Croc

And that is the real question! When I started my first import, it took forever to work out exactly what was allowed and what was not allowed. I found the odds of getting caught are very high since every one of my over 25 year imports was subject to the offsite special inspection. Very helpful for better understanding the rules but there were moments of farce in the process which make you realize you are sometimes have risk from inspectors who do not know their rules or even what is being imported. Having an experienced import agent makes all the difference in that type of situation as they know when to step in and anchor discussions based on the rules and stop you from being unwise. The level of inspection rate I experienced is unusual but I have since learned that they tend to focus on occasional importers rather than businesses.

Race cars require pre-approval of EPA prior to import process physically happening. The USCIS also like to ask questions and get documentation on what race series/category the car will be racing in, copies of driver's race license, etc. There is also a temporary race car import category but then you have to export after the required period is up. If you have a saloon race car with VIN plates then the over 25 year option for a road car is still open. The catch is whether its engine or emissions system has been radically altered to make it no longer a road car. The intent of the import law is to have cars that have not been modified. So if you had a carb fitted to what was previously a fuel injected vehicle then that would technically disqualify an import from going down the over 25 year import route.

I don't even want to know... I never believed the Caterham sales claims of 50 a year. When you pushed into the detail it included deliveries from prior year orders plus undelivered orders - so there was some miscounting going on. There were some years they sold a lot and some years where they sold none. Source for that were a few conversations late in the life of the old RMSCi ownership plus some Caterham HO discussions using my contacts. So if Caterham was selling for 30 years and some years sold 0 and some years sold 25-30 then there are probably 400 +/- 100 out there. Add a few imports of over 25 year cars. I would be surprised if the population gets over 500 cars in the States. One data point known is that there are 34 CSR chassis in the USA (soon to be 35) - there is a registry for those specific Caterhams.

I think we are thinking of 3 different Fiats, so for clarity: 1. I was thinking of a 1970 Fiat 124 like this. 2. Anker was thnking of a Fiat 127 like this (I think) 3. Panamericano is thinking of Miatas - the current model Fiat 124 Spider All very attractive cars in their own way.

I like that 308. Pity you need to have a front plate displayed. A brilliant piece of automotive styling.

LOL. Its a Ferrari when it behaves and its a Fiat when it does not. Fiat is the polite expression of a four letter word beginning with "F". I like 124s - sweet handling little things with lovely engines.

I was not slurring CA at all. By all means take us through how easy the CA process is for getting an over 25 yr foreign import vehicle through emissions. Its there. Its a Fiat when its misbehaving and its misbehaving. Did I pee in your cornflakes or something?

Be careful - you should not mix Federal and State. Over 25 years and original engine configuration plus a chassis plate with date of manufacture on it then the Federal authorities (USCIS)will let the car in. EPA allows from 23 years. No Federalization needed. Once in the country then to title and register you default to the State regs. CA emissions rules are rather particular. There are a few year by year loopholes but they are very limited. You can pay for the car to be made compliant with CA emissions (more stringent than Federal requirements) - someone paid to do that on my 1982 Fiat - it still has the CA validation plate bonded to the frame. NJ has an onerous foreign country proof of ownership validation process to go through before you can title a foreign import (over 25yr) car in the state. I ended up going down a bonded title process for some cars simply because certain countries require surrender of the original title documents on exit of the country while NJ require the originals (which had to be surrendered on export....sigh...I hate bureaucrats). I like FL...no requirements whatsoever. Sensible politicians and bureaucrats.

They are French - what more needs be said?

NEW WCM Ultralite 7 https://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/cto/d/fresno-race-car-lotus-super7/7051972631.html Lotus 7 S1 https://www.automotiverestorations.com/1958-lotus-seven REPEATS Lotus 7 S2 http://www.race-cars.com/carsales/lotus/1557321710/1557321710ss.htm Stalker http://www.race-cars.com/carsales/lotus/1437589044/1437589044ss.htm Caterham https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/dealer/caterham/super-7/2348148.html Caterham https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/cars-for-sale/caterham/unspecified/2320672.html Stalker https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/cars-for-sale/lotus/7/2167534.html Replica https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/cars-for-sale/lotus/super-seven/2289894.html Wharton 7 https://classiccars.com/listings/view/1299993/1978-lotus-seven-for-sale-in-cadillac-michigan-49601 Lotus 7 S2 https://classiccars.com/listings/view/1256976/1964-lotus-super-seven-for-sale-in-beverly-hills-california-90210 Birkin http://sodo-moto.com/listings/1990-birkin-seven-so-cal/ Birkin http://sodo-moto.com/listings/1991-birkin-seven/ Caterham http://britauto.com/portfolio-view/201216-nos-caterham-sv-roadsport/ Caterham http://britauto.com/portfolio-view/2000-caterham/ Caterham https://vintageracecarsales.com/portfolio-view/2013-caterham-seven-480/ Stalker https://www.ebay.com/itm/1965-Replica-Kit-Makes-Brunton-Stalker/303431040239?hash=item46a5e63cef:g:FwsAAOSw4dxeD8lq Lotus 7 S4 https://oklahomacity.craigslist.org/cto/d/ardmore-lotus-seven-series-4/7040053804.html Stalker https://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/cto/d/frisco-lotus-super-seven-brunton-super/7053739576.html Blakely 7 https://miami.craigslist.org/mdc/cto/d/miami-1980-lotus-7/7044898124.html Westfield https://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/cto/d/pompano-beach-1992-westfield-sei/7043938171.html Maxton https://denver.craigslist.org/ctd/d/longmont-1992-maxton-rollerskate-for/7050840532.html CANADA Deman SR7 Turbo https://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/oakville-halton-region/deman-sr7-2l-turbo-lotus-7-super-seven-caterham-replica/1478876272 Caterham https://www.kijiji.ca/v-classic-cars/oakville-halton-region/lotus-caterham-super-7/1454204099 MCC7 (Fejer) Project https://www.kijiji.ca/v-classic-cars/mississauga-peel-region/mcc-7/1432118799

