Wisconsin Hotrod Law Questions?????

Well had my first run in with Wisconsins finest State Patrol yesterday. I was observing all road laws so the reason he pulled me over was completely vehicle related. Both my Daughters and I were seatbelted so that was not an issue.

The problems he said were the fact that I had;
#1 no fenders(front and rear) Said the car came stock with them and was a Wisc. law that I have to put them on.

#2 no bumpers(front and rear)

#3 no front license plate. This one I can see, I will put it on.

#4 unshielded exhaust(lakester headers and by the way never said nothing about the loudness) Said a small child could burn themselves on the hot pipes so I have to cover them somehow.

Now he let me off with a warning on all counts which I appreciate, but Said I can't drive it till I get these things fixed and inspected by the local police. I've seen hundreds of these type of cars running around and never heard of any problems like this in Wisconsin. I'm not mad at the state patrolman or anything, I think he was trying to do his job. He lives in the same town I do so the chance of us crossing paths again is pretty good. I have the only car like this in this area so I think it looked a little differant to him. The car is channeled 4" so putting fenders on would be out of the question. I'll sell the car before I do it, just won't look right in my opinion. So is there anyway for me to get around these issues(exept the plate)? Wisc. Statuets? Will a speader bar in front p*** as a bumper?

Heres a pic of the car in question. Thanks......Mike

 

you needed a green licence plate , now you are a marked man. Drive it. Next time you get pulled over tell them you want the ticket instead of the warning, cause you aint fixing it. LUKESTER

 

get a hobbyist plate... they cant say ****... but they wouldnt bother me here, so just sell me the car.. i will take good care of it and not change a god damned thing...

 

I think they may have you, if they want to press it. Every state has its rules.

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

http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/drivers/docs/violations.pdf

according to this, gotta have fenders, gotta cover the exhaust, gotta have bumpers (not made of wood).....

There's a recurring note that says vehicles constructed and registered prior to March 1, 1996 may follow the previous rules. Might be a lophole there. Is this the Green plate mentioned?

 

I lived in in Green Bay for a few years. They will get you! I had a 55 Chevy that was to loud and to "big" of tires (g***er style car. Tires could not stick out past the body). They made me take it off the street. I now live someplace they don't bother me. Thank God and good luck to you.

 

Thanks guys, I have the original ***le and registered it as Hobbiest(green plate).

This is what I found. Would it be considered homemade?

Trans 305.22 Fenders and projecting parts.
(1) Every motor vehicle originally manufactured after January 1,
1950, every homemade vehicle registered after January 1, 1975,
and every vehicle registered as a reconstructed vehicle after
March 1, 1996 shall be equipped with adequate fenders covering
the front and rear tires to prevent splashing of water and throwing
of gravel, stones or other objects.

 

The "HOBBYIST" license plate or the green plate with the yellow letters DOES NOT, I REPEAT, DOES NOT EXEMPT THE CAR from ANY AGAIN ANY of Wisconsins Motor Vehicle Equipment laws!!!!!!!!

IF, I am wrong PLEASE post the specific wording from Wisconsin Motor Vehicle Equipment requirement statutes etc. or post the statute number or legislative/administrative rule that gives the exemption.

Any exemption WILL depend on how the vehicle is ***led.

MP33 pm me and I will give you my phone number. I can discuss at length with you, faster than I type, about the law, the exemptions and how to deal with the State Patrol. I was part of the group that drafted the statutes and administrative rules regarding equipment for modified cars and motorcycles

 

Your car was manufactured originally before 1950. Tell 'em to bite you.

And talk to http://www.semasan.com/main/main.aspx?ID=/content/SEMASANcom/HomePage

There are hobbyist and rodder rules in many states. SEMA will know the extent of them in WI.

 

That’s very bad news. Max Wedge and myself are going to have the exact same issues. (Almost all WI HAMBers). I haven’t been stopped yet. I know in IL you can get away with no fenders and MN too. (I think). I’ll check with SEMA, maybe they’ve been fighting this for us. I know MN has gotten a lot of pro hot rod laws in – they can even run with vintage plates.

 

If its ***led to the original year (30/31?) you don't need fenders(1950) or bumpers(1972) You can also get by with one tail light. It's only considered homemade if it is unidentifiable as anything production. If you don't have an original ***le it can be ***led as a replica or street modified, which is ***led to the year of vehicle it resembles

(2) ***LES. (a) Homemade and reconstructed vehicles. The
department shall issue a ***le indicating that a vehicle is a homemade
or reconstructed vehicle where the make of the vehicle
would otherwise be shown on the ***le. The model year shown on
the ***le shall match the calendar year of the inspection performed
under this section.
(b) Replica and street modified vehicles. The department shall
issue a ***le indicating that a vehicle, except a motorcycle, is a replica
or street modified vehicle and the make and model year shown
on the ***le shall be the original make and model year of the street
modified vehicle or the make and model year of the vehicle being
replicated. The installation of reproduction body parts on a previously
manufactured and ***led vehicle body and frame is not
considered by the department to cons***ute a replica vehicle for
purposes of identifying the vehicle on its ***le. A vehicle shall be
considered 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. A vehicle shall
also be considered a street modified vehicle if the vehicle’s engine
has been replaced with one which required adaptation beyond
ordinary replacement.

