After reading a couple of recent e-mails on a certain Political problem here in the Great State of Maine. I reach back into my archives of way to much music and put on some Dire Straits. We here in the State of Maine have several laws protecting us from Green Weenie Environmentalists and the other non -gear head types who have plagued our state in recent years.
But like anything some rules don't jive, they fight each other, thus more rules and regulations that will make you puke. Then we get the interpretations by different departments and bureaus that take laws and turn them into mush. Before you know it you have the laws meant to protect you shoved so far up your ass, a colonoscopy looks like fun.
That's just a look into what we put up with just to keep our hot rods on the road. It has also been said we need a lobbyist to help us get this shit straightened out. The laws were put in place by a group of non-hobbyist business people who only care about profit and not fun. Now they want MONEY from the hobbyist to help pay for the lobbyist who wants $12k to get it right when it was their fault it didn't get done right the 1st time.
What do you think we are STUPID. Besides the fact that your so called lobbyist is also a hobbyist and should cut us some slack. You guys screwed it up you guys fix it.
"Money for nothing and your chicks for free"
12/23/08
12/20/08
OUR LADY OF THE BLESSED GEARHEAD
As I sat around the other night at the weekly "prayer" meeting at the Our Lady of the Blessed Gearhead Church, the sermon opened with what it takes to get ones point across to some of the idiots we deal with when it comes to the our hobby.
On a regular basis we all deal with the $8.50hr kid who thinks he can sell parts at the local parts store because he can find it on the computer,if its not there then they don't stock it. We,ve all said the same thing,"Look in the book", Huh what??? Go back to delivering pizza for Dominos will ya.
From hear the sermon went with the flow of the quality of the parts you can get at certain parts store. Up here in Maine we have a local chain called VIP mostly junk but good for oil and filters and tires, then there is PEP BOYS, ok nuff said. NAPA or the No Available Parts Association. After a quite heated debate and tales of junk parts the Deacons of the church decided if your stores name (the main part) has a P in it we ain't buying crap from you.
The sermon then went with the cancellation of an event that saddened our hearts. The Annual Flag Day Run has been cancelled. Started a few years ago as a gathering of some of the old guys it turned into one the premier events of the season. the format was simple, just show up, have beer if you want, eat a hotdog or 2 and have good time. No Trophies or crap like that, no politics and that was a good thing just gearheads and some sweet rides.
We then broke out the sacrement and what happened then I can't write about.
On a regular basis we all deal with the $8.50hr kid who thinks he can sell parts at the local parts store because he can find it on the computer,if its not there then they don't stock it. We,ve all said the same thing,"Look in the book", Huh what??? Go back to delivering pizza for Dominos will ya.
From hear the sermon went with the flow of the quality of the parts you can get at certain parts store. Up here in Maine we have a local chain called VIP mostly junk but good for oil and filters and tires, then there is PEP BOYS, ok nuff said. NAPA or the No Available Parts Association. After a quite heated debate and tales of junk parts the Deacons of the church decided if your stores name (the main part) has a P in it we ain't buying crap from you.
The sermon then went with the cancellation of an event that saddened our hearts. The Annual Flag Day Run has been cancelled. Started a few years ago as a gathering of some of the old guys it turned into one the premier events of the season. the format was simple, just show up, have beer if you want, eat a hotdog or 2 and have good time. No Trophies or crap like that, no politics and that was a good thing just gearheads and some sweet rides.
We then broke out the sacrement and what happened then I can't write about.
12/18/08
SONG AND DANCE
Hotkarz is a real good site for info and opinions usually not about cars. However it has put out a book on how to put on a Car Show with all the ins & outs & arounds associated with making your car show exactly the same as the next and the next, so forth and so on.
Don't take this the wrong way, it's a good GUIDE. It will help you with your show as a GUIDE, that is written on paper, not etched in stone. Ideas are plentiful and the reasoning behind most of it is sound.
