Tony wrote about PA's vehicle inspections, and Fred responded:
>> Regarding antique cars, mileage-driven-per-year, daily driving, and
>> state restrictions on usage.
>>
>> In a very "Clintonian" way, I think it depends on the definition of
>> "antique". As far as my state definition (PA) goes, anything 25
>> years old can be called "antique". As far as I can tell, the only
>> driving restriction is that to be driven at night ANY car, including
>> those regiatered as "antique" needs to have adequate lighting. So,
>> really antique cars with woeful lights are not legal after dark.
>
> Tony
> This is your interpatation not necessarily the states, your lights
> must be of the standards available at the time of delivery, which
> would be 1929 in the Dusies case and not of todays sepcs., and my
> goodness lets not forget the braking system on the "antiques",
> mechanical no less, these of course would not pass any states
> inspections or requirements, but again, it's what was available in
> 1929 and not 2005, antique cars are "NOT" subject to state inspections
> and yes we can drive them at night legally. "FT"
I used to live in Pennsylvania and remember fairly strict vehicle
inspections every six months when I was a kid. My parents were dismayed
when PA changed to annual inspections, since they were sure we'd soon be
overrun with rusty cars ... like Ohio. ;) When I was back this summer,
the roads weren't littered with rusty car parts, so I guess annual
inspections worked out okay. The PA inspections seem to have more in
common with MOT inspections in the UK, though probably not so rigorous
from what I've heard. We have no safety inspection in Colorado, just a
VIN verification and emissions testing in some areas.
Anyway I read through the PA code web site and:
1. I didn't find an exception for antique cars in PA, not that there
isn't one in Virginia, though there are phrases like "if originally
equipped or installed" that might provide some wiggle room
2. In fact, as Tony suggested, antique cars may be exempted from
lighting requirements by department regulation ONLY when operated
between sunrise and sunset (vehicle code section 4303e)
3. However, I didn't find much about how bright the lights should be, so
I don't know that old Lucas lamps wouldn't pass
4. As in many metro areas, here in metro Denver even my '62 TR4 had to
pass an emissions test. It didn't matter what the standards were in the day.
5. Anecdotaly, years ago I received a verbal warning over a PA state
trooper's loudspeaker while I was driving my crappy Ohio-registered CJ5
on the highway near Pittsburgh. I'd used a hand signal for a lane change
and he said "we require turn signals in this state." Didn't ask if they
were originally installed or not.
Here is a link to the code if you like that sort of thing:
http://www.pacode.com/
Steven Newell
Littleton, CO USA
'62 TR4 x 2 etc.
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