Well that settles it then

Back in April of 2005 I received a “blood-bruise-purple” notification in the mail from the friendly folks at the Washington Dept of (Vehicle) Licensing telling me that the plates on my general purpose truck were going to be “retired”.

No, not like a ball player’s jersey number, more like, the taxpayers of Washington State payed for a study to be done on license plates which told the WA DOL that the relectiveness of the plates is only good for a certain length of time. So now every eight years, vehicle owners have to file for new plates.

If you guessed that this involves a moderately sized fee, then swing by the store and get yourself a candy bar, because you are correct.

I said, quite literally “Screw that, I’m getting custom plates” and then proceeded to order myself a set of these Law Enforcement Memorial Plates

While it is an extra $30 extra per year, they are fully transferable to any other vehicle I own or will own, the $30 goes to a great cause and not into the Governoress’ coffers, are a neat conversation piece (especially at traffic stops) and I never have to turn them in for a new set (along with the moderate fee).

Grimm is approaching his 30th Birthday and I was considering getting him some special plates as well when his plates came up for renewal at the end of next month.

As luck would have it, yesterday I received a notification in the mail reminding me on what date his tabs are due.

And it was fucking purple.

So here’s the plan: Collector Vehicle Plates

It is an extra one-time $35 fee and that is it. No renewal ever.

As a 3/4-Ton, 4WD truck, I was getting bent over the tailgate for “Weight Fees” here in Washington. But not after this April 30th.

There is currently one big, caucasian-skin toned middle finger facing our state capital (OK, so I’m typing with it this very second). And it will face that direction every single time I turn his engine over and put him in drive.

In Washington, vehicles 25 years and older do not have to pass an emissions test, so I was already clear of that. Which is good because his exhaust consists of headers, straight pipes to a pair of GlassPacks and then a 90-degree bend to out in front of the rear wheels on the passenger side. No CAT. No O2 sensor. Just one big bent stainless middle finger pointed at Mother Gaia.

I remember the first time I drove Grimm around town. As I came to a stop in the left-hand turn lane, a soccer mom with a Kerry/Edwards and GreenPeace stickers on her PT Cruiser in the non-turn lane rolled up her window. Ahh, the memories.

I laid the track for the Off Topic Express to get to this Destination Station: When (not if, When) the leftards in Washington get rid of the 25yrs and older exemption for the Hose-Up-The-Tailpipe test, I’ll already be out of the pool and they can kiss my ass.

Cuz Grimm will be getting a big-block in the future. I figure that if I’m only getting 9mpg with a small block, how much more painful can it be with an extra 109 cubic inches?

Another plus with these plates is that they only need to be displayed at the rear of the vehicle, which means “kickass winch bumper”.

The quals do also specify that I may not “carry a load” with it, but once the trailer is hooked to the rear of the truck, you can’t see the plates (only on the back, remember), so neener. Besides that, even the smallest of the local car shows have some guy with his 40 Ford pick em up truck hauling a mini trailer. If he is allowed, then so am I.

Thank you WA DOL. You were actually quite helpful this year.