It has made some good points about classes, judging etc, other than that it's pure bull shit. Anybody smart enough to write a book should know better than to piss off an entire sector of the car culture by stating that fiberglass street rods should be put in the kit vehicle class.
What needs to be done is seperate the street rods into glass and steel if there are enough vehicles to do so, but don't seperate them to the point that they are in with the fake porches and the wanna be cobras. you are comparing apples and oranges and pissing the true rodder off. the replicar market may be booming but street rod bodies are more caricatures of the real thing and thats just the body not a kit. with the wanna be cars you get the chassis and body add running gear and tires and now you have your car. With street rods you get your choice of chops in the body from one company, your chassis from another, and interior from the back yard homebuilt garage you own. THATS NOT A KIT.
Remember its just a guide, published by a supposed authority, in a cheap ass binder.
He must have bought a kit.
Go to the site, get it for free, make your opinion known.
Don't take this the wrong way, it's a good GUIDE. It will help you with your show as a GUIDE, that is written on paper, not etched in stone. Ideas are plentiful and the reasoning behind most of it is sound.
It has made some good points about classes, judging etc, other than that it's pure bull shit. Anybody smart enough to write a book should know better than to piss off an entire sector of the car culture by stating that fiberglass street rods should be put in the kit vehicle class.
What needs to be done is seperate the street rods into glass and steel if there are enough vehicles to do so, but don't seperate them to the point that they are in with the fake porches and the wanna be cobras. you are comparing apples and oranges and pissing the true rodder off. the replicar market may be booming but street rod bodies are more caricatures of the real thing and thats just the body not a kit. with the wanna be cars you get the chassis and body add running gear and tires and now you have your car. With street rods you get your choice of chops in the body from one company, your chassis from another, and interior from the back yard homebuilt garage you own. THATS NOT A KIT.
Remember its just a guide, published by a supposed authority, in a cheap ass binder.
He must have bought a kit.
Go to the site, get it for free, make your opinion known.
12/15/08
DILEMMA
Stolen from the ROAD SCHOLARS web site @ http://roadscholars.webs.com
AT SOME POINT IN TIME, SOMEBODY SCREWED UP IN THE STATE HOUSE TO THE POINT THAT YEARS LATER IT HAS COME UP AND BITTEN THEM ON THE ASS. OR AT THE LEAST THAT IS WHAT WE ARE BEING TOLD BY THE POWERS THAT BE IN AUGUSTA.
THE POINT IS THAT THERE ARE OVER 13,000 ANTIQUE MOTOR VEHICLES REGISTERED IN THE STATE OF MAINE, WITH LESS THAN 500 STREET RODS AND LESS THAN THAT AGAIN IN CUSTOMS. WHAT THE DILEMMA THE STATE IS HAVING IS THAT MANY VEHICLES REGISTERED AS ANTIQUES ARE NOT LEGALLY REGISTERED AS ANTIQUES. SO LETS LOOK AT THE STATE OF MAINE'S DEFINITIONS OF ALL 3.
3. Antique auto. "Antique auto" means an automobile or truck manufactured in or after model year 1916 that is:
A. More than 25 years old; [1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]
B. Equipped with an engine manufactured either at the same time as the vehicle or to the specifications of the original engine; [1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]
C. Substantially maintained in original or restored condition primarily for use in exhibitions, club activities, parades or other functions of public interest; [1997, c. 653, §2 (AMD).]
D. Not used as its owner's primary mode of transportation of passengers or goods; [2005, c. 314, §1 (AMD).]
E. Not a reconstructed vehicle; and [2005, c. 314, §2 (AMD).]
F. Not an altered vehicle. [2005, c. 314, §3 (NEW).]
[ 2005, c. 314, §§1-3 (AMD) .]
19-A. Custom vehicle. "Custom vehicle" means a motor vehicle that is at least 30 years old and of a model year after 1948 or a motor vehicle that was manufactured to resemble a motor vehicle that is at least 30 years old and of a model year after 1948 and that has been altered from the manufacturer's original design or has a body constructed from nonoriginal material.
