Driving golden era cars in the modern era

[Rathdown]

I'd humbly suggest a '58 Studebaker Hawk.

 

[AtomicEraTom]

It is a nice advantage. My wagon has collector's plates on it, so I paid $300 one time and it's good for life. I also get a break on insurance because of her age.

One caveat to owning a vintage vehicle beside the great pleasure of driving a classic. Is that some States give breaks on Tags and insurance requirements etc. I belief the car must be at least 25 years old to qualify as vintage or antique at least in NJ anyway.

 

[Auld Edwardian]

It is a nice advantage. My wagon has collector's plates on it, so I paid $300 one time and it's good for life. I also get a break on insurance because of her age.

You are right about classic license plates in NJ, the car has to be at least 25 years old. You have the advantage of only having to pay once for plates, not so here.

 

[AtomicEraTom]

How does it work in NJ?

You are right about classic license plates in NJ, the car has to be at least 25 years old. You have the advantage of only having to pay once for plates, not so here.

 

[Stearmen]

Unfortunately, here in Colorado, they changed the classic plate from 25 years old to 1975 or older! My neighbor gave me a 1976 Honda CJ360T just a month after they changed the rules, so I'm out of luck!

 

[Auld Edwardian]

How does it work in NJ?

You have to apply for antique plates, for which the car has to be 25 years or older, and renew every year. However you do not have to get the car inspected again after you get your plates. Also the car can not be used as a daily driver, and you are not supposed to drive it over 2,000 miles a year if I am remembering correctly. Classic insurance can be gotten with or without classic plates. If you decided to get traditional plates, you would have to bring the car up to emission standards, (Imagine the nightmare of trying to do that with the 430 under the hood of my 65 Lincoln!) and you would have to take it through annual inspections. I also think they might try to put a full-nelson on you to bring it up to current "Safety" standards. You can get classic insurance here with or without classic plates.

 

[David Conwill]

If you decided to get traditional plates, you would have to bring the car up to emission standards, (Imagine the nightmare of trying to do that with the 430 under the hood of my 65 Lincoln!) and you would have to take it through annual inspections. I also think they might try to put a full-nelson on you to bring it up to current "Safety" standards. You can get classic insurance here with or without classic plates.

That’s highly unrealistic. In most states, California included, you are only required to have in place the originally required emissions and safety gear (which in ‘65 consists of... a PCV valve, wipers, horn, lights, and turn signals?) - no retrofits. Assembled vehicles, titled as such, are a different story of course.

To require otherwise creates a moving target clearly designed to sweep all cars older than perhaps five years off the road. If I have, say, an ‘89 Caprice, am I required to update it to 2012 emissions and safety standards in order to register it this year? What on earth do the working class drive in New Jersey??

What about when the standards change again and I’m driving a ‘12 Fusion that is no longer up-to-the-minute? Am I out of compliance?

Crazy. And I thought Pennsylvania was the worst.

 

[Auld Edwardian]

That’s highly unrealistic. In most states, California included, you are only required to have in place the originally required emissions and safety gear (which in ‘65 consists of... a PCV valve, wipers, horn, lights, and turn signals?) - no retrofits. Assembled vehicles, titled as such, are a different story of course.

To require otherwise creates a moving target clearly designed to sweep all cars older than perhaps five years off the road. If I have, say, an ‘89 Caprice, am I required to update it to 2012 emissions and safety standards in order to register it this year? What on earth do the working class drive in New Jersey??

What about when the standards change again and I’m driving a ‘12 Fusion that is no longer up-to-the-minute? Am I out of compliance?

Crazy. And I thought Pennsylvania was the worst.

I'm sorry but I inadvertently left "1981" out of my last post. Meaning that all cars must at least meet state set 1981 admission standards. It is still a determined effort to get perfectly well maintained old vehicles off the road for daily use. Try as they may, they are never going to get my family into a Smart Car or some such micro box where you feel like a piece of origami to get in or out of it. And the glove box is about the size of Jello pudding mix box.

 

[Auld Edwardian]

That’s highly unrealistic. In most states, California included, you are only required to have in place the originally required emissions and safety gear (which in ‘65 consists of... a PCV valve, wipers, horn, lights, and turn signals?) - no retrofits. Assembled vehicles, titled as such, are a different story of course.

To require otherwise creates a moving target clearly designed to sweep all cars older than perhaps five years off the road. If I have, say, an ‘89 Caprice, am I required to update it to 2012 emissions and safety standards in order to register it this year? What on earth do the working class drive in New Jersey??

What about when the standards change again and I’m driving a ‘12 Fusion that is no longer up-to-the-minute? Am I out of compliance?

Crazy. And I thought Pennsylvania was the worst.

I'm sorry but I inadvertently left "1981" out of my last post. Meaning that all cars must at least meet state set 1981 admission standards. It is still a determined effort to get perfectly well maintained old vehicles off the road for daily use. Try as they may, they are never going to get my family into a Smart Car or some such micro box where you feel like a piece of origami to get in or out of it. And the glove box is about the size of Jello pudding mix box.

