We have been carrying an extended OTT conversation in the "How many PA Hamb are there" thread. Time for this discussion to go public. There seems to be a lot of disparity in the interpretation of the enhanced PA inspection/titling regs particularly concerning pickup bed tanks and wiper regs. Who has access to the regs or at least really knows what the current situation is?
I'm in Stowe,Pa just outside of Pottstown. From what I'm seein' around here the inspection guys are takin' the laws differently. One guy that I talked to when this first started said that he was goin' to print out the info for folks to have before they brought their cars in. I'll check with him in the next couple of days. Lots of gray area... Smokey
Oh its gray alright. All I know is you have to have wipers, bumpers, fenders. Yes the wipers work. The remainder of the Vehicle code should still apply, tires, brakes, shocks on each wheel, safety glass, horn workable brake lights and running lights. Where it gets weird, is if your a county with emissions. Until I got streetrod plates for my 39 chevy, they had emissions testing on my registration card. Even though I thought pre 70 vehichles were exempt. The one station use to sticker it for emissions anyway. Lets face it, the Commonwealth has is head up its collective rear when it comes to old cars.
Ken 1939, Since PA adopted the SEMA recommended regs yopu no longer need fenders, bumpers. and a ton of other stuff in PA on pre '48, Street Rod titled cars. I've actually had PA licencesed inspectioin mechanics argue with me that this is not true.
Her is some stuff . On page 16 it mentions "subchapter K" Street rods. I'm lookin' for that now http://www.dmv.state.pa.us/pdotforms/inspections/enhanced_si_guide.pdf Smokey
http://www.pacode.com/secure/data/067/chapter175/s175.220.html Here we go... we have a fender size rule and a bumper height rule but, "we don't need no stinkin' bumpers." This is the first time that I saw the no less than 5" front tires and no more than 9" rear tire stuff. Smokey
pa really sucks when it comes to older cars. like someone mentioned above. lots of gray areas here. i suppose you could say that the STREET ROD tag is the best way to go for most of us. but there are still plenty of things that are required for that. signals, wipers, i believe you need at least a spreader bar for a bumper, etc... you don't need a hood or fenders though which is pretty much what that tag was designed for. if you get a antique or classic tag the car is suppose to be in stock driving condition. no hemi's, no chopped roofs, no fun allowed. and don't forget the limit on driven miles per year. or you could try one of those other tags such as 'special construction' or 'collectible' or you could do what most of us do and get a regular tag and no inspection. damn the man and his long arm of the law!
for the ones not 'stock' like the chopped tops and all mentioned there is a 'custom' tag. i have a 73 vw fiberglass dune buggy that is titled a vw. regular plates. emissions exempt. anything prior to 74. i went back and forth with a shop for 4 months when i originally was trying to get it to pass. finally he said it needed doors! WTF?! so i took it somewhere else, about 2 miles away...they called the same state liason (who they talk to when they have questions) and passed it no problem. again.. WTF?! so i take it there every year. point being- find yourself a friendly shop. they are out there.
It's nice to ride and not have to look over your shoulder all the time. Actually it seems PA rules have gotton more civil in the last few years. Some of my friends from W. Virginia actually are trying to reg their cars in Pa to beat their rules. I don't think Pa SR plates have a mileage restriction although some insurance companies do. Not Taylor. Remember it was only a few years ago there was no way to run legally in PA without a hood , fenders or bumpers. I remember PA troopers tagging guys outside the rear gates at York for no hoods. Thankfully those days are gone. I worry that the new environmentally friendly administration in DC may attempt to close the noose. We all need to belong to SEMA network and become good friends with Nancy Pulosi's E mail.
Well I may have been dated on the bumper thing, but I would like to see someone with a highboy in PA without crossed fingers. As for the ellusive Streetrod Plate. The only way I got mine was to submit all reciepts and detailed explanation of what was done to the car. I had a freind build a 37 plastic cabriolet a few years back and they kept rejecting his tinted glass. His glass wasnt tinted. However, if I walk in and want a regular plate, there is no hassel. Yes PA is not rodder freindly.
As for safty equiptment, wipers, turn signals, lights, brakes, steering etc., my wife rides in my 80 year old car. I'm glad they at least are looking out for her safty if not mine. I know I'm kicking a bee hive here, but I have seen some uninspected cars at some runs with no front brakes, kids in the cars with no floors, gas tanks in the interior and some really scary chassis work that is coming toward me on the street at 70 MPH. Talk about shit for brains. Every time one of these things is in an accident it hits the papers decreeing the dangers of "hot rodding". We went this route in Allentown just last year. Sooner or later the wrong person is going to be involved and we'll wish we had the current regs. Just my soapbox.
Ken 1939, I'm not saying PA is a bowl of cherries but ask someone who has titled a car in California, the home of hot rodding and its way worse than PA, plus it costs a lot more than PA. It would be real nice if they would just let us title anything but, (SEE REPLY ABOVE), some idiot would be running with no brakes. I know of one car right now with only rear brakes controlled by a lever outside the car. Sorry, not good for any of us. I don't need some polititian taking my car away because his nephew got run over at a bus stop by someone this irresponsible. And don't think it can't happen. Just look at the freedoms we have lost in the past few years.
