818 may need bumper and or bumper supports in some states

[metalmaker12]

As some of you know I live in Ri, and in my state a kit car is required to have running lights, blinkers, wipers, windshield, rear plate light , horn and bumpers. I am not sure of just bumper supports being ok, but it seems they want something. I am wondering if FFR has addressed this issue, and if any GTM RI owners can chime in on what they had to go through it would be helpful.

[Red Tag]

Michigan also required bumpers 14 to 22 inches off the ground. Maybe bodywork counts as bumpers?! On production cars, the body work counts as the bumper, since they can withstand 2.5mph without damage. I don't think there's a damage threshold, so as long as something would hit a wall between 14 and 22 inches off the ground, then I guess it might count as a bumper, even if it would result in damage. In the end, at least in Michigan, it is at the discretion of the police officer inspecting the vehicle.

[Evan78]

Where does it say you need a bumper? I checked the Rhode Island OFFICIAL MANUAL FOR VEHICLE INSPECTION (http://www.dmv.ri.gov/documents/manuals/Official_Manual_Motor_Vehicle_Inspections.pdf) and only found this section on bumpers on page 53:


3.6.1 BUMPERS - Passenger type vehicles
Inspect every passenger type vehicle for bumpers (front and rear) according to the original manufacturers’ specifications. Based on that section, it seems that maybe you can't modify what the manufacturer originally designed, but it doesn't say what is required of manufacturers. I don't know where to look for kit cars specifically, can you provide a link?

[Evan78]

I started with the RI section from the SEMA page on "Everything You Need to Register and Title Your Hobby Car in All 50 States (http://www.bipac.net/page.asp?content=tag_title_toolbox&g=SEMAGA)" but the only relevant statement in that doc that I found was "The kit vehicle you build must conform to all State motor vehicle safety requirements before it can be issued a Rhode Island Vehicle Identification Number." My search for bumper came up empty.

[metalmaker12]

When I called and asked I was told bumper supports would be needed. He said it is a safety concern to not have a bumper or a support. Also in ri we must have a full windshield, wipers, running lights, blinkers ( don't know why cause we never use them), rear plate light, and horn.

[Niburu]

lets not forget the center third brake light as well

[Xusia]

Auto manufacturers are required to include a functioning third brake light per Federal law, but as I understand it - and some states may be different - the owner/operator of the vehicle isn't required to use it (which means it doesn't have to be functional or even present). Because we assemble the car, it doesn't fall under the Federal guidelines for auto manufacturers - just the individual state requirements for registration.

[bnr32jason]

The Washington state DOL site doesn't mention it in the kit car registration section. Wonder if there is somewhere else I should be looking as well?