like i said before; who is anyone but your self to say weather a vehicle you own is a collectiable or not? You're a car collector, you collect cars. Hell; a 2007 Civic SI could be considered a "collectiable" car b/c maybe you have a "collection" of Civic's and you want to add this one to your "collection". See my point?

it shouldn't matter what you register the car as. Hell you could register it as a UFO, as long as you agree to follow the rules governing UFO registrations. W/ collector registration you agree that you will NOT drive the car more then 3K miles, that should be it. Clean and cut. It is up to the person to decide what they consider a "collectiable" or not...freedom of choice and opinion anyone????!!!! just realize that u lose "driveability" of that vehicle. u can't tell a rock collector or a stamp collector that one stamp or rock is better then the other one or one is a collector one and one isn't.

Pretty soon NJ will be telling you when to take a dump, what consitiutes a "dump", and what the requirements a "dump" has to meet inorder to be considered a geniune "dump".

Yes, I agree. But where do they draw the line and what do they base it off of? For example, if you go by production #s, in 2002 there were more Z28s and SSs built than V6 coupes. Would they then say the '02 Z28 isn't collectible? There's just too many gray areas and ambiguity.

their giving you a hard time because you want to strip out the emissions on a fairly new car in order to make it faster, or for whatever reason. and im sure the entire reason they changed the rules for collector cars is so every moron with a piece of ****, unsafe car isnt getting around inspection.

face it, as usual a few ******** ruined it for the guys with true collector cars

the only 4th gen they'll probably even consider is the ZL-1

well for that reason and so that i can get collector insurance and insure my car (and mods current and future) for what its worth, not for what some doushbag behind a desk says it is. And as far as making it fast, you can't drive it more then 3K miles so it would be a waste of a car for someone who doesn't need the registration. Further more, you need collector insurance in order to get collector registration. So if the insurance company says ur ok, who the hell is NJ so say ur arnt?

But i see your point also. it is so "Hank Hillbilly" can't pull up in an '92 F-150 with the floor missing and lawn chairs as seat w/ a walmart belt as a seat belt tryin to get collector registration b/c he truck will never pass inspection and he can't afford a new one. And if you say that they should use discretion, that also = discremination to some ppl. the "why is his car ok and mine isn't?" question will surely pop up. You'd have some dude roll up with just a rolling chasis and try to register it sayin it is a collector but obiously unsafe. lol. but that goes back to you having to have collector insurance first.

I think it is B/S. I think this state is B/S. I'm not yelling at anyone on here, I'm just venting. I think i need to find a better place to live, b/c everytime i trun around NJ is doing something else to ream u.

But for a while, collector's registration was kick ***. :mrgreen:

Welcome to my world. If it wasn't this way, I'd be out of a job!

figures the one thread i start that gets this much attention is one that is screwing us all over......the only hope we have is official letters through this club, and whatever SEMA can do for us. theyre simply not going to listen to the common man. this governmant isnt like that anymore. pigs. i havent gotten my rejection letter yet, but im sure itll be soon. all this bullshyt just because some a-hole in trenton had a bug up his *** about the guy down the block registering his car as a collectable....

It's quite a paradox...the MVC seems to do everything it can to make owning our cars a pain in the ***.

bump for the thread. just got my rejection letter from the DMV pigs. says the same as ar0cks.

atten Tim: howd the SEMA show go? any news about the letter or whatever you can do for us? my inspection expired in sept. already, and i dont know if i should pay for one or wait for the collectors. if ever.....

Hi All - Paul in Spotswood here (New guy to this board).

I recently heard of the new regulations effective 9/1 and it sort of ruined the plans for my 1984. Out of my three F-body's it is the one closest to completion so I was ready to go get the collector's registration. Well looks like based on this post I am not even going to bother and try (I would have to go historic or regular inspection in 2009 anyway).

I can kick myself because Steve told me on TGO last year to do this, and if I did I would not have this problem now. You see the car has a 355 that I used to run at e-town about 8 years back. Cam has recently been toned down but as is would not pass the loaded test. I am going to have to TBI it or something to get through.

