Steve's Ride

[jopizz]

We're lucky here in NJ. If it's over 25 years old you can register it as a classic car and there's no inspection.

John

[Yadkin]

The inspection was free and at my site. All they do is check the VIN, and if it looks operational, they pass it. They never even asked me to sound the horn. And the only reason they check the VIN is that I brought it in from another state.

NC is friendly to old cars. Here the antique class is 35 years or older. If registered as an antique, the local taxing body can only tax based on a $500 value. I just insured it for $20,000. Also, you can run any period plate on the back (no front plate is required here for any car). Just keep the "real" plate in the trunk in case you get pulled over and the cop asks to see it.

[bird 60]

On the contrary here. The cars get an inspection that can take up to an hour. They must be 100 per cent road worthy. They check lights, horn, indicators, wipers, brakes, as well as brake hoses, emergency brakes, rust, oil leaks, tire size, if the body is rough they get you to paint it, ball joints, & I can go on & on.
The cut off year for Historic registration here in S.A. is the 31st December 1978.

Chris.....From OZ.

[Yadkin]

We still have some freedom here in the States. Well, at least some of them...

[scumdog]

On the contrary here. The cars get an inspection that can take up to an hour. They must be 100 per cent road worthy. They check lights, horn, indicators, wipers, brakes, as well as brake hoses, emergency brakes, rust, oil leaks, tire size, if the body is rough they get you to paint it, ball joints, & I can go on & on.
The cut off year for Historic registration here in S.A. is the 31st December 1978.

Chris.....From OZ.

Much the same here except if body has rust it has to be fixed but no requirement to paint it. All cars made before 2000 require a six monthly Warrant of Fitness check - they check tyres, wheel- bearings, wipers, all lights, steering joints etc etc. Costs around $60+.
The good thing is that cars over 40 years old only cost $80 a year to register, regular cars cost $250+ and motorbikes cost $500+ a year!

[bird 60]

Our Classics cost $138 a year for rego, but for only 90 days on a Log Book system. For regular Cars, around $600 for 4cyl., $850 for 6cyl., & $1,000 for 8cyl., per year. We have a choice to pay for 3 month Rego., or yearly. I pay mine 3 monthly & it costs me $217. The third party insurance is part of it.
There's a lot of people getting fined for driving without Rego., because they can't afford it.

Chris......From OZ.

[bird 60]

Update

The $217 is for 3 months registration for my daily driver 6cylinder car.(1989 260E Mercedes.)

Chris......From OZ.

[dgs]

Yikes. Here in Ohio, USA, registration is about $40 per year, no inspections. Registration for antique cars (anything over 25 years old) is a once per 25 years fee of something like $50. Again, no inspections.

[Dan Leavens]

Same here in Calgary, Alberta Canada Antique plate/ regsitration one time fee $75.00. Regular driver's registration fee $84.75 per vehicle.

[simplyconnected]

Michigan, the automobile capital of the world, has many residents who collect and restore antique vehicles. Since 1956, the state has offered a special, inexpensive vehicle registration for older vehicles that are operated on the road only occasionally.
Many antique cars, trucks, and motorcycles qualify for special registration as Michigan historical vehicles. A qualifying vehicle may be registered with the Michigan Secretary of State either with a Michigan historical vehicle plate, or an actual Michigan license plate the same year as the historic vehicle’s model year.
To qualify for a historical or authentic license plate, vehicle must be:
• 26 or more years old -- based on vehicle model year subtracted from current calendar year
• Owned solely as a collector’s item
• Used only for events such as historical club activities, parades, and car shows.

Historical Vehicle Plate:
The Michigan historical vehicle plate is white with six blue numbers (four if a motorcycle plate).
Historical vehicle plates are $30 and valid for 10 years. To obtain one, present the following items at any Secretary of State office:
(a) Proof of ownership, preferably a copy of the title or current registration.
(b) Proof of Michigan no-fault insurance.
(c) $30 fee (make checks or money orders payable to “State of Michigan”).
(d) The completed application.

Authentic License Plate:
Michigan also allows residents to register their antique vehicle with a same-year general use Michigan license plate. Reproduction or remanufactured plates are not allowed. The plate must display the correct colors for the plate year.

[Yadkin]

I can say now, without a doubt, the car is no longer fighting me. Things are going together now much more easy now that she's nearly complete. Maybe earlier she thought she was being parted out, or made into a rat rod or worse, a demolition car.

I left the power steering pump unbelted until now, not wanting to make a mistake somewhere and have to remove a component which would have been a high labor item. I took the car for a short spin on earlier today without hydraulics, and it was a real chore steering. I found a bug: the accelerator got stuck since I had the carb spring mounted wrong. So tonight I fixed that, connected up the transmission kick-down linkage, and then put the belt on the steering pump and filled, tested the hydraulics. All that took me about two hours, and no missing parts, perfect operation and most important, no leaks.

[Yadkin]

Three steps back on the project. When I mounted the heat and AC unit under the dash I managed to cut into the coil with a mounting screw. I didn't find out until getting ready to fill the system- it wouldn't hold a vacuum. Getting it out of the dash is the hardest part. I have a page and a half of notes on how I did it so I can exactly reverse the process. Then taking the unit apart (it's not designed to be taken apart) I quickly found my mistake, soldered it closed, then tested to twice the design pressure for 10 minutes.

[Dan Leavens]

Nice catch and good repair

[stubbie]

Is this a repair to your original AC unit or an aftermarket system Steve?

[Yadkin]

Aftermarket: Nostalgic Air. My car didn't have AC.