What does it take to make a long travel car street legal in California?

The biggest thing is fenders.
LATER DON~~~

ITS HARD ENOUGH TO KEEP A STREET LEGAL CAR LEGAL IN CALIFORNIA, I THINK THEY MAKE YOU BEND OVER WITH NO VASOLINE!!!!!

Make it as ugly as possible with a windshield, fenders and smog equipment... then make it even uglier with all the DOT required stuff. Then you might be able to make it legal.

Fenders, windsheild, parking brake, wipers, speedometer, horn, smog equip, brake lights, blinkers, high/low beams w/ high beam indicator, etc.

Pretty much a major pain in the ass.

Smog equipment would be tough, catalitic converter, muffler, and all the vacuum stuff...........scary

In addition to items listed above, you must have D.O.T. approved tires and windshield. Must have a light and brake certification. Most of all the motor you install must pass smog to the year that the motor serial number matches. ie: if you use an air cooled VW motor, with a case / serial number dating pre 1973, then it will be smog exempt. If you use a Northstar, where the serial number on the motor call it out as a 2001 motor, then it will have to pass smog standards that are required for 2001. That also includes all "visual" inspection equipment.

Insurance is a bigger issue. Many of the major companies will not insure project cars or special construction vehicles. If it is street legal, insurrance is manditory.

The car to the far left is street legal as well as SCORE legal. No smog because it pre 1973. No fenders needed because it's under the required weight and and is "special construction" registered.

Some of the newer japanese motors could pass smog without a cat( like the new civics, mabye the Vtecs). I know a guy that put a VW in it for the DMV inspection and smog then put his shortstar back in afterwards. Just dont get caught.

register it in AZ ....

Taken from Ca dmv website.

Specially constructed vehicles do not have a manufacturer assigned model year because they are esentially home-made vehicles. In the past these vehicles were subject to the emissions control requirements applicable to the year of the engine installed in the vehicle and the regular smog inspections per the county where the vehicle was registered. The year of the engine was determined by a Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) referee during the initial inspection.

In 2001, Senate Bill 100 passed which allowed the first 500 specially constructed passenger vehicles and pick-up trucks presented for original (initial) registration to DMV to have the year model for emissions control equipment and inspection purposes based on the appearance of the engine or the vehicle as a whole. In addition, if the vehicle or engine does not resemble an established make or year model BAR is required to assign 1960 as the year model for emission control purposes. In 2002, another Senate Bill passed, SB 1578, which allowed previously registered vehicles to be allowed this special consideration by BAR in addition to initial registrations.

What is a SPCNS Certificate of Sequence?

A SPCNS Certificate of Sequence is a form issued by the DMV that is presented to a BAR referee inspection station identifying the vehicle as one of the first 500 eligible for the SPCNS emission control program. Applications for the certificates are available starting January 1 of every year. Once the 500 yearly allotment of certificates has been issued applicants must wait until the next January 1 to apply for a certificate.

Once you have applied for a SPCNS Certificate of Sequence at your local DMV (and there are still certificates available) you will recieve the certificate within 7-10 working days in the mail. The certificate must be presented to the Smog Referee at the time of your smog inspection appointment.

Note: Due to the limited number of SPCNS Certificates of Sequence available, you may wish to submit your application for registration in person at a local DMV office.

I guess I don't get it.
Why would you want to make your rail street legal?

It would be nice to cruse along the beach or use some of the trails in Ocotillo Wells that are closed to "off road vehicals" but open to "highway legal vehicals"

If you decide to make a street legal buggy, I would suggest that you use a VW motor. Install a stock VW using a factory case where the factory serial number dates it to be 1973 or older. Then there will be no problem at all when it comes the engine. Once your car is done and registered, then swap out for your motor of choice.

Making a car street legal is only 1/2 of the project. Obtaining insurance can be the harder part. I would strongly suggest that you follow through with insurance availability before you take the time and money to make a buggy street legal in CA.

at least up until recently, progressive would insure spcn vehicles, even at stated amount. if you want to make sure 1-800-progressive.

alan?

My Manx is special construction (in AZ) and Progressive insured it no problems. I have a friend with a street legal SandSprite and he's got an even better deal though state farm, but none of the state farm agents in town would even look at my Manx unless I had it insured with someone else first.

As for why. There's NOTHING like cruising down the street in something like this. At least around here where unpaved roads are as common as paved roads and you never know when the urge to go do a little exploring will hit.

Heck being able to drive from my house to the dunes, do some mild exporing around the dunes and then drive back all in the same vehicle and using less gas than my truck would take just to get there is a blast!

Driving a street legal OHV around is like being in a parade every day, people wave at you all the time and give you thumbs up. Just today going to meet a client I had three people honk and wave then when I got there and got out a bunch of kids ran over saying "wow, that's the coolest car I've ever seen!" The look on their faces when I pulled off the streering wheel to take it with me was priceless

I always thought it would be super cool to build a street legal 2 seater dual sport with a VW Bug body and a LSX.

Mmmmmmm...

Plus when you've spent all that money it would be nice to get more use out of it.
Rob

They call that a Baja Bug. Start with an early car, get it in your name, and start hacking.

Streamline beat you too it...

Streamline beat you too it...

That would be awesome, I have often thought the same thing