Automotive design, original cars Options

[jayi12-15psi]

I am not any sort of engineer or graphic design artist, but I have always dreamed of building my own car. I'm always critical on what cars look like, and I'd love to make a project car so I could make it the way I like it. This isn't a project I'm looking to start now, but rather in a few years when I have enough money.

I was wondering, if I build everything right down to a new welded frame, would it be illegal to drive? Since I can't have it crash tested?

I would use an already existing engine and frame if need be, my concern would be more what the car would look like. This might seem to be pretty crazy, but if anyone has some kind of experience building kit cars, I've got a few questions about the legality of such things.

thanks for taking the time to read this.

[orvillescelica]

i use to know a guy who did this. He made his cars from the ground up, but he made them look like the old 1920s classic cars rather than anything innovative. Basically, there are some forms to fill out and a guy from the DMV comes and inspects every part of the car. He determines if it can be street legal or not. If its a custom built, one of a kind type car, it doesnt need crash test data as long as it has all the othe saftey stuff.