Street Legal?

Some pickups were fitted with 4:11 rear gears and would have a reduced top speed. If you get an A don't plan on driving at top speed for long as it can get expensive fast!
 
I'm a newer owner and found that in Texas, if the car is older than 25 years, you have a choice of registering it as a Classic or an Antique. If you register it as an Antique, you don't need to have an inspection, you don't need insurance and the cost of plates is very inexpensive. But the class of registration is for limited use, basically things like club events, shows and maintenance. It's not suppose to be your primary car. In reality, I can drive it to the store to get gas and maintenance as well as club tours. I do have insurance, as going without isn't smart in my opinion. But it does beat having to get it inspected as well as the lower cost for plates. Also if you have plates matching the year of the car, you can legally register the car with those plates. I don't know if Florida has similar rules, but you might want to check.
 
In New York you must display two New York plates, I only have the rear on cause I don't like the way the front looks, cops don't care, and wont bother cause the car is old. They never question you about the seat belts or lights here.
 
glenn in camino said:
In California all vehicles must have seat belts.
Click to expand...

http://www.ehow.com/facts_7567157_do-need-seat-belts-california.html

yes and no according to that article -

the vehicle does not require seatbelts if its pre 1964 BUT:

if it is to be driven on highways they do - not sure of CA definition of a highway - do they mean interstates only or any state highway?

IF a child younger than 6 years old is in the car seatbelts are required for the child and proper booster seat no matter what year the car was made.

i think in IL you dont need any seatbelts if its pre 1964 BUT if you install them you are required to wear them or its a ticket.

kind of like your perfectly legal only having one taillight/brake light in IL as thats how the model a left the factory BUT if you add another one and its burned out then its a ticketable offense for having a light out.
 
If you want to run with the big boys on the thruway, why not go all in and install airbags! I prefer to enjoy mine in appropriate settings--like the back roads of Rifton.

Ray Rice, enjoying rural Rifton.
 
BlueWaterEric said:
Florida
Click to expand...

Mitch//pa said:
There are tons of original model A's driving around in Florida legally..

That's one state you'll have no problem at all as they don't even have a state inspection or emissions test program... Many of the cars I see driving around when I visit are literally falling apart and still street legal
Click to expand...


I'm one of them. You have basically two different types of registration, For every day use there is regular registration they you pay for regularly. And for limited use there is a Horseless carriage plate that you pay one small fee once for as long as you own the car. There is no inspection to check on how much you drive the car for the Horseless Carriage plate.

Where in Fla are you?
 
Alaska has an Antique Auto desigantion that has "limited use" as Mike stated for FL. for a one time fee. Limited use defined as such things as going to and from an "event". My friend says that every time he takes his Model A out, it's an "event".

I have mine registered as a "Collector Car", which has no restriction on use, and I pay a fee, ammounting to about $100/year. My intent is to use it as a diaily driver, I just felt more comfortable having "regular" plates on it.

Of course, that's the only car in the fleet that I have to pay for. Both my Explorer and My Wife's Aviator are exempt, just 'cause we are old people!
 
The generally accepted rule here is everybody under 18 has to wear a belt.BUT,it is just not a fact.If you read the statute it does state kids need to wear belts,regardless,but there is an amendment laying out the exceptions.The problem is the amendment is elsewhere in the list of RSA's.The amendment waives the belt law for cars pre-68.I carry a copy of it in my cars.The amendment was even amended later,Mine says pre-66,but a year later was changed to pre-68.Seems like they figured out that if the car wasn't engineered for belts,and the state made you install them,if there was a failure the state would share in the responsibility.I had a local PO bring the law up on his computer in his cruiser,and he said,see,every kid gets a belt,no exceptions.I handed him my copy of the amendment and he punched up that number.He knew nothing about it until then.If you try to research DMV law here in N.H.on the computer you will only get half the story until you walk back everything you look up.
 
