And an influx of airpumps and cats are about to hit the used car parts market....

 

Mailed my antique plates forms yesterday!

 

Matt - HAPPY BIRTHDAY to HER ! ! Doesn't look a day over 24. In MD my historic tags are about $100 cheaper for each 2 yr period -and- no safety inspection upon initial purchase, which is the only safety inspection normally mandated in MD -and- most important to me and notaries in general, there is no emissions testing every 2 years. What are the savings and benefits of your new tags in VA ? ? Bill

 

ROTARIES and maybe notaries ALSO !

 

Hey Bill, I'll pass along your well wishes

In VA, we have a yearly safety inspection that's pretty draconian. I have to re-install an airbag steering wheel each year just to pass, for instance. We have emissions every two years as well. With antique tags, you pay a one-time $50 fee for the tags and that's it. No inspections ever again! I'll also be shopping around for collector car insurance. In theory it should be a lot cheaper and you can get an agreed upon valuation.

 

Hey Matt, with the antique tags, do you get to skip the yearly safety inspection?

 

For MD at least, I have had my historic tags since owning and didn't have to do any inspections or emissions. Technically only supposed to drive to shows though, but cops don't seem to care as I drove to work alot with it.

 

[QUOTE=Houstonderk;12244972]For MD at least, I have had my historic tags since owning and didn't have to do any inspections or emissions.

Derek - didn't I say that in my inquiry to Matt ?

 

In the Commonwealth of Virginia, no more safety inspection, not ever again. No more emission testing etc. Pay the 50 bucks and its good. Rules as follows: Must own one car with real tags to be able to list it as historic. Must have had a current safety inspection on file when you get the plate (this seems to depend on the clerk.) Also one car I don't pay property tax on, other one I do. Heard you don't pay taxes on them anymore also. It was less than five bucks, not worth the hassle to figure it out.
Now depending on how crazy local cops are (Fairfax County) you are very restricted on how much you can drive the car. Weekend's only, to and from car events. The trick is you are allowed if you are doing a shake down cruise any time. So keep wrenches etc and you will be good. Now in the close two years I have had them, I haven't had any issues. This is the Commonwealth we are taking about and it's not a real car friendly area. So keep that in mind.

 

Matt - What carrier do you use? I have one car listed through State Farm as antique. Wasn't hard, filled out a few forms, sent in pictures to them. Think its hundred bucks or so every six months. Have to dig up my dec page and see.

 

Matt and Jack - Say you got a valuation on your car and got collector car insurance - wouldn't you be bound by some yearly mileage rules of the carrier and/or be bound by your states rules as listed for your cars registration type ? And if found out that you had violated some provision they could deny a claim ? Bill

 

Bill - I would figure it would be. They will do everything they can to try not to pay. I don't make claims, so I am a preferred customer.

 

Bill, I only use my car for events, cruises, shows and drive it less than 1000 miles a year anyway so I should be fine with the antique rules and insurance.

Jack, I haven't started shopping around but I'll be calling around to some of the providers listed here: https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/ar...lty-insurance/

 

Are any of you interested in going to Summit Point on Feb. 4th for the "fridge bowl" autocross? Each course run is looking like it will be 3/4 of the track. Registration is $79/99 depending on if you choose to course work. Details are here: https://www.motorsportreg.com/events...-events-197559

I think I'm going to sign up and run my FD, I need to replace the clamps on my coolant hoses and should be done to sign up next weekend.

 

Matt, from my experience the classic car insurance options are cheaper, but you have to have a locked garage to keep the car in. Otherwise they wont cover it. They'll likely ask you to send in a picture of where the car will be parked so make sure you have it in a garage when you do that. Since I didn't have a garage when I was looking for insurance I have all of mine insured through SafeCo. They are really reasonable and give great discounts if you limit the mileage that you intend to drive the cars per year. I actually went with them because they were the only group that would insure my Defender (VIN does not work nice with most databases since the vehicle is from the UK). I have 5 cars insured with them and pay ~$100/month.

I've been thinking about getting a quote from Hagerty again since I rent some spaces in garages for some of my cars now but I am not sure if they'll be much cheaper. If you would, let me know what you get quoted at.

 

Ian that looks really cool, I'd love to do it but there is no way I could get my stuff together in time. If I have free time I may come out to spectate though. It looks like something I would definitely be a part of for future events.

 

 

Not sure if things have changed during the last 12 years, but in MD, you only did safety inspection when purchasing the vehicle, it was a one time deal. Not long ago, somebody told me that they now require a safety inspection prior to selling it, not sure if true.

Skipping the safety is enticing, however I DD the RX7 as much as possible (when not on kids duties, or on the bike). I really don't want to mess with NOVA police. Years ago, I swapped catbacks, just so that I could stay off their radar. For now, I will stick with regular tags, and bypass the etest.

Wish, have lots of work to do (work, home, and car) Have fun!!

^this, I was immediately turned down, the moment I said the car does not sleep in a garage. A carport is a no go for them

 

Looks fun and Shen is my favorite track with the FD. My car should be good to go, although I dunno how my summer tires will fare if the temps are low. Do they put cones out to keep speeds low or is it just open track?

 

My impression is open track based on the proposed course map but I truly have no idea.

 

The TR6, GT6, and the FB are ready but I'm not sure that any have functioning heaters. The FD could work but it needs a shakedown or two after sitting for a year and I don't think I'll have the time for that. The DD's transmission is slipping something horrible and this would probably finally kill it off.

...on second thought maybe I will bring the DD If I kill it I get to buy something new right?

 

I did sign up. Registration is getting close to full for the event. Come on out guys!

 

Are you guys positive that we can get antique plates in VA yet? The DMV site says it must be a "model year that is more than 25 model years old before January 1 of the current calendar year."

Before January 1 of this current calendar year it was 2017, and our earliest model year is 1993. That's 24 model years, not 25. I'm good through November of this year, so I can wait out till 2019 if necessary, but curious if anyone has actually got plates yet.

P

 

It's actually 25 years from the actual manufacture date (if that helps)

See definition of antique...
https://www.dmv.virginia.gov/general/pdf/decalstudy.pdf

Sadly, I have a '94 and with expired tags

 

I'm not so sure, given the very explicit language on the DMV and State Police sites, and I've never heard of a manufacturing date being used. The phrase "designated by the manufacturer as a model"... no official paperwork has the build date (mine is in '92), on it as far as I recall, it's just the decal on the door jamb. That's why I'm wondering if anyone's actually received plates or notice of approval yet, and whether they used the build date vs. model year on the application.