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Making MiniTrucks Street Legal

Discussion in 'EPA Regulations' started by Donald Shimoda, Jan 12, 2009.

  1. Gunrock0811

    Gunrock0811 New Member

    if the smartcar can do it, so can this (^_~)
     
  2. jtpc

    jtpc Member

    :D Ha, yeah, that would be nice. However, the smart car has a very strong protective cage and I've seen youtube videos of it crashing at 70mph into concrete with minimal damage considering its tiny crumple zone.
    The smart got a 3 star crash rating in the US (once again, due to its protective cage body).
    I'm not sure how strict the Japanese safety standards are compared to US. I know that the US standards are stricter than Europe's in some areas of testing. (and more slack in others--i.e. roof structure/roll-over)

    So not sure how these trucks would do in our crash tests.
     
  3. FLBear

    FLBear New Member

    Hi All, Just found this site today. Have been scanning various threads. Thought I'd throw in my $.02 . Here in Florida, a new law was enacted that allows non-legal vehicles (golf-carts, etc) on secondary roads with posted speeds of 35 mph or less. This is meant for tourist areas and neighborhoods, with people driving golf carts or similar. However, as written, the law must specify which vehicles are not allowed (ATV's, etc) and so it should be legal to operate these trucks on some roads, theoretically. Remember however, I am not a lawyer, and didn't even stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night. I have seen 1 Daihatsu running around that I believe the guy bought from Eglin AFB. Cool little truck with a diesel engine.
     
  4. jrs

    jrs New Member

    obd2

    How do you acsess the obd2 censor, any one got a idea, if I can acsess my hyjet willbe street legal
     
  5. gaffo

    gaffo New Member

    Hello, I just joined this forum to ask you a question about getting tiny non-crash complient new "scooter-cars" "atv-cars" which we can now buy through the gray markets via the chinese drop shippers.

    There is a sweet 800cc "Jeepzter" (small jeep like what we used to be able to buy before the SUV whales ruined it for the small car lovers like me by removing all small cars from the streets/market) and another 650cc "Arial-type Atom" clone (basically a big go-cart car).

    jeep here:
    http://www.usawholesalescooters.com/jeep.htm

    arial atom clone (a far cry from the real thing of course):
    http://usawholesalescooters.com/f1car.jpg
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgvnxTEEOt0

    .................


    Registration as "kit car" ("Specially constructed vehicle") seems to be the most probably loophole to use IMO.

    Anyway, long story short, I'd like to buy one of the above "Cars" in a years time or so, but only if I can actually use it to commute to work and save gas money. That means tagging it as street legal. No way will i shell out $8,000 for a paperwieght that is illegal on the streets. The dealer says they are Street Legal - but that means nothing since he is the seller and only wants the $ale.

    I've done my "research". Here in OK (and most other states) there is no emisions requirement, and not even an inspection! (though Highway Patrol usually does this - OK DMV does not mention them nor an inspection of your "Specially Constructed Vehicle" for complience.

    All OK DMV says that you must have receipts for parts and Bills of Sale for the parts and preferably to include the serial ## from those parts on the Bill of Sale (so that DMV can check with the actual part ## to verify the parts are not stolen). One route I might take is to have the import dealer "break apart" the whole car Bill of Sale price into components, and have a Bill of Sale made up for the Engine, Tranny, Frame - with the related serial ## on each Bill of Sale. That way it LOOKS like I BUILT the car myself. Not sure if this is a thing a dealer would do or not.

    I guess my question to you is - is the above "break-down of parts" needed or did you just walk in and say your pre-built truck was made by you and you showed a Bill of Sale of the whole truck and they just said "ok" and took your word that you truck was assemble by you?

    The great things about tagging your truck this way is that you can drive on any damn freeway!!! - instead of being religated to state roads.

    OK now allows mini-truck registration - but it is may understanding that it is so limited as to be pretty useless, and your route ("kit car") seems the far better one to take.

    I'd love to hear in more detail how you did it!!!

    thank you for taking the time to read my post.

    I'm not really into mini-trucks more mini-cars myself, but see that we are in the same boat here ;-/.
     
  6. I like that!

    800cc "Jeepzter" .... :) :) :)

    Ooooh, I like that. If that comes in a fully enclosed cab - ahhh, I better look away or my wife will smash my computer. I had a heck of a time just getting a minitruck :frustration:
     
  7. gaffo

    gaffo New Member

    You can get a cloth top for it.

    no hard top as yet.

    top speed for the 4sp manual is stated around 65 mph? not bad.

    Honda600Z weight and size.
     
  8. gaffo

    gaffo New Member

    Heres a better site for picts/specs and video on the "jeep"

    http://www.sandreeper.com/

    looks pretty decent for Chinese. Chery is a big name and the engine looks modern.

    check the links over on the left of the over site for more picts/spec/etc.

    Arizona now has Street Legal ATV registration - that is how they can get by and say this car is "Street legal" in AZ - the restrictions are the same as the OK minitruck ones, cannot go on interstate.

    ND/SD/UT and AZ are the four states that now allow ATVs to be registered as Street Legal (as long as they have lights/signals/etc (installed by factory or owner). The Street Legalisation of ATVs in Oklahoma has stalled since gas got cheap again - sadly. It was well on the way last Summer ;-/.
     
