New Car Compliance
 

Hi Guys
I am concidering bringing my Cobra over from Australia. It is not registered in Australia therefore I believe it will be treated in Texas as a new car. What are the compliance requirements. Will I have to pay taxes in Texas on it when I register it.
Thanks Bruce

I believe you will have to pay taxes on it here in Texas, but I cannot be 100% sure as i have yet to do it. From my understanding (maybe flawed) the taxes are based on the value of the car. It may actually be easier that it was never registered anywhere else, but I cannot be sure.

TX Registration
 

Bruce, there is a long thread for you to read, here is a link to my report from last Oct on this topic. Have a look at this message, then go forward in time and read the rest of the thread. There were some changes in the law in 2007 which pertain:
http://www.clubcobra.com/forums/show...6&postcount=36

The law is unevenly applied here, because the authorities do not do enough of these cars to learn how. But I sought the correct path intentionally, no short cuts, so I could leave a trail for others :) These cars are legal in TX, so you do NOT have to seek a cooperative inspector, or fib about anything. You DO need all receipts for body, frame, engine, tranny if you built the car yourself. And if it was factory built, even as a chassis, you need the Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin (MCO).

Briefly, the steps in order are:
1. Obtain insurance, with the proof of insurance card.
2. Obtain a paper tag from the county tag office so you are legal to drive to the inspection. Cost $15.
3. Obtain the state safety inspection from the DPS Waiver Inspector (not an ordinary inspection station that 99.9% of the vehicles here use). There is a DPS Waiver Station in every county.
4. Take the "green sheet" resulting from the inspection to the county tag office, along with the state forms mentioned in the above thread, and all your receipts. Be extremely patient and polite, which I am sure you are;) And do not expect them to know what they are doing. They will fumble a bit, but you will get your TITLE and PLATES. Make sure they know you want both:)

Good luck, and let us know how your experience related to everyone else's!

Sam

I have contacted the Texas DOT and as SSSammy says compliance is straight forward however is there a minimum ride height a car must meet. No one seems to be able to tell me.
Bruce

Min ride height?
 

Bruce, I have not heard of a regulation on min ride height. If you called the DPS Waiver inspector cited in the above thread and he didn't know, then I would not worry.

The lowest point on mine is the oil pan at about 4 inches. This is not an area where less is more, unless you have a "track only" machine. Our urban roads here are terrible, with intersection dips and rail crossings being the likely places to bottom out.

Sam

Ditto......

thanks guys
Bruce

The only thing I remember about ride height is that no part of the car should extend lower than the lowest part of the rim. IE the height of the sidewall would be the min height. I do not have a legal site for you to review but that is something that stood out in my memory from a friend that built lowered mini-trucks in Texas in the past.

James

Thanks James
Thats probably a little lower than i was thinking. 3 1/2" and the car goes pretty well.
Bruce

Guys
I have checked everything with Texas DOT and my Australian RH Drive Cobra will pass all requirements except for
Headlight rule. The middle of the front lights must be 24 inches from the ground!!!! My lights are 21 inches. How the hell do your Cobras pass this rule or are my lights abnormally low.
Thanks
Bruce

No mention of it
 

Just measured mine at 22.5" .. but nobody mentioned it at inspection time. I know there are replica Cobras here that sit lower than mine. I'd risk it and see how it goes. Worst outcome, you might have to pre-load the springs higher for the inspection, or put on some taller tires, or both.

Sam

Thanks again SSSammy. I cant believe how leinient the rules are in Texas. No noise control just need an exhaust, no emmissions control (in McAllen),no filter issues, no chassis engineering tests, can do what you like to motor ie supercharger or nitrous, no wheel guards ie tyres can protrude past the guards.
Just need your lights at 24 inches and front seat belts. You can even have a cracked windscreen**) yep says that in the rules.
Just roll up to inspection show the receipts for motor and chassis and 10 imn check and done one Aussie Cobra with side pipes and nitrous on the road for cheaper than the cost to engineer it in Australia. What a place.
Bruce