Took my 1932 Studebaker for annual inspection

[Gary_Ash]

In Massachusetts, all cars need annual inspection, even antiques.  So, with a long-expired sticker, I drove over to a local inspection station.  The inspection guy took one brief look at the car and declared he would not inspect it and nothing I said could convince him.  He just said, "It has no muffler, no windshield, no fenders, I'm not going to do it."  Just because it's a replica of a 1932 Studebaker Indy car, that's no reason to get excited!  And, it does have a muffler tucked inside the 4" diameter exhaust pipe, though it's still a bit loud.  Mass. regulations say cars must be no louder than when the manufacturer made them (check!) and that cars older than 1948 are not required to have fenders (check!).  It is titled and licensed as a 1932 Studebaker roadster.  No requirement for a windshield.  The car doesn't go out when it's raining or even when the roads are wet because I would be instantly wet and the car would be very dirty.

 

I drove a block down the road to another shop where they were more than happy to do the inspection.  In principle, one of the shop people is supposed to drive it in to the inspection bay, but there was nobody there short/small/skinny enough to fit behind the wheel, so I drove it in.  They asked me to turn on the headlights, high and low beam, turn signals (I have them!), blow the horn, show my seat belt, etc. though some of those items are not technically required in older cars.  They jacked up the front axle and checked for kingpin looseness, walked around the car to inspect suspension and brakes.  They completed the data entry on their computer and gave me a sticker.  Without a windshield, I attach the sticker to a 3"x4" piece of Plexiglass and ZipTie it to the dashboard frame.

 

Now I'm street-legal again until next spring.  The car does get some funny looks driving along busy Route 6 through the main shopping areas.  Then I turn onto the back roads that lead to my house in the country.  I would be lucky to put 50 miles on it in a year - unless, of course, I was in a 500 mile race at Indianapolis. 😄

 

Parked in the driveway.

 

Indy car dash, old green & white inspection sticker hanging down on far right next to fire extinguisher.

[kar3516]

So cool 😎 

[Fordy]

Some of those inspection guys have attitude problems. I took a car in once and when it was up in the air and wheels on full lock, one of the steering components only just cleared the frame member. "This is extremely dangerous, so I am not going to pass it". My response was "Only if I get airborne and have it on full lock. then there would be a whole heap of things that would be worrying me before that issue".

Same result - different inspector who didn't begrudge having a job and "no issues noted"

Steve

[pkhammer]

I had a 1970 F100 pickup with the infamous "twin I-beam" front suspension. Mechanic put it up on the lift and of course the front wheels hung down naturally. He wouldn't pass it declaring the front end must be broken. No amount of explaining the twin I-beam would convince him.

[DFeeney]

Gary,  "Live the Dream"

[wayne sheldon]

10 hours ago, Gary_Ash said:

No requirement for a windshield.  The car doesn't go out when it's raining or even when the roads are wet because I would be instantly wet and the car would be very dirty.

 

I guess I can forgive you for this. Your car is so beautifully restored and complicated, that cleaning it up would be a nightmare! I have driven model T speedster (most no windshield, no fenders, very little body!) literally hundreds of miles in downpouring rain! A quick cleanup afterwards was adequate.

The worst part about it for me was actually a sort of "catch 22". Although it never actually became an issue, without a windshield I am technically required to wear goggles. But goggles in the rain don't work very well without automatic wipers! After about fifteen minutes of wiping the goggles, one finds that no goggles and squint seems to work better! Bending your head down a bit also helps. An hour or so like that in heavy rain and you know you have done something!

 

I hope I get to do that again someday!

 

 

Edited May 15 by wayne sheldon
I hate leaving typos! (see edit history)

[chistech]

Gary, I take all my cars to Sparks right on rte 6 close to the Starbucks. Never one issue and they always have me drive it in the garage though the states rule is the inspector is supposed to drive it in. They don’t want to get behind the wheel or even inside my cars. Supposedly Mass was considering dropping inspections on all vehicles over 75 years old but they probably realized any loss of revenue is something this state will never consider.

[28 Chrysler]

I had a smog tec that would not do a smog on my 1981 Jeep because the paperwork said 1981 AMC CJ7.

[zepher]

3 hours ago, wayne sheldon said:

 

I guess I can forgive you for this. Your car is so beautifully restored and complicated, that cleaning it up would be a nightmare! I have driven model T speedster (most no windshield, no fenders, very little body!) literally hundreds of miles in downpouring rain! A quick cleanup afterwards was adequate.

The worst part about it for me was actually a sort of "catch 22". Although it never actually became an issue, without a windshield I am technically required to wear goggles. But goggles in the rain don't work very well without automatic wipers! After about fifteen minutes of wiping the goggles, one finds that no goggles and squint seems to work better! Bending your head down a bit also helps. An hour or so like that in heavy rain and you know you have done something!

 

I hope I get to do that again someday!

 

 

 

I've been caught in the rain while riding my motorcycle and a full face helmet with some RainX on the face shield works wonders.
At speed, all you need to do is slightly turn your head to the left or right and the wind will clear the face shield instantly.

The helmet also keeps your head dry.

[wayne sheldon]

3 hours ago, zepher said:

 

I've been caught in the rain while riding my motorcycle and a full face helmet with some RainX on the face shield works wonders.
At speed, all you need to do is slightly turn your head to the left or right and the wind will clear the face shield instantly.

The helmet also keeps your head dry.

 

I never really rode a motorcycle. However when I was much younger I put many thousands of miles on a bicycle, regardless of the weather (125 plus miles every week for over two years alone when I was going to college).

And, I have never actually tried RainX. Although I think our newer second hand Ford Expedition had been treated with it before we bought it. For the first whole year I rarely turned on the windshield wipers because they blew clear so quickly! Guess I may have to try it myself.

 

 

Edited May 15 by wayne sheldon
I hate leaving typos! (see edit history)

[R Walling]

 I had gone to 3 or 4 inspection stations with my"33" hot rod that had conveniently "just closed" before I was inspected at one. He failed it because I had the license plate bolted to the grille instead or the Mass. mandate, "the plate must be firmly attached to the license plate bracket".

 While driving home, I got a ticket for driving without a inspection sticker!

[Steve9]

On 5/14/2024 at 6:00 PM, wayne sheldon said:

An hour or so like that in heavy rain and you know you have done something!

 

I hope I get to do that again someday!

 

Move to Seattle!