NHRA News: Legislation threatens vehicle hobby industry

www.nhra.com ^ | 12/17/01 | Unsigned

[Neil E. Wright]

Legislation threatens vehicle hobby industry

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12/17/2001

For the first time in many years, Federal legislation (S. 1766) threatening the vehicle hobby industry has been introduced. S. 1766 includes a provision (Section 803) that would federally fund state scrappage programs for vehicles more than 15 years old -- that means popular vehicles ranging from '60s-era muscle cars up through later-model vehicles such as Buick T-Types and Grand Nationals, Mustang SVOs and GTs, Z-28 Camaros, and Corvettes. Low-performance "sister" vehicles, like Buick Regals with interchangeable parts to GM Grand Nationals, would certainly be destroyed. The street rod industry will not be immune either, as late-model engines, suspension equipment, and accessories (such as the suspension parts found on Ford Mustang IIs) often used to modernize these popular vehicles will also be lost to the crusher. SEMA members are strongly urged to take action to defeat S. 1766. Here are a few simple things members and their employees can do to help:

• Send a letter on your company letterhead to your U.S. Senators opposing Section 803 of S. 1766. The letter need not be long. Simply express how S. 1766 will affect you, your company, and the automotive hobby. For more tips on writing your legislators, consult the SEMA document "How to Lobby Elected Officials." This guide is available at www.enjoythedrive.com/san To find out who your U.S. Senators are, call the SEMA Washington, D.C., office at 202/783-6007, or visit www.enjoythedrive.com/legislative/contact_legislator.asp
• Personal letters from employees of SEMA-member companies to their U.S. Senators opposing Section 803 of S. 1766 are encouraged. Again, letters can -- and should -- be brief (see notes in item above) and include personal reasons why the bill would affect their lives and careers. Contact the SEMA Washington, D.C., office at (202) 783-6007 for help or information.
• Share the alert on S. 1766 found at www.sema.org/fedleg/fedredhot/scrappage1201.html with as many people as possible, including your customers. Communicate with them the potential harm Section 803 of S. 1766 could have on the vehicle hobby, and urge them to get involved by writing letters as well. The SEMA Washington, D.C., staff is monitoring and actively lobbying S. 1766 on Capitol Hill. SEMA members are asked to send copies of their letters to the SEMA Washington, D.C., office for their records. Members are also encouraged to contact the staff if they have any questions or need assistance in their efforts to oppose this legislation. SEMA's Washington, D.C., staff can be reached at (202) 783-6007; fax (202) 783-6024.
  

[Cold Heat]

Learned a bunch on this thread. Thanks for the ping.

[BluesDuke]

You make a pretty good point. But it is, really, legitimately (like about 99 percent of everything else into which it mixes its big fat snoot), none of the government's bloody business.

[Snow Bunny]

Thanks for the information.

[pubmom]

I thought I had seen it all.

[Neil E. Wright]

Nope, pubmom, they're just beginning!

For all: I have no idea who is sponsoring this POS bill, I was sent the URL by "pimaarms". I read the article that I posted, and figured that others might like to know about it.

Toward FREEDOM

[Diver Dave]

Did you hear Gephardt on MTP yesterday? They were talking about the economy. Gep said "..we want the public to buy new cars to stimulate the economy, but we want them to buy the cars we want them to buy. Cars that meet efficiency standards....."

Now this isn't a direct quote, but you get the idea. They want you to buy what they want, not let you buy what you (consumer) want. GRRRRRRR!

[LoneGOPinCT]

What a load of $hit. The enviro-Nazi's will stop at nothing to make sure that we do not have any fun or comfortable vehicles to drive. They will not stop until we are all driving electric cars or tin-can pieces of $hit with 4 cycle gas trimmer motors in them.

They can have my Escort but they'd better not try to get their hands on my '69 Scout 800.

[LoneGOPinCT]

Don't they already have a similar program to this in, surprise surprise, California? I know one of the taglines from Popular Hot-Rodding tv is something to the effect of "Don't Crush 'em, Restore 'em."

[Constitution Day]

BTTT

[norton]

Dream on.

After the great japanese buying spree of a few years ago it's hard enough to find any parts, period, today.
That's why the aftermarket companies are going strong building reproductions and mix-n-match assemblies. (Making big bucks in the process)

As it is you can spend years looking for that one original part and months finding what should be common (pitman arm, maverick, manual shift V-8 por ejemplo). It's made worse here because the interchange models (Granada) are being scrapped out even though that particular instance was fairly fuel efficient.

What really chaps my hide is that by fuel efficient they mean that half of the market that is already going to japan - the same place that bought up or raiseed prices on all the old timers I used to see on the roads!

Besides, I get a rousing twelve per out of the '60 and eighteen out of the '57 so what are they bitching about (snicker).

[newgeezer]

These liberal do-gooders have way too much time on their hands, and too little character to care about the truth.

Thanks for the bump.

[B4Ranch]

Aren't these the vehicles that cannot be stopped electronically or is China just short on steel?

[tx4guns]

OH MAN, I can just see it now! Federal Agent: "I'm sorry sir, but your 1970 Hemi Cuda just doesn't comply with Federal regulations. We're gonna have to confiscate it and take it to the scrap yard."

If this passes, we might as well be living in China. Guns and SUV's will be next.

[Leto]

Damn Rats and Rinos.. They always want us peons driving fuel efficent cars, but they're all tooling around DC in Limos and SUV's.

[MeekOneGOP]

I see your bump and RAISE you a bump! ;-)

[toddst]

I still haven't seen anyone identify who sponsored this legislation. We need to know this.

[Neil E. Wright]

Go to http://thomas.loc.gov and do a search for S.1766, select "show full", and you'll find this:
December 5, 2001

Mr. DASCHLE (for himself and Mr. BINGAMAN) introduced the following bill; which was read the first time

December 6, 2001

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Toward FREEDOM

[Udycus]

Well I honestly can only say one thing to this. Antique cars are not just a waste of scrap metal that puts out emissions that polute. To me cars are part of a culture. Growing up in a household where my grandfather was a mechanic and my dad continued the family business, cars were a way of life. When I turned 16 my car of choice was not a BMW or some import crap. I wanted a car produced from Detroit, Michigan. I bought an old scapper and my father and I worked countless hours working to rebuild and restore the car. Those times I spent with my father are forever imbedded in my memories. Why then should any government seek to strip young men and woman(yes I have a sister who loves old cars too) of the experience to build something with their own hands. The very acts that brought forth these timeless automobiles is the reason this country is great and why I'm proud to call myself an american. So do yourself a favor: write letters to your congress men. And when this legislation goes to the floor lets let them know we want it shot down.

[quietolong]

Let me see now. My vehicles are paid off. they want to pay me what at best 1k$ so I can go out and get a new one with death bags and a lot of other crap I don’t want for 20-40k$ and be enslaved to the bank once more. No I don’t think so.

I will be making copies to give to the garages and part places you all do the same.

And were will that money come from. O silly me The more taxes I will pay 2k$ in to get 1k$ back + payments. To good to be true /s