 

(b) Replica and street modified vehicles. The department shall
issue a ***le indicating that a vehicle, except a motorcycle, is a replica
or street modified vehicle and the make and model year shown
on the ***le shall be the original make and model year of the street
modified vehicle or the make and model year of the vehicle being
replicated. The installation of reproduction body parts on a previously
manufactured and ***led vehicle body and frame is not
considered by the department to cons***ute a replica vehicle for
purposes of identifying the vehicle on its ***le. A vehicle shall be
considered 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. A vehicle shall
also be considered a street modified vehicle if the vehicle’s engine
has been replaced with one which required adaptation beyond
ordinary replacement.

On my ***le it says "street modified" because of the last sentence in the above statement. That is why I had to run "hobbiest" plates and couldn't run "collector"(stock) plates.

 

MP33, I hope you don't mind if I hijack your thread for related issues.

Anyway, I have been wondering when some of the current "old style" rods would begin to feel the heat of Wis. local law or the State Patrol. Once, it starts, it will spread. My observation it that the builders of the current "old style" rods were either not of age or had any interest in the battle between Wisconsins modified car and motorcycle enthusiasts versus the Wis. State Patrol and Legislature that took place in the early 70's and in the early 90's.

I urge all of you, in Wisconsin, to get familiar with Wisconsins Motor Vehicle Equipment Requirements and Wisconsins ***ling and Licensing process. The "old style" rods are becoming more numerous and higher profile therefore, they will attract the attention of local law especially the State Patrol.

We fought long and hard to keep our cars and motorcycles on the road. We had the support of SEMA BUT the gr*** roots effort and the eventual success and accomplishment was the result of Wisconsin individuals.

Of special interest is that AFTER we succeeded in creating and having our laws p*** thru the Wisconsin legislature, SEMA adopted OUR LAWS as "model legislation" and presented those laws to the FEDERAL government as "model legislation" for any other state to use as a guideline.

If, local or State Patrol scrutiny or enforcement continues or increases, we should consider having a meeting of all interested rodders and myself and we can review Wisconsin laws and rules and clear up any misconceptions that people may have.

MP33 thank you for the hijack and for the moderators this may be a bit on the political side but part of my "traditional gospel" is " cops versus rodders" and "how to win".

"FOREWARNED IS FOREARMED".

 

I know the exhaust rule is legit 'cuz they do enforce it on big trucks...mine Pete has heat shields over the straight pipes (I DO have a under ch***is resonator)....

 

Not at all...

Thank you for posting the Info.

 

Wisconsin DOT code number 305.22 states that any vehicle manufactured after 1950 must have fenders, it would seem that your model A would be excluded, am I wrong?

 

Copy and print a copy of the laws, if they apply to you. Show it to the cops when you get stopped.

If you go to court, tell 'em to prove that fenders and bumpers weren't optional equipment in the 20s and 30s... That was the end of the depression, and things were cut back.

If your car was ***led and registered AFTER the date indicated in the statutes... PUT THE REQUIRED EQUIPMENT ON IT. Plain and simple.
Otherwise, it'll just **** things for those that are within the bounds of the law.

If you build a car in 2005 and it becomes ***led in 2005, you need all the junk...
Get an old ***le and smack some numbers in your frame... DONE.

Know the laws before you ***le and register. If application of "special" plates puts you under a different statute, that's your fault for not understanding.

I never heard of the "street modified" thing, myself. My car was inspected and ***led in 1972, and I run regular, everyday, plates. If applying for collector plates forces addition of all the ****, I wouldn't do it.




JOE

 

I can't stand those stupid green and yellow plates. They look gaudy and don't match anything unless you have a "Packermobile"

 

I'm afraid you're right on that Curt..., Shortly before Chapter Trans 305 was incorporated as the guidelines..., Rodders were being stopped for any reason and cited for anything the Police could dream up on an increasing basis.

I guess it's time to "Circle the Wagons" ..., again...!

 

that's the way i read it but i've never put it to the test.

i'm planning to build my first rod and making it legal and getting it registered is one of my biggest worries at this point. i was hoping to run no fenders or bumpers and i'll be bummed if i can't. my situation is currently complicated by the fact that i don't have a ***le. I've posted before with questions and read other people threads with similar questions, and even emailed the DMV but have never really gotten the answers i needed.

