Turnkey Replica Cars Just Became Easier to Buy
A NHTSA rule about low-volume manufacturers has finally come into effect since it became law in 2015.
Until now, if you wanted to purchase a replica of a vintage vehicle, you had to buy it as a "kit car," meaning it couldn't come from the replica manufacturer as a running vehicle -- it was usually up to the buyer to source the powertrain and get everything installed and running. But a new rule from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has finally made it possible to buy a running replica vehicle directly from the company that makes it.
The Specialty Equipment Market Association on Friday announced that NHTSA has published its final rule on the sale of turnkey replica cars, making them available directly from the manufacturer. This rule was a long time in the making. It first became law in 2015 as part of the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act, but it took SEMA suing NHTSA in late 2019 for the federal agency to finally get around to finalizing everything. The proposed final rule was issued first in January 2020, but the presidential transition slightly delayed the process.
You can read the final ruling on NHTSA's website, but here are the most important details. The replicas must be based on a vehicle built at least 25 years ago, and each manufacturer is limited to building just 325 a year. The turnkey replicas must adhere to all current model-year emissions requirements, and they must also have seat belts, regardless of the year the original vehicle was manufactured. The companies selling these replicas cannot produce over 5,000 vehicles worldwide each year, as well.
There's some interesting room for leeway in NHTSA's rule, too. The replica's exterior must resemble the original vehicle, but the interior is far less regulated, allowing customers to go a little crazy (or Singer crazy) inside, if they wish. Vehicle size is also given some flexibility, as the overall dimensions for the replica car can be up to 10% larger or smaller than the original.
For many people, this won't affect much outside of what your eyes may come across at a local car show. But for people who have wanted to purchase a replica car without all the hassle of turning a kit car into a fully functional vehicle, this ruling just made life a heck of a lot easier.