What is the significance of having your car pass the NSRA Safety Inspection?

[der Spieler]

Im trying to understand why members try so hard to find an NSRA inspector to inspect their vehicle when can they easily follow the portions of the NSRA inspection guidelines that pertain to T-buckets and determine for themselves if the vehicle is safe to operate. Is the effort taken to secure this inspection for the purpose of getting an NSRA Safety Inspection Verification Sticker on the vehicle? A badge of honor that will be rendered invalid as soon as the community windshield wiper is removed and passed on to the next forum member. After you have taken the wiper off of the car will an NSRA inspector have the right to take the sticker from your windshield when he spots the discrepancy at a car show? He should be able to. The vehicle no longer meets the NSRA safety guidelines and could put the credibility of the NSRA inspection process in question.

Did anyone ever think that maybe the NSRA couldnt care less about T-bucket owners and they might even consider their cars to be in a sub-category? I think they might. If they understood T-buckets there would be an exception to the requirement for a windshield wiper on a T-bucket. If the NSRA would look around they would realize that windshield wipers on a T serve no useful purpose. Should they amend their criteria to put an exception to this item in their list of inspection items for T-buckets? I think so.

As I said in another post, I dont belong to any organizations anymore and it will be a cold day in hell before I ever join one again. To the NSRAs credit, though, they have come up with a pretty good inspection checklist and one I followed on my last build and one that I will use if there is ever a second build.

 

[Brucer]

i have never even looked at the nsra thing, but i've had cars and trucks pass tech at the local dragstrips..

i wouldnt mind building a car and seeing if it would pass, minus the windshield wiper i'm with you on that, especially on a T , and also the point if someone can pass it then remove an item from it, then it should be decertified.. that would be like removing a seatbelt or something like that, might as well be the same thing.

you cant do that at a track, if you do and your caught your outta there, and not allowed to run again until you pass tech again..


I'm kind of with you on the orginizations and members of them.. i use to be an avid duckhunter and i supported ducks unlimited, went to auctions, and paid for membership every year.. One year they come to my county and bought some property, they fixed it up with duck habitat, then put a gate up and no hunting signs all around it.. ..they can say all they want to about it being a rest area for the ducks, well that rest area was sitting just opposite a nice sized refuge that is non huntable..From that day forward i will never be a member of ducks unlimited again...

This isnt a hijack attempt, but it goes to show you how some organizations alter thier viewpoint, and not let it be known.

This same reason applies to hotrod magazines, some of them i wont even look at,definetly wont purchase because i know that people and cars that get put in certain magazines are bribed by companies with products to put on the vehicles that are going into these magazines. for instance, i helped a friend make a bunch of aluminum brackets and stuff for a 41 chevy truck he had, he made it in 8 magazines, one certain magazine give him a certain brand of radiator just to say he had that in the truck.. he already had a different brand in the truck, but the article in the mag said it was the brand that was give to him...

just shows you things arent always as they seem...


but i am all for safety for sure, especially in a small open car we need to be safe as we can..

 

[AZCOWBO]

I have two windshield wipers on my T and I live in sunny Arizona. I use the driver's side one for new speeding tickets, and the right one for disturbing the peace with lould pipes tickets. That way I can keep them straight and organized.

 

[EX JUNK]

I questioned the Florida head inspector about the wiper requirement. (He is a very tough inspector and does not let anything slide.) The reason that I was given for the wiper requirement is that it is required on cars in all states unlike a motorcycle. As for making an exception for T's, why not ALL roadsters, so don't think that they are just picking on T's. Meeting the requirement is very simple. The NSRA does not require you to get your car inspected by them. It is strictly a voluntary thing.

When they inspect the car, many times they find things that are not right and need correcting. Most guys a very thankful for having these faults pointed out so that they may correct them and have a safe time enjoying their rides.

Jim

 

[der Spieler]

I questioned the Florida head inspector about the wiper requirement. (He is a very tough inspector and does not let anything slide.) The reason that I was given for the wiper requirement is that it is required on cars in all states unlike a motorcycle.

Iowa doesn't require a windshield wiper. I've checked the requirements over and over and it's not listed in the required safety equipment.

As for making an exception for T's, why not ALL roadsters, so don't think that they are just picking on T's.

In most roadsters the driver is actually sitting behind the windshield where it would do some good, not partially above it where it won't.

Meeting the requirement is very simple. The NSRA does not require you to get your car inspected by them. It is strictly a voluntary thing.

I'm aware of that. I read their web page.

