Homemade cars... Anyone have any experience with getting it legal?

[CTX-SLPR]

Howdy,

Well the (soon to be) wife and I have been talking about this and she thinks its a cool idea and something to do somewhat together. Side note, she wants to be my shop assistant and actually has probably welded more than I have though just in school which I think is awesome.
I think it was call the Scorpion and it was a funky British car with 2 wheels in the front and 1 in the back driven by a motorcycle drivetrain. Well I think its a cool idea and I came up with a drastically narrowed Mazda Miata front suspension with a custom rack, inline seating, and a Harley rear frame, engine, transmission, and wheel on the back. Plumb in an adjustable brake bias to keep the rear brake pressure inline and wire/plumb/cable in all the controls for the Harley engine and tranny to a more conventional car pedal assembly with a sequential shifter.

Now the really crazy part would be, how do I make this thing road legal? By reading the Texas DOT stuff it looks like I would just need headlights with bright indicator, turn signals, brake lights, seatbelts, and a vehicle that doesn't look like a deathtrap. Anyone ever actually done the homework on something like this?

[shaun callaway]

Re: Homemade cars... Anyone have any experience with getting it legal?

personally i would opt for the busa motor.

cool idea

[VTJUNK]

Re: Homemade cars... Anyone have any experience with getting it legal?

Most states usually appoint a VIN for homebuilt vehicles. Other than that it's registration and inspection as usual. For tax purposes they will ask how much the materials cost that were involved. If you've ever registered a homebuilt trailer, it's similiar.

[squirrel]

Re: Homemade cars... Anyone have any experience with getting it legal?

read the Texas rules, and find some guys who are into the "traditional" scene with obviously homebuilt cars and ask how they did it.

Might even get lucky with a trike and be able to treat it as a motorcycle?

My preferred method of attack is to get a car with a good title and go from there. Perhaps if you find a basketcase harley and get it titled and registered, then start building after the paperwork is taken care of, you won't have so many potential headaches.

[std]

Re: Homemade cars... Anyone have any experience with getting it legal?

In michigan you get can get them titled as an"Assembled". The same class as a dune buggy.

[Matt Cramer]

Re: Homemade cars... Anyone have any experience with getting it legal?

That's what you would do in Georgia too, title it as a "homemade dune buggy." Not sure how kit car laws are in Texas.

[CTX-SLPR]

Re: Homemade cars... Anyone have any experience with getting it legal?

The 3 wheel thing interests me mostly, is it a motorcycle or a car?

[1320AWestCoastStory.com]

Re: Homemade cars... Anyone have any experience with getting it legal?

I would just buy a piece of crap car off of craigslist for cheap. Get its VIN #'s and attach them to your car - then trash the car you just got. Say that you modified the previous car into your new creation and .....WALA!!!!!!!!!!

[purplecobra]

Re: Homemade cars... Anyone have any experience with getting it legal?

removing vin's is illegal. Here in Mo they call them special construction's. Check with the highway patrol.. If you can a recepit for all the parts and have paid sales taxes it's not a bad process.I built 2 motorcycles from parts and had no problems with the state.

[Caddyman]

Re: Homemade cars... Anyone have any experience with getting it legal?

Its pretty much the same here (SC). Call the Hwy Dept, get a form from them, set-up a time with a State DOT, or Hwy. Patrol officer to "inspect" it.

They sign-off, and then Hwy Dept sets value for.....tada....TAXES, before registration.

[Scott Liggett]

Re: Homemade cars... Anyone have any experience with getting it legal?

I would just buy a piece of crap car off of craigslist for cheap. Get its VIN #'s and attach them to your car - then trash the car you just got. Say that you modified the previous car into your new creation and .....WALA!!!!!!!!!!

That's exactly how Unique Performance got in trouble with Johnny Law.

[ethelkilledfred]

Re: Homemade cars... Anyone have any experience with getting it legal?

I would just buy a piece of crap car off of craigslist for cheap. Get its VIN #'s and attach them to your car - then trash the car you just got. Say that you modified the previous car into your new creation and .....WALA!!!!!!!!!!

That's exactly how Unique Performance got in trouble with Johnny Law.

So did Hot Rods by Boyd, he had some problems from re tagging if I'm not mistaken.

[dieselgeek]

Re: Homemade cars... Anyone have any experience with getting it legal?

I would just buy a piece of crap car off of craigslist for cheap. Get its VIN #'s and attach them to your car - then trash the car you just got. Say that you modified the previous car into your new creation and .....WALA!!!!!!!!!!

you think streetracing is the worst thing in the universe, but you advocate fraud? awesome.

[SpiderGearsMan]

Re: Homemade cars... Anyone have any experience with getting it legal?

trikes are motorcycles , then you have wear a helmet .....
stick to old cars - the sky is the limit - turbo nitro burning hemis - 2 engines , open exhaust do it like dulcich , drive with no plates !!!!

[sooner190]

Re: Homemade cars... Anyone have any experience with getting it legal?

i live in texas and have a friend who has a shop and rebuilds salvaged cars and some other weird stuff, the way i see it, find a place that will "safety inspect" it and you'll be fine