Getting ready to wire up the roadster and I don't currently have turn signals. The car is registered as a Specially Constructed Vehicle (SPCNS). Many hoops to jump through but I have all bases covered except turn signals. And yes, I know turn signals would be a really good idea but I don't have them right now. '27 Ford's didn't have them originally, they used hand signals. In a couple of months I'll have to visit CHP, DMV, BAR and an official brake and light inspection station. This from: CHP 892 Equipment Requirements For Specially Constructed Vehicles. A lamp-type turn signal system is required on motor vehicles first registered after Jan 1, 1958. A lamp-type turn signal system is required regardless of registration date or vehicle width when the hand arm signal would not be visible both to the front and rear of the vehicle. As a fenderless roadster with no top, hand/arm signals would be easily visible to both the front and rear. However, CHP only ***igns the VIN. It's the local brake and light inspection station that may flag me for the turn signals. Anyone know what regulations an official B&L shop would reference? Also, comments from anyone with any real world experience dealing with the Calilfornia bureaucracies would be greatly appreciated!
Thing is, even if not required...do you want to be driving in traffic with one brake light, and no turn signals? Do you honestly think the person behind you has a clue about arm signals?
In LA the year in which the SCV ***le is awarded is the year of the car. If I build a '27 and got a ***le tomorrow. It will be ***led as a 2017 and must meet everything a 2017 car must meet.
stick your arm out to make a left turn, and the person behind you will look to see what youre pointing at and rearend you.
Here it is my friend and please note the SMOG cert.needed https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/?1dmy&urile=wcm:path:/dmv_content_en/dmv/vr/checklists/special_con
If it's fenderless it better weigh 1500 lbs or less. If not put fenders on and remove them later. You will have to meet 2017 smog requirements also...that means a computer controlled engine.
If the car came with them from the factory, they must be present, and you must use them If you installed them, you must use them. If the car is not equipped with them, you must hand signal. I doubt that anyone knows what a hand signal is. Last time I signaled right, two people waved back. Install them, and use them The life you save could be your own.
I've followed a buddy who ran one dim ***ed tail light because that was "what they had originally" damn near ran over his *** a coupe of times. I usually ran behind him to keep his dumb *** from being run over by someone who didn't see the thing or what amount of brake light he had. He was hard headed as hell about until I switched rigs with him one night and drove his car while he drove my truck. After that he had two tail lights you could see day or night and turn signals because he couldn't see my sunburned arm sticking out at night when I signaled a turn that he knew we were going to make. Just remember that that soccer mom behind you with the five kids jumping up and down belted in or no probably is expecting to see two real brake lights when you hit the brakes and turn signals because if you stick your hand out to signal a turn she think you are drying your nails the way she does. Add to that, when you do get the car done have a buddy drive it in both daylight and at night with you following at various distances so you can damn well see what your lights look like and how they show up. A stater pulled me over one night when I was in my 71 GMC with stock lights and lenses and told me my tail lights were too dim. Went home and parked and walked out my 400 ft driveway and half way out you coudn't make out the ******** lights. Pulled the lenses the next morning and cleaned up the reflectors and painted them icebox white and put in the brighter bulbs that replace the 1157 and now you can see the tail lights from over a half mile away at night.
Worse yet, the texting teenager in mom's Mini Cooper has never seen a car that does not have THREE brake lights, let alone, two, or even one. Just think of what she would make of your arm over the door. Maybe you will get to meet the one who shortened my Falcon by 4"
First time I towed my sailboat on the trailer after buying it I had one of those in a Honda Civic three feet behind the rudder of the boat and maybe closer because she could see around the keel and didn't understand how close she was. If I had locked up the brakes she would have run into a 1500 lb concrete wedge as the keel if filled with concrete and the boat sits high enough that I could see past it with the inside mirror in my Cadillac when I towed it with it. Idiots are out there and they usually run over us.
To address a few comments: Rear taillights are good. '39 Ford style LED's and a 23 LED 3rd light bar mounted on the rollbar. Car weighs a little over 1500 lbs. Temp fenders will be installed. No smog required. Car is ***led under SB100 rule and will be smog cl***ified as a 1927 Ford. I was hoping someone who's been through the process with an older car would have some firsthand insight. I spoke to another 'T' owner at a swap/show that said I don't need 'em however, he bought his car already built. So again, no firsthand knowledge. I know I should have 'em. Maybe I'll break down and grab some motorcycle turn signals and mount 'em up front.
Old people (and I AM one) used to scare me to death. Now I much prefer dancing around them than meeting a texter on death highway. I think there needs to be mandatory prison time for convicted texters. They are premeditated murders in training.
I used to do the official brake and lamp inspections for a few years, but never did a special construction before (did lots of old cars but they were regular registration). I would think if you could find one that knew about old cars some what you'd be better off.....but most likely you'll need the turn signals on it. I know the ball is rolling already but the specialty construction registration is really not the way to go on an old car built in the traditional vein, it's geared more toward street rods like Boyd's. The law says what color the lights should be (front and rear), where they need to be placed, minimum distance from the ground (ALL lights). All the rest is really at the discretion of the person doing the tests. Before going down this road buy or print out the newest vehicle code book (I used to get on every few years) and do your homework. This way if any question or problems arise (and they will) you'll have the law to back you up. It's $16.00 https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/forms/adm/adm1b
Some reading: https://www.bar.ca.gov/Consumer/Referee/Specially_Constructed_Vehicles.html Starts at page 528 https://www.chp.ca.gov/ProtectiveServicesDivisionSite/Do***ents/2015 Vehicle Code.pdf
Why would you ever reg. as a SCV. It's a 27 so just go fill out a loss of ***le and get a new 27 ***le. Of course we all know you have had this car for many many many years and moved about 6 times and just lost the ***le, it's no where to be found so you need a new one. Plus when you SCV you have to come up with all the receipts so dmv can add up all the money then tax you in what you spent to build the car. AAA triple A is great on getting new ***les as they do all the dmv ******** for you. There are also ***le and vin verifiers that do it for a living so you can also find one of them.
My Crosley only had one tail/brake light at the rear..After driving it around for five years I found that people would look for signal lights regardless of what my hand/arm was doing out the window...So I added another tail ight and park/turn lights up front and a little 3rd brake in the rear window..Way better, period..
I live in Washington. People here do not know what hand signals are. As an example, I was being towed after a minor breakdown. The towing vehicle signaled to make a left turn into his driveway, I arm signaled the same from the towed car. The person following thought I was signalling him to p*** us and went flying by on the LEFT. I would suggest installing turn signals, and bright ones. Just my $.02.
The vehicle code will require the safety equipment to be functional if originally equiped, or when legislated. If your car is registered as a 1927, you do not need them. If it is registered as special construction it will need to meet the requirements of the year it was built. I believe turn signals were first required by law in 1958,but an not certain, its been a while. Best advice, go to the local library and check the vehicle code book yourself. I say put them on ASAP. There are 39 million people here, and maybe 100 good drivers
If you don't want a turn signal switch stalk on your column, just put the signals on a double throw momentary contact toggle switch. Push either direction to turn, let off it goes back to center.
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