When they inspect the car, many times they find things that are not right and need correcting. Most guys a very thankful for having these faults pointed out so that they may correct them and have a safe time enjoying their rides.

I have two friends here who are head mechanics at their respective dealerships and who have a drag racing team. They have the knowledge and ability to inspect it for me and will if I ask. Or I can take the car up to Ron in Owatonna and ask him to inspect it for me. Either way I will come away with the reassurance that I have a safe car. I don't need a sticker. Actually though I spent 22 years in the Air Force reading checklists so I have a pretty good grasp of the concept and since I was an air traffic controller during that time, and for a few years after, I tend to be a little overcritical when I look at things.

I'm not saying there is anything wrong with having the car inspected by an NSRA inspector. I'm just asking about the motivation. Is it because the owner want to ensure a safe car or is it because the owner wants the sticker. I think in a lot of instances it's a case of 'Look at me! I got the sticker.' And there's nothing wrong with that either. He has the satisfaction of knowing that for a few minutes he had a safe car (by NSRA criteria). Of course when he removes the windshield wiper it apparently isn't safe anymore.

 

[Youngster]

Could it be that in NJ the safty inspection sticker is required to lic the car? I know a lot of the east coast states have manditory inspections on daily drivers. Some insurance companys are requesting inspections now too. As for removing the sticker 'cause I don't have a wiper, never liked having stickers on my cars anyway. I guess the point I'd like to stress is use the NSRA guidlines for your own satisfaction. Let's build 'em as safe as we can guys.

Ron

 

[jjsticks]

youngster is right.i never even heard of the nsra until i went to tag my T.they printed right on the form that the car had to be inspected.and then and only then could I apply for street rod tags.after having it inspected I felt alot better ,because I'm not the original builder of the car,but knowing the guy who built the car was very careful in what he put on the street.I feel safer.I did do 40% of the upgrades to the car but, I knew I was driving it along with my wife.did I really think I needed someone to tell me what was safe No.but I'm glad I did.as far as the wipers go...that part was plan silly.cost me 60 bucks for electric wipers ,only to have the inspector to say"I just need to see it swipe once." my hand controlled one would have been good enough.but.....long live hot rodding!JJ

 

[EX JUNK]

Here are copies of the pages from the NSRA SAFETY 23 Inspection Manual.
I hope that everyone will use it to build a safe car.

Jim

 

[jjsticks]

thanks Jim,thats the guide lines I had to follow.

 

[blownt]

Keep to the Code..........

As was said in Pirates of the Carribbean - To live the pirate life, it's important to keep to the code (of course real pirates know to treat these rules more like guidelines, anyway.)

I prefer to use the NSRA rules as GUIDELINES. I try to meet MOST of the requirements but I ain't going out of my way to do it. I have no wiper and my windshield is 10" tall. I have a speedometer but have never hooked it up. I do not have an emergency brake nor do I ever plan on having one. Plus the handle takes up too much interior room. I have non DOT tires on the rear and prolly always will as long as I can get big@ss rear tires for $99. And I have no front shocks. So I guess I am a renegade pirate and can walk the plank, ARRR matey.

 

[der Spieler]

If a state is going to require that a safety inspection be done to register a street rod that's fine. Most, and probably all, states do anyway. Here the DOT inspector is the determining authority on safety issues, as it stands right now. If the state is asking for an independent inspection done by an outside agency/source I'm not so sure that the NSRA is the answer. Although their guidelines are good they are not specific enough and bring too much subjectivity to the inspection process. The guidelines have to be written so that all of the vagueries are deleted. What one inspector may pass another may fail. If an inspection item is supposed to be red then it is supposed to be red; not a variation of different shades of red. If you look at the photo in the NO NO NO thread and read the NSRA criteria for steering that conglomeration of black pipe and couplers could almost pass the inspection. There is nothing in the guidelines that states what material the steering inkage has to be made of.

The wording in the SEMA model states "the new owner of the street rod shall provide proof acceptable to the Administration that the street rod passed a safety inspection that has been approved by the Administration in consultation with the street rod community in this State." Most state street rod organizations are going to defer to the NSRA inspector for the inspections. Then the "good old boy" network goes to work. If you don't know the inspector you will get a thorough inspection but if you are a pal then a few things might not get the scrutiny they deserve. I lived in Oklahoma a few times over the years and they used to have an annual vehicle safety inspection system. That went away when the state realized how ludicrous it was. Everyone knew someone who, for $20 or so, would gladly slap a sticker on your windshield and send you happily on your way. I dont know how thorough Texas is today but when I lived there in the early 70s I was able to find a sticker with a little searching and the recommendations of friends.

