A change in Maryland law that now makes it illegal to drive historic vehicles anywhere except club events, car shows and parades has forced me to change my plans. I had intended to keep driving my slick every nice weather day while I slowly built up the chassis and drivetrain to swap the body and bed over. The new law will make me get a state inspection and regular registration on my old trucks.


So, the new plan is to get the slick back on the road with minimal down time. I will replace the intake and carb (maybe the cam?) and I'm back in business.


The '76 F250 will donate its Dana 60 and front rotors to the '76 F150, along with the switch and wiring for dual fuel tanks, effectively making it a 390 F250. I'll put the NV-4500 in the converted F250 and the slick will mostly just have cruising duty. If the F150 has 31 spline axles, I'll move the rear to the '66 and weld new perches on with the correct spacing. I already have several 31 spline diffs, one with a Trac Loc in a nodular case, and another with a Gleason Torque sensing diff in a regular case.

 

Believe Ca. basically has the same policy, pretty much able to swap components except when it comes to swapping frame/chassis? Can be done, no special 'historical' license involved but is required to register under the date of the later model chassis; at least that was the most recent given by Ca. DMV, which is subject to change depending upon which DMV employee one talks to?.

 

In MD any non commercial vehicle at least 20 years old can be registered as an Historic vehicle. The advantage is that you don't have to pass the rigorous state inspection.

In addition to the standard inspection items like brake lights and turn signals, they put it up on a lift and inspect for any fluid leaks (none are allowed). They remove the wheels and mic the rotors and drums. It's very thorough.

 

You might want to check the actual wording of what you can use the truck for if registered as a historic vehicle. Here in WA it says this

May be driven:
To and from auto shows, circuses, parades, displays, special excursions, and antique car club meetings.
For testing purposes.
For the pleasure of others without compensation.

The last two lines are loopholes. Not to mention that my job is a circus, so there is that, too.

.

 

Agree, certainly worth reviewing the 'Commercial' and 'Historical' classification law. Believe in Ca. one has the option, if the vehicle meets the historical classification requirements then one can turn in the commercial plates for 'historical' but it come with travel restrictions; if not, then keep the commercial plates, at a cost; supposedly for maintaining roads, etc., and therefore there are no travel restrictions, or vehicle inspection.

Sounds like the vehicle inspections is some thing out of that of the Concour D'Elegance vehicle inspection.
'

 

We had a similar loophole until Oct 1. Everyone with historic tags received a letter from the DMV expressly telling us that we are no longer allowed to drive our historic vehicles to work or to use for any commercial purpose. I don't want to have any restrictions or have to look over my shoulder. I was already working towards passing inspection, just didn't plan on making any changes to the 352.

 

Keep voting demoncrate.


John

 

Demoncrats make all the laws in MD. A couple of years ago they passed a "rain tax". It rains a LOT in MD. Absurd.

 

I live in this wonderfull state as well (fully intended sarcasm). When I got that same notification, I used a few explitives and basically said eff off. Anyway, what I want to know is how will they determine if you are using it as a daily driver or just cruising on a nice day? Not sure but you could also see about street rod tags...think they try the same restrictions with # of miles driven/year, but that may work. I used to have my jeep tagged as street rod.

They did it to keep the $ coming in...basically too many people taking a 20 year old civic or escort and keeping it running...skipping all the inspection crap and avoiding the emissions testing, which is a money maker for the state...I guess they got tired of people working around the regulations and decided they needed more money.


Just another way for the man to stick it to you...like the rain tax...thanks Owe'mally!

 

I live in Saint Mary's county. Patuxent River NAS is by far the largest employer here. Everyday traffic backs up in the morning and again in the evening as the population of a small city arrives and departs.

The State Troopers and/or Sheriff's Deputies often sit outside watching traffic, handing out tickets for people blocking the intersections. I'm pretty sure a 50 year old truck will stand out among the cookie cutter cars.

But yeah, it's just another way to raise taxes.

 

I'm in Ontario Canada and we have a similar law regarding historic plates on a car. We have a choice if we want the historic plate OR a normal plate. The difference is cost of the yearly sticker, historic is $20/y and all others are something like $120/y but don't have the restrictions about only club events, shows and testing. I just plated my 66' and went for the normal plate as I'll be driving 90km to work at 4am. On the other hand I've never heard of anyone getting pulled over for it.

Here is a way you may get away with attending a club event every time you go for a drive. Start up a Facebook page/group with a fun name. "Maryland classic cruisers" or something like that. The whole point of your new club is to drive your classics around and try to spot each other.... Make a post before you leave the house and say "I'll see you on the road fellow club members, let's grab a coffee". That should have satisfied the law with regard to attending a club event. You can take a screen shot of the Law gives you a ticket you can fight it.

I would also spend some time on YouTube watching videos about traffic stops, a police officer can ask you where you are going but you have absolutely no obligation to answer. "Here is my paperwork sir, I don't answer any questions".

Doesn't sound like a free country to me.

 

I'm sure I could get away with weekend and holiday driving, but I want to drive it to work. It would be pretty obvious to a cop that I'm going to work if they saw me sitting in rush hour traffic in the morning or the evening either entering or leaving the navy base. The gate guards would probably rat me out as well.

Maryland is certainly not free. Taxes are crazy; almost as bad as Canada.

 

66v8baby
That's something I could never understand. Traffic is backed SO bad that in order to get across the intersection, sometimes you get caught in that intersection. SO, where do they pull you over to give you that ticket.
DAAA. Most of the time there is no place to pull you over because like you say - traffic is so back up. So they pull you to the far right lane. All it does is cause more traffic tie-up. I can't really blame the cops because they take orders from the higher ups - in response to citizens calling in and complaining.
Here in Kali, they have cameras and they send you a ticket if you break the law in any way. They really nail ya for those 'California stops'. Ya know those rolling stops when you are making a right turn... Expensive ticket.