[ 2005, c. 321, §1 (NEW); 2005, c. 321, §6 (AFF) .]
76. Street rod. "Street rod" means a replica of or a modified antique auto manufactured prior to 1949 that complies with standards adopted by the Chief of the State Police.
[ 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF) .]
NOT MUCH THERE EXCEPT THE FACT THAT IT CLEARLY STATES IN THE DEFINITION ,STOCK OR AS CLOSE TO ORIGINAL AS POSSIBLE IN BODY ENGINE ETC. WHAT THE PROBLEM REALLY IS THAT ANTIQUES DO NOT REQUIRE A STATE SAFETY INSPECTION. DUE TO THIS GIANT LOOP HOLE MANY CUSTOMS ARE REGISTERED AS ANTIQUES, MANY STREET RODS ARE REGISTERED AS ANTIQUES.
IF THE ONLY ONES VIOLATING THIS WERE THE CUSTOMS AND RODS THEN IT WOUILDN'T BE MUCH OF A PROLEM. HERES THE REAL PROBLEM, SOME SHMUCK WITH A 82 CITATION WITH HOLES IN THE FLOOR BIG ENOUGH TO FALL THROUGH, CAN'T GET A STICKER. HE CHANGES HIS REGISTRATION TO ANTIQUE VEHICLE AND "TADA" PROBLEM SOLVED. SO NOW HE'S FREE AND CLEAR AND DRIVES IT BACK FORTH TO WORK EVERYDAY. THATS WHAT THEIR AFTER BUT WE ALL NEED TO BE CAREFUL BECAUSE SOME OVER EAGER ROOKIE TROOPER IS GOING TO BAG ONE OF US.
OF THE 13,000 VEHICLES REGISTERED AS AN ANTIQUES IN THE STATE OF MAINE (AND THESE ARE APPROXIMATIONS) 10% TO 15% ARE STREET RODS, CUSTOMS ARE BEING FIGURED AT DOUBLE THAT OR MORE AND OF THE REMAINDER 15% OR MORE ARE TOTAL PIECES OF JUNK THAT ARE A DANGER TO ALL AND NEED TO BE REMOVED FROM THE ROAD.
THE MCAA, MOAL, AACA, NSRA AND A HOST OF CLUBS INCLUDING THE ROAD SCHOLARS ARE WORKING WITH THE SECRATARY OF STATE AND THE STATE POLICE TO COME UP WITH A VIABLE PLAN THAT WILL NOT DAMAGE OUR HOBBY.
STAY TUNED IT MIGHT GET A LITTLE BUSY
AT SOME POINT IN TIME, SOMEBODY SCREWED UP IN THE STATE HOUSE TO THE POINT THAT YEARS LATER IT HAS COME UP AND BITTEN THEM ON THE ASS. OR AT THE LEAST THAT IS WHAT WE ARE BEING TOLD BY THE POWERS THAT BE IN AUGUSTA.
THE POINT IS THAT THERE ARE OVER 13,000 ANTIQUE MOTOR VEHICLES REGISTERED IN THE STATE OF MAINE, WITH LESS THAN 500 STREET RODS AND LESS THAN THAT AGAIN IN CUSTOMS. WHAT THE DILEMMA THE STATE IS HAVING IS THAT MANY VEHICLES REGISTERED AS ANTIQUES ARE NOT LEGALLY REGISTERED AS ANTIQUES. SO LETS LOOK AT THE STATE OF MAINE'S DEFINITIONS OF ALL 3.
3. Antique auto. "Antique auto" means an automobile or truck manufactured in or after model year 1916 that is:
A. More than 25 years old; [1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]
B. Equipped with an engine manufactured either at the same time as the vehicle or to the specifications of the original engine; [1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]
C. Substantially maintained in original or restored condition primarily for use in exhibitions, club activities, parades or other functions of public interest; [1997, c. 653, §2 (AMD).]
