would not let it go. You can't argue with the letter of the law.
If it is actually required, it has to be written down somewhere. That is what these regulations are for, to do***ent requirements. If you have to deal with them, and they want to be *****s, you might have yourself a small problem. Know anyone in a more friendly state ?
I am a Stationary Engineer , put a flame and tea pot on it and say it is Steam Powered . I will gladly sign off to certify it for you ! Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
So you haven't actually been rejected by the safety inspector for the homemade ch***is? I started asking some people in CT that have registered their home built ch***is and I think what you've received is the "official written response" to that question. From what I've heard, they'll p*** the ch***is if it looks legitimate. Like you said, I think they're trying to keep the hack jobs off the road. Not to say that a "clean looking" ch***is is always structurally sound, or that the inspectors don't know what they're looking at, but they have p***ed homemade ch***is without requiring an Engineering authority.
I think we've all by now seen some really scary rides around. I believe in NY that you just have the NY State safety inspection and you're in. I do know that any structural repair work on cars in collision shops has to have someone from NY state to look at and approve.
Or it could be some dimwit with a little more power then common sense who hasn't a clue as to what he is saying. If it were me even if I was doing my own research I would contact SEMA and ask them about it.
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