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How lenient would cops be to us hot rodders with open headers?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by luvzccr, Aug 14, 2008.

  1. luvzccr
    Joined: Dec 10, 2006
    Posts: 668

    luvzccr
    Member

    i know for a fact that all these stupid imported ricer cars with huge *** muffler tips and all that gay stuff would piss a cop off more if they had open headers, compared to us with the older cooler american made cars.

    but i need to wait till my paycheck which is next thursday so i can afford an exhaust system on my 58 fairlane. right now its open headers and its loud. not that loud *** 'WHOMP WHOMP WHOMP' ricer loud, no.... the low deep rumble loud, the GOOD loud.

    i mean, sure, its illegal to run the open headers. but im sure there's cops out there who get a kick out of our older rides. has anyone ever really gotten away with open headers by a cop before? just courious, dumb question... maybe, but never hurts to ask ;)
     
  2. zgears
    Joined: Nov 29, 2003
    Posts: 1,576

    zgears
    Member

    I have a xreox of the state laws regarding "street rods" , I plan on keeping my the car.
     
  3. pan-dragger
    Joined: Sep 13, 2006
    Posts: 3,186

    pan-dragger
    Member

    been runnin open headers on my T for the last couple years, never had a problem.
     
  4. 29SX276
    Joined: Oct 19, 2003
    Posts: 469

    29SX276
    Member

    Depends on the mood of the cop who pulls you over,were you being a jerk and did you have your foot in it? What's the town's bylaw on this,quota system for tickets? Lots of variables here.....drive sensibly and they'll probably leave 'ya be.
     
  5. BigChief
    Joined: Jan 14, 2003
    Posts: 2,084

    BigChief
    Member

    Drove my friends open zoomie equipped Desoto hemi powered '34 sedan from Cleveland to Jamestown Indiana without even being noticed by the fuzz. From Rochester to Jamestown and back (1500 miles) we didn't even get a second look from the cops....and there were plenty out there. He drives this car around here all the time without much issues either.

    I'd argue to the cop/judge that when you start seeing 300lb bikers from the Local 81 lined up paying for noise tickets due to open pipes on their HOGS then you'll also step up pay the fine as well. Until then demand equal leniency and equivalent 'interpretation' of the law as they give bikers.

    -Bigchief.
     
  6. BinderRod
    Joined: Jul 9, 2006
    Posts: 1,737

    BinderRod
    Member

    I ran with my headers open most of last summer. When you see a cop just back it down. The guys with Harleys run open exhaust so I don't see much differance.
     
  7. Fraz
    Joined: Mar 3, 2001
    Posts: 1,818

    Fraz
    Member
    from Dixon, MO

    Have straight pipes on my 60 Buick. Only been pulled over once for "noise ordinance violation." 11:30 at night, cop and I at stoplight, I step on it like I normally did to get goin, lights me up, got a "fixit" ticket.

    Long story short. Called police station. The noise ordinance is for car stereo's only, not exhaust. Also, I was on main thoroughfare of town so I was exempt from the ordinance anyway. Lady officer on the phone asked me who gave me the ticket. Told her, she laughed, said "Don't worry about it." The cop that pulled me over had bad case of "bad*** with a badge" syndrome. He since has been fired for harr***ment charges.
     
  8. Fontucky Slim
    Joined: Aug 6, 2008
    Posts: 86

    Fontucky Slim
    Member

    It also depends on the city, out here in California Huntington Beach will pull you over. Never seen it done for a rod, but bikes get pulled alot for loud pipes.
     
  9. stude_trucks
    Joined: Sep 13, 2007
    Posts: 4,752

    stude_trucks
    Member

    Don't be *** about it and annoy the **** out of your neighbors at 12 midnight, etc. Be friendly, honest and cool if you do get pulled over and you probably won't have much problems regardless.
     
  10. luvzccr
    Joined: Dec 10, 2006
    Posts: 668

    luvzccr
    Member

    haha i liked the comparison to harley's... good point. i dont really have a lead foot, its just that it sounds so much better with open headers i think... its gonna diminish that sound when i get an exhaust put on... i could ask if i could have it where i can unbolt maybe, not sure. but yea, sounds like most of you have gotten away with it, pretty cool :) cuz i had a co-worker who drives an 88 mustang with open headers get 3 tickets for open headers haha
     
  11. publicenemy1925
    Joined: Feb 4, 2007
    Posts: 3,187

    publicenemy1925
    Member
    from OKC, OK

    Open headers should stay at the track. My fair city has enough noise problems from stereos to drag pipes on harleys to jets overhead.
     
  12. Slag Kustom
    Joined: May 10, 2004
    Posts: 4,312

    Slag Kustom
    Member

    it all depends on the car. a 72 nova with a brown door and red fender will get open header tickets all day long.

    a 30's hot rod with shinny paint with open headers will get the thumbs up from the cops.
     
    1965_Ford likes this.
  13. Maybe it's just me but I think open exhausts belong on the race track . There's enough noise pollution out there today without us adding to it . My Poncho powered Studebaker truck ain't super quiet ( I set off car alarms frequently) but it has legal series 70 Flowmasters . I'm annoyed when all those Harley posers run around with no mufflers . I think truly it is wiser for all of us to be considerate of others lest we suffer the slings and arrows of unfortunate legislation or enforcement . If you drive by the mayor or police chief in your town and piss him off ....you know whar comes next . Just because we can doesn't mean we should.
     
