Auto Laws

[fiftyfourdf100]

Can't really afford a ticket so I just wanted to make sure some of these laws for the motor vehicles. So I decided I better see if you guys knew any of these before I ran with them... 1) Is it legal to run without a hood on a vehicle? stupid yes, but I don't have the hood for the vehicle(83 Cutlass a buddy of mine is having me work on) done yet and he wants to drive it. 2) Tint laws, minimum VLT you have to have? I know back windows are fair game, but eyebrows on windshields and tinted drivers window? 3)Emission laws? Does Iowa have any of them? 4)Exhaust? What all do you have to have on it to be legal(just mufflers?) 5)Auxilary lighting ie: neon underbodies, l.e.d.s, etc... When can you run them and what colors? Any other helpful laws that you think would be nice for everybody to know, aside from the obvious, would be great help. Thanks Tucker aka 50-4ed 54 F100 Street Rod

[69 and 85]

Your local sherriff/police office can give you the answers, but here are some of my thoughts/experiences.

You see rods running without side panels, but I would think no hood is a safety issue (legal or not). If the radiator, oil cooler, any kind of fluid line goes then your windshield would be coated or a smoke screen- try www.car-part.com

You have to be able to see IN through the tint. Drivers windows ARE NOT fair game. I have seen solid eyebrows with a logo cut out so as long as you don't go too low...


Never seen anyone get pulled over for emmisions, not even junkers billowing oil clouds. If the vehicle is tuned up and running decent I would think a muffler would be fine.

[IowaTower]

A frequently ignored law: IOWA LAW - 321.323A The operator of a motor vehicle approaching a stationary authorized vehicle that is displaying flashing yellow, amber, white, red, or red and blue lights shall proceed in one of the following manners, absent any other direction by a peace officer -- Make a lane change into a lane not adjacent to the authorized emergency vehicle, if possible in the existing safety and traffic conditions, and if not possible, SLOW THE HE!! DOWN.

http://www.iamvd.com/omve/iarule450.pdf -- Non-reflective tint is allowed along the top of the windshield above the manufacturer's AS-1 line. Front side windows must allow more than 70% of light in.

I don't seen any mention of emissions or underbody lighting, and hoods don't seem to be required.

[jbullfrog]

I was informed by a deputy that my ISU alumni liscense plate surround is illegal in the state of Iowa. You can't cover the county name on the plate. How ironic that a state owned entity would sell something illegal in the state.

[Flareside94]

That particular cop had somebody pee on his doughnut that day. Most don't give a hoot.

I don't know that any particular color is outlawed on the underbody lighting or interior lighting, but the light CANNOT be visible, and underbody cannot strobe if its red.

On the hood....I don't know that they would ticket you if you were driving point A to point B, maybe just cover it up.

[fellro86]

Ihave been stopped before for no hood, of course that was the local dicks on a high school kid, but I would say that you best have a hood. Those cars are easy enough to find... but if you are just moving it from like the shop to home, most will let it go.
Emissions, federal rules apply, but are rarely enforced. Excessive smoke can get you stopped and ticketed, ask my sister on my dad's diesel with bad injectors... Noise ordinance will apply in regards to mufflers.
Tint is one that can be sticky, check with the local sheriff and ask, and be sure that you won't get in trouble with it because it sucks getting that crap off. PO had too dark of tint on my 75 highboy, and I had to take the crap off... I want to say 20-30% but gt ahold of Nick and see what they say.