It'd be wonderful if someone could step forward and answer everyones questions and clearly explain everthing in black and white so that these issues could be put to rest but somehow i just don't think that's going to happen

 

The main problem is that not all of the rules are cut and dried or easy to understand and are open to interpretation by both the MVD and law enforcement agencies. It's hard to find anyone in the MVD or law enforcement that will cut you some slack with many things but with laws/rules it's their opinion against yours and of course, yours doesn't really count!
Max

 

I just wave at the cops and give them my golden smile......haha

Actually I thought there was a weight related fender law of like 1800 pounds or something...

I always figure as long as you aren't doing something stupid, your OK..


Kurt knows the rules for sure....

My roadster is ***led as a 1950 Homemade so it is grandfathered.... I think anything that was leagal in 1950 is legal on my car... That ***le is gold.


I lost my plate. Damnit I need a new one.


Jaker says hes starting his own DMV so I think I'll just give him 50 bucks..... Maybe he'll give plate # 666.

Instead of hobiest it will say Rat rod, and instead of it being green it will be rusty.

 

Haha..., I betchya his line will be shorter...!!!

 

It goes by what year is on your ***le. You have to have only what was required when the car was new. I have a 1927 ford, and in 1927 you were not required to have, fenders, bumpers, speedo, turn signals....cars back then came with only one tail light!

If you build a "street modified" (per Wis DMV
rules) ,and use a 1927 body these same rules apply.
If you use a 1990 Mustang body, you have to have fenders, bumpers, speedo, turn signals, and all the stuff required in 1990.

Go to a state patrol office and have them copy:
1.TRANS 305........47pgs.
2.CHAPTER 341.....pgs.53-81
3.CHAPTER 342.....pgs.83-93
4.CHAPTER 347.....pgs.193-206
I really went to several police stations + state patrol offices, because it was too much to expect one person to copy.
The Wisconsin DMV is really on top of car hobby stuff...some of the "cops" just don't know what they are talking about.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
On a quiet night you can hear a Ford rust

 

I dealt with automotive legislation related to hot rods in BC, Canada years ago. One over-riding clause which caused a lot of concern, was the one that stated the arresting officer could use his discretion to overide a motor vehicle law. Sort of a catch 22. You win, but he wins anyway. The law on the books for fenders was written as "require rear mud guards", obviously a truck law. More guys beat this going to court if they were cited for not having fenders as there wasn't a fender law per se on the books. They only had you if they cited you for no rear mud guards. I live in the best province for legislation, Saskatchewan. No fenders, no bumpers, no hoods are all legal. We tuned up a local cop a few years ago because he was going after fenderless cars. Had to get his superior officer to read him the law. No more problems. Good luck. Fordnutz.

 

yea,,, MN is a LOT more loose about the leter of the law, and even more loose about enforcing it... from what i can gather up here, if you have a '41 ***le, and its registered as a '41... all the "safety" **** has to apply to THAT year, and not any other,,, ****, prove the thing came from detroit with fenders and even HAD a full exhaust i say.

it just goes to show that some of them cops just need a better hobby, or mebby they should go and catch ******s and murderers an ****...

 

I guess they make rules to be broken...LOL I dont run a front plate and have lakestyle headers too with full fenders. I guess i'll drive it till i cant. I think we will be fighting laws forever cause they always dream new ones up. Good luck on the police in your area.

 

It sounds to me like they just word everything so they can do whatever they want. Links to the state statutes:


http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/drivers/lawbook.htm

http://www.legis.state.wi.us/rsb/stats.html



From 347.02:


(5) If a vehicle registered under s. 341.25 (1) (a), 341.265 or
341.266 has equipment which was designated by the manufacturer
as optional equipment in the model year the vehicle was
manufactured, it is not necessary for such equipment to be in operating
condition unless it replaces equipment which is required by
law to be both present and functioning.

(7) The vehicle equipment requirements for a street modified
vehicle shall be the same as the vehicle equipment requirements
for a vehicle of the same type and model year that is not a street
modified vehicle. The vehicle equipment requirements for a replica
vehicle or a homemade vehicle specified in s. 341.268 (1) (b)
2. 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.

 

Man, I'm glad I live in Michigan. I run no fenders, one tailight, open headers, 1923 plates, no turn signals (cept my arm), and very short windshield and haven't been h***led yet in two years.

 

The vehicle equipment requirements for a street modified
vehicle shall be the same as the vehicle equipment requirements
for a vehicle of the same type and model year that is not a street
modified vehicle.


Here's your answer MP33...

Like I said. Print this ****... show the douchebag cop as he sits there and tells you he knows what the law is.

I've had it happen...
One time, I had a state cop, in S****er, write me a STACK of warnings.
No bumpers, hood, fenders, seatbelts, windshield too low... everything he THOUGHT was wrong with my car.
As I drove away, I threw them all right out the window. He had to have seen it... all that pink paper flyin' out of my driver's window...
Never heard **** about it...


JOE

 

What is the car registered as? I would ***ume it would be ***led the same year as the body...which is definately before 1950!