Evil drag week thought

[Beagle]

My stuff is all smog legal....even though they don't get inspected where I live. It's easy when they're old. Really old. There aren't any smog laws for them.

Does yours even require seat belts?

[38P]

Anyways...get something running quick, and enter it in DW, and maybe we'll think your input on the subject is important

This, of course, is dog crap (and not even the hard ones that Joe Walsh hoped for). Unless one is Larson, Ahokas, Bailey, Lutz or one of the other big-spending names in Unlimited, having a car in the event does not lend itself to any more influence. Moreover, the point raised by SBG isn't one that requires any more direct participation than the late Chris Economaki had in motorsports to observe.

We also discussed this potential future problem in the Larson thread on the main page: http://bangshift.com/bangshift1320/b...ag-week-plans/

Government is currently looking the other way instead of making examples of some of the higher-profile scofflaws. Most all of us hope that they never wake up and are glad the greeniacs and EPA-types apparently don't read HRM (or Bangshift!).

But as more and more emissions-illegal vehicles get big press because of DW, it's certainly possible that somebody in the enviro-cop apparatus may decide to grab some easy headlines. And while whacking some street racers with cat-less turbo LESSes or hitting Larson for his late-model pickup truck would be virtually meaningless as a pollution-reduction strategy, such enforcement actions could -- in the minds of tree-hugging bureaucrats -- have a "chilling effect" across the sport (which would be bad, IMHO).

Don't hate the lawyers for observing what is an obvious storm that may someday appear on the horizon. Instead, let's figure out a way around it.

[Beagle]

I don't hate the lawyers on here who want to be all negative nancy alarmists at the moment

BUT...

I do APPLAUD the lawyer on here who scratch built a car this year and is more worried about Chassis certification than black helicopters.

[38P]

I'd applaud any lawyer who could build a black helicopter from scratch . . . Just sayin.

[BBR]

If the Drag Week entourage was a bunch of street racing, law breaking scuffaws that left a wave of destruction and mayhem in their wake, I could see LE raising an eyebrow. But truthfully, most of the time when a DW'er gets pulled over, it's because the LEO just wants to check out the car. That or return your helmet that fell out of your trailer. lol, (Doc Fox 2011!)

[squirrel]

Does yours even require seat belts?

only if a kid is riding in it

[38P]

Thankfully regular beat cops in most jurisdictions don't care about emissions issues. Or much of anything else if you're an old guy behaving yourself.

Surprisingly, I've been running the "hated" "storebought" pony car without mufflers for the better part of 40,000 miles in a state where any mod to the exhaust that increases sound levels has been illegal since the Great Depression . . . Yet I've never been pulled over . . . I guess the cats and two potato-sized "resonators" in the exhaust have been enough to satisfy Five-O. Or maybe the cops are just deaf now from all of the mufflerless Harleys and sub-thumpin' audio systems . . . .

[squirrel]

Even with no mufflers, it's probably not as loud as my blown big block, with mufflers...and I've never had any problems, either.

I think you're right about the "old man" thing, I used to get hassled all the time when I was a kid (probably deserved it), but now they leave me alone.

[TheSilverBuick]

[Deaf Bob]

Even with no mufflers, it's probably not as loud as my blown big block, with mufflers...and I've never had any problems, either. I think you're right about the "old man" thing, I used to get hassled all the time when I was a kid (probably deserved it), but now they leave me alone.

Strangely, my experience is the same... Hardly get a look from LE, still driving the same loud truck while 15 years ago I was getting pulled over all the time for frivious stuff

[Beagle]

horse is just sleeping. Most of us would take the harness off before beating it.



I *STILL* get pulled over and profiled, and for what are likely the same reasons. Old, crappy, POS in a nice car town. The Landscapers drive better junk than I do...

Squirrel's stuff is nice old car old guy stuff. Lawyer John's stuff is nice new car old guy stuff. My junk looks like it has a ticket or two stored up in it, maybe a DUI, maybe a stolen car (though I can't imagine why somebody would steal it? They'd just get pulled over!!!). They don't ask about the straight pipe from the turbo to the tail pipe, just license, insurance, and have you been drinking?

Lawyer Aaron is not venting what he's really pissed about - got asked about converters probably... by "I'm New On The Force" Dudley Do-Right no doubt. I've had similar discussions over '90 Mustang, invited them to go count, should be four. If not, I needed to file a theft report so I'm glad he asked.

Compared to the leaf burning / trash burning / dead horse burning that I've seen around here, none of these drag week cars mean a hill of used bean gas.

(consider troll fed or maybe just poked with a dull stick)

[SuperBuickGuy]

America is a big place, and it's not homogenous. Cars generally will only be impounded where they are....not in states where they are not.

All of the 50 states are in America. If a car is in any of the 50 states, then it's in America. It doesn't have to be in all 50 states to be in America.

Anyways...get something running quick, and enter it in DW, and maybe we'll think your input on the subject is important

I missed it, who elected you to be in charge of relevance? more importantly, why do you care what my opinion is?


and one other little bit

I've never supported the idea that the cars should be impounded, but it'd be utterly evil if it were to happen. Worst of all, it could happen without any change in law - just some sheriff who wants to make a name for him or herself so that she get get better exposure/proof that the sheriff is tough on crime.

[SuperBuickGuy]

Don't hate the lawyers for observing what is an obvious storm that may someday appear on the horizon. Instead, let's figure out a way around it.

and there it is... I was reading on Expedition forum about a year ago about how easy it was to title a Defender as a D90 or 110 in the US, and I mentioned the problems that some folks had with the Eleanor cars out of Texas... I got about the same level of response (oh they won't take my car). I also got to say "I told you so" and I didn't because I bet that really hurt to the guys who had their Defenders crushed.

But - do, please, continue to whistle past the graveyard and believe that it won't happen to you.

[TheSilverBuick]

Talk about making a mountain out of a mole hill. There is a big difference between illegally importing vehicles (or things in general) across the border and mis-representing what they are than modifying your already legally owned private property, that local laws decide how much scrutiny the vehicles get. No need to even go into the pot meet kettle argument because the hypocrisy is thick in here.

[RockJustRock]

I think it comes down to "functional intent" legality or "letter of the law" legality. By functional intent legality any car registered in a state that doesn't require a periodic inspection should be O.K. as long as hordes of car guys there don't build enough of them up to significantly offset efforts to keep the air clean. In California I believe SEMA had a part in negotiating a 30 year rolling variance from inspections when they were initially imposed. This allowance was taken back in 2005 so now 1975 and earlier vehicles are exempt from inspections being required for registration. IF car enthusiasts become greater than the less than 5% of the population they are now the codes exist to enforce things to the letter of the law. Federally that would mean NO altering of factory emission equipment at all. Of course first officials would need to assemble a database of EVERY possible factory installed emission system. If that task is completed then car guys would just need to grab up firewalls and VIN tags for 1966 and earlier cars for their projects. 1967-1973 cars would need factory type PCV, Air Injection Reactor and Exhaust Gas Recirculation Systems as factory installed. No those big shiny snail shaped things on Bailey's and Ahokas' cars are NOT smog pumps.