Title horsepower

PopinJohn · Sep 21, 2016

Anyone remember "title horsepower"?
Taxes and fees for automobile license plates and registration were based on title horsepower.
Dad's 1953 Ford six cylinder was about 42 or 43 if I remember right.
Dad told me title Hp was based on bore & stroke, not advertised horsepower.

Janicholson · Sep 21, 2016

Did you see all the responses to your first post on this topic? interesting. Jim

RN · Sep 21, 2016

SAE 'taxable' HP as used in Illinois and many other states was based ono bore size and number of cyclinder- not stroke or displacement. Small bore, long stroke would be less taxable power than short stroke/big bore. In Chicago a Chrysler slant 6 at 3.4 inch bore compared to a Chevy or Ford 'big' 4 inch bore 6 cylinder meant the price break favored the chrysler- under 35 hp taxable. VW Beetle with the 77mm bore and 64mm stroke was taxed slightly more than the BMC blocks with there 85mm stroke about 2.5 inch- 62/65mm strokes--about same 1200 cc total, but the English had had a similar taxable hp system that used bore time cylinders--SO BMC and asutins using their long stroke engine, small bore imported to US had in Illinois the same license and city sticker price advantage. Germany used DIN hp ratings for some insurance costs- so no advantage in small bore, long stroke.

PopinJohn · Sep 21, 2016

Yes, and appreciated.
It's another one of those nostalgia things

Duner Wi · Sep 21, 2016

Here is a taxable HP chart from state on MO.

http://dor.mo.gov/pdf/taxablehorsepowerchart.pdf

jimg.allentown · Sep 21, 2016

Of the states I have lived in, PA (where I live now) has only had titles since 1959. Tags are one price for all on passenger vehicles. Trucks are priced by weight class.
New York prices and registers by weight. They have only had titles since 1973.
To my way of thinking, a title is just a useless piece of paper that serves no real function. The same thing can be accomplished with the registration card as it was done before titles came into wide use.

Title horsepower

PopinJohn

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Janicholson

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RN

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PopinJohn

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Duner Wi

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jimg.allentown

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