Moving to MD, need advice

[dartboy71]

I am graduating from College, finally, and will be moving to Maryland to work. I need advice on several issues. I am from the wet northwest, but the humidity is not an issue up there in summer, and they don't use salt in the winter time.

1) Need advice on how to keep my sheet metal in good shape. I will not be driving it much since it wont be my primary transportation, and probably not at all during the winter, but I will be in an apartment for a while, and cannot guarantee cover for it other than purchasing a car cover.

2) Eventually I will be needing a good deal of body work to just take care of all the little dings and dents and the bondo patch some dork put on one quarter panel (previous owner). Any suggestions for mopar-loving body shops in MD?

3) What laws govern my 1971 vehicle in MD? Living near the city of Portland, Oregon, they have emmisions testing only for post-1975 vehicles, so I was exempt. What does MD have? Will I need to consider nostalgia/historic registration so I can do what I want with my car?

Any other things you think I may need to know would be greatly appreciated.

dartboy71

[Frank]

Dart Boy, the best advice is: DONT GO!!!!
Seriously, I lived in NJ for 36 years. The weather is about the same as MD. I had a number of cars, mostly MoPars. My old 71 Swinger was still doing fine in 1986, when I moved south, with NO RUST AT ALL. I had it undercoated, kept it washed and waxed, and hosed off the underside often, including the wheel wells, inner fender areas, and inside the door jambs and sills. Especially during the winter. Done let the salt remain on the car for any length of time. You'll be fine.

[Larry]

Dart Boy, You will be exempt from emissions testing because it is a 71.

To get tags you can get Historic Tags but can not be used as daily driver or regular tags which can be used all the time. There is a one time safety inspection that you will need to have done before you can get tags.

There is a Mopar club called CPOC that has members from MD and VA. I belong to it myself. The address is Chrysler Product Owners Club
Jim Rhodes
5506 Strawbridge Terrace
Eldersburg, MD 21784
or www.mindspring.com/~flagstad/cpoc
Calender of events www.anttares.org/motorwld.htm
Photo album www4.50megs.com/bpade/

As for Body shops etc. I will have to pass on that at this time. If you need racing suspension work done my brother works at Ken Kerr race cars.

Good Luck on the move but I think I would stay on the left coast just move a little further south. I still miss the desert. Larry

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71 charger SE 440 4spd
71 charger 383

[440 Jim]

Maryland has both Historic and Street Rod tags as well as the regular and "Chesapeake Bay" tags. I have Historic tags and the state doesn't care where/when you drive it. Your insurance determines that.
Some guys say to get the Street Rod tags if the car is highly modified, but I don't know any pros/cons. When I registered my car the Dept of Motor Vehicles said I could have either, no difference.
Due to your car's age, it is exempt from emissions, some counties don't have emissions checks at all ! The weather varies a lot depending on what part of the state you will be in. Northwest (Hagerstown), Northeast (Baltimore), Central (surrounding D.C.), Annapolis, or southern MD (Lexington Park/Waldorf). Except for the extreme western and northern parts, winter is very mild with little snow (40 degree winters) and therefore little salt on the roads. Parking next to the salty bay (a few hundred feet) is another story.

[383-man]

I live in MD and I have Historic tags and my Insurance is with Hagerty and for 10K coverage I pay $110. per year wich I think is pretty good!The best thing I can say about the weather is no matter how much you hate it we dont get Earthquakes or Tornados that I know of and hardly have any Hurricanes or flooding and dont get to much snow and thats in Balt. so when I read of all these natural Disasters I feel pretty lucky in that department living here but feel very sorry for the people I read about. So there are some good points to MD and we have alot of Mopars out here!!

[dartboy71]

Thanks for the good info.

My soon-to-be wife and I will be in Southern MD, but I am not really big on waterfront property.

dartboy71