NJ no longer friendly to new Se7en registrations...

[Al N.]

Folks-

 

Through correspondence with a "future owner" in my neck of the woods, I've learned that NJ has changed its code on registering kit cars.

 

While my car is grandfathered, it is my understanding that you can no longer title a kit-build as a reconstructed vehicle then get collector registration (which absolves you of the more stringent safety/emissions inspections). This changed on Sept 1, 2007.

 

So, for all prospective Se7en owners in NJ, I recommend:

 

A) Buying a modern Se7en that's been successfully titled (as an old Lotus or whatever!) in another state (though this still might not be easy to tranfer to NJ)

 

OR

 

B) Buying a vintage Lotus/Caterham/other that falls into the classic category (25 years old or more)

 

You could always move to a more Se7en friendly state, but that seems a bit drastic....the bottom line is that I would not start a kit-build of any sort with the intention of using it as a street car here in the Garden State.

[slngsht]

Folks-

 

Through correspondence with a "future owner" in my neck of the woods, I've learned that NJ has changed it's code on registering kit cars.

 

While my car is grandfathered, it is my understanding that you can no longer title a kit-build as a reconstructed vehicle then get collector registration (which absolves you of the more stringent safety/emissions inspections). This changed on Sept 1, 2007.

 

So, for all prospective Se7en owners in NJ, I recommend:

 

A) Buying a modern car that's been successfully titled (as an old Lotus or whatever!) in another state (though this still might not be easy to tranfer to NJ)

 

OR

 

B) Buying a vintage Lotus/Caterham/other that falls in the classic (25 years old or more)

 

You could always move to a more Se7en friendly state, but that seems a bit drastic....the bottom line is that I would not start a kit-build of any sort with the intention of using it as a street car here in the Garden State.

 

sounds like the easiest option though

[yellowss7]

I saw that Pa. also amended their regulations for registering special constructed vehicles this year. They have designated "approved" inspection sites to certify compliance with State regs. No longer can you just go to the local garage for the initial inspection. Will certainly complicate the process of registering a newly built seven in Pa. (bumpers,doors,emissions, etc.) Guess that just makes our currently registered vehicles worth more.:cheers: Tom

[gjslutz]

I know of many A/C that were regestered in Del. Corps. to dodge some state taxes.

In AZ. If you purchased a car from a PVT. party and lived in AZ. it was a tax free XFER. Anyone with a good friend in another state could likely solve this reg. problem. Be glad we don't get all the Goverment we pay for. Like kick a 2nd grader out of school for drawing a stick person with a gun, or a good student for having a butter knife in her locker, by error. Her life is now shot.

[Al N.]

Tom...that's what NJ used to have...but I according to this guy:

 

"I called the MVC today and finally spoke with someone who knew something. He said that as of September 1st, they are more strictly enforcing the collector status because it was being abused. He said the law itself did not change, just that it was now being enforced."

 

I don't know about the law not changing, because the clause "The vehicle cannot be a kit or replica vehicle, or be identified as a reconstructed vehicle." was definitely not in the materials I received when I went through the Collector Car process in 2005.

 

[shotgunslade]

Al:

 

I am proceeding with the reconstructed vehicle route. I have received the regulations from MVC today, and they don't look so bad. Of course, sometimes, the interpretation of words that don't look so bad to the naive private citizen can be interpreted to be "really bad" by the bureaucracy. My engine will be a stock Honda S2000 with all emissions gear. I will do all of the turn signals, stop lights,, horn, reflectors, parking brake, high beam indicator, hazard lights, parking lights, rear view mirror, etc. In the regulations, I don't see any requirement for a windshield, but there is a requirement for a windshield wiper, if there is a windshield. I see the little phrase that caused you grief with you exhaust, and for which I will have to provide some kind of shield or cover. Any points as to what issues might cause a problem?

[shotgunslade]

Bump.

 

Al, could you respond to the post immediately preceeding this one. The windshield issue seems to be the msot critical one. I have the reconstructed car regulations but there doesn't seem to be a specific requirement for a windshield, just for a wiper if there is a windshield.

[Al N.]

Shotgun...sorry for being asleep at the wheel on this one. I was out at SEMA last week (the best of times, the worst of times, IMHO).

