Importing TVR

[macino62]

Hi Folks,

I've been salivating over the Taimar Turbo for probably 10 years now (since I was in elementary school....) Anyway, I am considering attempting to import a Turbo from England. Has anybody imported a car (older than 25 years) from abroad? Also, how does the title process work, once it's in the US?

Thanks, Mike /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif

 

[smcmanus]

First thing is to visit your local Indiana DMV and ask them. Laws on registration and title vary from state to state.

Good Luck
Steve

 

[macino62]

ha, our dmv is such a cluster now. i'll admit, it's easy to register a car here, the lack of emissions, and low taxes make it nice, but i was more unsure of the federal level of red tape....

 

[tr7andtvr]

In alabama all you need is a bill of sale. So if you can go thru alabama? alabama is also known for a fix to a bad title.

 

[macino62]

i've heard about alabama.....and if the indiana thing doesn't work out, then i'll definitely try that route. i'm in my initial stages of this, and i'm trying to gather as much info as i can before i get ahead of myself!

thanks!!

 

[Grantura_MKI]

The car will need to be imported into the States under your name and address. The Alabama bit will not work on a fresh import. I have imported cars from the UK and sent many over seas. It is my thought that this car would not be allowed in the USA, unless you try to import under a one time type of deal. There are many strings attached to this type of importation. Look it up on the web...it will be under a US government site, because your car needs to pass federal rules.
Cheers, David. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thirsty.gif

 

[swift6]

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/iagree.gif If it needs to pass Federal Rules then the emissions, or lack there of, could cause a problem with importing it. Have you checked with the national TVR club to see if anyone else has successfully imported a Taimar Turbo? The rolling 25 year cutoff only applies to registering the car for road use in your state/county. That exemption doesn't apply to the Federal standards and importation of non-federalized automobiles. You should also check with your insurance company and see if they could/would even insure it.

The US Customs website should help with any of those questions. They closed a lot of loopholes about ten years ago. Though I had heard that customs had a set cutoff year, though I don't think it was rolling. The limited exemption only allows use for exhibition and 'off-road' use, it won't allow it to be licensed for the street.

 

[macino62]

I checked the US Customs website, and on a federal level (as well as state level), the 25 year rule applies. Am I missing something here?

 

[macino62]

to quote the US Customs official document on importing automobiles:

"Safety, Bumper, and Emission Requirements. As a general rule, all imported motor vehicles less than 25 years old and items of motor vehicle equipment must comply with all applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards in effect when these vehicles or items were manufactured. A Customs inspection at the time of entry will determine such compliance, which is verified by the original manufacturer’s certification permanently affixed to the vehicle or merchandise. An entry declaration form, HS 7, must be filed when motor vehicles or items of motor vehicle equipment are entered. The HS 7 can be obtained from customs brokers or ports of entry."

 

[swift6]

Looks like they have the rolling 25 now. Pretty cool. You might double check with a phone call. Check with insurance too.

 

[tr7andtvr]

Import the car in as a race/ track day car. Then get a Alabama p.o. box, title the car in Bama with a bill of sale, then move the reg. to your state. I did this about 3 years ago with a LR 110. Tennessee gave me about 30 sec. of hard time because they did not like the vin#.

 

[smcmanus]

See what your state says. KY will not accept Alabama title services, nor will MN or OH. I don't know about IN. Also, the services offered by certain title service companies for $$ are available free through the state. I have had a variety of title problems, some of which were easily solved and some not. The worst was on an estate car (Chrysler 300 convertible) from Ohio. The owner was dead for 20 years and no title could be found. I never did get that fixed.

Good Luck
Steve

 

[macino62]

thanks guys....we'll see what happens. i think the import title will suffice. in indiana, in order to get a title reissued, you just need to verify the VIN (the DMV lady will go out there and just look at it, and see that it matches the previous title) and have a bill of sale.

thanks for all your help!

mike

 

[Grantura_MKI]

You need more paper work than that. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/nonono.gif You will have a perminent export paper and other misc. papers from the DNLV. If I where you, hire a broker...remember that if you are not allowed entry you have two choices...return it or crush it! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hammer.gif

 

[Ken G]

I echo Grantura_MKI's advice. When I imported my 1925 Rover from England to California, all the paperwork was handled by a British firm (and their San Francisco agent) whose primary business was shipping racing cars round the world, and everything went smoothly. The car was collected from rural England, crated, shipped from Southampton to the Port of Oakland, unloaded and delivered to my home on a flat-bed truck, and all (!) I had to do was to pay up (they even arranged for payment in dollars by a personal check upon delivery). Before shipping started, I did have to submit evidence of previous registration to the British licensing authorities to obtain a document authorizing export but that seems to have been a formality. Once here, the local DMV wanted evidence of ownership and a price paid, but they accepted an informal email from my cousin from whom I had bought the car, plus the itemized shipping receipt showing that customs duty had been paid.

Ken G, 1925 Rover 16/50 (San Francisco)

 

[macino62]

got off the phone with the DMV today, along with the Indy Customs office.....export title, two forms from US customs need to be filled out, the car will need to follow guidelines (quarantine, etc), and the English title will directly transfer to Indiana with proof of ownership (bill of sale) and a check that the serial number matches that title.

indiana is pretty simple when it comes to stuff like this

 

[Grantura_MKI]

Thank you, Ken. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yesnod.gif There is the big problem that is model was not imported to the States. You and I where lucky because of the age of our vehicles, that they where pre EPA and DOT /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/pukeface.gif. There will not be an emmissions lable for one...the glass and tyres, just to name two my not have DOT lables. The price of a good broker is worth his/he weight in gold.

 

[macino62]

that doesn't apply vehicles that are 25 years and older. a family friend imported a special fiat "yacht" car that was never-ever imported to the US. no issues at all.

 

[Grantura_MKI]

Best of luck!

 

[macino62]

thanks for the input guys, turns out to be a non-issue. i just got off the phone and decided on another porsche instead of the tvr. oh well....maybe some day.