Has anyone registered an 818 in Wisconsin?

[Nordicskier]

I tried posting this in the registration threads last week but no one picked it up. Has anyone registered an 818 in Wisconsin yet? I cannot pass the safety inspection portion of Wisconsin registration with my 818C. Regardless if you go the Wisconsin Hobbyest route or regular plate route you have to pass a state trooper safety inspection. There are two ways to pass, 1) meet all applicable state and federal codes at the time of manufacture/construction (2020), or 2) meet the applicable codes from the date of manufacture of the vehicle you are trying to replicate.

For a 2020 vehicle, driver and passenger airbags are required, the 818 can be easily fitted with other safety equipment. Using an airbag in a car that is not meant for one doesn't seem like a safe idea, but it is a box the inspector has to check. Given the 818 is an original design it is hard to sell as a replica. For a replica not to have airbag requirement it has to replicate a vehicle manufactured prior to about 1991 via federal legislation.

The replica loop hole is what makes Factory Five 1960s Cobra and 1930s hot rod kit car registrations easy in Wisconsin. I was running a couple ideas past my assigned state trooper. He basically said it needs to look like it rolled of the assembly line. Does anyone have any suitable cars to replicate? the closest I could find that fit the pre 1991 requirement was a 1970's Ferrari 365 GT4 BB, the longitudinally mounted mid engine coupe was build remarkably on a similar tube frame with almost matching width, length, height and track. The Ferrari even has no trunk or frunk, with a center front mounted radiator, just like the 818. But...the nose on the Ferrari is longer and sharper, and it has pop up headlights. Pontiac Fierros and Toyota MR2s seem less probable, and it sounds lame to replicate a Pontiac. A Porsche Cayman (2006) would fit the bill of resemblance, but would still require airbags.

My assigned trooper may agree to the Ferrari replica if I redo the nose of the 818 and add pop up headlights, he was stuck on the headlights; I really don't want to do this. I really don't want to temporarily install Subaru airbags in the wheel and dash to check the box for a 2020 car, but that may be the easiest route.

Any ideas or suggestions to help bring this car to street legal status would be appreciated!
Thanks kindly,
Hans

[STiPWRD]

You could also look into registering it as a 1966 Ferrari LM 250. This would get rid of the pop up head light issue. One other long shot is to look for exemptions in the law regarding air bags. For example, the the VA motor vehicle safety inspection manual there is an exemption for air bags if the vehicle didn't originally come with air bags. It could be worth a read. But I'd agree, it isn't safe installing air bags in a car that didn't originally come with them from the OEM.

[redbudrr]

Why not go as an '84 MR2 spyder? It has the windshield from one, so now it has a Subaru engine in it.

[Jetfuel]

Fake wheel...Fake controller box... lots of wires in and out and then tell the trooper to seat in the driver seat while you go fire it up...

Jet ....I would