Amerispec F1s

[amanichen]

The original few Amerispec F1s in the US had some mods done to them.

These included (among other things) the addition of front bumpers, side turn signals on the nose, rectangular headlights, the removal of the headlight covers, and the "disabling" of the two side seats.

Does anybody know the rationale of this?

I can sort of understand the bumper thing -- cars are required to have bumpers a certain height and whatnot (to prevent the F1 from plowing underneath a car since it's a smooth wedge...but this happens in accidents involving much taller cars anyway!)

I can somewhat understand the turn signal addition, but while driving most people see a car's turn signals from the rear...not from the sides or front.

What I cannot understand is the conversion of the headlights, the removal of the covers, and the "disabling" of the two additional seats.

Did somebody at the DOT want to play a sick joke on McLaren owners: forcing them to have the appearence and functionality of these cars ruined?

If anybody knows the official DOT reasons for the mods I'd enjoy hearing them =)