Hand-built cars registration?

I'm 99% sure that I'm going to start building my own REALWDY Station Wagon, sometime in 2009. I've got to lay down the specs, equipment, styling, mechanicals, safety, etc. and cost it out. But I figure I can do it for under $30,000.

I've got an email into our Provincial Insurance agency's registration folks to see what the legal requirements are, and get any tips they might have, but I wondered if anyone else has had any experience or learned about that?

 

Here's the guidelines from my Province (State):

http://www.mpi.mb.ca/english/Registration/Reg_SafetyAndInspection.html

Nothing about Custom, Street Rod, Hand-built, etc.

 

Mornin Normin

well ma friend...its going to be a different gong show for everywhere

out here..if its scratch built...then it has to be certified..and gets reggy'd as a NEW car and has to meet all the "pollution guidelines" of a new car !!

The loop hole for out here..(theres always a loophole) ...is to build it as a "KIT CAR"...(this is what i would look into if it were me)
..then it only has to meet a 'Goverment Vehicle Inspection'....unless its a 'home built' frame...then it has to have a 'welders cert' or be cert'd for the welds.

either way.....could be a real ordeal:banghead3:

 

I know here in the states it's different for each one. I have heard that some cars had to meet new car requirements and some just title the car after the year it's styled for,a kit car here that looks like a 32 Ford would be titled as a 32 Ford but the laws are changing constantly.

 

I'm getting the feeling that I have to get some old crock of car, renew its registration (safety check) and then keep the serial plates, then heave the rest and start from scratch. I'll wait for their email reply. They are pretty helpful.

I was reading the Driver and Vehicle Registration Act, like a Barrack-Room Lawyer, and seeing that we've got an Antique Car class, but it has to be 30 years or over, and if you take that one, it can only be driven in a parade, daytime or a local show or a repair shop. It wouldn't take them much to make that one a restriction on all cars over 30 years. Why is it you can't trust Government?

 

Here in the Peoples Republic of California (PRC) 500 hand built cars are allowed per year. Now, if the happen to look similar to a 32 Ford then it will be registered as a 32. If it looks like a 99 something then it will be registered as a 99. Smog standards will apply.

The kicker is that no individual will ever get to build a scratch build car. By Wednesday morning at 9am all the 500 available titles will be bought by the likes of Boyd Coddington, Chip Foose et al.

Kit cars are handled individually as there is an actual manufacturer either chassis, body or both.

I'm sure in the US there are 50 different rules on this. Maybe 53 to account for Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands and Guam.

 

I just got off the phone with the Vehicle Inspection 'god', he says my best bet would be to start with an existing car. He's a member of the local Studebaker Club, hehehe! He told me that when I mentioned that I'd like to come in around the 1960's Stude Lark Wagon size. Perked right up, and started talking about his Studebaker Speedster. I made a friend. He's gonna come and peak here. I used to be a member of the local Stude Club. hehehe

He said they could issue me a serial number. They'd base it on the frontend of the car. If its a Ford or Chevy frontend, they'd call it a Ford or Chevy. I've got to check with another buddy who's got the official Inspection Manual. Lookin' up.

 

Why don't you just start off with some type of pre-built, "Street-Rod" chassis, and go from there?

Then, the rest of the car, will just be cosmetic as far as the motor vehicle department is concerned. You could build whatever you want for a body, as long as it has seatbelts, gauges, proper lighting equiptment, wipers etc. You can even use parts for Street Rods, like harnesses, etc. It could be very simple and on a fairly decent budget, and come out like a Boyd Coddington quality job in the end. You'll have it forever, and it will be very reliable if you do it this way.


Nick

 

Our Premier (Governor equivalent) has signed onto the Governator's emission plans, the barn door is closing, fast. Street Rods aren't permitted on the Street here, since last year. But this guy from our Vehicle Inspection, this morning was helpful and made it sound feasible, as long as I pay due diligence to the safety features and soundness of the vehicle. Even willing to generate a custom Serial Number Plate for me.

I just have to find out which car club the Premier belongs to and re-join the Studebaker club local. A bit of schmoozing. We're a small Province, everybody is accessible. I think it's very doable, after chatting with the top gun at Vehicle Inspections.

 

Street Rods, are not allowed on the street..?

What do they expect people who already own them to do with them..?

Nick

 

There aren't any, and if they bring one in, they can't drive it on a public roadway. If its an original that has been modified, it has to pass the Safety Certificate to get insurance - All SAE (Society of Automotive Eng) approved parts for that car.

If its licensed out-of-province, it can still be pulled off the road. We had a nice Cruise Night tradition here, until a couple of rice-rocket wiz-kids killed 1 woman pedestrian and maimed two other pedestrians, so they re-opened and refurbished a race-track North of the City. You want to get the Adrenalin pumping, you go there. Anything 30 MPH over the speed limit, and the car is siezed permanently.

Very conservative, especially with it being an agricultural hub for the continent. Lots of slow moving equipment.

 

Stormin...as for the 'street rod' thing....i think ya got some wires crossed my friend

I must know 3 dozen guys out there with Rods from 'out of Province'
to the best of my knowing...they just had to pass 'inspection'..and done!

 

This Street-racing thing came up for Winnipeg, and I've seen that the regulations are different outside of the city. People went nuts when that lady was killed.

 

Just emailed the local Studebaker Club chapter for a membership. Gotta meet that VI guy and chat. If the members are anything like I remember, there'll be a few packrats with donor frames and a body part or two. At least the nameplate.

 

just my 2 cents...In michigan(worst state to try this in)We build a prototype style, track day car .I spent last week getting the car inspected.The drill in michigan is,The car must meet the state requirements,lights wipers,I had to have a windshield custom made.Then have it inspected by the state police.One through that,that form goes to the sec.of state for vin assignment.THEN you can plate and insure it.It will have an assembled title.I have no idea how to link this but.wwwderondausa.com is the web site.Dave