D. Not used as its owner's primary mode of transportation of passengers or goods; [2005, c. 314, §1 (AMD).]
E. Not a reconstructed vehicle; and [2005, c. 314, §2 (AMD).]
F. Not an altered vehicle. [2005, c. 314, §3 (NEW).]
[ 2005, c. 314, §§1-3 (AMD) .]
19-A. Custom vehicle. "Custom vehicle" means a motor vehicle that is at least 30 years old and of a model year after 1948 or a motor vehicle that was manufactured to resemble a motor vehicle that is at least 30 years old and of a model year after 1948 and that has been altered from the manufacturer's original design or has a body constructed from nonoriginal material.
[ 2005, c. 321, §1 (NEW); 2005, c. 321, §6 (AFF) .]
76. Street rod. "Street rod" means a replica of or a modified antique auto manufactured prior to 1949 that complies with standards adopted by the Chief of the State Police.
[ 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF) .]
NOT MUCH THERE EXCEPT THE FACT THAT IT CLEARLY STATES IN THE DEFINITION ,STOCK OR AS CLOSE TO ORIGINAL AS POSSIBLE IN BODY ENGINE ETC. WHAT THE PROBLEM REALLY IS THAT ANTIQUES DO NOT REQUIRE A STATE SAFETY INSPECTION. DUE TO THIS GIANT LOOP HOLE MANY CUSTOMS ARE REGISTERED AS ANTIQUES, MANY STREET RODS ARE REGISTERED AS ANTIQUES.
IF THE ONLY ONES VIOLATING THIS WERE THE CUSTOMS AND RODS THEN IT WOUILDN'T BE MUCH OF A PROLEM. HERES THE REAL PROBLEM, SOME SHMUCK WITH A 82 CITATION WITH HOLES IN THE FLOOR BIG ENOUGH TO FALL THROUGH, CAN'T GET A STICKER. HE CHANGES HIS REGISTRATION TO ANTIQUE VEHICLE AND "TADA" PROBLEM SOLVED. SO NOW HE'S FREE AND CLEAR AND DRIVES IT BACK FORTH TO WORK EVERYDAY. THATS WHAT THEIR AFTER BUT WE ALL NEED TO BE CAREFUL BECAUSE SOME OVER EAGER ROOKIE TROOPER IS GOING TO BAG ONE OF US.
OF THE 13,000 VEHICLES REGISTERED AS AN ANTIQUES IN THE STATE OF MAINE (AND THESE ARE APPROXIMATIONS) 10% TO 15% ARE STREET RODS, CUSTOMS ARE BEING FIGURED AT DOUBLE THAT OR MORE AND OF THE REMAINDER 15% OR MORE ARE TOTAL PIECES OF JUNK THAT ARE A DANGER TO ALL AND NEED TO BE REMOVED FROM THE ROAD.
THE MCAA, MOAL, AACA, NSRA AND A HOST OF CLUBS INCLUDING THE ROAD SCHOLARS ARE WORKING WITH THE SECRATARY OF STATE AND THE STATE POLICE TO COME UP WITH A VIABLE PLAN THAT WILL NOT DAMAGE OUR HOBBY.
STAY TUNED IT MIGHT GET A LITTLE BUSY
12/13/08
Welcome
So here we are all grownup and doing it by ourselves, kinda gives you a warm fuzzy feeling don't it, well don't get used to it.
This blog will be about Gearheads, by a Gearhead. Only Gearhead talk and subject matter
will be posted and unlike other blogs no politics unless it directly involves the hobby we all know and love. That being said have fun and play nice
This blog will be about Gearheads, by a Gearhead. Only Gearhead talk and subject matter
will be posted and unlike other blogs no politics unless it directly involves the hobby we all know and love. That being said have fun and play nice
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