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galen211
02-09-2007, 08:45 AM
Last night I went to pick up the wife's car from inspection and was asking my mechanic about inspecting my '76 Brit spec 88".

Right now my truck has a Maine registration and I need to get everything switched over to PA.

I asked about 4-way flashers (which I don't have) and he said he didn't care about that.

Then I mentioned that my truck has a single circuit brake system and he told me there is no way that will pass inspection. Any one else been through this? It seems odd to me that a vehicle can't pass inspection with a system installed by the manufacturer. I really don't want to spend the money to go to a dual circuit and I wonder if I go to another mechanic will they even know or think to look at the system?

Stuart/Larry, yours would be the same as mine, have you heard anything like this?

Thanks,
Galen

solihull109
02-09-2007, 09:10 AM
Galen, give me a call....

sven
02-09-2007, 09:18 AM
Goto Stoicheffs in State College. He's right next to Otto's, its a little Uhaul rental place/car parts store/mechanics shop/propane refilling station/etc.

solihull109
02-09-2007, 09:19 AM
Goto Stoicheffs in State College. He's right next to Otto's, its a little Uhaul rental place/car parts store/mechanics shop/propane refilling station/etc.
Holy cow, what else do they do there?:)

sven
02-09-2007, 09:21 AM
Oh yeah I forgot...They are also a machine shop. They redid my v8 heads for $100/ pair!

solihull109
02-09-2007, 09:24 AM
Someone tell Stuart, maybe they'll fit his 2.5 for him. Do they have coffee and donuts while you wait? A 100 bucks isn't bad, but what work was performed for that?

sven
02-09-2007, 09:31 AM
I wouldn't use them for the engine conversion. They work on a lot of american junk. I use them for machine work and inspections.

For $100, they planed the heads and did a stock valve job. The guy even said that it looked like Buick 300 heads! So at least he was sorta familiar with the rover heads.

solihull109
02-09-2007, 09:34 AM
That's a good price for that work....you should have told him it's the British equivilant of a new Vette motor....:D

mlp141
02-09-2007, 09:41 AM
Gotta love NJ -- you can register things over 25 years old and get classic (QQ) plates -- no inspection necessary.

solihull109
02-09-2007, 09:43 AM
Gotta love NJ -- you can register things over 25 years old and get classic (QQ) plates -- no inspection necessary.
Yeah, you can do that in Pa..kinda of, but do you driving restrictions in NJ with those tags....?Like only so many miles a year, only during the day, that kind of stuff, Pa does.:(

galen211
02-09-2007, 09:50 AM
Pa has that also at 25 years, BUT the car must be original. You have to send in pictures of the vehicle from every side and if it has rust, dents, etc it will not be given antique plates. Also the vehicle is only to be driven for parades, car shows, etc...

Actually Carey you can drive an Antique tagged car at night IF it has modern lighting systems (i.e. 4-way flashers, turn signals and the like) No Model T's with candle lit head lights:eek:

crazyfish
02-09-2007, 10:31 AM
in PA it has to "pass" according to specs of the year it was built. No upgrade nonsense. I've never had a problem unless the horn was out, or a light.

mlp141
02-09-2007, 11:16 AM
In NJ, I do believe that there are some limitations, but I am not aware of what. The mileage is capped at 10K I believe, but, does anyones Series odometer actually work? And, in the 15 years or so that we ran QQs on our 65 GTO and 65 Mustang, there was never any form of inquiry from the state once we got the QQ tags.

Rob P
02-09-2007, 11:28 AM
I had a 61 chevy suburban with a dual sided master cylinder but there was a catch....... One side was for the brakes and the other was for the clutch. Yuppers, hydraulic clutch system on my 61 chevy. However I never had it inspected in PA.

Seems like the original master cyl. would have passed without a second look if you might not have mentioned it. Perhaps the mechanic thinks when you say "single" that it is only for the front axle???

Willard
02-09-2007, 12:24 PM
Gotta love NJ -- you can register things over 25 years old and get classic (QQ) plates -- no inspection necessary.