  14. Saxon
    Joined: Aug 9, 2008
    Posts: 2,155

    Saxon
    Member
    from MN

    I didn't have a welder then, so I took the 38 truck down to a local shop to throw some quick pipes on it, the frickin guy at the shop called a cop to come by and "check me out". I had a gravity gas tank in the cab. with a hose running through a busted windshield, and no lights. (I was only 6 blocks from my place). The cop was an old detective dude and was thrilled to see my 38. He hung out till the job was done and I drove off with him waving at me. Maybe it's the luck of the draw.


    All the above + is fixed now but I'm still running the 3 ft straight dual pipes on a flathead with fenton headers. I did shove a couple 3 inch harley baffles in the pipes but it didn't do alot. No problems.
     
  15. Goztrider
    Joined: Feb 17, 2007
    Posts: 3,066

    Goztrider
    Member
    from Tulsa, OK

    They still got the AWACS there at Tinker? ****, by regulation, they're supposed to have one of those in the air at all times. Or at least it used to be that way.
     
  16. GassersGarage
    Joined: Jul 1, 2007
    Posts: 4,726

    GassersGarage
    Member

    Was in court once and a guy used the excuse that other people have open pipes and they don't get tickets. The Judge said, "They can't catch everyone, but the caught you! Guilty!!!".

    In California, there are 2 different violations. One is defective muffler which is a fix-it ticket. The other is modified exhaust which is a fix-it and a fine. Also, if you're caught again for the same violation, it's failure to comply. That's a fine and 1 point on your record.
     
  17. Tony
    Joined: Dec 3, 2002
    Posts: 7,351

    Tony
    Member

    A lot also depends on what they are connected to. The 34 sedan Big Chief was talking about is to a stock 331 Desoto HEMI..Don't get me wrong, it's still loud, but it would be a whole new LOUD if they were connected to a motor that had some steam to it..
    A fairly stock motor with open pipe's can be managed by the right foot for the most part. Letting off or taking it easy on the "go" pedal makes a huge difference in what it sounds like.
    Around here, they will ticket you for loud exhaust..and i'm not talking about open exhaust, i mean just loud..Not always, but i know it happens..
    For the short time you will run it open, just drive it and be sensible.
     
  18. dirty petcock
    Joined: Oct 9, 2005
    Posts: 288

    dirty petcock
    Member

    I have a friend thats a cop and he gives out Exhaust tickets like it's his job... The funny thing is that he drives a 9 sec. Toyota Supra that has 4" open Exhaust. He is my long time friend, but he is a douchbag.. Even if he just writes em' to kids in Honda's. haha.
     
  19. Verbal Kint
    Joined: Aug 4, 2004
    Posts: 3,221

    Verbal Kint
    Member
    from Washington

    I used to "bog" my mustang which had cut outs, I would upshift and lug the car when I saw the local law. Never got stopped (for exhaust) and I grew up in a quiet little catholic neighborhood in Seattle where they frowned on that behavior.

    s.
     
  20. autobilly
    Joined: May 23, 2007
    Posts: 3,473

    autobilly
    Member

    I ran 2" straight thru pipes on my Harley bobber (daily ride) for years. I got pulled over by a Cop once, all he wanted was to get a closer look at the cycle.
     
  21. Scrap Iron
    Joined: Jun 7, 2006
    Posts: 658

    Scrap Iron
    Member
    from Mesa, AZ

     
    Last edited: Aug 14, 2008
  22. Dirty2
    Joined: Jun 13, 2004
    Posts: 8,902

    Dirty2
    Member

    Ask The Shocker here on the HAMB , He went to jail !
     
  23. 29bowtie
    Joined: Nov 14, 2006
    Posts: 5,234

    29bowtie
    Member

    Some locations get you by requiring all gasoline engines must have a "spark arrestor"on the exhaust (think off road bikes). Had any wild fires in California lately? :eek:
     
  24. Kirk Hanning
    Joined: Feb 27, 2005
    Posts: 1,605

    Kirk Hanning
    Member

    I got pulld over just 2 nights ago with my open lake pipes only haveing "small" baffles in them. Of course it was 12:30 in the morning and the cop was going the other way and turned around. As soon as he seen what kind of vehicle it was he backed right down and said "have a good night". Moral of the story drive sensibly and it shouldn't be an issue.
     
  25. famous59
    Joined: Oct 4, 2003
    Posts: 628

    famous59
    Member
    from dallas, tx

    fuk it, open 'em up...
     
  26. AlbuqF-1
    Joined: Mar 2, 2006
    Posts: 909

    AlbuqF-1
    Member
    from NM

    Most cars (and bikes) sound better with some kind of muffler...
     
  27. Zombilly
    Joined: Sep 5, 2006
    Posts: 351

    Zombilly
    Member

    Me and my friends run straight pipes here in the I.E.; nobody's been pulled over; knock on wood.
     
  28. publicenemy1925
    Joined: Feb 4, 2007
    Posts: 3,187

    publicenemy1925
    Member
    from OKC, OK

    Always one up, flying around.
     
  29. Truckedup
    Joined: Jul 25, 2006
    Posts: 4,660

    Truckedup
    Member

    Around here I think it's a law that all Harley's must have open pipes.Some sound crisp, some sound like a Toro with no muffler.
    The public makes no distinction between a nice rod with open pipes or a junker with a rotted exhaust or a loud Ricer.Then we all wonder why more laws are p***ed against modified vehicles.
    A well done exhaust using modern hi flow mufflers will not limit performance and will tone down the sound enough so people don't get upset.
     
  30. Bigchuck
    Joined: Oct 23, 2007
    Posts: 1,161

    Bigchuck
    Member
    from Austin, TX

    There is justice in this world. ***hole cope like that give good cops a bad name. He is now probably a bus driver with a gun working security at the local bingo hall.
     

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