blueknight105@hotmail.com

Renegade 123 I am in the Hartford, Ct. area. I have a local bodyshop, K & W Custom Auto. (860)282-2798. I presently have my Mack there. They are also woking on a Mack dump truck. These guys also work on Class A motorhomes. it is always a pain, dealing with Insurance companies. The three quote rule has been around for a long time and frankly I thought it had gone by the wayside. I am not surprised to see it again. These guys will try anything to "cow" you. Good luck Jim.

Well, .....just goes to show how screwed up the CT DMV is. When I built my 1950 International pick up, I went to Whethersfield Office. There I registered by truck as a 1950 International with combination plates. (For you other folks this is a combination of passenger and commercial plates) About two months later I changed the plates to Antique. The truck was not required to be inspected either time. The truck could be considered as a compsite vehicle. The 1950 L-160 Cab sits on a 1984 Chevy 3/4 ton chassi. The engine is from a 1986 Chevy IROC and is hitched to a TH400 auto. The bed is after market from Canada. The bed in the box is Home Depo 3/4" oak. The running boards were built in my garage. The truck should have been inspected according to the rules. However, according to the "Hot Rod" rules the truck was stock on the outside and was registered under the original VIN. When I registered by 1969 Mack R-600 wrecker, I again went to Whethersfield, with just by paperwork. The truck was purchased in New Hampshire and I presented a NH bill of sale. I asked for antique plates and the only problem was......"You can't registered the truck as a wrecker with antique plates. What is it?" I stated that the Mack was a truck. I walked out of DMV with a set of Antique plates in hand. No inspection, even though the truck was from out of state and is registered as a 1969 Mack R-600 Truck. Go figure! I found it is always best to go directly to the Main Office of DMV when registering anything other than a regular vehicle. The other offices will assume you are trying to pull something and give you a hard time. Attached is a pic of the International. My Mack is in the Gallery and Garage. Jim

Dustin, A regular saftey inspection can be done at the Waterbury, Winsted or Danbury Office. However you do not need to have the vehicle inspected to register it with antique plates. I have a 1950 International and a '69 Mack and neither one of them were inspected prior to the plates being issued. The inspection requirment was done away with about 8 years ago. Now if the vehicle is a compsite vehicle (mutiple vehicles combined to make one or a kit car) the vehicle must be inspected either at Waterbury or Whethersfield only. The cost is $85.00. The vehicle can not be driven until it is inspected. This means to flatbed it or trailer it to the inspection site. If the vehicle is from out of state, a VIN number inspection is required. An official from DMV or any State or Local Police Officer can inspect the VIN. The form is down loadable from the Ct.GOV DMV site. Also be aware that there are a special set of rules that apply to "Hot Rods" and these are avaible from DMV. Back to your original question.......Take your paperwork to the DMV office in Winsted. Good luck. Jim

Bob Is the heavy equipment show going to be at Zagrey Farms? I thought a friend of mine told me it was at Zagrey, If it is, that is an asume place. I have been there sevral times. Right now my Mack is torn apart and in a zillion pieces. Hopefuly it will back togather and painted for the show. Your '60 B should be alright. The whole point of my post was commercial use. I have seen in this string and other strings on the same subject of antique plates the alarming use of antique plates as a dodge for commercial plates. Commercial plates are for a vehicle that is for "hire" or is used to generate income for an individual or a business. Although the Oscarmayer Winner mobile does not carry any freight or product, it is registered as a commercial vehicle because it generates revinue for the company, reguardless of its age. Your '60 B is registerd with antique plates and you are hauling your antique equipment to an antique show is covered and you do not need a CDL. However, if you are hauling someone elses antique equipment to an antique show for a fee......you do need a CDL and commerical plates. If you are a vender and hauling a trailer for selling items or souviners (generating income) you need a CDL and commercial plates. Now, as far as the law.....( and this is advice for anyone any where) if you become a target of of a rookie, he will become real "uppitty" if you should start pointing out statues where he is incorrect and you will be in a pissing contest real quick. The end reuslt would be your explaining yourself to the "senile old man wearing the black robe behind a tall bench." Try to defuse the situation by asking to speak with a supervisor about the interrperation of the law. Usually the supervisor will have a more "worldly" approach to the situation. (What we have here, boy.....is a definet lack of communication!) For the most part, local Cops don't have a fine command of the small nuances of Commercial statutes. (they are rather lengthy)and they will not pick apart the antique registration law. The Big Hats (State Police) and DMV are the guys that will make your life misrebile. These are found a weight stations and Interstates and I have found that there are enough of the Hobby people (like you and I) in both agencies to help foster an understanding of out hobby. However, if one should flaunt the law ( a antique truck hauling a over weight, wide load , with bald tires, for hire) ....stand by, it will cost you. Belive it or not "common sense" does prevail. Oh, if you should get stopped feel free to mention my name....you will get the jail cell with the flush toilet. (that's the only pull I have.) Enjoy the show and maybe I'll see yo there. Jim

Ok guys I have been following this and I have to put my two cents in. First, I am a Police Officer in the state of Connecticut and have been so for 35 years. In the state of Conneciticut we have 'historical plates". The vehicle has to be 25 years old or older. Now here is the catch, with a Historic plates or Antique plates the vehicle is NOT a commercial vehicle and therefore is not subject to the commerical laws. No CDL is required, reguardless of how large the vehicle is. I have a 1969 Marck R-600 wrecker with antique plates. I could not list it on the registration as a wrecker because here in the state of Ct. a wrecker needs a wrecker registration. The truck is listed as a winch truck. Now part of the definition of the antique registration is that it can only be used for "demonstrated for public display or use". This means I can't drive the truck to work or use it for errands. I can drive it to shows and public demonstrations. The wrecker (or for that matter any vehicle with Historical plates) can not be used for hire or tow (Wrecker or tractor) a vehicle or trailer that is not registered with antique plates on it. Although the vehicle meets the commercial definition in size and weight and I do not have a CDL, I can still drive it with Histroical plates. Example: I also have a 1950 International Pick-up truck with antique plates. I may use my Mack to tow the International but I may not tow my '06 Ford F-250. Here in the state if I had a day cab Mack, I could not tow my camper with it unless the camper had antique plates on it. Also here in the state if I were to have a tractor towing a trailer I could not tow a second trialer behind the first. This would be a "tandem" and would require a CDL with the proper endorsements. (I did see my Brother tow a camper with a boat trailer behind it, a tandem, in Butte, MT and that was alright......out there.) Some of you say that the Cops wink at the fact you are towing out of class. All you need is a bubble gum chewing, buzz cut. rookie to get invovled and you will have a major problem. Here in the state of Ct. If I were to tow by '06 Ford F-250 with my Mack (even for public demonstration) the rookie would charge mis-use of registartion plate, operating an unregistred vehicle, operating a commercial vehicle without a CDL. oprating without commercial insurance (out of class). I would get a misdemanor summons and both vehicles would be towed away. The Point I am trying to make is use the plates wisely. Don't use the historical/ antique plates in leu of commericial plates. Yes it is cheaper but if DMV figures out that too many people are abusing the law, the Legislature will change the law and all of us will suffer. As a Cop I have stopped people for misuse of antique plates. I recently had a carpenter using a 1976 Ford with Historical plates to drive to and from construction sites (loaded with his tools and lumber). He was saving about $350 a year by using the historical plates. I advsied him of the law and gave him a chance to get the correct registrtion, which he did. The major point is becareful out there and don't "feed the Bears" Jim

"Buy provisions, fill your tub, give blood" Lord, it's going to snow! Did you know it is the law in the state of Connecticut that as soon as the weathermen start pridiciting snow everyone is required to go to the store and buy milk and bread? Jim

Merry Christmas to all. ( i hope the attachement works) Apparently the web site has crashed. Sorry for the inconvience. It was a cute site. Anyway Merry Christmas to all and to all a Good Night. (I think I have heard that some where.......hummmm.) Merry_Christmas.htm

And some people think "walking" an old dog is easy!

Well, if that's a wrench in his hand...we know it's not a mack. If that is a chicken leg in his hand...we know he's from 'Bama ( not that there is anything wrong with that!). On the other hand, the side burns remind me of that line from "Smokie and the Bandit"........ "Boy, first thing I'm gonna do when I get home..... is to punch yo Momma in the mouth!" Jim

Hey Guys, It's not just Mack. For those of you who own Dodge Rams, open the drivers door and see where it's made. Sorry.....Mexico. Back in the '80's the battle cry was "Be American....Buy American!". So, I did. I bought a brand new Mercury. Later I found out that the Engine was made in Mexico using German engineering, the transmission was made in Germany using Italan bearings and the body was made in Canada. Here is another distressing fact; Winchester is closing the New Haven, Ct. plant. This is the lever action gun carried by John Wayne in his movies and is labeled as: "The gun that won the west!" But fear not, it's parent company "Browning" has stated that it will contine to produce the model '94 (the lever action 30/30 carried by John Wayne) in Belgium and Japan. Oh, did I tell you, Browning is a Beligum company. The point is nothing is sacared. I fear it will all be built in China eventuly. One more point, How come GMC, Ford or Chryslers are not sold in Japan or Europe without heavy inport duties? Toyota, VW,BMW, Nissan are sold here without import duties. Why aren't we allowed to compete on a level playing field in Japan or Europe? Jim

These are a couple of my last projects; 1950 International L-120 pickup truck not quite stock. 1986 Chevrolet IROC engine with a T-400 auto trans. Sitting on a rebuilt '84 chev. 3/4 ton truck chassy Sharp eye will note that the front fenders are off of a L-160 and the rear fenders are of a '63 1/2. The box is reproductin from Canada. The rear fenders had to be cut and a space of three inches added to make up for the replacement box which is smaller than original. The decals are period correct for a late fifties/ early sixties service truck. The Cobra is a kit. Powered by a Ford 428 CID with a five speed Tremec tranny sitting on 85 Vette suspension. The cobra was sold to purchase the Mack. And for those who have to know, I have done all of my own wrenching. The only thing that was sent out was the paint. The International was 3K and the Cobra was 4K. I am not a mechanic by trade. Jim

Gee, Tim I hate to tell you there are no more barns in Buckland! It is now the" Shoppes at Buckland Hills Pavillon." (A mall that covers 150 acres.) The J C Penny Warehouse covers the other 130 acres. We don't produce jet engines any more just malls and Indian Casinos. Jim PS for those of you that are "Down Under" Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Engines ( now know as United Technoglies UTC) is located in East Hartford, Ct. Most of the work is done outside of the state. The work force at one time was over 30,000 employees in East Hartford. Today maybe 10,000. The worlds largest Indian Casino is located in Ledyard, Ct. Fox Woods Casino is owned by The Mashintucket Pequat tribe. Oh and the Mohegians own the Mohegan Sun Casino just down the Themes River from Norwich, Ct. Jim

I have to add my two cents. I agree with Deo....all day long! Gee, I wonder if B81SX is a "check book" builder? You know the type.. he picks out the color and seat material and then tells everyone he "built" the truck. "check book" builders are the reason I got out of Hot Rods. They don't get their hands dirty and try to tell you how to build your truck or at least tell you whats wrong with it. Jim

Hey Superdog! Nice truck! Hopefuly someday mine will look as good. Just an observation....does that big truck fit in that little garage? My neighbors were so tickled that I had a good hobby...they called the Town on me! The zoning officer and I had one heck of a "go around"! I had done my homework and it seems that the zoning laws apply to "Commercial Trucks" only. My Mack R600 wrecker had Historical plates. Ha Ha!!!! I WON ! Jim