Same in Virgina, i have Vintage plates on mine, i can only drive in events, on weekends and up to 250 miles from my home. If i get it inspected (which i will once i have finished it in 3 years) i can drive it every day to work and so forth on the vintage plates. Oh and no emissions ever again on it.

My Rover was bought from a guy in Maryland but it was still registered in PA. I find it hard to believe you cannot get it registered in PA since mine was missing the rear crossmember, the bulkhead is shot (going to have fun doing that restore myself) all the out riggers except 2 are gone (i do have a newish frame for it) i could ripe the spring hanger off myself, the front tank leaked the rear tank is being held up by who knows what.

Good thing i plan at least 3 years to rebuild it.

Good luck on the inspection and there must be some one who will pass it. I think you just have a bad inspector. Heck in Va the will fail you for bad wiper blades.....

galen211
02-09-2007, 01:59 PM
Straight from PennDOT's website:
Technically I'm screwed.


(3) A passenger car manufactured or
assembled after June 30, 1967, and
designated as a 1968 or later model shall
be equipped with a service brake system
of a design that rupture or failure of
either the front or rear brake system will
not result in the complete loss of braking
function. Braking function may be obtained
by hydraulic or other means
through a normal brake mechanism. In
the event of a rupture or failure of
actuating force component, the
unaffected brakes shall be capable of
applying adequate braking force to
vehicle.

mlp141
02-09-2007, 02:36 PM
Then those vehicles should not have been available for sale in the state. You should argue on those grounds if you have to.

galen211
02-09-2007, 02:55 PM
Then those vehicles should not have been available for sale in the state. You should argue on those grounds if you have to.

NADA trucks have dual systems. The issue is that mine is a Brit Spec.

sven
02-09-2007, 04:30 PM
Huh that sucks. Well, I bet if you bring it to that place I told you about, they wouldnt know the difference. Just dont tell them anything about it being a non-US model.

galen211
02-09-2007, 04:31 PM
Huh that sucks. Well, I bet if you bring it to that place I told you about, they wouldnt know the difference. Just dont tell them anything about it being a non-US model.

The steering wheel might give it away.:D

spechols
02-09-2007, 04:32 PM
GEE - hope they don't notice the steering wheel is on the wrong side.:D
That is my kind of place!

sven
02-09-2007, 04:37 PM
As long as you dont say anything like "My brit-spec truck only has one circuit brakes, is that OK?" ....you'll be fine.:cool:

solihull109
02-09-2007, 06:07 PM
In NJ, I do believe that there are some limitations, but I am not aware of what. The mileage is capped at 10K I believe, but, does anyones Series odometer actually work? And, in the 15 years or so that we ran QQs on our 65 GTO and 65 Mustang, there was never any form of inquiry from the state once we got the QQ tags.
You have a GOAT?, I also had a '65, 389 tripower....why the H_ll did I sell it...

mlp141
02-09-2007, 08:37 PM
We (my dad and I) rebuilt a 65 convertible -- had three deuces on the original 389 with a 4-speed. When we rebuilt the engine we ran it on a dyno and she was at 440 HP or so. Got her from a scrap yard in Elizabeth, NJ and it took a boat load of work and a ton of time. I think Galen saw her before she was sold.

Sold her a few summers ago -- wasn't getting much use and my dad wanted something newer and automatic (his back was get worse as he got older). Eventually bought himself a 96 Vette.

Rob P
02-09-2007, 08:37 PM
"rupture or failure of
either the front or rear brake system will
not result in the complete loss of braking
function. Braking function may be obtained
by hydraulic or other means
through a normal brake mechanism. In
the event of a rupture or failure of
actuating force component, the
unaffected brakes shall be capable of
applying adequate braking force to
vehicle."

I take this to mean that there must be a manual Emergency brake effective on the system in question. "in case of failure other braking function must be obtainable either hydraulic or mechaniclly"

jason
02-09-2007, 11:16 PM
The steering wheel might give it away.:D

Tell them you're a mailman.