As of October 13, 2010, Iowa street rods, replicas and specially constructed vehicles are no longer required to be equipped with fenders and bumpers. Previous Iowa inspection requirements for these specialty cars specified that all vehicles were to be equipped with fenders and required a front and rear bumper.
The changes take into account the unique nature of these vehicles. In altering the fender and bumper specifications, regulators also signal their understanding of the fact that street rods and special-interest vehicles are driven less frequently than regular passenger vehicles (about one-third the miles each year as compared to a new vehicle) and should therefore not be bound to conventional equipment requirements. For more information, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.