Registering a 311 in NH or MA

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Mon Nov 29, 2004 10:46 pm

Hey gang,

Looks like I'm pulling up my roots in Oregon and moving out to the North East this coming spring. I'm currently weighing the merits of living in southern New Hampshire vs. Northern Mass. Of course, one of the factors is what hoops I'm going to need to jump through to get my roadster licensed!

Can anyone with experience in registering cars in New Hampshire and/or Mass give me some feedback? Will I need to go through emissions in either state with a 69 2000? How about a technical/safety inspection? If so, are they going to freak when they pop the hood and find an SR20DET?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Dave

nking79 · Post by **nking79** » Mon Nov 29, 2004 11:35 pm

I would look online for a reputable restoration shop in each state and ask them. Tell them you're moving to their area and wanted to know if they've ever worked on a Datsun. That'll make you sound like more of a potential customer (which you might be...). As a last question, ask about the registration and concerns you had. My guess is the shop will be happy to answer.

DELETED · Post by **DELETED** » Tue Nov 30, 2004 7:07 am

DELETED

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Tue Nov 30, 2004 8:21 am

Thanks guys. I did manage to find the requirements for the "safety inspection" in Mass that has to be done yearly. OMG, it's frightening! Looks like I'd need functioning windshield wipers, have to find a home for the washer bottle, hook up the horn, pray my exhaust is not louder than stock, snug up the e-brake cable, and make sure my headlight adjustment is not hampered by deep snow!!!!

I'll get a hold of the DRONE guys. That's an excellent idea!

Post by **ppeters914** » Tue Nov 30, 2004 12:45 pm

Yes, Dave, snow. Deep, months-on-end, bitterly cold, snow. No more rusting in the Oregon rain; you're gonna freeze!

Better have a heated garage!

Still wanna go east, young man?

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Wed Dec 01, 2004 1:37 pm

I was out there all last week. In the 6 days I was there, it rained like crazy one day. The other 5 were beautiful, sunny, not a cloud in the sky, days. Upper 40s, low 50s during the day.

It's pretty nice. Instead of a storm creeping in and dropping rain day in and day out for 2 weeks before you get a 2 day window of sun like it is here in the NW, the storms seem to move in, dump rain or snow like crazy for a day or two, then move out and you have sun again for a week.

Yeah, I'm ready for a move, and yes, a heated finished garage is in the plans for sure!

Post by **dbrick** » Wed Dec 01, 2004 9:13 pm

And as an added bonus you get ROAD SALT!!!!
From what I know from a few friends NH is cheaper to live than Mass. I believe property , and income tax is lower, and I know for sure sales tax is either low or nonexistant. Lots of people from Mass go to NH to shop, the locals call them Massholes. Don't know if it applies to you, but check the firearm laws if you are bringing any, worth a call to State Police. My state is nuts on paperwork.

1983 and earlier vehicles in Mass require no emmission test, so as long as the hood stays closed you should be good

I just checked New Jersey motor vehicle and found out I can register as a classic and be completly exempt from inspection of any kind!!! They just check to see that I put less than 3000 miles a year and have classic insurance. I called the state police motor vehicle dept, got the answer in 2 minutes, DMV was 25 minutes of "i'll transfer yor call".

Post by **ppeters914** » Wed Dec 01, 2004 11:46 pm

Every place has its pros and cons. Ya just gotta figure out which ones ya wants to deal with.

I grew up on the East Coast (Washington, DC area). Don't know about the Northeast, but I prefer the Pacific NW steady drizzle to the humidity and thunderstorms and salt.

I'd love to have classic plates and pay classic insurance rates, but ain't no way I'm gonna only drive 3000 miles/yr!

Post by **dbrick** » Thu Dec 02, 2004 7:08 pm

I was thinking the same, wonder how hard it is to swap the speedo in and out once a year.

DatsunBucky · Post by **DatsunBucky** » Thu Dec 02, 2004 9:18 pm

dbrick wrote:I was thinking the same, wonder how hard it is to swap the speedo in and out once a year.

Do they seal the ends of the speedometer cable?

Post by **dbrick** » Thu Dec 02, 2004 11:53 pm

This is the New Jersey DMV, not NASA.
They failed my truck for having non DOT Cibie H4 headlights, because they don't have the little bumps for the headlight aiming tool, but didn't notice that the slant six was gone and somehow a very nasty 340 V8 was now under the hood.
The previous owner of another car I bought showed up 1 year for inspection with a yellow 69 VW bug sedan, and the next year I go with with a red Meyers Manx dune buggy. When I registered it, I just wrote in "red" and "convertible", no one batted an eye. No messing around, it was the same chassis and all legal, sort of.
The insurance company doesn't restrict mileage, I just can't use the car to drive to work. $105.00 for full coverage classic insurance instead of $1200.00 for just liability with regular insurance.