Anyway, this would not apply to everyone but I found this bill out there for those have have QQ plates in NJ. It has been in committee since last year but it would at least make the QQ registration a little more friendlier.

Go here and type in bill #3540

http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bills/BillsByNumber.asp

Oh wait, that is good news.

I'm really not sure what their intentions were with the "collectible" term. If they are referring to limited production vehicles, I would guess they mean less than 500 made and probably even lower but they don't give a specific number. Take something like the Buick GNX which was a performance engine option that had to meet specific emission's tests before even being produced. The 89 Turbo T/A, the 2002 ZL1, the 95 Mustang Cobra R. But looking at these examples, the GNX and turbo T/A meet emission's as required so they don't need the collectible label to pass inspection. The ZL1 and the 95 Cobra R most likely don't meet the requirements to pass emission's inspection and they were really built to be race cars. So this "collectible" term seems to refer to a way to get a car like that legally on the road. A plain 95 Z28 is not a limited production vehicle and won't have an increased value over similar models. Modifying the vehicle does not make it collectible but rather turns it into a "street rod" or "race" vehicle. A newer Firehawk, SS or WS6 is not a limited production vehicle either, it's a regular production option. Some of the custom "dealer" built cars are probably the "collectible" vehicles they are trying to help get a legal registration.

I would have to disagree with you on this. My firehawk is one of 201 numbered cars produced in 1993. I don't understand how you can say it not a limited production vehicle.

Yeah, but when you group it with similar models which cover other years the Firehawk isn't that limited. I really think this "collector" idea was to cover cars that can't really pass safety or emission's inspection from the factory like the 95 Cobra R.

ok, well if this is how NJ wants to play it and handle "collector cars" then fine. Even though i think it is a violation againts the 1st amendment (being that NJ is now telling you what you the car owner can consider a "collectiable". freedom of expression anyone?). You bring this up and u will have more luck yelling at your wall.

So...IMO there should be a "hot rod" registration. For ppl that modify their cars; with in safty reasons of course. have a mileage restriction or w/e, but for those of us who want to soop up their rides and what not this would be great. it even works for ppl with lifted trucks and what-not.

if you think about it; if you hammer down a strick mileage restriction (2.5K OR 3K or so a yr) there won't be as many ppl as they think signing up for it. Therefore no one can exploit it.

I have seen posts on this issue with the word "Hot rod" as far as what NJ defines a car "collectiable, classic, historic, or hot rod", but there is no "Hot Rod" registration.

i think this would solve so many issues. i dunno... :banghead:

That's a hell of a jump. I don't even see a remote correlation.

However, I totally agree on the second deal. They should set up some type of registration to allow people to have partial use vehicles with a strict milage limitation.

It is vague. They are taking away your choice (freedom) of what you can "collect". What's a "collector's item" to someone might be "junk" to someone else (think G.I Joe's and Hess Trucks). Does that mean that it is in fact NOT a collectiable b/c someone else says it isn't?

i see what their sayin; ppl modify their cars and get "collectors reg" so that they don't have to inspect their cars. Well what about the Low Rider builder who builds custom trucks for show and pleasure (think 2007 slammed Esclade). There is no way it will pass inspection. Or better yet, think of Chip Foose. What if Chip Foose took a 2002 V6 Firebird and modified it, i bet that would constitute a "collectors car" Why, b/c Chip Foose did it? What about Joe Johnson down the street who wants to do the same thing but can't afford a Chip Foose car. What if he built he the same way as Chip, would his be a "collectiable" in the eyes of NJ? See my point. You might have 20 cars that you "collect".

They either need to state that there has to be less then a certain number of cars of that model in existance or they need to get rid of the whole collector car reg. Historic and classic are carved in stone. they HAVE to meet a certain age, no gray area's there.

i mean i kno how this started; a bunch of "Johnny Tran's" came up with their $200 '93 Civic Hatch's with $20K in them and now they want to drive them around "legally".

i don't see a problem with that. There is a 3K mile a yr limit. I kno collector's reg isn't supposed to be a partial use reg, but that is what they made it when they put that limit on it. You were aloud to register any car as a "collector" the only catch is you can't drive more then 3K a yr. What did they expect was going to happen? I could see if there was no limit, then fine. You have to draw the line on the kind of cars or else ppl will expolit the 'ish outa it. I'm just sayin if you want to limit your $30K car to 3K miles a yr of driving and "collect" it, then that should be ur choice. Why does the state have to get involved with EVERYTHING you do???!!!