I'm not a fan of government involvement but if they are going to require inspections they should conduct them. Then if there is a problem there is someone to hold accountable. It's hard to hold a 'volunteer's' feet to the fire. In the case of the licensed inspectors in Texas and Oklahoma the shop owners were payed a fee for the inspections. They were spot checked and shops that were caught conducting bogus inspections were shut down and prosecuted. They were accountable.

P.S. Ex Junk posted the NSRA manual while I was writing this so I will stand corrected on the steering thing. But on the wiper thing who determines if the "wiring and clamp" is engineered properly? They should define what type of fasteners should be used to hold the wiring in place. One inspector might see it one way and another see it another. It would be a shame, after spending months and years building something, to have an inspector say "well that works but it could be better so I'm going to have to fail you in this item". We should be able to know, unequivically, that after we have followed the manual to the letter that we will pass the inspection when the car is presented and not be penalized because of one inspectors interpretation.

 

[rooster57]

Steve even as much as a joke the car inspection was in oklahoma. The other side isnt a very good option ( car inspection here was stoped in 2000). Every day i see cars missing headlights ,no signals, broken windshields, side glass with plastic over the opening ,Bald tires ,smoke boiling out of the tailpipe . So even though you can argue how efficient the inspections are ,not having any inspection is a MISTAKE. If the state did the inspections the argument would be "They dont know what they are doing" If a group desiginated by the state does it they are "good ole boys". Its not possible to adapt something that suites everybody. But no inspection its dangerious !!!

 

[der Spieler]

Did they start the inspections up again in the 90s? When I moved to Enid from Kansas in 92 there was no inspection system in effect. I lived there until early 94 and never had an inspection. Iowa had an inspection system in the early 70s but it was so corrupt that they discontinued it shortly after it began. They haven't had one since and you really don't see that many (visibly) unsafe vehicles on the road.

 

[RexRod]

It's these kinds of threads that make this a great place........

Setting aside specifically which type of sanctioned body inspection you use, for me, having "another" set of experienced eyes on my work is what's important. It needs to be someone I don't know, so they feel comfortable and are unbiased in telling me what they see. Left to my own devices, my big fat ego gets WAY too attached to my efforts for me to be an objective critic.

The significance for me personally is simple. I want to know where or what I'm doing wrong.

My two pennies.

David

 

[rooster57]

Steve i moved back here in 99 and their were still doing inspections but i had Kansas plates for the next calender year so i didnt worry about it. I looked it up and i found an artical by a big auto repair facility in Edmond and this is a small clip of that artical with the date.
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On my way home last week, I was behind what I first thought was a crop duster trying to make an emergency landing on Danforth Road. It turned out to be the remnants of some kind of car held together with duct tape and bailing wire using a plastic sheet for a rear window. I could feel the smoke filling my lungs as I tried to find a way to pass this clunker. In August 2001, state lawmakers ended the 31-year-old safety inspection program. But several of the Edmond auto repair shop owners I talked to believe the program needs to return.

 

[Youngster]

Rex brings up an interesting point. How many of you have someone else go over your car before you hit the streets with it? Inquiring minds would like to know.

Ron

 

[EX JUNK]

I did. As careful as I tried to be, I still missed a couple of minor items. It really is a good idea to have another pair of KNOWLEDGEABLE eyes go over your work.

Jim

 

[T-Rex]

I am an NSRA inspector and a T owner and I do not feel discriminated by the NSRA. As for the voluntary inspections, all the points have already been made. Regarding the comment about belonging to organizations like the NSRA. one of the biggest reasons I belong to both the NSRA and Goodguys is that without their legislative lobbying, we might not have our hobby in the future.

 

[chop]

we were parked at a show last summer. The guy next to us was having his Street Rod inspected (to bad they dont take points off for really ugly 80s paintjobs full of splashes and graphics). Upon completion the inspector was walking past us and I asked if he wanted to check out cars over. He looked over my shoulder at our cars and just laughed. Really, does my bucket T need and windshield wiper or a horn? The windshield is 7" tall and who could hear a horn over my headers? Sure, my buddies model A is only 42 inches tall and My girls 50 ford can set the rockers on the ground. You never know,,,we could be legal....

I won't belong to the NSRA because I have hot rods, not street rods. I won't belong to Goodguys because real "Goodguys" wouldn't charge what they do to park your car at their show, and I sure as hell wont belong to the NHRA since they changed their acronym to No Hot Rods Allowed.

 

[EX JUNK]

VERY well said T-Rex.

Jim