I have to agree. I guess I should knock on wood. I drive my T aound and have never had a problem. Cops wave Hi. I guess they could mean to pull over though! I had no trouble with inspection and no REAL trouble with Harrisburg. 1 refusal for SALES TAX. A complicated story but I didn't argue for the $90. I wanted the car on the road. I titled mine before the 'enhanced inspection' but easy. Good records, set up a spreadsheet detailing costs. I had receipts for everything I included in the spreadsheet. Followed the rules for equipment, should have most of it anyway. 5 1/2 weeks including the refusal. And yes the floor is cut out of the bed. With a T-bucket it doesn't really matter anyway. Bill
I've had my t-bucket on the road for 4 years now, never been stopped, never drive with crossed fingers. My bucket wasn't even legal when I started driving it, had State Troppers give me the thumbs up more than once. Had a local policeman sitting beside me at a traffic light want me to do a burn out. I think the biggest problem is the drivers, if you act like your legal they won't mess with you. I think the crossed fingers give it away. JJibs
The Street rod plate for pre 48 is the way to go in Pa. I know some people will argue but it allows you to legally modify your rod. its $36 a year and no mileage limit. Every one should build a safe car. I don't know why the big negative against it. Ago
Again I agree. About 2 months after I bought my T project. I went to a local car club meeting. I asked about titling and had someone who supposedly knew the regs tell me I WOULD NEVER get that thing licensed in PA. A couple years later the new laws were in and I licensed easily. The laws aren't that tough. Bill
I agree, The cops just give you the thumbs up and never a hassle. I'm sure the kid in a lowered Honda has it much worse. The only time I've interacted with the police, (knock on wood), is when a state trooper followed me home. He stopped in the street in front of my house and apologized if he alarmed me on the way into my driveway. He was interested in how I set my front end set up because his did'nt look as good. Nice guy. Still drops by the shop on occasion.
Koz, Thanks for startin' this thread. I think that the PA street rod laws are pretty good. The problem is the interpretation and lack of info about the regulations. The fuel tank part is the one that concerns me for my build. I dont want my 34 coupe tank in the stock location with just the speader bar behind it. I want it in the trunk. I explained what I want to do to one enhanced inspector and it is a good idea and OK with him but,the other one I asked said no. I feel that my idea is real safe. I don't want hassles later though. Smokey
Basically what the enhanced inspection has done is put the liabilty burden on the inspection mechanic, not the state. Most of my friends that are inspection mechanic have no interest in the enhanced program.
How many of you have the fuel tank in the trunk with no outside fill? I was told that this is no longer allowed. If so, this will be a big deal for me, and probably very many others with a coupe, who have to open their trunk to fill the tank.
well, we're not talking street rod here, but i have seen several buggys pass inspection with no problem with the spun tank mounted on the back seat shelf. no outside fill.
My understanding as well. The fill must be outside the body. Once again I have seen no regs as to this ruling. Amazing how much of this stuff is left to the interpretation of the inspection mechanic.
I am glad they give you the thumbs up. Inspection mechanics around me wont touch streetrods. I have nothing against the Streetrod Plate. The idea is sound, we all want safe cars on the road no doubt. I just dont have the same easy luck with the commonwealth in my world I guess when it comes to these matters. Could be why I havent bothered to even drive my 39 in the past 6 years. And as for living in California, I have one word of advice, move to Washington State.
I'll start by saying even though I now live in NY, I am still currently a licensed PA inspection mechanic. I have registered a fenderless, hoodless, bumperless, hot rod in PA and went through the enhanced inspection process. There were some bumps along the way, but it's not impossible and unless you're trying to register a total rustbucket r@#rod POS, it's probably easier than you think. Like I mentioned over on the "PA Hamb" thread, I think the biggest problem is that the regulations are full of gray areas and, at times, contradictory. There are also obvious loopholes in many instances. The best plan of attack is to find a mechanic who "gets it", understands the application process, and will make sure your car is safe without giving you headaches over stupid shit. Sometimes that can be hard to find because of the penalties he may face over letting something out of his shop that gets some "unwanted attention". But, let's face it, I don't think most cops these days are looking to bust some rowdy hotrodders in their jalopies. That is, unless you give them good reason to by driving like a dickhead. As an example, I have a friend in my hometown in PA that's been regularly driving a fenderless deuce roadster for 15 years with regular tags and no inspection sticker. He never gets hassled because the car isn't a pile and he drives sensibly. He was always ribbing me about my truck not being on the road yet because I was waiting for my street rod tags. I'm glad I followed through with it and I could have peace of mind knowing that my car was legal and I wouldn't be wondering when I would get that first ticket. Anyhow, I guess my main point is, just because jimbob larryjoe says it's not legal doesn't make it so. Especially if it's something that's not a detrimental safety issue. You could try and hash out what will pass and what won't for years and it will never be conclusive because the final decision is in the hands of the individual inspection mechanic and whether the DMV likes what they see in your application photos. Or, like in my case, whether they think you paid enough taxes on the components used in your build. I'm inclined to believe that they're much more worried about their tax revenue than any safety issue. Again, bottom line is find a good mechanic... That's all.
I would guess most of those with inside the trunk tanks won't admit to it in case the government monitors the HAMB. Not being paranoid or anything.
what happened to the proposed legislation by state rep Dan Surra, D-elk/clearfield. there was a news release by his office july 11 i guess this year. Surra wants to make PA inspection law friendlier to custom car enthusiasts. Surra's legislation would create a "show car" inspection classification. these cars would be required to undergo the 23 point safety inspection recommended by the NSRA. there would be a milage limit of 5,000 per year.
I am going to start building my 37 Ply pick up here this spring . Where can you find the list of regulation so I know what to do and not to do ? Also where or how do I find the special inspection station ? I am near York PA . I am all for a safe streetrod , I will never argue that point ! Just trying to cover all the bases before I start !
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