hang in there Wes, your almost thru the burocracy!
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hang in there Wes, your almost thru the burocracy!
Thanks guys.
Randy, here's my understanding of what the smog ref. will do.
First he'll compare all my paperwork with the car to confirm I brought to right one for testing. Then he'll confirm visually that the car is in fact a "specially constructed vehicle" (SPCNS) and not an existing make (Ford, VW,etc) that has been repaired, restored or simply had an engine swap. Once he determines the car qualifies as a SPCNS, he'll confirm my SPCNS Certificate of Sequence number (sometimes called a smog waiver), which permanently exempts the car from bi-annual smog checks. No need to test it.
The only thing left to do is determine the year of the car for title purposes. The waiver allows the builder to choose between two options... the year of the engine or, as I prefer, the year that the body most represents. The ref will compare the car to standard models in their database. If they don't find anything similar enough, the default year is 1960. The Velo Rossa is styled after the '62 Ferrari 250 GTO. But I don't know if that car will be in the database. Even if it is, the VR's dimensions are considerable different. I should end up with a title of either a 1960 or 1962 SPCNS.
The ref will then affix a BAR sticker in the engine compartment with all that info including the smog exempt status.
Clear as mud, right? :o
Well!
What a pleasant way to waste a wet Sunday...I went back to page 1 and re-read the lot.
Wes: I salute you!
You've done a magnificent job; that car is bloody gorgeous...be very very proud of yourself.
As to the original question of whether or not it's a hot-rod...that car, Sir, is a hot-rod.
End of story.
A lot of work but you made it to the end "Congratulations"
Looks like this last hoop jumping will take a little longer than expected. The smog check for specially constructed vehicles is now a two part process. On my monday visit, the ref copied all my paperwork and took a couple of pictures of the car. He then faxed it all to the main office in Sac. who does some kind of "investigation". In about a week, the office will contact the ref with an approval or denial...he'll call me...and then I go back to get the BAR sticker attached.
HMmmm.. So another hurdle now. Why does it always seem that we have to jump another hurdle? And now a surprise "investigation"? What kind of investigation? Did they say anything?
Probably another way to charge a fee! Do I sound kind of jaded?:eek::LOL::LOL::LOL:
California is full of surprises these days.
I finally got the word yesterday... BAR approves!!!! I go back to the referee on friday to get my official smog exemption sticker affixed to the engine compartment.
I was feeling sooooo good, that I started working on a new cowl for the old fresh air vents under the windshield.
Attachment 58255
Using the cardboard mock-up.....
Attachment 58256
I traced the part onto a piece of masonite. I carved floral blocks to make the recesses for the aero latches and hot glue them in position. I inserted shims under both ends of the masonite to get a slight curve. After a couple of coats of paste wax, the whole thing was covered in two layers of glass matte.
Attachment 58258
After some trimming and sizing, I'll add sidewalls to get a rigid panel.
Attachment 58257
Cowl looks a whole lot better, nice work Wes. Congrats on the sticker, is that all of the bureaucratic b/s???? Must be about time for cruizin'!!!!!
Congrats on getting through the governmental B.S.! Nice work on the cowl, can't wait to see it finished.
Thanks guys.
After I get my sticker, it's back to DMV one last time to turn in all the paperwork and get the title, registration and license plates.
Have to drop buy and see it in person once your road worthy! Congrats Wes.
Better yet Steve, I'll bring her to you. It would be such a nice drive topless... the car of course.:eek::o
Congratulations Wes in getting to this stage and that cowl cover looks the finishing piece that the stock manufactures could learn from.
Wes, I enjoy seeing your mold process, and that you take time to describe the way you form. Using the masonite and florists foam, both cheap & readily available, is great, and the comment about shimming the ends to get the curve you needed is valuable. You've become a fiberglass master!
Thanks guys. Wish I could take credit for figuring this out on my own, but... I saw this exact process used to form a tail light panel for a Z car a few years back. The only difference was the guy used sheet aluminum instead of masonite.
I'm having a lot of fun learning how to play with the resin.:D
Today was a really good day. The Velo Rossa title/registration process is complete. A trip to the Smog station this morning, a stop at DMV on the way back, and I now have this BAR sticker affixed to the firewall...
Attachment 58279
this registration card that indicates NO model year...
Attachment 58278
and two fresh new license plates waiting to be mounted. New title should arrive in 3-4 weeks.
As daunting as this title reg. process might seem at first blush, it's really not that bad and less expensive than I thought.
