Avernus

I don't know where to friggin put this one so I'm putting it here!

I am going to the junkyard tomorrow to get some parts and It's going to be bigger then my car. Is this illegal?

dirtywhiteZ28

Obviously laws very from state to state but I wouldn't think so. The only vehicle code violation that I can think of with removing the rear hatch is if the cop new one Camaro year from another and realized that the third brake light was not displayed. Other than that, there are no rules I know of that say its illegal to operate a vehicle without it's rear window. Now if the item you are picking up is obviously overloading your vehicles weight capacity, hindering your reasonable field of vision, or protruding more than 14"s without a red warning flag displayed, then you might have a problem.

Avernus

Thanks! I'm pretty excited because it's supposed to be nice tomorrow and I'm going to have the windows down, the t-tops off and no hatch. Circulation baby! By the way I was looking for answers and I came upon this site. Might be helpful for others in the future
http://forums.realpolice.net/forumdisplay.php?f=112

dirtywhiteZ28

I'll tell you from personal experience that having the rear hatch off will mean suckin on way more exhuast than you might of bargained for. Hope your A/F ratio is livable, it's a surreal experience when the weathers nice.

Sonix

iTrader: (1)

You've got to get a buddy to ride on your gas tank, with his head out of the car like a giant rearward sunlight. It's cooler than Vanilla ice man. Something you gotta try once in your life.

online170

There was a person selling a camaro a few years back. In his picture he was missing a hatch. He said, he removes it in the summer (because his car is a hard top), and absolutely loved it. Said it kinda felt like a convertible.

But think about it, you can have an open roof convertible, and your T-tops off, so why not the hatch? Unless it has a third brake light.

Avernus

actually I do have a buddy that is crazy enough to do that.
I might get a picture of that if he comes lol.
----------
it does have a 3rd brake light but why does that matter if I have 2 standard ones too?

online170

I forget which year it was, but after that year, all vehicles were required to have a third brake light, a certain height from the ground or something on all north american vehicle.

86 or 87 maybe? Dont quote me on that.

But look at all cars newer than that, and you will notice they have a third brake light. However, because this body type existed before and after that law, you could probably get away with it.

Sonix

iTrader: (1)

'86 and on had it. I don't think you'd get a ticket for that though.
Yea, a buddy riding back there is a pretty cool feeling. Just don't get caught.

327_TPI_77_Maro

iTrader: (8)

Hey Avernus, what junkyard are you going to? Is it a u-pull it yard? I ask because I live in springfield (at least for now, I won't be here long though hopefully) and I haven't been yarding out here yet.

adriancamaro

im pretty sure the 86 doesn't have to have the third brake light, and the 87 does have to have it.

camaronewbie

I used to own a 1987 Nissan Pulsar - it had T-Tops and the rear hatch was designed to come off so you could have that convertible feel, so I don't think it could be illegal since this was a car distributed nationwide.

soultron

iTrader: (2)

I drove around with mine broken and wide open for 3 weeks. Cops didn't even flinch.

Avernus

Well guys I drove around all day with the windows down t tops off and the rear glass gone. If you ever wondered what that looks like here are some pictures.
We called it the El camaro.

Brennan

haah thats kinda cool lookin, a little ******* but i could live with it (why is r3dN3ck censored?)

Stephen

iTrader: (12)

3rd brake are NOT a Federal Law.

In TX, even if a car was made with a 3rd brake light, it's perfectly legal to remove it entirely.

From the TX Vehicle Inspection criteria...

"20.26 Stop Lamp. Every motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, and pole trailer shall be equipped with two or more stop lamps , except that passenger cars and trucks manufactured or assembled prior to the model year 1960 shall be equipped with at least one stop lamp.

At least two stop lamps are required on all motor vehicles, trailers, semitrailers, and pole trailers, except that at least one stop lamp is required on all motorcycles, motor-driven cycles, and all 1959 model year and earlier passenger cars and trucks.

