Wet, But Successful Day at DMV
 

Well, I predicted a month ago that on the day I had to bring my car in for the safety inspection it would be raining, and sure enough, woke up this morning and the rain was coming down in buckets. Reluctantly rolled the car out of the driveway and into the pouring rain and loaded it on the U-Haul trailer. With the addition of some 8 ft. 2 x 8s, the car went up the trailer without a hitch (pun intended :D ). I felt bad that the car's maiden voyage out of the driveway was in a down pour, but it had to get wet sometime right? All I can say is without the tonneau cover, the car would have been a fishbowl.

On the drive over to the inspection station people were beeping and giving me thumbs up the whole way there. The either liked the car or thought I was an idiot for towing it with an open trailer during torrential rain. :(

I arrived at the station a little before my scheduled appointment and unloaded the car and they brought it right in. I was hoping to hang out and watch the inspection, but the inspector had other ideas. They threw me out of the garage and told me to come back in an hour or so. Wanting to stay in their good graces, I did as I was told. ;)

Since the weather was so bad, I didn't bother leaving the inspection station and just sat in the U-Haul truck watching the rain. After a little more than an hour, the inspector raised the garage doors and gave me a wave.

Needing no encouragement, I jumped from the truck and ran through the rain across the parking lot and into the garage. Once I got in, I heard the magical words "It passed, no problems at all." :) I shook his hand and thanked him profusely. What a relief.

The guys in the inspection station were very nice, very interested in the car and very accomodating. They even offered to let me leave the car in the garage until the rain stopped, but who knew when that was going to be. So I waited a little while hoping the rain would subside (never really did) and chatted with the inspectors for a while. Eventually, I just decided to load it up and bring her home (I did have to go to work at some point today). (Just for the record, the rain stopped 5 minutes after I put the car back in the garage and toweled it off- could have predicted that too).

Bob Putnam, you will be especially interested to hear what one of the inspectors said about the car: "This is one of the nicest and best constructed kit cars that we've seen come through here in a long time." You guys at ERA really do a great job.

All in all, it was a very good day (rain notwithstanding). And the best news of all is that they gave me the paperwork I need to go down and get my title. If I can figure out a way to get down to the main DMV office , I can be driving by the weekend.
:3DSMILE: :3DSMILE:

Excellent news.... I told you the guys in Morristown are a bit more "laid back" then the folks at the other specialty stations.........Look forward to seeing the car on the road............perhaps you'll come visit in a week or two when I have the top end of the motor back together on my latest Cobra........


Sincerely,

Bill S.

Chaplin,

Great News! :D Just a couple more weeks - some of the best driving days are in the fall - hope you have many. Sorry you hit rain. :(

BTW, my wife tried ours on Friday. She ended up driving it 5 miles home in a downpour - no top. The wipers are remarkably effective at tossing water onto the top of your head. ;)

Enjoy! :)

Jim

Chaplin,

I've been reading you last few posts and shared your concern from a distance. I am happy for you, enjoy the fall driving in Northern New Jersey!

-John

Congratulations on your successful NJ DMV ordeal!!

Robert

Excellent!

Please drive up to Midland Park and take me for a ride. AND my wife so she can get a sense of the fun.:3DSMILE:

Sorry for the shameful request ..... ;)

Now, Lets ride through the Lincoln Tunnel!!

Congrats Chaplin. Nice to know there are some stations that still have some car guys in them, and not just bureaucrats.

Thanks guys for the congrats.

MrM- I will definetely be up for some get togethers. Check your email by the way.

Jim- I can't imagine driving these things in the rain. I had problems just pulling up my driveway. Windshield was soaked (on both sides) and hands kept sliding on the steering wheel and wipers work exactly as you described.

Jamie- If I can ever figure out where Midland Park is, I'd be happy to take you and the mrs for a ride (not at the same time mind you:D )

Blue Rooster- Soon enough.


TC- Thankfully there are some some car guys left after all.:)

Well it's about time you became LEGAL!

Glad everything went well for you at DMV. I hope you get some great weather for some cruises this fall.

Clois

Chaplin,
Congrat on the inspection.Hope I have half the experience you did here in conn.