Yesterday I put up an eBay listing for a 1969 Camaro Funny Car that is street legal. I’m not talking a lift up body like Dobbertin’s J2000, I’m talking about a legit 1969 Funny Car Body on a Logghe Chassis from back in the day. It even had Bergler tin work in it. If you ever wanted to won a Nostalgia Funny Car and be able to drive it on the street, this is the one for you. Of course people had to ruin the fun by pointing out that the lack of windshield wipers would make it NOT street legal. Seriously? Do you have nothing better to do than nitpick that kind of crap? If that is the case, then window tint that is too dark makes anything immediately not a street legal or street driveable car. Give me a break.
But since my opinion clearly doesn’t matter around here, why don’t you guys hash it out. What makes a car a “street” car? What defines it as such?
Is it just having license plates? Or does it have to have all the legal stuff? What if I outfit a Fuel Altered with all the legal crap for 1923 and then say it’s a street legal car? Do wipers really matter? Or a horn? What do you guys think?
i would say a street car has at least lights and mufflers.
your state laws may say different?
A street car is anything that can pass inspection and you can live with as a daily driver if you had to.
Its anything you can get by the cops with. If you drive by them and they do not immediately pull you over……….its a street car!
Here in NC, I’ve sand rails that are street legal. Like the others have said, a streer car must be street legal. The last thing I would want is the popo pulling me over every week!
Does it have plates?
Do you drive it on the street, at least occasionally?
While the cops are looking?
Do the cops let you get away with driving it on the street?
If you can answer yes to all of these questions, it’s a street car. The people who complain that no windshield wipers means it is not a street car should see a couple street legal things I’ve seen here in Georgia running around on public roads that not only lacked wipers, but had no windshield to wipe.
I think a street car can get gas from the pump at the local station, can drive to the local hangout and back home without a problem, and is legal to drive around on public roads.
Pretty simple really. I like them better when they have the legs to drive cross country, but I know a bunch of cars with low gears and no overdrive that would suck to drive on the highway, but would putter around in town, in traffic all day without missing a beat.
Plates , insurance, state inspection, after that everything else is o k.Blower, nitrous, its good!
For me it has to be able to at least pass a basic DOT inspection, AND it has to be drivable! I’m not expecting to road trip on this thing. But it’s got to be able to go to the ice cream shop and back without meltdown or limping around on a crazy high stall converter. I know I’m going to be beating a dead horse on this one… but Mr. Larson’s Nova comes to mind when I think extreme street/strip car
To me a street car is something I can drive comfortably in a heavy rain on the interstate and down a pot holed side road.
If the car is capable of running decent 8,9,and 10 second et’s and could survive Drag Week and passes DOT inspection, then it is street legal.
Whelk makes a good point, in that yes you can slap mufflers & wipers on an altered or FC but should you. If that’s what you want fine & I’ll be one of the first to salute you however my opinion is to respect the race car rather than show off in a street car. Many of the local hot rods here are ex-gassers & so very cool but I would hate to see one parked in the mini mall just asking for door dents & fender benders..!
If you can drive it home from the strip, it’s a legit street car.
If you can Drive by the cops and not be pulled over I am good with it
A street legal drag race vehicle isn’t a street car unless it can complete Drag Week in a competitive manner. For something that’s not a drag car the rules would be similar. A street legal road race vehicle isn’t a street car unless it can complete the One Lap of America in a competitive manner. Basically, a street legal vehicle isn’t a street car unless it can drive significant distances to and from competitive events in a short time span with minimal support.
I like BEER!!!!
To me its anything I can jump in and drive whenever I want with no preperation
Registration, insurance, runs on pump gas, has 2 seats, and can drive for an hour without overheating
Many states do not have DOT inspections (Kansas is one of those states)
Thus, my thoughts as to what constitutes a street car are as follows:
Dot tires (on all four corners)
Traffic safety devices (headlights, tail lights, turn signals, horn)
Mufflers (yes, even on turbo cars)
Proof of insurance
Current registration
Current tags (no dealer tags)
Glass windows (no Lexan)
You have to be able to actually drive it like a normal car (start, turn, stop, idle in traffic etc), not be a hazard to yourself and other motorists (lights, turn signals and brake light) and not get pulled over everytime you pass a cop car.
I drove a 1996 GMC Sierra with no mufflers for over but full lenght exhaust on the mostly stock V8 engine for over 2 years and never got pulled over ONCE, so no mufflers is fine by me as is no wipers.
Licence plate,registration,inspection.unless like in my state u got antique tag then no inspection but a statie has to aprove.
i like the cars/rods -dont have a real baaaad car-