Texas "bans" Seven clones

[Lightguy]

https://www.hemmings.com/blog/2017/11/06/texas-begins-revoking-titles-for-dune-buggies-and-other-kit-cars/

 

How is this going to affect seven clones ?

[JeffersonRaley]

I am not a lawyer, but I did spend a lot of time reading up on this before I bought my Seven. In Texas (and many other states) cars are treated differently if they are a replica of an older legal production model. Therefore something like a replica 32 Ford hot rod, Shelby Cobra or Lotus Seven only has to comply with the laws in effect when the design was original, even though they may be 100% brand new. So Sevens made by Caterham and Birkin should be pretty safe unless the law changes (unlikely - what red blooded Texan would vote to make Cobra replicas illegal?). Replicas that differ more for the original, like Bruntons and Locosts, may be more at risk.

 

Cars that are not replicas of legal production models, like Zenos, Ariel Atoms and sand rails, have to comply with the laws in effect when they were built. So a 2015 Ariel Atom should comply with all laws pertaining to any new 2015 car. That's one of the main reasons I didn't get one.

 

My guess is that article is completely wrong about Myers Manx-style dune buggies because they are modified VW Beetles and so would probably be subject to the laws for the original Beetle build year as long as they use the original chassis and engine.

 

Again, I'm not a lawyer so I could be reading the laws incorrectly. But the text seemed pretty straightforward when I Googled it.

[NVP66S]

My car is TX registered as a replica, and the DMV took photos that I provided of the original Lotus as part of the title process. Dune buggies do not pass that test.

[Croc]

I recall there was a similar outcry 2-3 years ago when the Texas DMV did a similar punitive action on Ariel Atoms, rescinding titles and registration and banning them from the street. Their issue was that they never replicated anything.

 

Polaris Slingshot had issues for a while until they worked out how to squeeze it into the TX regs as a motorcycle.

[BlueMax]

One of our forum members Eddie Hill operates an authorized Aerial Atom dealership at Eddie Hill's Fun Cycles Wichita Falls Texas. I would bet he or his lovely wife Ercie would have the latest on how to license your car. https://eddiehillsfuncycles.com/Ariel-Atom

 

Cheers

[Anaximander]

This move by Texas to potentially limit kit cars seems quite troubling! I own a Brunton Classic Stalker and would sure as heck hate to see it limited in the USA. I know that Canada formulated rules where they are not currently able to be imported into the country. I wonder if the Texas initiative will have legs to get into Statute and I also wonder why other States would adopt the moves by Texas? I don't see Massachusetts adopting Texas open gun carry laws.

Edited December 6, 2017 by Astro Bob

[Richard Hoffman]

I second JeffersonRaley's post above. The Texas DMV actually published an Assembled and Rebuilt Vehicle Manual in April 2017 and it is available on-line. It is pretty detailed and pretty custom/hot rod/replica friendly (I recently obtained a temporary Texas tag for my Tom Carlin built Birkin under the guidance of the manual). I haven't researched the rules prior to this manual but the new manual does not exclude "kit cars" as a category and actually provides guidance for titling them. It does very clearly exclude "dune buggies" and "vehicles designed for off road use only". Procedures to title "Replicas" are clearly laid out-just a little tedious.

RH

[Anaximander]

I second JeffersonRaley's post above. The Texas DMV actually published an Assembled and Rebuilt Vehicle Manual in April 2017 and it is available on-line. It is pretty detailed and pretty custom/hot rod/replica friendly (I recently obtained a temporary Texas tag for my Tom Carlin built Birkin under the guidance of the manual). I haven't researched the rules prior to this manual but the new manual does not exclude "kit cars" as a category and actually provides guidance for titling them. It does very clearly exclude "dune buggies" and "vehicles designed for off road use only". Procedures to title "Replicas" are clearly laid out-just a little tedious.

RH

 

Richard, VERY good news to hear! Thanks for the update. As many know, there were apparently Federal Statutes created to provide incentive for small car manufacturers to thrive in this country that have yet to be implemented. If and when those Statutes are enacted, small manufacturers may have much more freedom to come up with innovative products.

[Driven]

Oh Texas, stop trying to be like California.

[Sean]

Oh Texas, stop trying to be like California.

 

Actually, that would be a good thing in this instance, as California makes titling and registering replicas, kit cars, hot rods, dune buggies, etc. pretty easy to do.

[NVP66S]

I started my kit build in CA and finished it in TX. Before and during the build, I paid close attention to what others were experiencing. Some CA builders reported smooth sailing through the registration process. Others reported difficulty and frustration; it all seemed to be a function of what DMV office and clerk you used. The worst I heard of was a builder that spent 6 months in CA working to get all the serial inspections done and finally getting his title. He was jubilant for a full two weeks when he got a letter from DMV telling him that his registration was no longer valid. The only thing I knew for sure about CA was that the first step in the process was going to cost me full sales tax for every component that I couldn't prove the tax was already paid. TX charged me $91.

Dan

[panamericano]

Blessed are the Texans, for we have low taxes. I once registered a client's personal cars in Texas, because of the high California taxes. On his Suburban we saved $900 and $3,000 on the F-40. On your other point about the vagaries of which office/clerk one gets, I could not agree more. Good or bad. Patience is the most essential attribute one needs. Just leave their office, do what they wanted, and go back. Or, leave that office and go to another one. Just keep plugging away. Don't forget, while all this is going on, in Texas we can get a 30 day paper tag for like $25. There is now a limit of 3 such registrations per car in a year, but it can keep one on the road while going through the BS.

 

By the way, Does "NVP" stand for No Viable Papers?

[NVP66S]

Heh, no. I had a Honda 599 and if you turn my screen name upside down it says 599dAN. I sold my 599 Hornet when I moved from the challenging geography of SoCal to flat West Texas. It's kinda funny navigating my Westfield among the SuperDuty pickup trucks. About once a day I am at a red light and the guy in the F-350 Dually next to me rolls his window down and says "Hey. Nice car" Happened to me yesterday in Odessa.

 

Back to the registration process, I went through about 7 steps, all in two days. At every one of them, the clerk said "how can I help you?" and actually meant it.

The steps are 1) Insurance 2) temporary tags "yeah, I can drive it!! 3) brief inspection by local cops 4) certified weight 5) safety inspection [very rigorous and done by any ASE certified master mechanic]. 6) VIN issue 7) title & registration. Oh, yeah, above I forgot to add the $80 paid to the mechanic.

[NVP66S]

BTW, I also get the occasional "Isn't that car dangerous?" to which I respond "I sold my motorcycle" Shuts 'em up every time.

[Kitcat]

Dan: And I thought I was clever by going with "Kitcat" (Kit Caterham:)).

[nick47]

Agreed. Any state would do well to follow California's SB100 rules. Absolutely painless.