 

[LizzieMaine]

There's only one county in all of Maine that has emissions standards -- Cumberland, where Portland is -- and that testing requirement applies to no vehicles older than 1996. There actually was a statewide emissions law passed in the mid-90s, and it was repealed a couple years later after a massive public outcry. We do, however, have annual safety inspections -- year of manufacture requirements apply -- and the most important line in any used-car ad is "Will Take Sticker." Cars 25 years or older are exempt from inspection if they carry Antique Auto plates, and while the law says you can only use the vehicle for "limited personal driving", I've never heard of anyone being cited for driving their vintage car too much. You see a lot of mid-eighties cars still on the road here with Antique Auto plates still being driven regularly for the sole purpose of evading the annual sticker requirement, and nobody seems to care much about it.

 

[David Conwill]

NJ emissions on older wheels are very loose...unless you have bad valves, clogged air cleaner, and can't see the car through the smoke you won't have a problem.
I assume recentish ignition tune, good air cleaner...change oil before inspection. My own superstition is to unplug the vac advance, and if advance curve is aggressive with lots of initial dial it back a bit. I like for insurance engine fully warm in water temp, 180, but not run long so oil is cool.
Bottom line, though, is that if you fail the pre-67 or whatever it is you have something wrong with your engine.

Test standards are a multiple of what car was capable of new...very loose, in other words...on older cars, and I think a smaller multiple like 2X on early smog era cars. Regular registration, not any sort of collector car stuff. I think visual inspection is over with new standards too, so no problem for funny aircleaners and such, though I don't think they ever looked under the hood anyway. You just pass or fail on the tailpipe sniff.
Take a camera, just in case you get to photo a new trainee crawling around looking for your computer diagnostic jack!

Is that a recent change? According to this 2010 thread on the HAMB, it sounds like NJ was the same as most other states for pre-smog vehicles.

The Bruce Lancaster quoted is a university librarian and a very knowledgeable guy. I trust what he has to say on the topic.

 

[AtomicEraTom]

In Wisconsin, we have collector plates, and antique plates. Collector plates are for anything over 20 years old and the only restriction is you cannot drive the car in the month of January, and you have to own one car that is registered with regular Wisconsin plates. Antique plates, I believe is for cars over 50 years old and they can only be driven for special events and maintenance. However, they're super cheap to get and a one-time payment.

 

[Auld Edwardian]

Is that a recent change? According to this 2010 thread on the HAMB, it sounds like NJ was the same as most other states for pre-smog vehicles.

The Bruce Lancaster quoted is a university librarian and a very knowledgeable guy. I trust what he has to say on the topic.

This is what I heard from my brother in law that is a master mechanic for a local university. It is his job to keep their fleet of vehicles on the road. He also has a bevy of classic cars of his own, (He has down sized from 15 to only 7.) all of which have classic tags. When I told him I was considering getting regular tags so as not to be limited as to the amount of miles per annum, he told me about the emissions requirement. I don't know when the current law came into effect, but I think he would know because he has to live with it every day, both at work and with his toys at home.

 

[Auld Edwardian]

In Wisconsin, we have collector plates, and antique plates. Collector plates are for anything over 20 years old and the only restriction is you cannot drive the car in the month of January, and you have to own one car that is registered with regular Wisconsin plates. Antique plates, I believe is for cars over 50 years old and they can only be driven for special events and maintenance. However, they're super cheap to get and a one-time payment.

I wish it was that simple here. New Jersey has the unfortunate deserved reputation to be something of a nanny state. It's as if we are not capable of being responsible enough to take care of ourselves.

 

[Auld Edwardian]

There's only one county in all of Maine that has emissions standards -- Cumberland, where Portland is -- and that testing requirement applies to no vehicles older than 1996. There actually was a statewide emissions law passed in the mid-90s, and it was repealed a couple years later after a massive public outcry. We do, however, have annual safety inspections -- year of manufacture requirements apply -- and the most important line in any used-car ad is "Will Take Sticker." Cars 25 years or older are exempt from inspection if they carry Antique Auto plates, and while the law says you can only use the vehicle for "limited personal driving", I've never heard of anyone being cited for driving their vintage car too much. You see a lot of mid-eighties cars still on the road here with Antique Auto plates still being driven regularly for the sole purpose of evading the annual sticker requirement, and nobody seems to care much about it.

My brother in law that currently owns a personal fleet of 7 classic cars also told me not to be too concerned about driving my 65 Lincoln, as he said that he also has yet to be stopped for driving any of his cars too much. I will add that his cars are all heading toward the high end, and hence he will not even think of taking one out if the weather doppler radar shows a chance of rain within 150 miles.

