LocostUSA.com

I searched and didn't see anything regarding this but I'm wondering how the Ar-i-el Atoms are being registered and not having a substantial windshield. My understanding is they are being registered under sb100 and given the year and after reading the CA vehicle code I don't understand how they are getting around the windshield issue. I'd be grateful to anyone who can shed some light on the subject about this. Thank you in advance.

I'd love to know the answer to this too. I don't understand how an AA is registered at all. I am planning no windshield and am concerned I'll get knocked back during the CHP inspection.....
Martin

The likely answer is the people that are getting away with it are friends with someone at DMV, someone at CHP or are just well connected politically. This goes on frequently in Cali. I recall years ago (around 1970, I think) I was visiting Dick Guldstrands race shop in Culver City. There sat a Bill Thomas Cheetah sporting a standard Calif license plate, not a dealer or mfg plate. The Cheetah did have a windshield... made out of plexiglas. Definitely not street legal, even in those ancient days. The owner "knew" someone was the explanation I was given.

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Mike - Read my story at http://twinlakesseven.blogspot.com/

There not getting around it it never comes up under sb100. Smog just cares about smog. Chp just cares if any of its stolen to get the vin. You might have to get a brake and light check from a brake or light station.
Up to whatever local pulls you over later for whatever. Sorta like all the cars with no front license plate or full tint windows. Lotsa people doing it but sooner or later they gonna get ya.

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Yep I got a build:

That's what I'd concluded as I couldn't understand at what point someone checks for a windshield. My argument, when I get pulled over and remove my helmet to speak to the officer, is that it's no different to riding a motorcycle.....
I could use a picture of a 60's Seven without a windshield to keep in my wallet.

I've been looking into this as well. From my research it is 100% possible to get the car registered WITHOUT a windshield. It is never checked for during the process. I called the CHP directly and spoke to an officer about their portion of the process. As dm2play says, all they care about is that nothing is stolen.

A windshield IS, however, required per California code.

My read: you can register the car without one; you just take your chances getting a ticket by driving it around.

FWIW I contacted Rod (Locost 5.0) about it because he is registered in CA and has notional half-moon windshields. He said he's never had a problem in CA, and although he was pulled over once in Tahoe, the windshields passed muster.

The thought of taking a wasp, June bug, or rock to the head dissuades me from such thoughts, legal or otherwise.

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Midlana book: Build this mid-engine Locost!, http://midlana.com/stuff/book/
Kimini book: Designing mid-engine cars using FWD drivetrains
Both available from https://www.lulu.com/

Yeah, this is a gray area in CA. When I had my 550 Spyder replica, I was really worried when I decided to run a small plexi windshield w/o wipers. But after talking to other owners who had been running the same set-up for many years, I found that it really wasn't a problem. We made countless rides up to Alice's restaurant on Skyline and motorcycle cops would always come check out our cars when we had them parked. We usually just got a lot of "car guy" questions and thumbs up. However, if you are driving reckless or just happen to get pulled over by a cop having a bad day, I suppose you could get a ticket. Most of us seem to know someone that can write off a fix it ticket though.

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http://www.pbase.com/ninerjoe/lotus_19_build

Ya, CA DMV will never "see" the car, and CHP is maily interisted in making sure the parts used are not stolen, brake and light just checks (well ya know) so unless an officer want to give you a ticket, once registered you will be fine. I was mostly interisted in how we (in CA) get away without having a front license plate. I have never seen a front license plate on a Super 7!

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"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, totally worn out and proclaiming, 'WOW, WHAT A RIDE!!!'"

~Bill McKenna

We only do because the cops don't notice, but they'll typically write you up for it when pulled over for something else. That said, they sometimes will specifically pull people over for just a missing front plate... I got tagged about 6 months ago for that alone.

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Midlana book: Build this mid-engine Locost!, http://midlana.com/stuff/book/
Kimini book: Designing mid-engine cars using FWD drivetrains
Both available from https://www.lulu.com/

What were you driving? Were you wearing shades, slumped down in your seat and running the stereo at full volume?

I asked a couple of friends who were cops about things like fenders, windshield wipers and front license plates. They said the cops have better things to do than worry about that stuff. But if you looks suspicious or find one having a bad day, tickets can happen.

John

Exactly.

Joe

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http://www.pbase.com/ninerjoe/lotus_19_build

None of that.

A motorcycle cop was sitting on the side of the I-15 freeway, just watching oncoming traffic. I was coming toward him in the slow lane during rush hour going about 40 mph. Even before I got even with him, he hopped on his bike and pulled me over. As he was writing me up, I saw 5 other cars pass by with no front plates. When I mentioned it to him, he said, "yup, like shooting fish in a barrel..." Later, as I was pulling away, he took off right behind me, pulled into the next lane and pulled over that person... Fish in a barrel.

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Midlana book: Build this mid-engine Locost!, http://midlana.com/stuff/book/
Kimini book: Designing mid-engine cars using FWD drivetrains
Both available from https://www.lulu.com/

GB,

I think you missed the "loophole" that I was planning to exploit before I moved, but could still be used. Here is the rest of that VC:

(b) Subdivision (a) does not apply to any vehicle issued identification plates pursuant to Section 5004 which was not required to be equipped with a windshield at the time it was first sold or registered under the laws of this state, another state, or foreign jurisdiction.

I asked a CHP officer about this and after thinking about it he admitted that I had him and would probably give a ticket on it, but not show up in court to try and back it up.

The reason.. Since our cars are typically referred to as replicas in addition to being "kit" cars, they can loosely adhere to the laws of the period they were manufactured or "first sold". If they didn't have belts, then they don't have to have them (although no one would think about going that extreme I hope!), so using Brooklands or the lexan deflectors that cars of the time had is passable (notice I didn't say acceptable).

On the other side of that same coin, as was mentioned about CA smog.. they care only about their world and the rules are MUCH more clear. If you have a 67 Lotus with a 99 Miata engine, then ALL applicable smog related components of the date of engine mfg (i.e. 99, not 67) MUST be present... canisters.. fuel caps.. EVAP... the works. There is a age limit that eliminates this (I think it was before 65 IIRC) or referees to preside over it, but they are pretty stiff (my MS EFI setup produced less emissions than stock, but because it wasn't OEM, it was illegal! WTH?!?!)

CA appears to have the worst laws about our chosen hobby and the worst reputation legally. I feel for you guys. WA was pretty cool about it... if you didn't have one you had to wear a helmet... NC appears to be even more lenient... Pay our fees and go away (well, not quite that lenient)... but I can roll around without my front plate and full tint.. and that almost made the move worth wild!

Cheers!

KS

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Never become a pessimist. A pessimist is correct oftener than an optimist, but an optimist has more fun, and neither can stop the march of events.-Robert A. Heinlein

Well, a lot of this is "how the law is written" versus what actually happens on the road. In my area of SoCal, if you're going less than about 70mph on the freeway you're holding things up. Most of the time the cop will come through going about 80 mph, just looking for the one guy going 85 mph. My point is that if you corner a cop and ask if having a windshield is the law, he'll quote the law, but the reality is that if he sees you on the street, meh, he'll "probably" ignore you.

(Reminds me of that Toyota Prius driver who claimed that his gas pedal stuck. This was on east-bound I8 near here, where everyone's going 80mph or so. The media made a big deal about him speeding in excess of 85 mph or so. I thought that was pretty funny because no one would have noticed this "out of control" Prius.)

_________________
Midlana book: Build this mid-engine Locost!, http://midlana.com/stuff/book/
Kimini book: Designing mid-engine cars using FWD drivetrains
Both available from https://www.lulu.com/