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NVHD Samba Member
Joined: September 30, 2023 Posts: 7 Location: Hawthorne NV
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Posted: Sun Jun 02, 2024 4:13 pm Post subject: Trying to make a sand rail street legal in NV |
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I bought a sand rail out of California and it came with a off road CA title does anybody have any advice or know what to do to make it street legal in Nevada? |
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Dale M. Samba Member

Joined: April 12, 2006 Posts: 20769 Location: Just a tiny bit west of Yosemite Valley
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Posted: Sun Jun 02, 2024 6:46 pm Post subject: Re: Trying to make a sand rail street legal in NV |
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Lot of information here....
https://www.semasan.com/resources/everything-you-n...-50-states
More specific....
https://www.semasan.com/semaga/TagTitleToolbox_NV.pdf _________________ “Fear The Government That Wants To Take Your Guns"
"Kellison Sand Piper Roadster" For Street & Show.
"Joe Pody Sandrover" Buggy with 2180 for Autocross (Sold)
============================================================
All suggestions and advice are purely my own opinion. You are free to ignore them if you wish ... |
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KitS Samba Member
Joined: May 12, 2024 Posts: 51 Location: NV
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Posted: Fri Jun 07, 2024 8:13 am Post subject: Re: Trying to make a sand rail street legal in NV |
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I just went thru this. I live in NV and purchased a sandrail that had come up from AZ, street legal there. It had turn signals, horn, mirrors etc.
These things are governed here by the OHV not the DMV. When I called to get it registered, title transfer etc, I was told that in NV a vehicle built for off road use could not be made street legal. Further, you can't even flat tow them. Per the law, they have to be trailered. I went ahead and jumped thru all the hoops to get it legal, including insurance. But I really wonder why? Why is a vehicle registered (taxed) with the state if it can only be used off road?
The good news is that you do have a title, it will only cost you $42 to get it registered and the title transferred. Insurance cost me $135/yr. I've heard horror stories of guys who purchased without a title.
KitS |
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NVHD Samba Member
Joined: September 30, 2023 Posts: 7 Location: Hawthorne NV
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Posted: Thu Jun 13, 2024 2:31 pm Post subject: Re: Trying to make a sand rail street legal in NV |
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Thanks for the replies I’m going to try to go through the dmv if that doesn’t work I’ll drop $1500 with dirt legal and tag it out of state |
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Wulfthang Samba Member
Joined: August 25, 2018 Posts: 844 Location: Tucson
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Posted: Thu Jun 13, 2024 7:37 pm Post subject: Re: Trying to make a sand rail street legal in NV |
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My Ford powered rail is street legal here in Arizona. Tagged, insured and lit. What would Nevada do if I drove it across their State lines? |
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AWS1946 Samba Member
Joined: April 19, 2022 Posts: 35 Location: NM
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Posted: Fri Jun 14, 2024 7:51 am Post subject: Re: Trying to make a sand rail street legal in NV |
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From building a rail in NM, there are certain requirements to make it highway legal including a dot registration sticker, HP inspection and new title. I can keep it as a off road/on road (under 35mph roads) without an inspection as long as it has proper lights, same as an ATV. |
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ORANGECRUSHer Samba Member

Joined: June 09, 2006 Posts: 3354 Location: West Coast (Michigan's)
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Posted: Fri Jun 14, 2024 9:38 am Post subject: Re: Trying to make a sand rail street legal in NV |
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Wonder how much of this silliness is triggered by the SXS craze? If so, it's too bad the people in power don't recognize the difference between the way we roll and SXS's and make a differentiation. Yeah, I'm sure the SXS crowd will cry not fair, but is it really? _________________ Brian H.
OrangeCrushERBerrien Warrior-2.4L Quad4-2x3 arms-1.5Fox coilovers-094-930CVs
LAZY MARY1970 Baja 2110cc-82mm CB forged crank-AA pistons/cylinders-Grant rings-1.1 vw rockers-CB serpkit-CB chromoly PRs-CB maxiflow filter pump-wix51515 filter-Dual 44IDF-cut/turned front beam-AEM wideband-Auber CHT-Donaldson Dual PowerCore filters-custom AL air boxes |
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ORANGECRUSHer Samba Member

