Well I have decided on my project for my Daily Driver! I am going to build a roadster. I am going to start by building a custom frame! I have a few issues though. Since I am building a hot rod I cannot make it look like junk on base or their going to pitch a fit and tell me to get rid of it so it has to be built behind closed doors and I can only work on it during the weekends since I work on F/A 18 Hornets for the Marines during the day (consist of a 16 hour day). One big issue though is going to get the car on base soon as i am done with it. It must have all the safety features of turn signals and that. Only thing is a bumper for it Roadsters I see dont have a bumper on the front its just the frame rails. Is there anybody out there that is in the military that has trouble getting their roadster on base? I am going to post a build thread next weekend when I finally get my frame going! I am think I am going to have a long talk with the PMO (base smokeys) on if I can get this thing on base I do not want to waste the time building it and then not being able to drive it to work and that since it will not have a front bumper.
How about making some small nerf bars coming off the frame? They can be small and you can make them out of flat bar or round stock.
My base is all about safety as all bases are if it doesnt have this or that you have to park your car at the bank .5 miles off base and walk to work. I have a Marine under me who bought a s10 with no rear bumper they wouldnt give him a base sticker or let him come on base until he got one. I saw the small nerf bar in the front I just wanna keep the look good instead of adding ugly stuff!
This flavor of BS is why I quit working for Uncle 20 some years ago. I doubt that talking to them ahead of time will help anything, you probably would be better off building a nice conventional hot rod, nothing wild, with all the normal stuff that hot rods have. Either they go for it or they don't. My guess is that if you build a nice car, you won't have any problems, because they will accept it as a hot rod. But I could be wrong. BS works that way.
Nothing in the military ever changes. I had the same issue with the USAF in 1966. They insisted I put bumpers on my car even after I pointed out that some cars came new from the factory with no bumpers (MGTC amongst others). I ended up making some nerf bars to satisfy their requirement and they were happy. Like Squirrel, B.S. like that that is why I didn't stay in the Military.
As usual, Jim pretty well nailed it with his "NOTHING TOO RADICAL" statement. Build a clean hot rod that doesn't have extra crap hanging off it and doesn't have a tunnel ram or blower or carb stacks sticking up in the line of vision. Something that gives the onlooker the idea of "oh that's slick" rather than "damn, that's wild"! Build front and rear nerf bars that are easily removed and that may be just a bit bigger and heavier than one normally would for a rod. This style (ebay item) of grill guard was popular on the resto rods in the early 70's but works on a couple of brackets on a fenderless/bumperless rod too. 280753517780 On the rear you could put a hitch receiver on the car and build a rear bumper that slipped into the receiver. That way you could make it heavy enough so that those guys who don't know how to park would feel the results. Remove it if you like when you are off base and going on rod trots.
Asa Beltran and having had vehicles on many bases all over the US, if it passes inspection in the state it is registered in hen they will let it on base. When I was in the service your state drivers license was good in any state no matter where you were. Also, think about it, you can drive a fender less car in states that don't allow their own registered drivers have them. It depends on YOUR state laws, not he one your driving thru or TDY at.
Should read "as a veteran"..... I don't know how the computer auto corrected that to read Asa Beltran........what the hell is a Beltran??
I talked to them today if the State deems it safe they wont care... the on base regulations were set from the dummies of the past that messed it up for the rest of us. I will just do it for the 15 minute drive to work and home not a big deal. I will get out after my 20+ since I just re enlisted for my 2nd Enlistment and scrap the whole bumper on a 32 5 Window.
The Jalopy Journal
