Safe road speed & licensing?

[cbvet]

Goat Guys-
What's a safe road speed in a goat?
Can they be licensed for street use?

 

[doghead]

Mine is licensed and driven on the road(700 miles last year).

45 mph is real nice. It will hold 50-55 also, but I prefer not to push it. Hills slow things down a bit.

The ride is pretty nice. I don't like getting in and out of it.

 

[armytruck63]

55 is safe but you will get the feeling the engine is about to blow up (50 is a little more sane). A buddy of mine had one licensed for the street in California. If you can register one here, you can register one anywhere.

 

[cessnatwin]

Mine is plated and insured and driven on the street!

 

[Gamagoat1]

Mine is licensed for the road here in Colorado.
I drive it 55mph with out a problem. Drove it from Denver to Kansas City, in convoy, at 45, Came back home at 55, no problem. Mainly because that's what it was built to do. I have had it twenty + years and the engine is original.

 

[goat whisperer]

The 3-53 is made for max. speed... 55 mph is no problem!
Just watch the temperature, oil pressure and protect your ears
Use only Shell Rotella DD40 oil for the engine or equivalent...

 

[1958 M274]

Yes, they can be licensed. My biggest problem was the lady at the DMV trying to find Consolidated Diesel Electric Company under the listed manufacturers in the computer...

As others have pointed out, it won't hurt to run the 2 stroke Detroits against the governor. I've put about 3,700 miles on mine in the last few years, including hundreds of miles running wide open on the highway at 60, and have not had any problems. It still has the original engine that it was built with. These engines run on the governor for extended periods in stationary applications (pumps, generators, boats, etc.). I also have another 1,500+ miles in the three gama goats that are owned by the museum I work for. No problems there either.

 

[frenchman]

very nice ride at 50/55mph if you have a good front steering gear box , put a new transmition in the goat and it shift just like a sport car, my goat was never licenced before and it took some doing in doing that had to go to a different county and now have historical plate and cost 68 dollars a year to renew my goat is now all restored a very rewarding efford
just wish the goat was little more easy to get out of it
frenchman

 

[cessnatwin]

$39.00 a year full coverage insurance too!

 

[1958 M274]

I cruise at warp speed! (At least that's what it feels like sometimes!)

 

[armytruck63]

Great photo! Thanks for posting it.

 

[pat038536]

Nah.. that's not warp speed. It's, Ludicrous speed!

 

[goat whisperer]

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMoXAZgJwTg[/media]
No comment...

 

[cbvet]

Very cool! But loud.
Thanks.

 

[1958 M274]

Very cool! But loud.
Thanks.

Driving a gama goat is not really any noisier than driving a 2 1/2 ton. I use hearing protection in any of the louder stuff that I drive, so it's not really a big deal for me anyway...

 

[saddamsnightmare]

January 14th, 2011.

Dear Goat Whisperer:

Thanks for the video, it gives a whole new meaning to "Screaming Jimmy", but I will say IT IS faster then a deuce, and I believe the normally aspirated deuces might have been a couple of decibels quieter in the cab. If they weren't such a h--l to work on mechanically, I'd almost think about getting one, but in Illinois I am pretty sure it's either illegal or too expensive to try that game..,..

 

[GunGuy510]

For the ownership of the M35 out here in california, all I would need to drive it on the streets (once it is registered and insured) would be my normal class C license right.

As I understand, the gross of the M35 (A2 and A3) is around 23k pounds; so it should work, right???

 

[armytruck63]

First of all, welcome to Steel Soldiers.

I'm afraid I have a bit of bad news GunGuy. In California, if a vehicle has three axles and weighs more than 7000 lbs, you need a class B license. Also, California considers that air-over-hydraulic brake system on the deuce to be a type of air bakes. This means you also need the air brake endorsement on your license.

Where are you located in California? We have lots of members in law enforcement that can answer all of your licensing questions.

 

[GunGuy510]

Thanks for the quick reply. I have been lurking for some time, but I finally got the girlfriend to listen to my proposal. So now I can ask questions for real

This is weird??? I called the DMV some time ago and asked them, well I tried. Took about 2 hours on the phone (no joke) to finally find somebody who would answer my question. Anyway, when I described the vehicle as three-axled, air-over hydraulic brakes, and a gross well under the 26,001 limit, she confirmed 3 times that it was ok for class C non-commercial use. I must have said something wrong... Anyway, no harm no foul no money spent .... yet

Anyway thank you for answering so quickly. As to the law enforcement... well that is my career path, hence my question. I have never heard about the 7000 lbs rule is it new? I am not worried about getting a class B license, just was hoping not to need it...

I am near san jose.

 

[mendo]

You may be able to convince the officer that the back is a trailer, then standard licence works. In my experience, I only get hassled if I am doing something stupid. no stupid, no problem. I have not had a problem yet.