$146 DMV Fees (partially based on vehicle value)
$69 Brake inspection
$59 Lamp inspection
$0 CHP Vin verification / new tag
$0 Smog inspection / sticker
$274 Total
Great news, Wes!! Congratulations, big time!
Times 2! Congrats and glad to hear it's all coming together....
Not a bad total compared to reg fees for the 48 truck. Over 500.00 bucks I pointed out the truck probably only cost that when it was new, the DMV guy didn't seem to get the point. I particularly like the additional fees they throw on there like DUI, which I've never had, couldn't get an explanation for them either.
Been trying to get some work done on the cowl the last few days. But with temps getting close to 110 this week it's much more fun just floating in the pool. It's almost midnight and the temperature in my backyard is still almost 90. Yikes!!
It's the same thing over here on the east coast. The 3 H's prevail... hazy, hot and humid.. And we haven't seen the sun in probably 5 or 6 days. 8-(
So no work going on in my garage.
Last night got home from work and proceeded to open house up, for the nightly cool down. Went from 80 upstairs to 73 this morning, now back to shutting it down, and watering! Hot weather for sure but nice for the fourth of July. Would love to work on boxing in the frame, still waiting on back ordered panels!
I've read all of this thread now!!
WOW!!
I take my hat off to you Sir for sticking at it and building such a nice car.... Well done indeed !
Perry
Thanks Perry. I appreciate the kind words.
My new cowl is causing me grief. I had fitment issues between the hood, the quarter panels and the front of the doors before fabbing the cowl. With the extra thickness of the cowl, the hood doesn't come down as far at the windshield, so the gaps are even worse. If I can't figure out how to adjust the hood, I may scrap the cowl in it's current form.
And although I really like the look of those hood pins, they do nothing to keep the outer corners of the hood from banging around every time I hit pot hole... or drive over a crack in the pavement.
I think I can solve the side to side fitment issue, with some kind of alignment pins installed like this...
Attachment 58313
Any one have any suggestions for pins? I saw a Velo Rossa on a consignment lot once that used regular threaded bolts to accomplish this. NOT pretty!!
As for the front to back issue, I'll try to raise the hoods front mounting point up in order level it out on top of the quarters.
Not sure what to do to lock down those corners.
Still playing with photoshop. Still waffling on color. But it keeps me from obsessing over the poor fitment issue of the bonnet. I'll need to deal with that soon.
My hotrod / muscle car friends like Candy Apple red...
Attachment 58382
My Mopar buddies like Plumb Crazy...
Attachment 58383
and my surfer dudes dig the Mellow Yellow Velo.
Attachment 58381
red is classic!
True...I just want to stay away from the traditional Ferrari red.
For the alignment pins, how about good old chrome plated hood pins? I think they are about 1/2" diameter.. Should be tapered and rounded at the tip.... just thinkin' out loud!
Color choices... you're on your own there!! I pretty much like'em all! But I think guardsman blue with 2 white stripe down the center... or perhaps just off to one side! :-)
G m t a!..........
Wow I'm slow today I was thinking what the heck are GM TA's maybe tires or something! Great minds didn' think alike this time! :)
Something like this?
Attachment 58616
I like it. Very Cobra-ish.
Try that same blue but with the above stripe pattern.
Here ya go...
Attachment 58619
My first car was a '66 Triumph TR4 I had painted exactly like the bottom VR. Color was called Electric Blue and the stripes were decals for a Mustang.
I like the big stripes Wes! The car has the right look for them, I think!!!! Heck, the car is about as subtle as a heart attack anyway, might as well flaunt it with something wild!!!!!!
That last one trips my trigger!! Very tasteful, not over the top or as bold as the ones above it.
I like this blue so much that I've already owned several cars in it's range. I want something different for this project.
As far as the straight stripes go, I agree they are clean and classic. What I haven't been able to depict in these renderings, is how they warp and distort as they pass over the hump in the center of the hood. I've tried creating them with tape on the car and they just don't look right to me. Of course, someone with more expertise could probable get it looking right.
I'm pretty committed to the 'side stripe/bra stripe' combo for now. It's sort of a cross between Mustangs Boss 302 and some of Ferrari's original 250 GTO racing stripes.
Attachment 58644
Of course I'll keep experimenting, and I'm open to looking at all suggestions.... except maybe flames and skulls. :eek: :p
It was suggested that I should try a root beer color. That reminded me of another TR I owned that was metallic root beer with a wide gold racing stripe. This is what I came up with...
Attachment 58655