Wisconsin HAMBers Attention!!! Hobyist title law change!!!!!

Just got off the phone with Sgt. Daniels of the Wisconsin State Patrol. He informed me that there has been a law change in regards to "street modified" vehicles and "reconstructed" vehicles. Basically, he told me that if a frame has been modified or strenthened to except a larger or newer motor that doesn't resemble the stock motor, the vehicle can't be registered as a "street modified" hobyist, it MUST BE REGISTERED AS A "RECONSTRUCTED" VEHICLE AND MUST CONFORM WITH ALL EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS OF THE PRESENT DAY.


Good luck.

 

So that means that a "street modified" vehicle is one that is not "modified". Sounds like they have the terms 'modified and reconstructed' mixed up. SEMA! Where are you when we need you!

 

I just called my state representative, her office is checking into any changes to trans 305. Her office said it could be a new interpritation of the law from a judge..............

 

Rustbelt,

Wait a minute.... according to the DMV and D.O.T. regulations that's ass -backwards... If it has a "non-original" motot that required more modification than a "bolt-in" replacement is by law HAS to be titled as a Street Modified. Only "kit cars" and "peice part rebuilds" can be titled as a reconstructed. I just got the lecture at the DMV a few weeks ago when I went to title mine. I had to title mine as a street modified, due to the 350 being installed into a 25 frame. Did he by chance reference anything (regulation wise) that we could look up OR show it to you in writing????? This guy must be shittin me!! If there was a law change, (which I doubt) then there has to be a "grandfather" clause somewhere. The state could expect 1000's of cars to be "rebuilt" to meet the new law, that would be nuts!

25Thobbyist.

 

I asked for more information, he couldn't give it to me. All he told me was that Officer Ken Koyer of the Medford Police Department just got back from a meeting in Madison regarding the titling of all street modified, reconstructed, replica, or salvage cars, and he would be the law enforcement officer performing my inspection as he knows all the "new rules".

I'm moving. Is there anyone in a hot rod friendly state looking for a good sales rep?????????????

 

From the Wisconsin statute website. http://nxt.legis.state.wi.us/nxt/ga...&fn=default.htm&vid=WI:Default&d=stats&jd=top


http://www.legis.state.wi.us/rsb/code/trans/trans305.pdf

 

I've been on the phone with Curt too. I'm not sure what the deal is, but we had better start making some noise. It sounds like it wasn't a law change, but a change in the way the troopers and police are interpriting it........

 

That's my look at it too. I just looked at trans305 this afternoon, and didn't see any reference to any annotations, changes, or anything else. Hey this is Wis. , and they suffer from the delusion that it's their call. We got one of those kind of smokies in Marinette county , too. Thinks this is his own little fiefdom. Locals are great here, but that state trooper is a S.O.B. ...........Ole Pork

 

the dmv still considers a car a "street mod." if it still looks like the year and MAKE, not model. So if the car is titled as a 1930 ford 2dr sedan, it can be modified to look like any 1930 ford model. However, Wisconsin law enforcement agencies think that removing the fenders, bumpers, hood and hood sides makes the car indistinguishable from other makes.

So the DMV and the State Patrol are at odds on the definition of a law. They're both in the executive branch of state government, which agency has the last word?

 

I have had LONG conversations with my local state trooper inspector when he comes by to inspect salvage vehicles. He told me point blank do not EVER try to title anything as reconstructed. You have to conform to all current laws and no way will anything pass inspection. If you title it as a 19XX Replica and it is older than about 1960, there are NO, yes ZERO laws on the books in WI to state what the car has to have in it. If it is older than 1970, there are VERY limited laws as well. No judge can enforce laws that are not there so if some asshole officer gives you a seatbelt ticket or ticket for no turn signals or whatever, it is not enforceable and you will win in court. This also means that there are no laws to say that a 1930 ford HAS to have fenders, mufflers, taillights or ANYTHING.
The trick in WI is that YOU have to TELL the DMV what you have. They can NOT tell you to title it in any specific way. This was CLEARLY stated to me by my state trouper inspector and it is very clear right in the law.....A vehicle shall beconsidered a replica or a street modified vehicle if it has been certified
by the owner to be a replica or a street modified vehicle for
purposes of registration under s. 341.268, Stats.


Here is the big reason that titling as a replica works....The vehicle equipment requirements for a replica vehicle shall be the same as the vehicle equipment requirements for a vehicle of the same type and model year as the vehicle used for purposes of the reproduction.
There is nowhere in the WI state statutues that states what the requirements are for vehicles before around 1960 and very limited before 1970. So when the judge, trouper or whomever says that you HAVE to have ANYTHING on your 1930 model A replica ...."Rat Rod"....tell show me where I have to HSVE anything...they will not be able to. Now keep in mind, I was told this DIRECTLY IN PERSON by the trouper who inspects vehicles for titles and who has been doing it for a LOT of years.
Now this doesn't mean that you will get a get a title for anything, for instance, if you build a dune buggy there were no dune buggies made by a auto maker, so you can't title it as a 1963 dune buggy replica and you also can not title it as a 1963 VW as it has been modified beyond a 1963 VW. But long as your vehicle still semi-resembles a A, T, 32 or whatever, your in.
Good luck to all.

