Historic Tags? Benefits? Worth it?

[GotAViper]

So my 93 Viper is now eligible for historic tags in Maryland. From what I can see , they restrict you to only driving the car to car shows, and occasional transportation. I tend to drive my Viper everyday in the summer but highly doubt that cops would be pulling you over for historic tags? or am I wrong?

Also it looks like I can modify the exhaust to be whatever I want since there will be no more emissions. Currently I have belanger headers , belanger hi-flow cats and belanger cat back exhaust. Do our vipers sound good if i remove the cats? remove the cat-back mufflers as well? The louder the better for me, but I am worried it may sound bad?

Thanks!

 

[latamud]

In Ohio, historic tag is same price as a regular tag, but it's a one time for registering the car until 2050. I still drive it to work, and other places. If ever questioned, I am test driving it, or planning to go to a car show after work.

 

[Timnineside]

Haha, I would go ahead and just do it. Worst that can happen you get away with it for awhile and just have to switch back. Never thought I would see the day where a Viper was a historical vehicle. Never felt so old being 29......

I have always told myself if I had the opportunity to snag up a ACR-X I would just buy it and drive it on the street anyways. If I was pulled over I would just take the ticket, or try and make a deal with a dealership to "borrow' a dealer plate lol.

If you get the plate take a picture and post it up!

-Tim

 

[VYPR BYT 94]

Just to clarify... are you considering doing it for insurance reasons and not the plates themselves?

 

[Matt M PA]

Here in PA, once a car gets to 15...it can get classic plates.....at 25, antique plates. No emissions inspections with the classic, no inspection at all with antique. (we even can register antiques with a year of manufacture plate within a certain year spread)

My '96 could have the classic plates, and I could forego the emission test...but its always exempt due to mileage anyhow. Still, I think the old style white classic car plates would look cool. But...I would have to give up my custom plate. What will really make me feel old is when the 2000 GTS I bought new is eligible!

Here in PA, the benefits are fewer...or no yearly inspections. My insurance doesn't are which plates are on the car.

 

[BlackSnake99]

I'm across the Potomac from you in Virginia and have my Jeep CJ-7 registered as an antique. Like you I drive it constantly in the Summer. The Virginia law says you can drive to and from car shows, mechanical testing, and 'the occasional pleasure drive'. First off I have never been hassled, but I think the wording of the law is sufficiently vague as to make it nearly impossible to prove that I am violating the law. The fact that I have no safety or emissions inspections makes it well worth it, since the Jeep is modified to the point that it would never pass either. We have no 'classic' category, but we can get personalized antique tags. We can also register vintage tags made before 1973.

It's 20 years in Maryland? 25 years here.

 

[Matt M PA]

I should add that in PA, a vehicle needs to be stock to get the antique or classic tag. We have to submit photos to apply for the the tags. Ive seen many cars that don't "deserve" the plates due to modifications..and know more than a few that used pictures of another vehicles (same year, make and model) to get the plates.

I have heard of the police pulling the plates on cars like these. I can't speak for a state other that PA...but if you want to get around inspections to make modifications that wouldn't pass...I think it's the wrong reason to get the historic tags.

 

[BlackSnake99]

I should add that in PA, a vehicle needs to be stock to get the antique or classic tag. We have to submit photos to apply for the the tags. Ive seen many cars that don't "deserve" the plates due to modifications..and know more than a few that used pictures of another vehicles (same year, make and model) to get the plates.

I have heard of the police pulling the plates on cars like these. I can't speak for a state other that PA...but if you want to get around inspections to make modifications that wouldn't pass...I think it's the wrong reason to get the historic tags.

No such requirements here in VA, the car just has to be 25 model years old. Getting around inspections was one of the main reasons I went that direction. After I replaced the crappy Carter 2bbl carburetor with a 50 state legal Mopar fuel injection setup, it would no longer pass a visual inspection because the original emissions equipment had been removed (and replaced with something far superior). My solution? Register as an antique to 'get around' the inspection process.

Surprisingly, my conscience is clear.

 

[ViperSmith]

No such requirements here in VA, the car just has to be 25 model years old. Getting around inspections was one of the main reasons I went that direction. After I replaced the crappy Carter 2bbl carburetor with a 50 state legal Mopar fuel injection setup, it would no longer pass a visual inspection because the original emissions equipment had been removed (and replaced with something far superior). My solution? Register as an antique to 'get around' the inspection process.

Surprisingly, my conscience is clear.

Curious, property tax still apply to antiques?

I'd assume so, VA always gets their pound of flesh.

 

[BlackSnake99]

Curious, property tax still apply to antiques?

I'd assume so, VA always gets their pound of flesh.

Yes, but only at a rate of 1¢ per $100 as opposed to $4.57 per $100 for non-antiques. Since my CJ has a KBB value of about $1.25 that makes the tax negligible.

On a side note, VA has a very low overall tax burden (43rd in the US as I recall), so even though they ding us on the cars, we make up for it elsewhere.

 

[past ohio]

I thought Ohio it was 25 years old to get Historical, they do have a collector type plate but it has to be renewed every year and also costs more per year because it is a special plate !! Also in Ohio they used to let you put on a plate from the year of the car's build, example, put on a 1993 Ohio license plate but they used to want you to have the historical plate in the car in case of being stopped by the police....also Ohio was very strict about NOT driving the car to work....etc....only used for shows special events like parades....etc....my $.02

 

[GotAViper]

The main reason I was to do this is because It saves alot of money for registration and insurance. Also I have belenger headers, hi flow cats and mufflers, I am interested in just removing the cats and dont have to worry about emissions anymore.

Most of the time when I get asked questions about the car, people think its a 2012... historic tags would change this haha.

 

[Jack B]

I have the Ohio collectors plate. The requirement is that it is on the Ohio list of collectible cars and that you have one additional car for your daily ride. In my case the advantage is that there is no E-check and I have no cats.

In Ohio, historic tag is same price as a regular tag, but it's a one time for registering the car until 2050. I still drive it to work, and other places. If ever questioned, I am test driving it, or planning to go to a car show after work.

 

[Darth Menace]

I dont know how historic plates work in Alberta, but I know my insurance just changed. My viper is now 15 years old and qualifies as a collector from my insurance company.

For $680/year I get year round full insurance, coverage for $45000, and a $100 deductible. Prior to this I was paying $1200'ish per year

 

[GTLaser]

So my 93 Viper is now eligible for historic tags in Maryland. From what I can see , they restrict you to only driving the car to car shows, and occasional transportation. I tend to drive my Viper everyday in the summer but highly doubt that cops would be pulling you over for historic tags? or am I wrong?

Also it looks like I can modify the exhaust to be whatever I want since there will be no more emissions. Currently I have belanger headers , belanger hi-flow cats and belanger cat back exhaust. Do our vipers sound good if i remove the cats? remove the cat-back mufflers as well? The louder the better for me, but I am worried it may sound bad?

Thanks!

You're very close to me, I have a cat-less Belanger 3" into Gen I Borla muffler Viper GTS you could hear in person.... I should be back in MD the weekend after this.

Sounds better in person.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bu2qO7I-uhQ