How Shit Works

Here in the State of Maine, we actually have a system of checks and balances. I'm not talking about the budget but about the way shit gets done legislatively. Before I go to far, this a continuation of Wah Wah Wah as a response to the 2nd part of the questions posed to me at that time.

The question was, who made the year break for the street rod end at 1948? Having been still in the pimple popping stage of my life when this happened I couldn't tell you if I wanted to. But the consensus is, the NSRA being newly formed, and SEMA put their heads together and established that year break as a national standard.

In the following years SEMA came up with verbiage and brought forth the SEMA Model Legislation which clearly defines the year breaks for Street Rods and Customs. This has been adopted by many States in one form or another as law and is being pushed in others that have no registration for these speciality vehicles.

The question asked further if this could be amended to allow vehicles, say up to 64 be called street rods. The reason this was asked is, building the vehicle first and neglecting to check the rules governing his build now makes his big girl panties being in a bunch a priority.

In order to change the criteria in the State, would mean staging a coup de tat at the NSRA and SEMA all on the same day. The way it works is you need legislation to make the change. That needs the endorsement of the State Police, Public Safety, EPA and BMV. Then you need the support of the enthusiasts that have already toed the line and have vehicles registered as street rods. Then get your State rep or Senator to write it up.

Then it will get kicked over to the Transportation Committee or some other group of minions that will throw it back and forth then kick it like a cur dog to the Revisors Office. They are the language police of the state and likely to change the bill from what you want to alphabet soup about 5 times before they get it right.

Then it gets put back in committee for public hearing. If all goes well, sometime between the time you asked about it and the day you die it will become law.But the public hearing is the key as both sides will voice their respective opinions. Bring support, lots of support. So no, it will not get changed at the next "meeting" with the state that I attend. Nor will it get my support at anytime. Many have worked very hard to get what we have and like things as they are.

The NSRA had at one time a "Street Machine Division". Somehow somewhere the division  was dropped and later went on to be the "Goodguys Rod & Custom Association. The NSRA opened its events nationwide to vehicle 30yrs old and older just few years ago. Goodguys has always allowed up to 1972 through the gates and last year started letting all years through on Sunday.

What this persons problem is is unknown. Going back to a para phrase from Star Trek, "Does the good of the one out weigh the good of the many".

In this case I think not.