Colorado Enacts Pro-Hobbyist Law to Recognize Kit Cars as Distinct Class

[Thompson]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact:
Steve McDonald, stevem@sema.org
202/783-6007, ext. 31

Colorado Enacts Pro-Hobbyist Law to Recognize Kit Cars as Distinct Class

Washington, D.C. (June 7, 2006) – Car hobbyists and related businesses scored another major victory when a version of SEMA model legislation to create a statutory titling and registration class for kit cars was passed by the Colorado State Legislature and signed into law by Governor Bill Owens. The new law, which goes into effect on July 1, 2007, includes the added benefit of exempting kit cars from Colorado’s emissions inspection program. Colorado joins Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Missouri, Montana and Rhode Island as states that have enacted similar bills into law.

The law defines a “kit vehicle” as a passenger-type motor vehicle assembled by someone other than a licensed manufacturer, from a manufactured kit that includes a prefabricated body and chassis and is accompanied by a manufacturer’s statement of origin. The new law, which gained the bi-partisan support of the Legislature, is the product of months of consultation between SEMA, representatives of the Old Car Council of Colorado, the Mile Hi Cobra Club, state legislators and county motor vehicle regulators. The measure was introduced by Colorado State Representative Ann Ragsdale.

“Backed by the hard work and perseverance of the Old Car Council of Colorado, the Mile Hi Cobra Club and Representative Ragsdale, we are extremely gratified that Colorado will join the list of states that recognize kit cars as distinct classes of vehicles,” said SEMA Vice President, Government Affairs Steve McDonald. “We are especially indebted to the efforts of Keith Hall, Vice President of the Mile Hi Cobra Club, who spearheaded this effort on the ground by coordinating the support of state car clubs and enthusiasts and by working with state and local vehicle administrators.”

“I think that the most important lesson that we learned from our first legislative experience is that politics is all about compromise and cooperation,” commented Hall. “By taking the time to involve everyone who had a stake in our issue during the early decision process we won friends, mollified potential adversaries and discovered areas of shared interest with groups that we had never known existed. The respect gained and contacts made in our first legislative venture will serve our club well in the future.”

The new law recognizes the unique nature of these vehicles as hobbyist cars that are generally only used for occasional transportation, exhibitions, club activities, parades and tours. “For many vehicle enthusiasts in Colorado and throughout America, building, maintaining and enjoying their vehicles is a favorite pastime,” McDonald added. “This law represents an opportunity to acknowledge their commitment to the hobby and to protect it for future generations. These vehicles are the same crowd pleasers that participate in exhibitions and as parade vehicles, and whose owners regularly contribute to charities and civic events. These vehicles are pampered and coddled, buffed and shined and meticulously cared for. They are the pride and joy of those who own them.”

Several years ago, the Hot Rod Industry Alliance (HRIA), a SEMA Council, voted to expand its market scope to include custom vehicles, including kit cars and replicas. This action allowed this segment of the car hobby a strong united voice and a SEMA council in which their specific needs could be addressed. The SEMA model legislation was drafted to reflect HRIA’s expanded scope. The model bill will continue to be pursued by SEMA in states that either don’t have registration classifications for these vehicles or have laws that are lacking in some way. Efforts are ongoing this year to work with the state legislature in Florida, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Tennessee and Virginia on this initiative and to add others to that list in the coming legislative sessions.

The Hot Rod Industry Alliance is a SEMA council dedicated to protecting and developing the street rod and street-modified hobby. Its members include manufacturers, fabricators, publishers, dealers and car clubs.

SEMA represents the $32 billion specialty automotive industry. Founded in 1963, the trade association has approximately 6,500 member companies. It is the authoritative source of research data, trends and market growth information for automakers and the specialty auto products industry. The industry provides appearance, performance, comfort, convenience and technology products for passenger cars, minivans, trucks, SUVs, crossovers and recreational vehicles. For more information, contact SEMA at 1575 S. Valley Vista Dr., Diamond Bar, CA, 91765-3914; call 909/396-0289; or visit www.sema.org or www.enjoythedrive.com .

