[waive]

Every year in V.A. you have to get your car inspected.( Pain in the, you know where.) anyway,
They offer classic tags for vehicles 20 years and older. With classic tags you don't have to inspect your car. So I want it!
One catch. your suppose to only drive it to car shows and maybe on weekends. (I'd be driving it on fri.sat. nites and sometimes to work.)
Do cops really bust you for this? I bet alot of them don't know what the rules are on this tag.
Let me know what you all have to say about this. I'm sure I'm not the only one that has tried this.
waive

 

[DaDon]

Trust me...they know the rules. Here in Illinois, it's an antique vehicle plate, and you have to be on your way to/from an exhibition or repair shop, garage, etc. I've never been stopped for driving with my antique vehicle plate, so I think unless you do something to draw attention to yourself (burnouts, racing, etc) they aren't going to bother you. But, give them a reason to bring you down and they will. Just my .02.

 

[Gator]

I agree. Here in Mass, we also have antique plates, good for shows, parades, to and from the garage, and anytime on weekends or holidays. About 1/3 the insurance. I had one on an MG that I own, but it's not worth the hassle if you really like to drive the car. Only good for a car that you take out once a week for a show and that's it. I live in a small town (3000) and the cops know everyone. Probably would not get busted, unless you start lighting up the tires, etc., but it's not worth the bother in my opinion.

 

[waive]

DaDon,
so you have the antique tags that are to be used to drive to shows and repair shops only.
but,you drive it whenever, without a problem?
waive

 

[DZAUTO]

In Okla there is an antique/classic tag available for cars 25yrs+. That has nothing to do with inspections, only the price which you pay for the the tag ($10) and it is supposed to only be driven to events, repair facilities, etc., not a daily driver. In the Okla City area I have never heard of anyone being hasseled by John Law. Although I would recommend that if you were to ever be stopped, make sure you have a valid reason for driving the car. You could always say that you were taking it to a prospective buyer's house for him to examine it beforing making a decision to purchase it. There is an exemption for state inspection if the car is over 30yrs which has to be renewed each year. And you have to have the form with you which the state sent you this year. The requirements are about the same as an antique/classic tag with one BIG exception. THE ENGINE CANNOT BE MODIFIED FOR ADDED PERFORMANCE! So, literally, if you have a 67 SS396 with a 700hp 502, just make sure it has stock Chev valve covers, an intake with GM logo, something that looks like a factory Holley, no headers, relatively quiet mufflers and basically you're OK. I mean, it LOOKS like a 396. Right? and it COULD be a 375hp version. Right? A '33 Chevy with big block jumping around on the engine mounts and a huffer may not qualify as an engine that hasn't been modified for additional power.

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[DaDon]

Yeah Waive...but it's like DZ said; Make sure you can come up with a reasonable excuse for driving it, and try not to draw attention to yourself. The difference I see is that here the plate has nothing really to do with inspections, it's a cheaper fee and is intended to limit your mileage. One nice thing here is that it's a multi-year plate...doesn't have to be renewed each year. If you can keep your head when driving, I can't believe you'd get pulled over for him to ask where you're going, and I doubt he'd follow you to make sure. Of course, if it's a really small town, I could be wrong.

 

[Bill Pritchard]

I'm in Illinois, too, and all you have to tell the nice officer is that you've been doing some tuning work on the car and you're test driving it. It could be that you were, say, having vapor lock problems after driving the car for two or three hours on hot sunny days, and you're trying it out to make sure those problems are now over with. I have personally never heard of anyone being pulled over or hassled about having these plates on a vehicle.

Another good thing about them in Illinois is that you can legally display YOM (year of manufacture) plates on your vehicle all the time; you just have to have the antique plates in the car (interior, trunk, etc.)in case you are stopped. There are very few people that know about this provision of the law. I believe there are many other states that have similar situations with YOM plates.

