<VV> Va inspections a good deal ?

[Frank DuVal]

>
>
> ...what happens when you present a 47 year old Corvair to an 
> inspection station staffed by an ignorant inspector who flunks your 
> car for not having seat belts?    I went through some debate once with 
> an inspector over this simple point which he *refused* to 
> acknowledge.    Dimwit.   I ended up going elsewhere to get a sticker; 
> this before the car was registered as a vintage/antique and was exempt 
> from the VA safety inspection.
>

You ask him to open the book and show you the law for seat belts. I did 
this when a new guy at Firestone rejected a customer's 63 convertable 
for no front seat belts. He showed me the passage which said:

Hey, I was going to cut and paste, but they changed the law since 1996 
when this happened. Back then it said vehicles made after January 1, 
1963 needed front seat belts. And the argument was if the car was built 
before Jan 1, 63 or not. My customer agreed to seat belts, so everyone 
was OK with the outcome.

Now I will cut and paste the current  law:

C. INSPECT FOR AND REJECT IF:

1. Not of an approved type;

2. Installation not in compliance as follows:

a. All motor vehicle seat belt anchorages and attachment hardware must 
meet the standards and specifications set forth by the Society of 
Automotive Engineers, Inc., and Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 
No. 209 (49 CFR 571.209), for such anchorages and attachment hardware;

b. Any questions concerning the proper installation of seat belt 
assemblies should be directed to the nearest Safety Division office.

3. Any 1963 and subsequent model vehicle, designed and licensed 
primarily for private passenger use, is not equipped with adult safety 
lap belts for at least two front seats or a combination of lap belts and 
shoulder straps or harnesses.

snip

So now all 1963 cars need them! Nothing like changing a law about 37 
years after the car is made....

Frank DuVal


>
>
> tony.. 
>