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Military Humvees Could Become Street Legal in Michigan

American civilians are no strangers to military vehicles. For years, some of them have been legally allowed to buy them from the government, provided they are no longer in military use and they are driven exclusively off-road. For owners in Michigan, that could change, and soon.
The Army started selling surplus vehicles 6 years ago 1 photo
Photo: armytimes.com
A set of bills that was recently submitted in the State will allow owners of such machines to have them registered as historic vehicles, which in effect will make them street legal. Sure, they are not to be used as daily drivers, but you could seem them on the roads during parades and special events.

To register their military hardware as historic vehicles, owners would have to pay a $30 fee and allow the police to inspect the cars for all the required safety features. Because yes, no matter in what condition the car was purchased, to be allowed on the road it will have to meet the State’s safety requirements.

According to American Military News, the idea is opposed by Michigan’s higher-ups, mostly because these cars were never meant to be used on civilian roads, and they might endanger both the drivers and others.

One of the sponsors of the bill, Sen. Tom Barrett, R-Charlotte, says the idea responds to a need of people who own this type of car, and was requested by them.

Even if the State is reluctant to back the bill as is, spokesperson Jake Rollow told the source an alternative can be found, and the officials are open to discussion.

The military Humvee (High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle, or HMMWV), entered military service in 1983, and it is still in use in various configurations. Manufactured by AM General, the hardcore off-roader was the main workhorse for the military in several wars.

The Army began selling decommissioned ones long ago, after a shift in policy that saved these machines from being scrapped. Usually, prices start at $10,000.
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About the author: Daniel Patrascu
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Daniel loves writing (or so he claims), and he uses this skill to offer readers a "behind the scenes" look at the automotive industry. He also enjoys talking about space exploration and robots, because in his view the only way forward for humanity is away from this planet, in metal bodies.
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