Help With US Car Importing Regulations

[macloft]

I need some professional help and guidance on the rules governing the importing of a car into the US.
If there is anyone out there in cobra world who has a good honest understanding of the rules and regulations could you please contact me.
Bruce

[mrmustang]

This will give you everything you need to know right from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/CARS/RULES/IMPORT/

This one will give you some of the basic on actually importing a car and what needs to be done to it before it can be loaded/unloaded in the US:

http://www.importexporthelp.com/importing-cars.htm





Bill S.

[macloft]

Thanks Bill
I have read so much stuff and it is pretty broad and does not answer some of my specific questions. I thought there might be somone here who had a hands on view of US requirements. Interested how Superformance brings their kits in from South Africa as I think they are rollers with no motor gearbox but this seems to go against the EPA emmisions regulations. According to EPA rules it must come in as only a body chassis and the running gear fitted in US must include motor box and diff from known car combination that passes the emmissions requirments. HELP

[Mark IV]

Originally Posted by macloft

Thanks Bill
I have read so much stuff and it is pretty broad and does not answer some of my specific questions. I thought there might be somone here who had a hands on view of US requirements. Interested how Superformance brings their kits in from South Africa as I think they are rollers with no motor gearbox but this seems to go against the EPA emmisions regulations. According to EPA rules it must come in as only a body chassis and the running gear fitted in US must include motor box and diff from known car combination that passes the emmissions requirments. HELP

Actually, not. The fitting of the engine/trans and regisdtration is subject to the STATE regulations, not Federal EPA/DOT. The roller meets DOT regulations for components, i.e. barke lines, seat belts, glass meet DOT regulations. Becuase the car is a "self build" most states do not require CURRENT emissions standards be met.

I question some "turnkey minus" rollers being sold by some brands dealers as "ready-to-go" complete cars, this is a violation of the federal regulations. We will NOT install and sell an engne/trans in a chassis we sell. We CAN direct or recommend an installer, but they have no direct connection to us, i.e. they must be an "arms length" from us.

[mrmustang]

The Superformance cars do not technically come in as rollers, as the actual tires are not on the rims when initially shipped. As such they are considered component vehicles and not actual rollers. All perfectly legal



Bill S.

[macloft]

Hi Mark IV As soon as a car is brought into US from another country it is subject to EPA requirements.
Bill again my reading of the EPA Kit Car rules would say kits from outside US can only be imported into the US if there is no suspension or motor gearbox diff attached, or even in the same shipment. The kit can not look like a car minus drivetrain. If you are seen to be trying to avoid emmissions regulations you can be fined $25000 and your car impounded.
Bruce

[UKjohnnycobra]

I brought my car from the UK into the US in 2004. I had an import agent check the details and the summary was that vehicles are subject to the regulations of their year of manufacture. So you can import, say a 1966 Jaguar and it is not subject to 2009 emssions or safety regulations. It does have to have DOT compliant components where specified; glass, lights, wheels and tyres etc.

My car was registered overseas as a 2004 cobra replica and so would have been subjected to all of the requirements of a 2004 vehicle, including emissions, to which it was absolutely not compliant. So I removed the engine and drivetrain and imported as an "incomplete vehicle assembly" and then sourced a new motor and drivetrain once here. One thing the EPA agent told us was that if you do remove the engine, and then ship it separately as, say, part of your household shipment and then match it back up with the vehicle on arrival, you are subject to a $25000 fine. It was however, a roller. On wheels with suspension attached.

Then, once here, the vehicle has to comply with state regulations, which in most cases means you have emissions, safety, DOT/state compliance of components and proof of ownership of components. You had better be sure that all your overseas receipts and documentation are acceptable at the state level too. If they are all in a foreign language and currency you might want to get them notarized and translated just in case.