Joined: June 09, 2006 Posts: 3354 Location: West Coast (Michigan's)
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Posted: Fri Jun 14, 2024 9:41 am Post subject: Re: Trying to make a sand rail street legal in NV |
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Or maybe AZ is just too liberal of a state. MI is pretty liberal, at least in the cities, but we recognize the revenue the offroad crowd brings to the state. I haven't heard of any stiffening of rules as far as making your buggy street legal here, but there definitely has been a change in the acceptance of offroaders on the trails mainly due to the sickening behavior of the SXSs. _________________ Brian H.
OrangeCrushERBerrien Warrior-2.4L Quad4-2x3 arms-1.5Fox coilovers-094-930CVs
LAZY MARY1970 Baja 2110cc-82mm CB forged crank-AA pistons/cylinders-Grant rings-1.1 vw rockers-CB serpkit-CB chromoly PRs-CB maxiflow filter pump-wix51515 filter-Dual 44IDF-cut/turned front beam-AEM wideband-Auber CHT-Donaldson Dual PowerCore filters-custom AL air boxes |
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Dale M. Samba Member

Joined: April 12, 2006 Posts: 20769 Location: Just a tiny bit west of Yosemite Valley
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Posted: Fri Jun 14, 2024 11:05 am Post subject: Re: Trying to make a sand rail street legal in NV |
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Wulfthang wrote: |
My Ford powered rail is street legal here in Arizona. Tagged, insured and lit. What would Nevada do if I drove it across their State lines? |
Probably do nothing once they saw it was legally tagged out of state AND just visiting.... _________________ “Fear The Government That Wants To Take Your Guns"
"Kellison Sand Piper Roadster" For Street & Show.
"Joe Pody Sandrover" Buggy with 2180 for Autocross (Sold)
============================================================
All suggestions and advice are purely my own opinion. You are free to ignore them if you wish ... |
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Wulfthang Samba Member
Joined: August 25, 2018 Posts: 844 Location: Tucson
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Posted: Fri Jun 14, 2024 7:24 pm Post subject: Re: Trying to make a sand rail street legal in NV |
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ORANGECRUSHer wrote: |
Or maybe AZ is just too liberal of a state. MI is pretty liberal, at least in the cities, but we recognize the revenue the offroad crowd brings to the state. I haven't heard of any stiffening of rules as far as making your buggy street legal here, but there definitely has been a change in the acceptance of offroaders on the trails mainly due to the sickening behavior of the SXSs. |
Arizona gets quite a bit of revenue from the off road crowd due to it's off road licensing program aka "big plates little plates". All street legal vehicles must have a standard "big" license plate and it's good for on and off road.
All off road vehicles also have to have a license plate but it's a little plate or decal. |
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Wulfthang Samba Member
Joined: August 25, 2018 Posts: 844 Location: Tucson
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Posted: Fri Jun 14, 2024 9:54 pm Post subject: Re: Trying to make a sand rail street legal in NV |
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I suggest talking to someone from the Department that actually controls those things.
I wanted my Rail street legal so I did my research and built it accordingly. It had full lights, turns signals, a horn, wipers, etc. etc. etc. I trailered it to the Inspection Station, crossed my fingers and hoped for the best. I had all of my documentation ready to go and had checked all of the electrical circuits right before getting in line. Two Inspectors arrived with clip boards and pencils.
They never asked to see anything work!!! They just walked around it saying stuff like "Ohh look at this thing. He's got a heads up display in here. Is this a gun mount? How do you control it? What does this do? Whoa now. Hey hey can I drive it? Look at this friggin' engine". etc. etc.
They signed off on it without seeing if anything worked and asked me where I wanted the DMV tag.Go there and talk to somebody about it. It may not be as bad as it sounds. |
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DesertSasquatchXploration Samba Member

