Toronto’s “hot rod lawyer” is Ending the War on Custom Cars

The strength of Toronto lawyer Jonathan Hendricks’ respect for law and authority is matched only by the strength of his enthusiasm for custom cars. This makes him the perfect mediator in what Ontario’s classic car fans call a “war on hot rods”.

The two Volkswagen dune buggies sitting in front of VW enthusiast Dane Morrison’s garage in downtown Toronto make up just a small part of his classic car collection—but they’re his favourite part.

“That one I’ve had over 15 years,” he says, pointing to a faded dark red roadster with matching red Cragar wheels and a chrome roll bar. The other, a Beetle-based “Maxi Taxi,” is a more recent month-old acquisition, one Morrison’s worried he won’t get the chance to drive.

“My insurance company simply won’t cover it any more—no explanation, they just told me they’re no longer covering dune buggies,” he explains.

Because the cars are purpose-built for recreational use, he says regular car insurance is out of the question, meaning when the policy on the roadster expires, he may not be able to register or drive it in the province either.

Morrison is one of several classic car enthusiasts in Ontario who feel insurance companies, provincial regulators and emissions officers are waging an all-out war on hot rods and making every effort they can to impound their raucous souped-up rides.

You’ll find plenty of stories from the front on internet forums, where rodders recount battles waged during traffic stops, seek to arm themselves with information, and ask each other about the legality of certain modifications they’ve made to their vehicles, like: