The Cellar - Nov 9, 2009: Bumper Cars

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- - Nov 9, 2009: Bumper Cars (http://cellar.org/showthread.php?t=21361)

Nov 9, 2009: Bumper Cars

Here's another one that arrived in an email, like the snake & lizard on friday.

Quote:

It's easy for a gear-head to be discouraged about the state of the world, especially in times of Carpocalypse and Cash for Clunkers. But occasionally, a bright light of awesome renews the spirit. Road-legal bumper cars do just that.

Yes, you read that right; these little beasties are street legal. Either Kawasaki or Honda motorcycle engines for power, and retired vintage bumper car bodies - transformed into the most awesome form of mini-car we've ever seen.

http://cellar.org/2009/bumpercar1.jpg

My first reaction was, Are you shittin' me? But like the lady said, It's twue, It's twue. ;)

Quote:

There's seven of these little monsters floating around California , and they're all the creation of one man, Tom Wright, a gyro-gear loose builder on the outskirts of San Diego who figured the leftovers of the Long Beach Pike amusement park needed a more dignified end than the trash heap. They were originally powered by Harley engines but rattled like heck and Tom replace them with Honda or Kawasaki 750's... and a couple have been 'measured' [not run at] theoretically as capable of 160 MPH which is terrifyingly fast in machines with such a short wheelbase. Doesn't mean we would totally rock one should the opportunity present itself. In fact, we now have only one burning desire, to see these things running a go kart track with a clown in the driver's seat.

I'd be pretty damn cautious over 40mph, in those high center of gravity, short wheelbase, narrow track, toys. :eek3: But Me Want.
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Quote:

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce (Post 606855)

Here's another one that arrived in an email, like the on friday

I see you too must have a forwarding-mother-in-law..

I thought there would be a ringling of clowns driving those.

Yea, a Shriner's wet dream.

These beautiful 4-wheelers wouldn't be legal in most states, as they have no fenders. I'm surprised they're road-legal in the People's Republic of California, with its overly-strict laws about safety, pollution, welfare, and so on.

Wouldn't the bumper be a fender?

No, a bumper's a defender. ;)
I think Ohio is another state the lets them go fenderless. PA says the width of the tread, 15 degree ahead to 75 degrees behind, the centerline of each wheel.

Fenderless is street legal here too and in Fla. I think they look pretty cool. I bet they haul ass from a standing start.

just as long as they actually don't -- ya know--BUMP anything with it.

Umm...not sure I'd want to have a hot engine between my legs like in that woody model. Wow...how much is wrong with that sentence?

Quote:

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce (Post 606927)

No, a bumper's a defender. ;)
I think Ohio is another state the lets them go fenderless. PA says the width of the tread, 15 degree ahead to 75 degrees behind, the centerline of each wheel.

Hmmm, I don't think so. Someone had a car with a missing fender and replaced it with a two by four to be legal. This is the state of front and back plates, too.

We're all about safety and morality here in Ohio.

Quote:

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce (Post 606927)

PA says the width of the tread, 15 degree ahead to 75 degrees behind, the centerline of each wheel.

say that in English

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shawnee123 (Post 607017)

Gee, I was in Youngstown many years ago, and saw a car with no hood, front fenders or front doors being driven down the street. On the other hand, the driver was wearing a seat belt and was not reading porn, so I guess you are correct. :D

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shawnee123 (Post 607017)

You could be right. I remember reading in Rodder's journal, about a guy living in western PA, registering his car in Ohio to beat the fender law, but it could have been the other way around. In MA, you don't need fenders, but you need a front plate

Quote:

Originally Posted by lumberjim (Post 607037)

say that in English

The fender has to be at least as wide as tire's tread. It must extend no less than 15 degrees ahead of the vertical centerline of the tire, and end no less than 75 degrees behind the centerline, measured from the center of the wheel. UNLESS, the vehicle is registered as a Street Rod, and carrying PA Street Rod plates. In that case, no fenders, bumpers, or hood is required. But if there's no hood, the fan must be shrouded.

Up in the northwest, Oregon, Washington, or somewhere, they have a law that says fenders are optional, but if you don't have them, you aren't allowed to drive in the rain or on unpaved roads. Every state has their own interpretation of what's cool, and much of that depends how politically active their street rod organizations are.