A stop lamp must emit a red or amber light, or any shade of color between red and amber, and be visible from a distance of not less than 300 feet to the rear in normal sunlight. The stop lamp shall be actuated upon application of the service (foot) brake and which may, but need not, be incorporated with one or more other rear lamps."

You can see, only 2 are required. If you do have more, fine. But only 2 are required. If there was a Federal Law, then TX would have to follow the minimum Federal requirement.


Not to say that other states are dicks and require the 3rd light by law, but it ISN'T required by Federal Law.

crazydave

What is the difference of driving down the road with a convert. top down or no hatch??
....you lose about 200lbs leaving the hatch at home!!

Just make sure that everything is secured and don't drive like a fool.
Have fun at the junk yard.

yevgenievich

iTrader: (4)

the only problem with hatch off is that you are taking off the weight from the wrong end of the car. it's good for doing burnouts all day long tho

online170

irrelevant unless your racing, or speeding on wet ground.

Jay

iTrader: (2)

I did this with my old 87 SC way back. Was in Myrtle Beach for a vacation, had the hatch off and t tops out the entire week. Kinda sucked the one day when we had to drive up to NC an it poured
We had cops yelling at us when "cruising" ( at like 4 mph stuck in traffic ) the main drag and people were sitting up on the gas tank hump.

Jay

iTrader: (2)

This just means that Texas has it's own laws concerning it. It's exactly the same thing as emissions requirements. All cars are required to meet Federal guidelines and be equipped with specific components. Some states do not test, as there is no Federal mandate requiring states to do so. ( it's all about $ The states that DO test only do so for Federal money because they are deemed to have bad air pollution. CT gets federal money for highway construction because of the emissions program. We don't technically have bad pollution generated with in the state, but since we are located between two very big polluters, Boston and New York... Emissions testing it is.

This is the Federal Mandate for the CHMSL ( aka third brake light )

Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 108
S5.1.1.27 (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section,

each passenger car manufactured on or after September 1, 1985, and each

multipurpose passenger vehicle, truck, and bus, whose overall width is

less than 80 inches, whose GVWR is 10,000 pounds or less, manufactured

on or after September 1, 1993, shall be equipped with a high-mounted

stop lamp which:



[[Page 230]]



(1) Shall have an effective projected luminous area not less than

4\1/2\ square inches.

(2) Shall have a signal visible to the rear through a horizontal

angle from 45 degrees to the left to 45 degrees to the right of the

longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

(3) Shall have the minimum photometric values in the amount and

location listed in Figure 10.

(4) Need not meet the requirements of paragraphs 3.1.6 Moisture

Test, 3.1.7 Dust Test, and 3.1.8 Corrosion Test of SAE Recommended

Practice J186a, Supplemental High-Mounted Stop and Rear Turn Signal

Lamps, September 1977, if it is mounted inside the vehicle.

(5) Shall provide access for convenient replacement of the bulb

without the use of special tools.

(b) Each multipurpose passenger vehicle, truck and bus whose overall

width is less than 80 inches, whose GVWR is 10,000 pounds or less, whose

vertical centerline, when the vehicle is viewed from the rear, is not

located on a fixed body panel but separates one or two movable body

sections, such as doors, which lacks sufficient space to install a

single high-mounted stop lamp on the centerline above such body

sections, and which is manufactured on or after September 1, 1993, shall

have two high-mounted stop lamps which:

(1) Are identical in size and shape and have an effective projected

luminous area not less than 2\1/4\ inches each.

(2) Together have a signal to the rear visible as specified in

paragraph (a)(2) of this S5.1.1.27.

(3) Together have the minimum photometric values specified in

paragraph (a)(3) of this S5.1.1.27.

(4) Shall provide access for convenient replacement of the bulbs

without special tools.


there's more specifications to it, if you want to read it all the whole text for Mandate 108 is listed here - http://fmvss108.tripod.com/fmvss108text.htm

Search on the year 1985 in the document and start there.