[Mattiboy]

So I am looking for some advice on making a YXZ Street legal in California. If I took a street legal, licensed and registered, pre 1975 VW beetle, and mated that with a YXZ Chassis and drivetrain would it be possible for this "car" to retain its street legal status in California? I have seen other conversions in other states accomplish this but our laws here are very strict. any thoughts would be appreciated.
Cheers

 

[Rocken Robin]

there is a member that has done it and I believe it was Big Bear Steve who lives in all places Big Bear . He said if you PM him he would relate how it was done . He didn’t want to post in public how to do it . Now assume you are successful I am of the opinion that the first CHP that sees you is going to pee on your campfire as others on here have stated . Good luck and let us know if you are successful.

 

[Mattiboy]

Thanks for the response
guess how could the CHP do that if the vehicle is compliant with all the laws? What law would I be breaking?
Pre 1975 cars don't have to be smogged, and are allowed engine and emissions modifications no? If it had DOT compliant tires and lights and signals then it meets that criteria. Maybe if its too loud for noise emissions. These are not meant to be rhetorical questions, I am genuinely curious what part of the vehicle code I would be breaking?

 

[sup44]

Thanks for the response
guess how could the CHP do that if the vehicle is compliant with all the laws? What law would I be breaking?
Pre 1975 cars don't have to be smogged, and are allowed engine and emissions modifications no? If it had DOT compliant tires and lights and signals then it meets that criteria. Maybe if its too loud for noise emissions. These are not meant to be rhetorical questions, I am genuinely curious what part of the vehicle code I would be breaking?

You are trying to register a 2016+ vehicle as a pre-1975 vehicle... that right there is against the law and give the CHP the fuel they need to piss on your camp fire... I actually know a guy in NJ that got his 2016 YXZ registered and insured as a motorcycle because his dealer accidentally sent it in the DMV with an incorrect manufacture of origin that said it was a cycle.. his is legit from paper work perspective, but he cops still pull him over and tell him to get it off the road.. he only drives to the gas station now a days..

 

[Mattiboy]

Thanks Mark

I guess the question is where does the 1975 vehicle end and the 2016 vehicle begin? Is the difference from what I am proposing to a old Camaro or Nova "Resto-Mod" the fact that I am starting with a complete vehicle not made for highway use, sold as a complete vehicle, vs combining brand new or used parts combined to an old chassis?

If I took a crashed damaged YXZ and used most of the parts and "attached" them to a VW Chassis would that work? What If i took a street legal and CARB compliant civic engine and transmission in a YXZ chasiss.

From looking at the special construction rules of SB-100, combining YXZ components (but not an entire vehicle) with the components needed to make it street legal, would be entirely feasible, If i could somehow get an exhaust system that passes smog. Unsure whether that would be cost prohibitive?
(some of these questions are clearly rhetorical)

What I am really trying to do is build a 4wd Ariel Nomad, and that doesn't cost $100k, and is less sports car and more off road vehicle, but that can do both.

I guess I need to do more research and go to the DMV.

 

[Rocken Robin]

So I am looking for some advice on making a YXZ Street legal in California. If I took a street legal, licensed and registered, pre 1975 VW beetle, and mated that with a YXZ Chassis and drivetrain would it be possible for this "car" to retain its street legal status in California? I have seen other conversions in other states accomplish this but our laws here are very strict. any thoughts would be appreciated.
Cheers

I don’t know how you are going to mate a VW with a yxz

Thanks Mark

I guess the question is where does the 1975 vehicle end and the 2016 vehicle begin? Is the difference from what I am proposing to a old Camaro or Nova "Resto-Mod" the fact that I am starting with a complete vehicle not made for highway use, sold as a complete vehicle, vs combining brand new or used parts combined to an old chassis?

If I took a crashed damaged YXZ and used most of the parts and "attached" them to a VW Chassis would that work? What If i took a street legal and CARB compliant civic engine and transmission in a YXZ chasiss.

From looking at the special construction rules of SB-100, combining YXZ components (but not an entire vehicle) with the components needed to make it street legal, would be entirely feasible, If i could somehow get an exhaust system that passes smog. Unsure whether that would be cost prohibitive?
(some of these questions are clearly rhetorical)

What I am really trying to do is build a 4wd Ariel Nomad, and that doesn't cost $100k, and is less sports car and more off road vehicle, but that can do both.

I guess I need to do more research and go to the DMV.

If you get pulled over with anything that looks like a Yxz with paper work from a 1975 VW you might be there for awhile

 

[swyzr191]

Watching this thread -
I've seen SxS's with CA plates.
They may be getting them registered as golf carts. But those have HP limits and they can only be on roads rated at 35 mph or less.
I've considered getting an AZ plate for mine.
But if you get pulled over, they will ask for an AZ driver's license too.
I know this, my Rhino still has an AZ plate.
Thought of moving the plate to my YXZ and just saying I "made a few changes".
At least they are both Yamaha's.

The whole thing is F'd up.
They are squeezing off so much land from off roaders.
I can drive my 2500 HD in some areas, but not my SxSs. Retarded govt.
The Cal DMV has complexes, fully staffed to make sure there are no loopholes.

Pretty soon we will be driving electric cars around in the So Cal desert.
Beep, Beep. Hey Carl !

 

[Rocken Robin]

Watching this thread -
I've seen SxS's with CA plates.
They may be getting them registered as golf carts. But those have HP limits and they can only be on roads rated at 35 mph or less.
I've considered getting an AZ plate for mine.
But if you get pulled over, they will ask for an AZ driver's license too.
I know this, my Rhino still has an AZ plate.
Thought of moving the plate to my YXZ and just saying I "made a few changes".
At least they are both Yamaha's.