They are not taking away your freedom of choice. Just your freedom to circumvent the law in regards to emissions and safety.

Exactly. It was their own stupidity that led them to where they are today. They didn't set it up right in the first place.

As you keep saying, it's purely up to an individual to determine what they think is "collectable" and what isn't.

However:

NJ is allowing people with vehicles that THEY DEEM to be collector vehicles to have special privileges. It's not our right to get special treatment, just like it's technically not our right to have a driver's license. You can choose to be part of the program but then you have to play by the program's rules.

They don't have to offer any special programs. They could just say EFF you all and force all vehicles to pass today's emissions testing. Thankfully that's not the case.

I agree that they dont have to have a collector car registration or even a historic one, but they need to cleary state what a collector car consists of and not leave it open to interpretation.

Constitutionally protected "freedom of choice" doesn't mean that everyone has an absolute right to choose ANYTHING. That is anarchy, not the Constitution. Read it; you'll see.

Besides, no one is saying you can't buy a 01 SS and build it into a full-on pro mod car. If that's what you want to collect, fine. You just can't drive it on the street without passing an inspection.

The price of civilized society is to surrender freedom. Welcome to the civilized world. You can't carry a loaded handgun on the street (well, most of us can't); you can't watch kiddie porn; you can't pee in public; and you can't drive your race car on the street unless it passes inspection. Sorry.

The fact that there are enough voting car enthusiasts to force the NJ legislature to create an exception to the inspection requirement for some cars is a success for the enthusiasts! However, it doesn't mean EVERYONE is entitled to the exception. If you think the definition of "collector vehicle" should be broader, write your State congressman, vote, join SEMA, do SOMETHING. As an American, THIS is where your rights are protected, ...

...but for the love of god, stop just sitting there whining about your right to CHOOSE.

Ditto

Ditto

No i agree; we should set something up then and write to someone. It has to be more then one person and it has to makes sense. Like we can't say "do this and do that. b/c this ain't fair". We also need someone or something thing with big enough "muscle" to stand behind us and get our voice heard so ppl don't think we r just another bunch of "hot rodders" who want to by-pass the law. I dunno, draw up some execptions and rules. maybe they should have a "partial use" registration or a "Hot Rod" registration, and with rules (i.e. car must have a muffler, seat belts, x-width tires w/ x-depth tread, mileage restriction, ect) i kno it would work.

I kno they're tryin to get the full blown race cars off the street so that ppl can register their top-fuel funny car as a "collector" and take it to Wal-Mart, or so that Joe Ho-bo can't take his rusted out '81 Ford pickup with lawn chairs as seat and a belt as a seatbelt, w/ a bean can muffler, register it as "collector" (b/c in his mind it is "old") and drive it.

But we need "mucsle" behind us b/c no one cares about what "Joe Nobody" has to say.

I think we would have to prove a benefit to the state in order to get something like this through. I am not seeing that, unless we try to play on how cruise nights and such bring revenue to small towns, etc.

I'd even put an driver's age limit on it to make it more appealing. The last thing the state would want is a bunch of high school kids with limited use regs on their car.

o no doubt. just like "collector" registration, i believe you have to be 25. I'm all for that, and agree.

Im not sayin we wouldn't have to "work" with the state, im fully understand that we will have to give and take a lil with that we would want.

i just seem like right now the state is just "taking" and not "giving" to everyone. In other words; If NJ wants to give special privledges to certain car enthusiest, they should at least try to appeal to all car enthusiest. Granted there will be some off the wall request that they can't honor, but it just seems like they are againts "hot rodders" and tryin to make it harder for ppl who enjoy this hobby to, well enjoy it. Kinda strange since NJ has a multitude of race tracks and is know for this kinda sport (as well as wheelin).