Moving To USA with my Cobra

[macloft]

Hi Guys
I have nearly finished my Harrison Cobra (just require paint and final tidy up) but now find my company wants me to move back to USA (Texas) for minimum of 3 years.. What do I do
1/ Sell the Cobra and buy a Daytona in the USA. After all my work it seems a bloody shame
2/ Store the Cobra indefinately in a garage and not drive the thing.
3/ Ship the Cobra to USA and register it there.
What would be required to get a left hand drive (Aussie) car on the road in the USA.
Cheers
Bruce

[hsv300]

I'v got room in my shed Bruce

[Tenrocca]

What are ther rules on owning a car OS and bringing back ? I seem to remember the rules being pretty favourable if you have owned for at least 12 months.

If thats possible, I would finish your car off, sell it - use the funds to buy a cobra (maybe superformance?) in the US at the bargain prices you see these days over there and see if you can bring it back when you move home.

[Harrymac]

Hi Bruce,

A while ago over here, G/Force built a Cobra for a client and it had to be able to be changed to left hand drive when he was being transfered back to the states.
From what I understand, he wasn't allowed to import it into the US and eventually sold it here in Perth. It is a magnificent machine with a fuel injected 429 big block,
some one may know the reason why he couldn't take it with him.
Personally, I would sell yours and buy a 427 bargain over there to be able to get around in and bring it back with you or you could get a Daytona, a GT40, OR ???????????,
THE CHOICE IS UNLIMITED.

Good Luck, Bruce.

Harry.

[Heidelberg]

Hi Bruce,

Tough call hey...I think your answer really depends on what ultimately rules you...your heart or your head!

If it's your heart, then the money side of things really don't matter because your car is all about the hard work you put in to it, the car is a part of you...you've worked bloody hard to get it exactly the way you want it...bugger the money!

If it's your head, then sell your cobra, and save a lot of money...with the US/AUD exchange rate and the fact that quality cobras are bloody cheap anyway, you really will save a heap of money!

I've lived in Texas (Houston) a couple of times now and I was amazed at the quality of Cobras/Daytonas/GT40s that you could get and just how cheap they were! I was based in Houston for 18 months mid 06 to late last year and I seriously toyed with the idea of buying a RHD/ADR spec'd Superformance and then shipping it to Australia myself, but by the time I figured this all out I was not going to be in the US for the required 12 months to avoid the Aussie import duties...

I have a few mates in Houston who have bought themselves some pretty nice rides with the intention of bringing them back to Australia when their assignment is over.

If you are interested in Superformance, I can recommend Mitch at Vintage Upgrades & Performance in Houston who are a SPF dealer...he's a great guy, knows his stuff and is incredibly helpful!

Regards.....Paul

[stephen low]

Isn't there a rule here about OS ownership of a car for so many years and then importation and rules are less stringent...or am I in a red wine haze?

I'd sell up here and bring back a RH special.

My penence worth anyway!

[macloft]

Red wine haze sounds a good place to be.
But yes if you own a car for 12 months in the US you can then bring it into Aussie. Now a Roush engined Superformance sounds good but I like my Harrison. Bugger

[727pilot@usa.co]

Apparently it is a whole lot easier to own and register a car here in the US.

Right at the moment you are in a position of power with your AUD. If you buy right you should be able to have the fun of owning it and break even or make a buck when you take it back.

[Don]

Bruce, in addition to the US Federal import regulations, might also want to inquire with the DMV in the state the Cobra would be registered in. The individual states have their own inspection and registration laws, which in a number of cases, is not consistent.

A number of states have implemented the SEMA approach, but there could still be individual differences.

As an example, all kit/replica cars in CT are registered with the make as a Composite and the year first registered in CT is the model year. Aa of June, 2007, all CT Composites are exempt from emissions testing. The CT guidelines are mentioned in the following document:

http://www.ct.gov/dmv/LIB/dmv/20/29/R-157.pdf

[Clois Harlan]

Bruce,

We have several right hand drive vehicles (other than the postal service vehicles) driving around our city. Many are Mini Coopers, Cortina's and the like. Below is a list of all the states DMV rules governing the reegistration of Kit Cars and custom built vehicles. I hope this helps with your decision.


http://www.dynacornclassicbodies.com/stateseal.html


Clois Harlan

[Don]

Clois, excellent , I posted the web site on the CT Registration Thread...thanks

Don

[Clois Harlan]

I found a site that had all the info a few days ago and made it a favorite. I hope it helps someone?

Clois

[HI Cobra]

Thanks Clois - I bookmarked that one. Gives me information regarding my
house in Texas.

[Don]

MA has a state web site for comparing insurance costs:

http://www.autoratecompare.doi.state...ookieSupport=1

[boxhead]

Finish your Harrison, sell it, get a Kirkham with big block and bring that home after 3 years.

[richardferguson]

Mmmmm.....quit the job, stay here and enjoy your car.
Richard

[Mando]

I reckon Boxhead has the right idea

Regards.

[macloft]

Well you havent heard much from me as I have been working in Mexico 3 weeks on 2 off for the last couple of months.
However my dream of taking my Cobra to USA came to a screaming halt once I talked with the EPA. Basically to get it into the USA the EPA has to pass it and they will not as it needs to be imported under the emmission standards of the car the motor, tranny came out of and I need a written statement by the manufacturer (fat chance GM is going to do that).
So 1 Cobra in a garage for 2 1/2 years or sell it and make a loss. Life is suddenly a bummer.

[400TT]

Bugger mate. Maybe you should set up a web cam in the garage, so you can keep an eye on it.

[Clois Harlan]

Some of your Aussie friends are going to be at this years Run N Gun in St. Louis so why dont' you join us October 8-11, 2008. Take a few rides from the mfgs or attend some of the seminars and happy hours. We will make you feel right at home with all the South African, Austrailian, European, Northern, Southern, and Mid-West accents and a few are going to venture up from Mexico (I think they own Jose' Quervo (sp) or Corona or something )

Clois

http://www.runngun.net