[COBRA406]

Does anyone have any info on the new Colorado law they might share? As
a former and soon to be again resident of Colorado, this is very good news
and thanks to all that made this possible. I will write Ms. Ragsdale and thank/
acknowledge her work along with congrats and thanks to Mile Hi Cobra
Club and all who made this possible.
Bob Taylor

[Thompson]

Bob,

I hope I can help.

The new law defines a Kit Vehicle as:

"KIT VEHICLE" MEANS A PASSENGER-TYPE MOTOR VEHICLE
ASSEMBLED, BY OTHER THAN A LICENSED MANUFACTURER, FROM A
MANUFACTURED KIT THAT INCLUDES A PREFABRICATED BODY AND CHASSIS
AND IS ACCOMPANIED BY A MANUFACTURER'S STATEMENT OF ORIGIN.

then it says:

"Motor vehicle", as applicable to the AIR program, includes
only a motor vehicle that is operated with four wheels or more on the
ground, self-propelled by a spark-ignited engine burning gasoline, gasoline
blends, gaseous fuel, blends of liquid gasoline and gaseous fuels, alcohol,
alcohol blends, or other similar fuels, having a personal property
classification of A, B, or C pursuant to section 42-3-106, and for which
registration in this state is required for operation on the public roads and
highways or which motor vehicle is owned or operated or both by a
nonresident who meets the requirements set forth in section 42-4-310 (1)
(c). "Motor vehicle" does not include KIT VEHICLES; vehicles registered
pursuant to section 42-3-219, 42-3-305 (4), or 42-3-306 (4); vehicles
registered pursuant to section 42-12-102 that are of model year 1959 or
earlier or that have two-stroke cycle engines manufactured prior to 1980; or
vehicles registered as street rods pursuant to section 42-3-211 42-3-201.

And then it says:

THE YEAR THAT IS LISTED ON THE CERTIFICATE OF TITLE OF A KIT VEHICLE SHALL BE THE YEAR OF MANUFACTURE OF THE KIT FROM WHICH THE VEHICLE WAS ASSEMBLED, AS INDICATED IN THE MANUFACTURER'S STATEMENT OF ORIGIN.

So in other words, our cars will be titled as "Kit Vehicles" which are exempt from the state emissions program. Our cars will be titled as the year on the Manufacturer's statement of origin.

Make sense?

Dick Thompson

[COBRA406]

Dick,
Thanks, and it does make sense. Can't ask for anything more. We are
relocating back to the Ft. Collins/Loveland area this summer and will
be in touch with the Club again. My car still is not finished but will be
in the fall. Looks like the timing is perfect as I will be registering and
titling it but will wait now until the law goes into effect. Hope to see
all of you soon! Thanks again for your efforts in this matter.
Bob Taylor

[Thompson]

Bob,

Get me your email address & I will add you to our email list and keep you updated on our events and activities. You can email me at thompson660@cs.com

Dick

[bran3b]

Do you know yet if they will let us re-title our cars if they have already been registered? I am fine with the 2002 designation, but I would like to get the benefit of the emission exempt status.

Bran

[Thompson]

Brandon,

We are hopeful that we can retitle our cars on July 1, 2007 when the law becomes law. Do not know the answer yet. We wanted this included in the law - only problem was the cost of all the computer work that would be needed to retitle all the cars already registered.

You have a big block and not EFI, so you can get by fairly easy with the sniffer test. Us with the small block EFI cars have a lot more rules to follow.

Dick

[bran3b]

I only ask because I want to convert to EFI but the current law says that I can't without adding all of the other emission goodies.

Thanks,

[Thompson]

Are you sure? I think you can upgrade your engine after it is first installed. Call the Colorado Department of Health - Air Pollution Control Division at 303-744-0127 and ask them. I think you can get a form that they issue that says you upgraded your engine and do not need all the other stuff as long as it does not creat more pollution than it did when first installed. Might be called a Form 2035 or something like that.

[bran3b]

I will look into it, I hope that you are right. When I got the first inspection he said that if it had a modern style fuel injection it would make the engine a 2002, and the fact that the block and heads are from ~1970 would then be irrelivant.