THE PORTAL HUB - Pinzgauers, Haflingers, Volvo 303s and more!

Hello All,

Many of you have followed the troubles here in Wisconsin over our Pinzgauers for the past nearly 3 years. I finally have some solid, good news.

Yesterday, Gov. Doyle signed SB-392 into law. Here is a photo: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1 ... 1039350767

SB-392 directs WisDOT to issue registration to Pinzgauers (in addition to M715 pickups, DUKW's "Duck"s, and HMMVV "Humvees") as "collectors". It is a one-time registration fee, then no annual renewal fees. We are exempted from the payload restriction, so we can haul loads. We are restricted from driving in January, but if you are familiar with the salt which Wisconsin dumps on the roads in the winter, you understand why we don't drive our Pinzes here in January anyway!!

Here is a link to the bill: http://www.legis.state.wi.us/2009/data/ ... SB0392.pdf

It only took 2 1/2 years, but it looks like it's finally over!! Thanks to all for your support, suggestions, etc.

Paul Underwood

ps:
Many thanks are due to other Wis. Pinz owners too:
Tom Landmann - Ran our website and testified at several hearings.
George Stauffer - Provided a lobbyist early on to push our cause and testified at hearings.
Sean Pattee - Filed D.O.A. appeal over refusal of registration.
Paul Colette, Andy Shuler, Scott Grewe, Randy Gregory,Dave Arndt, Bob Raineck, Robert Raff - testified at various hearings, and collected signatures on petitions.

Also thanks to many dealers who helped me out with information or advice: Patrick Robb - CWR, Dennis Williams - Linden, Scott Ingham - E.I., Willy - S.A.V., and certainly to Vince Sweeney for this forum.

And please forgive me for leaving anyone off this list. These guys all did a lot of work!!

Congratulations Paul!!

That is a real step forward. Thanks to all for your hard work and sticking with the struggle.

What are they afraid you'll get stuck in the snow.

Miles

undysworld wrote:
We are restricted from driving in January, but if you are familiar with the salt which Wisconsin dumps on the roads in the winter, you understand why we don't drive our Pinzes here in January anyway!!

You can't drive in January? LOL, that's an interesting regulation. I'll bet if the Gov gets stuck around your neck of the woods, he might rethink that particular part of the law. Why the January restriction?

Great news Paul!

The January thing is weird but the rest is great news!

Down with bureaucrats! They work for US!!!

Wow Paul! - Congratulations ! ! !

Could your team please consult to Arnie here (just in case he is reading this forum!) & help us get this permanent registration deal along with maybe further EPA/CDOT exemptions !

I am sure Dave can give directions to get more recent TD here..

it's a brave new world ! ! !

Congrats! What a struggle and now a relief for y'all!!!!

Thanks all.

The January ban is based on Wisconsin's Collector car regulations. Any car over 20 years old can be registered as a Collector (special interest) car, if the owner chooses. You pay a one-time registration fee of roughly twice an annual fee, and then operate for free as long as you own the vehicle. They don't want collector cars used as "daily drivers", so you must also own a regularly-licensed vehicle, and the collector car cannot operate in January. If you want, you can obtain a yearly permit to drive in January for a small fee.

DOT and a group of milveh collectors got a law passed earlier this year which required all milvehs to register under a new license catagory - Historic Military Vehicle - which only allows use for parades. We did not want to be forced into a restricted registration category.

We fought to get a law passed to allow all milvehs to actually be driven for utility purposes. DOT opposed this strenuously. What ultimately came out of the "horse-trading" is a law that requires DOT to issue licenses for Pinzgauers and 3 additional vehicles (M715 trucks, Humvees, and Ducks). It is hoped that additional vehicles will be added to this group in coming years.

Ironically, this means that while DOT targeted Pinzgauers and outlawed them in some of their first actions, in the end the Pinzgauers will be able to keep on the road, and continue to haul materials as we please, essentially for free.

Late word yesterday was that DOT has dropped their denial of registration to a fellow who purchased a truck from E.I. last year. It appears that he will be allowed to register as a truck or auto, or the option of registering as a collector vehicle. If so, this means that we're truly back to normal here, at least if you own a Pinzgauer.

Paul

Pardon my language but why do you think they have such a hard on for Pinzgauers?

texas pinzgauer wrote:Pardon my language but why do you think they have such a hard on for Pinzgauers?

Why do we have such a hard on for Pinzgauers?

That's different!

From what I can determine, the issue goes up at least as far as Christopher Klein http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/about/stru ... istant.htm

Someone in WisDOT made the decision to dis-allow ex-military vehicles, and it seems to have begun with a guy's '43 Jeep. The Secretary of DOT, Frank Busalacchi, even wrote a letter defending DMV's refusal of registration.

The next victims were the Pinzgauers (all but one). We did not go silently. I think this was the beginning of DOT's "woodie". When I filed an appeal, they were unhappy, initiating what is Trans-123, an effort to change the Wis. Admin. Code. During the appeal, their attorney sort of made a fool out of himself three times - objecting to my subpoenas, which he lost - losing his temper in court and having to apologize to me, the judge, and the court - and then complaining about submitting a final argument in writing at the end of the week, instead of presenting them orally at that time. From what others have told me, that was an embarassing loss for DOT. The long-haired farm kid had whooped a Department Attorney's butt in Appeal Court. The "woodie" now had a life of it's own.

As a result of their loss, DOT got ordered to reinstate all previously registered Pinzgauers. They did so, and even issued new registrations to newly imported Pinzes from other U.S. states and from Switzerland. DOT then pushed Trans-123 forward, holding a public hearing, but 70+ people showed up - all opposed, and it got tabled. Next, DOT simply started to refuse new registrations for Pinzgauers. So I went back to my Senator and asked again for help. He promised a meeting between him, myself, and the DOT secretary. But DOT refused to even meet with him. That's how Sen. Erpenbach got frustrated enough to introduce the bill which eventually guaranteed Pinzgauers the right to register.

So I guess, in short, DOT just did whatever they felt like it, and got a chapped arse when we successfully defended our rights. I felt like we weren't given any options, so we fought back. Listen to that Tom Petty song, sometime: "I won't back down"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKqO0FeaCFQ

It is so awesome to hear that the good guys fought and WON.... so many times ... oh heck we all know of the stories.

Congrats for a job well done.


I am sure every Pinz in Wisconsin now rides around with a smile on its face