Here in Alberta we get to buy Antique plates that have a one time fee with no renewal needed. We can display year-of-manufacture plates as long as we carry the issued antique plates in the vehicle. My Tudor has a 1928 Saskatchewan plate on the front but an antique Alberta plate on the rear. I only get questions at shows. We do not need to add seat belts or a second tail light, but both must be in use if installed.

We are also limited to special events when using antique plates, but my 1928 Tudor needs check out runs almost every day.
 
Chuck Sea/Tac said:
In Washington any person 16 years or younger must be a seatbelt no matter when the vehicle was manufactured.
Click to expand...

I don't think that is correct.


RCW 46.61.687 does say (in part)...


(1) Whenever a child who is less than sixteen years of age is being transported in a motor vehicle that is in operation and that is required by RCW 46.37.510 to be equipped with a safety belt system in a passenger seating position, ...the driver of the vehicle shall keep the child properly restrained... (I added the bold)

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=46.61.687


The 16 year old rule only applies to cars that were built after January of 1964.

(1) No person may sell any automobile manufactured or assembled after January 1, 1964, nor may any owner cause such vehicle to be registered thereafter under the provisions of chapter 46.12 RCW unless such motor car or automobile is equipped with automobile seat belts installed for use on the front seats thereof which are of a type and installed in a manner conforming to rules adopted by the state patrol.

http://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=46.37.510
 
If you keep reading further down,on that same page, 49 CD-R sec 571.208 #4 says no person shall operate a motor vechicle unless all child passengers under the age of 16 are either a) wearing a seat belt assembly or
b) are securely fastened into an approved child restraint device.

I also did a talk several years ago at our club meeting before which I talked to the WSP and they comfirmed this .
 
Chuck Sea/Tac said:
If you keep reading further down,on that same page, 49 CD-R sec 571.208 #4 says no person shall operate a motor vechicle unless all child passengers under the age of 16 are either a) wearing a seat belt assembly or
b) are securely fastened into an approved child restraint device.

I also did a talk several years ago at our club meeting before which I talked to the WSP and they comfirmed this .
Click to expand...

I'm not sure what you mean by "further down on that same page". I read both pages I linked to in my post and can't find anything about 49 CD-R sec 571.208. I can't find anything when I google that either.

I'm not trying to be argumentative, but everything I can find states that in Washington, children under 16 must wear a seat belt IF the car in which they are riding was built after January 1964. I do understand that regulations are often poorly written and contradict each other at times, however. Can you provide a link that over rides RCW 46.61.687? In any case, I do support the idea that children should be properly secured in a car.
 
Florida is real liberal on automobiles and the season is 365 days long!
You can have one tail light or two or three and no directional required.
I have three tail lights and seat belts because I feel safer - no directionals.
Al
 
Dick Steinkamp said:
I'm not sure what you mean by "further down on that same page". I read both pages I linked to in my post and can't find anything about 49 CD-R sec 571.208. I can't find anything when I google that either.

I'm not trying to be argumentative, but everything I can find states that in Washington, children under 16 must wear a seat belt IF the car in which they are riding was built after January 1964. I do understand that regulations are often poorly written and contradict each other at times, however. Can you provide a link that over rides RCW 46.61.687? In any case, I do support the idea that children should be properly secured in a car.
Click to expand...
Sorry, wrong page , try googling RCW 46.61.688 and read 4
 
Chuck Sea/Tac said:
Sorry, wrong page , try googling RCW 46.61.688 and read 4
Click to expand...

#4 states...

(4) No person may operate a motor vehicle unless all child passengers under the age of sixteen years are either: (a) Wearing a safety belt assembly or (b) are securely fastened into an approved child restraint device.

...but just above #4 it states...

(2)(a) This section only applies to:
(i) Motor vehicles that meet the manual seat belt safety standards as set forth in 49 C.F.R. Sec. 571.208;

571.208 describes in detail seat belt requirements for cars 1972 and newer.

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=46.61.688

https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/49/571.208
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top