Why would I need an inspection?
First, the project is described at http://www.carcentric.com/SpitTrike.htm for those not already familiar from the previous thread in Locost
Related.
Second, a Q&A excerpt from the official website of my state (Washington, USA): "Do all powered three-wheeled vehicles need to be licensed as
motorcycles? No. If the vehicle qualifies as a motorcycle as defined in RCW 46.04.330 or 46.04.332, it will be licensed as a motorcycle for street
use. However, if the vehicle has a bench seat and a steering wheel as defined in RCW 46.04.330 or 46.04.332, it will be licensed as a passenger
vehicle or truck."
The donor Spitfire is already registered as a car, and there will be no bike parts or parts from any other car added (except maybe a double row timing
chain and cam sprockets from a 4.5 MBenz for the final drive). So I'm thinking I can just do the surgery (convert one drive wheel to a spare),
add a minimal Morgan-esque trike body, and continue to drive with the car license it has.
A local VW triker, however, is trying to convince me I need to have a state inspection (after conversion) by the State Patrol. "Why," I
ask? "Because you'll have converted it to a trike," he says.
Since by the state's definition I'm not converting it to a motorcycle, seems to me that I'm just doing a little automotive
"customization" - like chopping the top off a coupe to create a roadster. No inspection's needed for that. What say you, arbiters
of all that matters?
M D "Doc" Nugent
http://www.carcentric.com
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posted on 29/8/03 at 02:03 PM
