national highway traffic safety administration letter of safety for an ariel atom?

[silverfd]

I called the DOT here in Hawaii to find out what I would need to get to legalize an atom here and they said that it would not be possible as the makers of the Ariel atom (last they checked) did not have a national highway traffic safety administration letter of safety for an Ariel atom and that only the manufacture of the car could attach this to the vehicle.

What in the hell is a national highway traffic safety administration letter of safety? Has anyone else come across this? I cant even find this via google which makes me question if it is a real thing or if its something they made up so I would not even attempt to get one regged.

as far as getting it regged here, I though all I would really need safety wise is front and rear bumpers and a windshield.

Makes me want to just buy a Vette and throw a 900hp n/a engine into it.

[bolus]

that's the $20-30 million in crash and roll over safety testing plus all the other crap they now require (air bags, vehicle stability control, back up cameras, etc).

you know, all the stuff a motorcycle or 3 wheeler needs.... oh wait.

Its our great nation's attempt to sterile and safety proof every 4 wheel vehicle made for all the soccer moms out there.

kit cars are the only thing (besides motorcycles) that get the pass. but then that relies on the individual state to decide.

[silverfd]

can you buy an atom as a kit car?

[bolus]

Yes, TMI will sell it as a kit, everything up to the engine. they even have a test engine to make sure the car runs the track and then take the engine out and send it to you. (you have to supply your own engine) Problem is the people at the DMV dont have a lot of mental capacity. So if you say it is an Ariel Atom kit, they may still say "no" because that's a bit to far to think.

Last I looked at Hawaii's kit car laws is they are not a good option. I dont think anyone has successfully registered in Hawaii.

http://www.bipac.net/semaga/TagTitleToolbox_HI.pdf

[MadMaxAtom]

So..how did Lotus get an NHTSA exemption for the Elise? ($$$$$$$)

[AdmiralMubutu]

Just buy the car through an LLC that you set up in one of the atom-friendly, er, free states.

[Terry Kennedy]

What in the hell is a national highway traffic safety administration letter of safety? Has anyone else come across this? I cant even find this via google which makes me question if it is a real thing or if its something they made up so I would not even attempt to get one regged.

Look inside the driver's door jamb, on or near the sticker with the tire pressures. You'll see text like "This vehicle complies with all applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) as of the date of manufacture. Manufactured ____ - ________."

So..how did Lotus get an NHTSA exemption for the Elise? ($$$$$$$)

They "bought" an exemption. Federal Register for one of their exemptions.

Not all states care. There are some states which would let you register a bathtub on a skateboard. These are often (coincidence?) the no-front-plate, no-inspection states. Many are also personal property tax states, so they have an incentive to register anything valuable.

[bolus]

cant wait for them to make driverless cars mandatory for safety.

[McFred]

Not all states care. There are some states which would let you register a bathtub on a skateboard.

√

These are often (coincidence?) the no-front-plate,

√

no-inspection states.

√

I win! I win!

I love that my state is poor. We haven't figured out how to support as many goldbricking, stonewalling, freedom sucking lawyers and politicians as most of the northeastern states. I can nearly do whatever I want as long as I can insure it and pass the one-sided sheet of paper equipment checkilst. Just like my Motorcycle.

[MadMaxAtom]

^ I hate you... Just to piss you off..I'm moving to Prescott..soon..(really..)