 

[J R]

Waive,
I don't really know the motor vehicle laws in VA, but I do know them very well here in PA as it is indeed a requirement for the profession which I am in (guys: no cop bashing now). Cops, or at least a vast majority of them, do indeed know the rules as they apply to antique and/or classic plates, however, as DaDon, Gator, and DZauto have replied, they are for the most part exactly correct in that if you do "push it" and give them a reason to bring you down, they will. If you just use a little common sense and do not draw attention to yourself by doing things that you really shouldn't be doing on the streets, you will not have a problem. However, if by chance you do get stopped for whatever reason, don't lie to them. Being honest with the law goes a long way in determining the outcome of the stop. Don't give them some spur of the moment made-up excuse that really can't be substantiated because quite often they WILL check into it.

On the other hand, here in PA, having a permanent antique or classic plate technically has nothing to do with the inspection of the vehicle. It is nice that you do not have to worry about renewing your registration every year, but you still must technically comply with all inspection regulations in that the vehicle must still be anually inspected. Even in PA, would you have a problem with not actually having a classic vehicle currently inspected...probably not. Unless you pushed your luck by doing something else that you shouldn't have done in the first place.The law looks at a vehicle with classic or antique plates as being a "Sunday driver" car. This means to and from shows, repairs, parades, weekend drives, etc. I don't want to give you the idea that such are the only times it can be driven. I will often hop into one of my father's classic Triumphs (with classic plates) and just use it to run to the store or whatever. It's not a problem unless you're using the car as an everyday driver; and believe me, the cops will pick up on it if you do (especially in a smaller town or city). You will probably get more of a hard time from your insurance company if you obtain special rates for your classic car and they find out that you are using the car for every day use. A little bit of common sense goes a long way, and most cops have that too.

 

[DZAUTO]

JR,
Tell me, if you will please, where I might find one of these common sense law enforcement persons. Would it be in Alaska or Hawaii? I don't believe any of them have residence in the lower 48.

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[waive]

alright,alright... I didn't mean to start anything here.
JR sound like a cool cop. the kind that would give you a break. we need more of his kind.
thanks JR
waive

 

[Philip]

Any of you in AZ want to help me stir the pot with MVD?? I saw a Mustang with "Classic" plates so I went to get some for my Chevelle's, well it turns out Arizona doesn't consider our Chevelle's as classic they want to give me "Antique" plates, I told them no thanks. In my opinion if it is good enough for a ford they should be begging us to put them on our Chevy's. What do you think?? Philip

 

[DZAUTO]

Correct, to 2 above. As my wife says, Strap on your sense of humor.

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[d1_bradley]

Hey 64elky....I'm from AZ and the guy at DMV asked me which ones I wanted for my '33. I could have Classic - Streetrod or the ugly copper Antique. I just took the plain ole plate. Can't see the extra bucks. Anyhow I guess it depends on which "government" employee you get for your WAIT

 

[Philip]

d1, Thanks, that is encouraging, I'll take my lunch and a magazine and try again. I'm in Navajo County about as far away as I can be from you and still be in Az. Maybe I'll get lucky this time and get a friendly clerk. As far as the cost, what is $10 when we are only paying $30 for 2 year tags. I wish my other Chevy's were that cheap. Philip

 

[DaDon]

Okay J R...you're on the job in PA, and I'm on here in Illinois. I've never stopped anybody for these plates. (Unless I wanted to get a better look at the ride) Have you? I'm municipal, and we have plenty of other things to do. Maybe if you're county or state it's a different story, but wouldn't you agree that it probably won't be a problem unless, like we said before, you give 'em a reason?

 

[J R]

DaDon:
I agree with you whole-heartedly!!! I don't know if what I posted gave anyone the wrong idea concerning this issue. I am municipal too, and I know that I've got plenty of other things to do rather than being so nit-picky as to stop someone over this in and of itself. To this point, I never have stopped anyone for this, and that's probably because no one bearing these plates have given me a reason to stop them for otherwise doing something stupid. In PA, you might have a problem with the Staties over this, but the long and the short of it is (as DaDon has said): it probably won't be a problem unless you give 'em a reason. (Records Management, Huh?)