# Wooden Frame EV, can it be stree legal?



## charger1369 (Apr 19, 2017)

Hey, I've been wanting to get together a lowkey diy electric vehicle. I'm currently looking into the possibility of a diy electric motorcycle. But I have neither the time nor the experience or resources for a lot of metal. I was thinking that I would like to make it out of lumber (I'm quite experience with woodworking) because I know I could make it the proper shape and structurally sound. But I have been looking into local regulations on the subject and I was just wanting some outside perspectives. Do any of you know if it is legal for a vehicle, for all intents and purposes, to be entirely made out of wood? The frame is mostly what I am worried about not being legal. I know there are, and have been, vehicles that are made of wood, but have a metal frame. I'm wanting to make it all, structurally at least, out of wood. Do any of you have any knowledge on that subject?


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## rmay635703 (Oct 23, 2008)

Automotive grade wood exists, usually white oak, DOT wood construction methods exist.

If you want to go down this path your on your own to figure out how to meet the requirements.

I know a few folks who have rebuilt a salvage vehicle (like a VW Jetta) with wood and stayed lega


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## charger1369 (Apr 19, 2017)

Hmm, that's pretty much what I'm looking to know. Do you have any clue where I could start looking for more information? I actually just got off of the phone with the DMV, they directed me to inspections and inspections told me that they would not put a plate on anything homemade. At all. Now, I don't know how accurate that was, but I'm going to try to get a second opinion from someone.


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## Karter2 (Nov 17, 2011)

So much simpler and easyier to just convert an existing motorbike frame and components.
Probably cheaper too, if you have to source and use special timber.
Im sure you can find a dead motorbike for under $100.and that would provide many of the other necessary parts too (wheels, forks , brakes, etc)
Certainly old bare frames are cheap.


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## ken wont (Jul 6, 2016)

charger1369 said:


> Do any of you know if it is legal for a vehicle, for all intents and purposes, to be entirely made out of wood? The frame is mostly what I am worried about not being legal.


They are legal in Jiangxi province of China.


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## rmay635703 (Oct 23, 2008)

charger1369 said:


> Hmm, that's pretty much what I'm looking to know. Do you have any clue where I could start looking for more information? I actually just got off of the phone with the DMV, they directed me to inspections and inspections told me that they would not put a plate on anything homemade. At all. Now, I don't know how accurate that was, but I'm going to try to get a second opinion from someone.


http://www.damngeeky.com/2016/04/29...l-wooden-car-based-on-1985-pontiac-fiero.html

How many hundreds of thousands of dollars do you want to spend?

No one will hold your hand, you need to do lots of research and then have a title company willing to guide you through the process, then you need to spend lots of money with your local government.

Just because they say you can't doesn't mean its true, you can do anything you want and most anything can be made street legal if you are willing to pay the cost to wax the road dept.


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## Karter2 (Nov 17, 2011)

ken wont said:


> They are legal in Jiangxi province of China.


..Ohh yaa ! ..wooden exhaust pipe !..
..i would strongly suspect that is a "clad" chopper frame (metal frame underneath) !


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