West Virginia legislators are considering two bills that will, if passed, positively affect owners of cars such as this Classic Chevy.
Legislation aimed at supporting automotive hobbyists at both the state and federal level has been on the rise the past few years. As an example, Congress recently passed a piece of legislation that will allow consumers to buy kit cars as turnkey purchases, instead of having to build the kit cars themselves. West Virginia's legislature is currently considering two bills that would benefit automotive hobbyists and the automotive aftermarket.
West Virginia House Concurrent Resolution 14
WV House Concurrent Resolution (HCR) 14 is a piece of "feel good" legislation. If it passes, the State of West Virginia will recognize the second Friday in July as "West Virginia Collector Car Appreciation Day." The wording of the legislation recognizes that "the collection and restoration of historic and classic cars is an important part of preserving the technological achievements andcultural heritage of West Virginia." The bill also recognizes that the restoration of classic/historical vehicles is an excellent economic driver.
West Virginia House Bill 4193 Allows Aftermarket Mufflers
Under HB 4193, aftermarket mufflers like this would be legal in West Virginia.
Many of us in the automotive industry might find it hard to believe, but residents of the State of West Virginia currently may not replace the muffler(s) on their cars with anything other than direct OEM replacement mufflers. This means they can't use Borla, Magnaflow, or Flowmaster exhaust systems in their hot rods; it’s got to be OEM equipment. Enter House Bill 4193.
The bill, introduced and sponsored by a group of ten House delegates, would change Section 17C-15-34 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931 so that it would no longer prohibit the use of aftermarket exhaust components and systems as long as they are an equivalent of the original equipment components. The bill would still prohibit the use of mufflers that don't dampen engine noise sufficiently. The bill defines "excessive or unusual noise" as more than 95 dB as measured using a metric provided by the Society of Automotive Engineers.
Exhaust cutouts such as these will still be illegal for use on on-highway vehicles.
The bill is unusual in that it leaves an out for car owners that install or modify their exhaust systems in violation of this law. A car owner can't be held in violation of this law unless it can be proven by "proper authorities" that the owner installed the exhaust system with the express knowledge that it would emit more than 95 dB. A court may also dismiss a conviction under this law if the "defendant had reasonable grounds to believe that the vehicle was not operated in violation of this section." Exhaust cutouts, bypasses, and similar may not be used on vehicles used on a highway.
West Virginia residents wishing to voice their support of either or both of these pieces of legislation should contact their state level representatives. This can be done through the legislature’s main contact page.