 

[Auld Edwardian]

There's only one county in all of Maine that has emissions standards -- Cumberland, where Portland is -- and that testing requirement applies to no vehicles older than 1996. There actually was a statewide emissions law passed in the mid-90s, and it was repealed a couple years later after a massive public outcry. We do, however, have annual safety inspections -- year of manufacture requirements apply -- and the most important line in any used-car ad is "Will Take Sticker." Cars 25 years or older are exempt from inspection if they carry Antique Auto plates, and while the law says you can only use the vehicle for "limited personal driving", I've never heard of anyone being cited for driving their vintage car too much. You see a lot of mid-eighties cars still on the road here with Antique Auto plates still being driven regularly for the sole purpose of evading the annual sticker requirement, and nobody seems to care much about it.

Maine is a really nice state. We have been there on vacation a number of times. We even honeymooned on Peaks Island, which as you know is part of Cumberland. You many know this already but there is a sticker I saw on some old cars out on Peaks that said "Island Use Only," and did not require any plates at all! Some of these were rattletraps that you never though would run, however I did see one old classic that was in great shape from the late 40's or early 50's that looked so good it appeared to have fallen out of a time warp. As it was parked near the ferry slip, I just imagined it belonged to some little old Miss Marple type that had popped over to Portland to shop. I have also noticed that Maine is best enjoyed off season, after Labor Day, when the loud tourist types have gone home with their odious children, and that sadly Porland has changed for the worst in recent years. What does "Will Take Sticker" mean?

 

[David Conwill]

A friend just sent me a link to Jalopnik coverage on this '52 Buick Super. I've never spent much time considering the Supers, as they couple the large Roadmaster body with the smaller engine: the opposite of my ideal combination. But the photographs make me reconsider. It's a seriously handsome car and the newly expanded trunk for '52 make it appear to be an excellent choice for travel - which is why I want a larger sedan anyway.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Maine is a really nice state. We have been there on vacation a number of times. We even honeymooned on Peaks Island, which as you know is part of Cumberland. You many know this already but there is a sticker I saw on some old cars out on Peaks that said "Island Use Only," and did not require any plates at all! Some of these were rattletraps that you never though would run, however I did see one old classic that was in great shape from the late 40's or early 50's that looked so good it appeared to have fallen out of a time warp. As it was parked near the ferry slip, I just imagined it belonged to some little old Miss Marple type that had popped over to Portland to shop. I have also noticed that Maine is best enjoyed off season, after Labor Day, when the loud tourist types have gone home with their odious children, and that sadly Porland has changed for the worst in recent years. What does "Will Take Sticker" mean?

Portland is Hipster Heaven, so it's best avoided, but there are a lot of small towns outside of Cumberland County that are still Real Maine and worth visiting if you behave yourself and respect the locals. And all the better if you arrive in a quality car.

"Will Take Sticker" in an ad means the car listed is a heap, but it's not so much of a heap that it'll flunk the next safety inspection. Once it's got a sticker, you can drive it for a year before it needs to be stickered again -- so there's a lot of $500 Smokemobiles on the road only until they accumulate so many defects they can't be cheated thru an inspection.

Island cars are remarkable. Anything that can move under its own power will be seen on the island roads, from gutted Model A's to Volkswagen Things to woods skidders made out of Jeeps to forklifts.

 

[Auld Edwardian]

Portland is Hipster Heaven, so it's best avoided, but there are a lot of small towns outside of Cumberland County that are still Real Maine and worth visiting if you behave yourself and respect the locals. And all the better if you arrive in a quality car.

"Will Take Sticker" in an ad means the car listed is a heap, but it's not so much of a heap that it'll flunk the next safety inspection. Once it's got a sticker, you can drive it for a year before it needs to be stickered again -- so there's a lot of $500 Smokemobiles on the road only until they accumulate so many defects they can't be cheated thru an inspection.

Island cars are remarkable. Anything that can move under its own power will be seen on the island roads, from gutted Model A's to Volkswagen Things to woods skidders made out of Jeeps to forklifts.

What say about island cars are very true. And yes we are aware that "down east" has many quaint towns, and when we visit one we always try not to intrude on others privacy, or be at all associated with the ugly tourist syndrome. We have found people are for the most part are helpful and friendly providing you are polite and mind ones P's and Q's. That is why when steam up in your direction that we prefer to go just off season, or a hint later to avoid the crush and noise. When we went over to Peaks we stayed at a quaint cottage on the "back side" of the island (I.E. The side that does not face Portland but the Atlantic, for benefit of others reading this posting.) that was tucked away near a quiet peaceful cove where at night you can just hear the surf on the shore, the gong buoys, and if there was fog, the fog horn of Portland head lighthouse. That is our idea of a peaceful get away. However the last few times at Peaks we have noticed that some of Portland's less pleasant attributes have started to migrate out to this Calendar Island.

 

[AtomicEraTom]

Beautiful car, and you can never go wrong with a larger sedan!

which is why I want a larger sedan anyway.