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Legal Resource Information

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California Vehicle Code 5050, 5051, and 5052.

Section: 5050

The Legislature finds and declares that constructive leisure

pursuits by California citizens is most important. This article is

intended to encourage responsible participation in the hobby of

collecting, preserving, restoring, and maintaining motor vehicles of

historic and special interest, which hobby contributes to the

enjoyment of the citizen and the preservation of California's

automotive memorabilia.

Section: 5051

As used in this article, unless the context otherwise

requires:

   (a) "Collector" is the owner of one or more vehicles described in

Section 5004 or of one or more special interest vehicles, as defined

in this article, who collects, purchases, acquires, trades, or

disposes of the vehicle, or parts thereof, for his or her own use, in

order to preserve, restore, and maintain the vehicle for hobby or

historical purposes.

   (b) "Special interest vehicle" is a vehicle of an age that is

unaltered from the manufacturer's original specifications and,

because of its significance, including, but not limited to, an

out-of-production vehicle or a model of less than 2,000 sold in

California in a model-year, is collected, preserved, restored, or

maintained by a hobbyist as a leisure pursuit.

   (c) "Parts car" is a motor vehicle that is owned by a collector to

furnish parts for restoration or maintenance of a special interest

vehicle or a vehicle described in Section 5004, thus enabling a

collector to preserve, restore, and maintain a special interest

vehicle or a vehicle described in Section 5004.

   (d) "Street rod vehicle" is a motor vehicle, other than a

motorcycle, manufactured in, or prior to, 1948 that is individually

modified in its body style or design, including through the use of

nonoriginal or reproduction components, and may include additional

modifications to other components, including, but not limited to, the

engine, drivetrain, suspension, and brakes in a manner that does not

adversely affect its safe performance as a motor vehicle or render

it unlawful for highway use.

Section: 5052

Except as otherwise provided by local ordinance, a collector

may maintain one or more vehicles described in Section 5051, whether

currently licensed or unlicensed, or whether operable or inoperable,

in outdoor storage on private property, if every such vehicle and

outdoor storage area is maintained in such manner as not to

constitute a health hazard and is located away from public view, or

screened from ordinary public view, by means of a suitable fence,

trees, shrubbery, opaque covering, or other appropriate means.