The whole thing is F'd up.
They are squeezing off so much land from off roaders.
I can drive my 2500 HD in some areas, but not my SxSs. Retarded govt.
The Cal DMV has complexes, fully staffed to make sure there are no loopholes.

Pretty soon we will be driving electric cars around in the So Cal desert.
Beep, Beep. Hey Carl !

Makes me want to move to Arizona full time .

 

[Zilla]

In my state of OH they use to issue plates to code compliant ATV's and UTV's, however two years ago they changed their stands on that and refuse to plate any vehicle that was listed new as off-road and have revoked any registrations that had been previously issued. The MAN doesn't want anything out there that's gona make them look like a dick the minute they light up the blue's. They know their nutted pig MOPAR ain't gona hang with a YXZ on a secondary road or God forbid someone twist the switch and go off-road. OSHP don't have a national reputation for no good reason, just drift past one in a Bugatti Chiron at 66 MPH on interstate and see how you get treated.

 

[Mattiboy]

I may try to go the special construction route, with one of the 500 annual permits CA issues.
I would maybe need a "totaled" YXZ with its green/red sticker registration revoked, and then buy VW body, frame, lighting, dot tires from the aftermarket. I guess if I went this route, I could buy like a suzuki sidekick aftermarket aluminum body etc, to keep the weight down. The biggest issue I see to this plan is how to get the vehicle to pass smog and what year model year standard they would require me to pass.

 

[swyzr191]

I may try to go the special construction route, with one of the 500 annual permits CA issues.
I would maybe need a "totaled" YXZ with its green/red sticker registration revoked, and then buy VW body, frame, lighting, dot tires from the aftermarket. I guess if I went this route, I could buy like a suzuki sidekick aftermarket aluminum body etc, to keep the weight down. The biggest issue I see to this plan is how to get the vehicle to pass smog and what year model year standard they would require me to pass.

Totaled YXZ?
Suzuki Sidekicks?
This is going to be interesting.

Smog cert won't be an issue.
They don't smog street bikes, etc.
If they do, pull the airfilter out and a stock YXZ should pass.

I'm your biggest cheerleader, I want a CA plate too.

 

[Mattiboy]

Well I believe it will be classified as a car and so I think it will need to smogged and sound emissions tested per SB-100 regulations.

 

[Mattiboy]

unless smogging for special construction applies to the engine not the actual vehicle, and assuming the snowmobile derived triple would be classified as "motorcycle engine"

 

[swyzr191]

I will be following this story.
I've got a Trail Edition 4Runner and use it sometimes to hit the "plate" trails.
These laws have me pondering doing some mods on my 4Runner.

 

[qualt]

So I am looking for some advice on making a YXZ Street legal in California. If I took a street legal, licensed and registered, pre 1975 VW beetle, and mated that with a YXZ Chassis and drivetrain would it be possible for this "car" to retain its street legal status in California? I have seen other conversions in other states accomplish this but our laws here are very strict. any thoughts would be appreciated.
Cheers

If you can make it look like a Manx you might be able to pull it off. This is a picture of a long travel buggy I once had that was registered as street legal in California. Almost nothing was original VW except the serial number and license plate; nothing else was original including the Subaru engine. Good luck.

Added:
OBTW, in order to get around the fender laws, and maybe more, the donor vw needs to be a pre 1970 car.

r VW needs to be a pre 1970 car.

 

[Sherlock]

If you can make it look like a Manx you might be able to pull it off. This is a picture of a long travel buggy I once had that was registered as street legal in California. Almost nothing was original VW except the serial number and license plate; nothing else was original including the Subaru engine. Good luck. View attachment 114207

Rugged radio has built a couple utv/street looking vehicles.One is a jeep and another is a bug.I told the wife if my Yxz gets wrecked, I was going to find a Baja bug or jeep pre 66 and frankenstein the two. That is the only way I can think you could get around the Dmv even though the Yxz has much better emissions than those vehicles.

 

[Dirt2Dune]

I have done this with vehicles, putting older bodies on newer chassis and drivetrains without issues but I have no idea if you could get away with it on a SXS conversion. Maybe if your bug was already currently registered, then you swap it over. It just might fly under the radar. Now, if a cop pulls you over and deems it unsafe then your gonna have a uphill battle.

 

[Quinn22]

So I am looking for some advice on making a YXZ Street legal in California. If I took a street legal, licensed and registered, pre 1975 VW beetle, and mated that with a YXZ Chassis and drivetrain would it be possible for this "car" to retain its street legal status in California? I have seen other conversions in other states accomplish this but our laws here are very strict. any thoughts would be appreciated.
Cheers

Did you ever get it street legalized?

 

[ChiliPepperGarage]

I've been building hot rods for years (decades, actually) and did in CA for almost 20 years. If you have a titled body with a VIN tag on it you can set it on any kind of chassis you want. It will be titled and registered as whatever the body is.

So, if you have a 1970 Bug with a valid title and VIN on body it will continue to be a 1970 VW whether it sits on a YXZ or a lifted truck chassis or a custom built tube chassis. Here's one on what looks like an early Ford frame with a SBC engine and it is still a VW.

So you could try to set the Bug body on your YXZ and do it in a Baja Bug style with no issues. Just make sure the donor body is titled and transferred to your name and registered. That said, I don't know how much a bug body weighs (I think they are pretty light) but you will have to take that into consideration to make sure the YXZ frame can handle the weight as well as changes in center of gravity. I'm sure you will have to do a lot of cutting and body mount fabrication. I think it would be a cool project though and I'd like to see one done.

 

[ChiliPepperGarage]

Also, in over 40 years of building hot rods, I have never once been stopped by LE and hassled about what kind of chassis the car is sitting on.