 

I'm no expert on trans 305, but my understanding is that what you have to comply with also has to do with what type of liscense plates you're running, not just how your vehicle is titled.

Antique and Collector plates are for non-modified vehicles (of a certain age) and have some usage restrictions. Many rods seem to run the Collector plates in Wisconsin, but my understanding is that this isn't correct, if the vehicle is modified.

Hobbiest plates are for modified vehicles, but you need to comply with emissions, etc. for year of manufacture of the engine used.

Regular plates seem to be the most liberal in that you only have to meet year of manufacture requirements for the year of the vehicle. As stated earlier, there are no good definitions for older equipment, therefore you can slide by on a lot of things. Emissions, bumpers, fenders, tail lights, seat belts, etc. are difficult, if not impossible, to enforce on a pre 1960 vehicle. The downside to regular plates is that you have to pay for them every year. I've always run regular plates on my rods, and I've never had any hassles with the law, other than a few speeding tickets, but that's a different topic.

Someone "in the know" please correct me if I've mis-stated anything here.

Thanks,

Al, aka Evil Clown

 

evil clown,

emissions testing is only done in a few areas of the state. Not all cars, hobbyist or otherwise, need to make emissions.

25Thobbyist

 

Wisconsin "HOBBYIST" license plate DOES NOT exempt any vehicle from any Wisconsin vehicle equipment or emissions requirement, no matter what Wisconsin county that the vehicle is kept in or at.

 

evil clown,
first statement is totally incorrect
second statement is mostly correct
third statement is totaly incorrect
fourth statement is totally incorrect
read Wis. Administrative code 305 and Wis statute 347, all of it, couple times

 

Ok...

I know this is a old post... and I am probably bringing up old news or asking dumb questions.... but....

I am a long time VW enthusiast and just aquired my first dune buggy on a whim... its been a great project so far and its making Wintertime roll by... however... I have not faced the evils of the DMV here in Wisconsin and wonder what I am in for...

The previous owner had it registered simply as a 1972 VW Beetle... which of course it looks nothing like... and he reassured me that he had it titled that way for some time... but I am the pessimist... somehow I just know the moment I register it as such and drive down the road, I am going to be enjoy the thrill of party lights on the shoulder.

I am guessing that reading thru State 305 would be a good place to start... but does anyone know specifics on registering a adune buggy in Wiscosnin?????

I appreciate the help and info!

Cujo

 

I haven't looked into the laws too much yet, but I was hoping that because I have a clean title for my '33 Chevy pile-o-parts that I could just register it as such when it's done. Now that I look at the statutes, that probably won't be the case, as it will have a reinforced frame, V8 engine, and typical rod stuff.

 

Let sleeping dogs lie... keep it as is and deal with any problems later on. In this state if you TRY to fix things you may never be able to title that buggy again...

Be sure the vin # is displayed on the frame...

 

I've lived in Wisconsin all my life, no one has ever looked at any of my cars when I got them titled. I just walked into the DMV with a title with some signatures on it, paid the bill and walked out with a new title in my name. No reason you couldn't put collector plates or regular car plates on your Chevy when it's done.

 

I'm going to put regular plates on it and see what happens from there. Thanks for the info.

 

With a clean title, that should work OK, or a good start. I've got a pile-o-'32 ford PU parts w/o title, when together am I up the preverbial creek if I have no fenders, seatbelts etc.? I haven't looking into it yet, but would probably attempt to get a "reconstructed" title.

 

No. title it as a replica, and it only has to comply with the equipment laws of the year of vehicle you are copying.

 

jsut run the hobbyist plates, there are like 4 kinds..

ask the DMV person which ones dont require an inspection

ive never heard of ANYONE having a problem here!

 

Thanks, I was confussed between "reconstructed" and "replica", - I will title a replica 1932 Ford PU, when the time comes hopefully sooner than later!

 

If you aren't a member of SEMASAN........ you better join.......or get off of this thread!

 

isn't Wisconsin great

 

What are you the SEMASAN police?

 

I have never had anyone inspect any of my cars but then again I have always had a clean title and just sent mine in through the mail.

 

this thread is a year and a half old! There is NO "hobbyist title law" in Wisc! There is a "hobbyist" license plate in Wisc. Rustbelts problems were resolved. Knee jerk reactions and shooting from the mouth at hip level just spread bad info and misinformation. There are no exemptions from any vehicle equipment requirements with a "Hobbyist" plate. The vehicle laws are readily accessible on the internet, just as easily found as finding the HAMB.

 

To answer your stupid question.......YES.

 

There are no stupid questions!

you know the rest.....

Gary