  9. o8k

    o8k Member

    So if i live in ND/SD/UT/AZ, register my mini truck under the ATV rules, then I drive to another state that doesnt, in my mini, Do other states have reciprocity agreement with the laws for ATV road use? or will i get zinged by the fuzz? :sly:
     
  10. mini operator

    mini operator New Member

    street legal

    someone on this site once said: " these trucks are legal to drive in every country on the planet , except in the land of the free".....
    i think some legislation just passed in texas that further hinders the liklyhood
    that we will ever be street legal. but at the same time golf carts became legal inside subdivisions. I think texas' problem is that were #1 in the truck market. the big 3 ( which WE now own 2 of) are probably lining our politicians pockets to keep these trucks limited. If GM, ford, dodge were smart they would produce these trucks themselves. the bad thing is they wouldnt be built as tough and they would "pretty them up" so much that the sticker would be around 15k or higher.
     
  11. Ironraven

    Ironraven Active Member

    I'm currently attempting to get our state house and senate to explain to me and to our local governments how these trucks are able to be registered for limited street use seeing as how a measure to allow for just that was passed this year in our state:
    http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/ses...462&year_=2009

    I'm hoping to hear from them within the next 12 years lol.
     
  12. cheepBeer

    cheepBeer Member


    as i have stated before ".....fear of the unknown and the inability to compete!:eek:"
    look at the 70's oil crisis they where dragging in stuff from Japan and sticking ford,chev decals on em. Bingo! oil crisis over lets go back to making battle ships that the door handles drop off after 10k...not one single lesson learned:frustration:
     
  13. Ironraven

    Ironraven Active Member

    In Minnesota I think Polaris (the ATV maker) is a big lobby to keep mini's illegal. If people knew they could get a better, more reliable, more powerful, more versatile truck for thousands less than a Polaris side-by-side that had heat, AC and a fully enclosed cab Polaris would go out of business. ESPECIALLY if they knew they could drive their "atv" on the street, use it for a plow truck, get dirt cheap insurance and still have it go just about anywhere.
     
  14. WhatThe

    WhatThe New Member

    Just thought I would put in my two cents worth. I use my 99 hijet deck van every day as a primary field service vehicle here in Montana. In Montana you can street license an ATV or a mini vehicle. All farms and ranches today use these, and since they must use the roads to get from one place to another they must be able to have them street legal. I love my deck van as a service vehicle. It has lots of room inside and the mini bed in back makes it easy to pick up and drop off stuff as I run around town all day. It gets lots of attention and I plan to make it a "billboard" for my business.
    Ok now to slap down some of the arguments for not allowing them to be street legal.

    Safety - I believe several people here have already pointed out that it is safer than a motorcyle. This is a personal safety issue which should remain a personal choice. For those of you that wish for government overregulation of every aspect of your life, I would appreciate it if you would move to california or out of the country and allow the rest of us to keep some semblance of personal freedom that this country was founded on.
    If you want to know who is behind any kind of government regulation change then ALWAYS follow the money trail. Do you think it is just a coincidence that China built a factory to produce mini trucks made for the US market at the same time the goverment started harrasing us? Dont be ignorant. We owe china billions of dollars. They are going to get whatever legislation they need to export crap to us. How many $15K+ minis will they sell if you can get one that gets better mileage for $5k? Duh?
    None of these issues are going to be legislated "for the people" until we reform congress.
    go to http://www.kickthemallout.com and lets get it started...
     
  15. jtpc

    jtpc Member

    :) Totally Agree. Best post of the forum!
     
  16. cheepBeer

    cheepBeer Member

    yup its all TrUe!

    NO more words needed..I use mine day to day and here is today production from the truck [​IMG] [​IMG]
    I agree with the below.[I also lived in Kalifstan for 15years then ran away to freedom]:D


     
  17. Ironraven

    Ironraven Active Member

    I'd like to see legislation based upon how safe the vehicle ACTUALLY IS to operate rather than how safe that make/model has been shown to be in a lab crash test. I like how the UK does it; they just give your vehicle an annual inspection to make sure it's not going to fall apart on the road, has working lights, horn, turn signals and that it's in good working condition (brakes, bushings etc) and you're good to go. Because let's face it, a mini truck from 1998 is safer than my 1980 Honda civic was when I finally quit driving it.
     
  18. cheepBeer

    cheepBeer Member

    and theres MoRe!

    and no to get to from the thread....I also use my for recreational reason too!!:D
    [​IMG]
     
  19. Ironraven

    Ironraven Active Member

  20. mrxsht

    mrxsht Member

    I see a lot of modified vehicles on the road. Even ones people make themselves,and they seem to find their way onto the road ways. a motor cycle has no impact safety features,airbags, bumpers,or seatbelts,. So why are they street legal?
     
  21. mrxsht

    mrxsht Member

    how did you register yours as motorcycles, and do you think it would work here in Oregon? please tell me Sensei!
     
  22. mrxsht

    mrxsht Member

    If you want a Street Legal mini truck,van. All you have to do is..........

    buy a year that is 21+ !!
    they are exempt of EPA & DOT regulations. The new ones aren't.
     

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