Joined: April 16, 2021 Posts: 931
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Posted: Sun Jun 16, 2024 2:53 pm Post subject: Re: Trying to make a sand rail street legal in NV |
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Wulfthang wrote: |
ORANGECRUSHer wrote: |
Or maybe AZ is just too liberal of a state. MI is pretty liberal, at least in the cities, but we recognize the revenue the offroad crowd brings to the state. I haven't heard of any stiffening of rules as far as making your buggy street legal here, but there definitely has been a change in the acceptance of offroaders on the trails mainly due to the sickening behavior of the SXSs. |
Arizona gets quite a bit of revenue from the off road crowd due to it's off road licensing program aka "big plates little plates". All street legal vehicles must have a standard "big" license plate and it's good for on and off road.
All off road vehicles also have to have a license plate but it's a little plate or decal. |
When AZ went Democratic in the last election my head spun. Now they are trying to charge a monthly fee to use the sun for solar. |
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Dan_Lockwood Samba Member
Joined: October 03, 2023 Posts: 433 Location: Clare MI
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Posted: Sun Jun 16, 2024 7:15 pm Post subject: Re: Trying to make a sand rail street legal in NV |
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Quote: |
When AZ went Democratic in the last election my head spun. Now they are trying to charge a monthly fee to use the sun for solar. |
That's almost as good as an old neighbor of mine has a wind generator on the property just next to his. He's getting paid for the wind that goes over his property to the wind generator! |
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Wulfthang Samba Member
Joined: August 25, 2018 Posts: 844 Location: Tucson
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Posted: Sun Jun 16, 2024 7:54 pm Post subject: Re: Trying to make a sand rail street legal in NV |
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Wouldn't surprise me anything that dingaling up there in Phoenix does but I hadn't heard about the solar fee thing. How do you charge for an Act of God? Rain, sun and wind are all part of Nature and can not be controlled so how can they be charged for? |
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Wulfthang Samba Member
Joined: August 25, 2018 Posts: 844 Location: Tucson
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Posted: Tue Jun 18, 2024 8:53 am Post subject: Re: Trying to make a sand rail street legal in NV |
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Emissions may be a problem depending on your States laws. Here in Arizona, I was told that the emissions tests for a "Home Rolled Car" are that it runs and will maintain an idle without intervention. That's it. Just that it runs. I've never had any trouble getting it reinspected every year since then.
One thing to beware of for making it street legal, are the seat belts. No, your five point racing harnesses are not street legal. Not even close. But, the inspectors may not look at that. Mine didn't. |
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Dusty1 Samba Member
Joined: April 16, 2004 Posts: 2028
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Posted: Tue Jun 18, 2024 11:42 am Post subject: Re: Trying to make a sand rail street legal in NV |
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Instead of screwing around with the DMV...
Transplant your buggy motor, transaxle and beam into one of the many orphan Baja Bugs that lurk in the weeds out west.
It rains here. Here, a buggy is a quick way to be wet, miserable and covered with mud most of the time.
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Wulfthang Samba Member
Joined: August 25, 2018 Posts: 844 Location: Tucson
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Posted: Wed Jun 19, 2024 7:56 am Post subject: Re: Trying to make a sand rail street legal in NV |
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Nah, it hardly rains at all in Arizona or Nevada. Keep your rail buggy and build it up. |
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NVHD Samba Member
Joined: September 30, 2023 Posts: 7 Location: Hawthorne NV
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Posted: Sat Jul 13, 2024 4:11 pm Post subject: Re: Trying to make a sand rail street legal in NV |
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I’m giving up on the rail just found a 70 Baja project with a Nevada title now I’m trying to find some help sorting it out its got a 40” beam with 11” arms and 3x3 rear arms I think the beam needs to be mounted 3-6 “ forward of the stock beam but I’m not sure . The guy I got it from has no idea of who’s parts they are so I’m looking for any help I can find |
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NVHD Samba Member
Joined: September 30, 2023 Posts: 7 Location: Hawthorne NV
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Posted: Sat Jul 13, 2024 4:13 pm Post subject: Re: Trying to make a sand rail street legal in NV |
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Dusty1 wrote: |
Instead of screwing around with the DMV...
Transplant your buggy motor, transaxle and beam into one of the many orphan Baja Bugs that lurk in the weeds out west.
It rains here. Here, a buggy is a quick way to be wet, miserable and covered with mud most of the time.
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Best advice ever!! That is exactly what I decided to do |
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Andreas G Samba Member
Joined: April 23, 2025 Posts: 1 Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
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Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2025 11:38 pm Post subject: Re: Trying to make a sand rail street legal in NV |
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Dear NVHD
I have put a Chenowth through a full engineering report, with all the calculations for strength of the frame. A full day on an air strip for a rigorous driving test, for steering, braking, braking in turns and road handling. Cost me just about 8000 dollars…
I had to make reinforcements to the joint where all the force comes up from the engine and goes into the frame. But that was it. It is a 1984 Chenowth VCRL1W, license built by King Fisher Customs in the UK. Has the original Chenowth certificate of origin for the frame, as well as the small plate welded in with vin number 1149. All is stock VW parts, braced and boxed front and rear suspension etc. with a 1600, 50 hp engine.
But it is now road legal in Denmark, which has crazy tough regulations, as well as the European Union.
I know the report is in Danish, but I am sure some AI could translate it all for you if it could be of any help.
I am not sure how to post the pdf here, but you are welcome to get a copy by mail if you (or anyone else) could use it.
Kindest regards
Andreas
Last edited by Andreas G on Thu Apr 24, 2025 10:53 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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