HD6 - The Safety Inspection of Street Rods, Restored and Modified Motor Vehicles


Executive Summary:
As a result of HJR 38, the Department of State Police conducted a study of motor vehicle safety inspections aAs a result of HJR 38, the Department of State Police conducted a study of motor vehicle safety inspections and how they relate to street rods and other restored or modified vehicles. A committee was formed to consider problems associated with these inspections. The committee consisted of street rod owners; an inspector, a DMV crash team supervisor/highway engineer, and various State Police personnel.

The committee determined that there are generally no recognized safety standards for the engineering or maintenance of modified or restored vehicles. However, vehicles that are built or modified to meet the definition of a street rod consistently exemplify the highest standards of engineering and safety. Due to the lack of safety standards, the wide array of alterations made to modified or restored vehicles and the fact that many restored vehicles are by definition antique and exempt from inspection requirements, this committee narrowed its focus to deal with issues concerning street rods. The committee felt that the general population of modified or restored vehicles should be required to meet inspection standards and specifications in the interest of highway safety and that street rods should be entitled to certain exceptions from inspection rules.

Survey forms were sent to state inspectors and to street rod club members to determine if they perceived that there was a problem.

A subcommittee researched and wrote a definition of a street rod. Another subcommittee studied the sections in the state inspection manual which were most likely to cause controversy to the street rodder submitting a car for inspection.

The information in the surveys, the definition and certain sections in the Inspection Manual were discussed by the committee and the following recommendations were agreed to unanimously:

1. Eliminate the street rod definition found in section 46.2-747 and add a revised definition to section 46.2-100.

2. The current "street Rod" license plate be changed to a more attractive plate which will also allow for the personalized and scenic background format.

3. That Sections 8, 9, 11, 14 and 25 of the inspection manual be revised to allow for the relaxing of certain inspection requirements.

4. That Code section 46.2-1056 be revised to allow changes in the inspection requirements for safety glass.