HR2675 Low Volume Replica Manufacturer Bill

Julian

Lifetime Supporter
Anyone else see this news release related to a bill a bill for low volume replica manufacturers?

Classic Car Comeback? - Velocity

The language appears to require license from the original manufacturer;

"manufactured under a license for the product configuration, trade dress, trademark or patent for the motor vehicle that is intended to be replicated from the original manufacturer, its successors or assignees, or current owner of such rights, unless there is a preponderance of evidence that such rights have been abandoned for at least three years.

So does that favor SPF on the GT40 over other replica manufacturers, with licensing from Safir? I would imagine Carroll Shelby Intl would have something to say on licensing Cobra replicas?
 

Rick Muck- Mark IV

GT40s Sponsor
Supporter
Yes, the licensing regulation will favor those who are or can be licensed. More importantly is the requirement to meet current emissions standards using a "piggyback" certification. This means a Superformance GT40 would only be able to run the Coyote 5.0 or the GT350 5.2 version with full cats, etc. Those who want period powertrains will still be limited to the "roller/self build" regulations as per your state.

It will increase the market as being able to sell a complete, certified vehicle LEGALLY will save a lot of trouble for both parties.

Now we need to expand the bill to allow new, non-replica designs so we can have a genuine cottage automotive industry as many other countries have had. And we need to get the bill passed. And that will be difficult as the industry has no lobbyists to "sway" Congress. Hell, if every manufacturer and dealer in the industry put $10K in we still wouldn't have enough for a basic retainer for a decent lobby firm!
 
Yes, the licensing regulation will favor those who are or can be licensed. More importantly is the requirement to meet current emissions standards using a "piggyback" certification. This means a Superformance GT40 would only be able to run the Coyote 5.0 or the GT350 5.2 version with full cats, etc. Those who want period powertrains will still be limited to the "roller/self build" regulations as per your state.

It will increase the market as being able to sell a complete, certified vehicle LEGALLY will save a lot of trouble for both parties.

Now we need to expand the bill to allow new, non-replica designs so we can have a genuine cottage automotive industry as many other countries have had. And we need to get the bill passed. And that will be difficult as the industry has no lobbyists to "sway" Congress. Hell, if every manufacturer and dealer in the industry put $10K in we still wouldn't have enough for a basic retainer for a decent lobby firm!

This bill is at least the second attempt to push through congress, from SEMA, whose lobbying arm (SEMASAN) is our hobby's de facto lobby.

It's a shame, as Rick says, that it applies only to replicas, and only in somewhat limited ways (e.g., the licensing stipulation). But the bill as it exists is already the product of compromise from industry, who view cars like the SLC as competition for buyers of Vipers, for example. So it seems like a steep uphill climb to think that a version that does allow non-replicas would ever get past the house, or more importantly, the senate, where it is likely to not get very far again.

The ability to sell very limited numbers of turnkey cars seems like a reasonable compromise to me, as the numbers discussed are essentially rounding error in context of the total number of cars sold in the US each year.

Why not have a federal program not unlike the SB100 approach in California, which permits a very small number of cars to be registered each year which don't meet emission requirements? They recognize that the small number of such cars doesn't have a measurable effect on smog in the state. A similar approach at the federal level for exempting small manufacturers like Superformance, Superlite, Factory Five and others would cause a net increase in jobs, revenue and overall happiness in the land, and could hardly have a noticeable effect on any of the established manufacturers who are so opposed to the idea.
 
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