TO: Dennis Dobias, Field Supervisor, Vehicle Inspection , Houston

FROM: Jerry Vaden, Field Supervisor, Vehicle Inspection, Irving

DATE: 01-15-98

SUBJECT: Definition for Kit Cars

The definition accepted by both TxDOT and AAMVA is:

"A kit car is a passenger or light truck type vehicle assembled from a manufactured kit, either as a complete kit to construct a new vehicle, which consists of a prefabricated body and chassis, or a kit composed of a prefabricated body to be mounted to an existing vehicle chassis and drivetrain, commonly referred to as a donor vehicle."

I have visited at length with Brenda concerning a policy dealing with kit cars and she is willing to accept the following thoughts.

1. Kit cars must pass the safety inspection for all safety items for that year model.

2. Kit cars will be exempt from all emission equipment and emission testing.

3. Inspection stations will accept the word of the owner that the vehicle was assembled from a kit. (we may need to require paper documentation showing purchase of the kit).

I do not have any figures to go by, but I am of the opinion that kit cars make up less than two or three percent of the total fleet in Dallas and Tarrant counties.

EPA has stated that "States may delete any vehicle from emissions testing as long as it does not impact the air quality."

There is a movement by the public to get the legislature to lump all special vehicles into one category so as to exempt them from state inspections. I feel that it is important to keep these vehicles in their respective category.

Let me hear from you on these thoughts!