 

Here is the link to the info dated Sept 1, 2007 that says you CANNOT register a Kit, replica, or reconstructed vehicle under collector status.

 

NJ COLLECTOR CAR FACT SHEET

 

If you are going for a regular registration under recon, you might be okay (esp. because you'll have the OBD gear), but I wrote this post with regard to the collector registration.

 

I know you are specifically asking about the windshield, and I will find that documentation I had...could be that it's also been changed. But I do remember them kind of laughing when I brought in car with the aeroscreen.

[manik]

So, Title 39 of the New Jersey Code doesn't specifically suggest that you have to have a windshield:

 

New Jersey Code - Title 39: 3-74

 

And thus, wipers are not required, as per section 3-46:

 

New Jersey Code - Title 39: 3-46

 

 

This is very much UNLIKE New York which stipulates a windshield made of safety glazing be present on all automobiles.

 

And as Al said, your Seven cannot be considered a historic or collector vehicle (unless it *is* more than 25 years old):

 

http://www.state.nj.us/mvc/Inspections/VehiclesExempt.htm

 

 

 

tm

[Al N.]

I'm looking at the documents I received when I failed inspection the first time and in section 5, it says:

 

"Windshield -- Every reconstructed vehicle shall be equipped iwth a windshield which meets the following criteria: A) is made of safety glass designated as American National Standard AS-1 safety glazing material; and B) if not an OEM or OERP windshield, a windshield that provides continuous frontal protection over the entire width of the passenger compartment foward of the driver's seat; and C) The windshield has a minimum horizontally projected vertical height of no less than 7 inches over its entire width"

 

This was not covered/explained in the paperwork I originally recieved, which merely stated that all glazing must be of safety glass if the vehicle is newer than 1935. There was no clause that said it had to have a windshield. And I tried to point this out to the inspectors, but they didn't really appreciate my logic. They failed me for not having a windshield (among other things, which I think are documented on my blog in an Aug 2005 post).

 

Hairshirt Motoring post about failing NJ inspection

 

I think the documents that Tom is refering to are for regular, not reconstructed, vehicles. Shotgun, I would just triple check with someone before going too far down the build process. I know that some Ultralites have a full (albeit it low) windshields with stanchions...though I think they use a plastic flat piece instead of glass. I would think you could use this for the inspection, then replace wiht the small "new brooklands" type screens before you get your decal....or just run the larger glass screen all the time.

 

[shotgunslade]

Al:

 

What was the title of the document that you received when you failed. I can ask for a copy from the state if I know the title of the document. Thanks.

[Al N.]

Unfortunately, the document I got has no title, just page numbers (and not in order...seem to have been pulled out of some other doc depending on the part that "failed".) I will say that it is NOT the "latest information on requirements as specified by law under Title 39 of the Revised Statutes" which was the document titled "Motor Vehicle Inspection Rules and Regulations" that I received with my initial info pack.

 

The pages in my "reasons for failure/things to repair" had a cover sheet that has the name Michele Ermi, Special Services/Special Titles on it....I think she is the woman in Trenton who faxed my application to the Morristown inspection station. Would be great if you could track down the document my loose pages came from. FWIW, the "Windshield" section is on a page numbered 18, and is the 5th point in the itemized document.

[sporqster]

Disclaimer, I know NOTHING about the DMV in NJ.

 

I wonder if, from a legal perspective, you could register the car as a "rebuilt" using the donor vehicle's VIN, if it had been totaled- or better yet, find a donor that hasn't been officially totaled out by an insurance company, then just register the car as a Honda S2000, Mazda Miata, or whatever it is to avoid the rebuilt title and inspection. If the DMV up there is like the DMV down here, as long as the car has the right VIN, and make and model are in the computer, they won't even go look at the car. It's when you say those words "Kit car" or "assembled from parts" that they go for the stack of flaming hoops to jump through. Of course you'd still be stuck having to pass emissions just like the donor car would, so better hang on to the cats at least for the annual vist. to the tester.

 

And who's to say your 7 isn't just a REALLY modified S2000?

 

I know of this having worked in Kentucky, but that was on a Mustang Cobra, which became a Factory 5 Cobra, but kept it's title as a "Ford Cobra".... so technically it was just a really modified Mustang ;-)