I like your style in cars - what year/model on the 308? I have a soft spot for those. Have you thought about selling your wife on the health benefits of exercise in a cooler, maybe open, outside environment? Nautilus machines (and wives) do not rust do they? Empty garage space then for you to add another? Just a thought....

It means you use a US Government registered/approved agent to convert the car to be compliant with all elements of the US Government Federal rules for an automobile. So that means DOT standard compliant in everyway - bumpers, crash protection (including results of crash testing - minimum 2 cars destroyed in this - one front and one side plus may need an offset test with a third car), emissions, fuel tank, air bags, passenger ingress space, DOT approved lights, indicators, glass, instruments, soft materials, steering column, etc. Not going to happen with a seven. My Ferrari was a Federalized import in 1983 - still has the official badge from the process on the driver side door frame. There is a big out on this approach that many manufacturers take - You persuade the government that the car you are importing is identical in all relevant aspects to a car already imported/manufactured here as that has been approved previously for sale. Subaru follow this approach for some of their Impreza special editions where the body shell is the same and they up the hp to hotter and add lots of plastic aero things that millennials think look sexy on a car. Roadsterdriver has raised a fair question - there are many people who do bring in cars as "parts" but that is strictly forbidden as once the car is together (and road registered) then it is supposed to be imported as such not disassembled and imported as components. Given the forms require you to sign statutory statements of what you are doing then, if caught you have committed a Federal crime - financial penalties definitely and possible jail time await the lucky recipient. I think the Skyline GTR guys got 2 years but they had a repeated pattern. So maybe only 6-8 months of having a butthole that looks like the Japanese flag?

Maybe you should not? It could be entertaining to watch you roll the dice! :seeya:

You have read the rules I assume? 4 basic ways: 1) 25 years or older 2) race car 3) show and display 4) Federalize on import Any other way is going to be exposing you to risk. You can roll the dice and rely on being lucky but I don't think that is a good discussion topic for a public forum. Having imported more cars than nearly everyone on this forum, I would not roll the dice. I have always been subject to the optional special inspection. Given I did not take risks on my imports, I have always passed the inspections with flying colors. I like to sleep well at night.

There are some very skilled gentlemen on this forum who enjoy spending other people's money. We are going to have some fun!

You look like you are barely moving? Did you stall? Need a push? :jester:

For a stunning moment, I thought you may have purchased my first seven from Oz but then I read you said it was "unmolested" and figured it could not be my old car as mine had a few "encounters" in some vintage races. Dad used to call it 'Elvis' because it had so many hits. Congratulations on your purchase! Summer will be here soon.

Its not the easiest thing to do!

Yes. They always have required arm restraints for the last 5 or so years. I would never expect they would dial that requirement back.

I had heard this. PCA needs it I think. Their accident rate for their track days is fairly well known for being quite high - possibly due to so many cars being in a session. Other groups don't have the same level of incidents unless you look at SCCA Spec Pinata...sorry Miata or any NASA event. Anyway, turn up in a Caterham at a PCA HPDE event and you will not be able to run even if you have a HANS. Thanks to a forum member redecorating his Caterham at Lime Rock, they were banned nationally as PCA policy in the aftermath.

NEW Westfield http://www.dailyturismo.com/2019/12/lotus-7-clone-1992-westfield-sei.html and here https://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/cto/d/pompano-beach-1992-westfield-sei/7043938171.html Caterham https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/dealer/caterham/super-7/2348148.html Stalker https://www.ebay.com/itm/1965-Replica-Kit-Makes-Brunton-Stalker/303431040239?hash=item46a5e63cef:g:FwsAAOSw4dxeD8lq Lotus7 S4 https://oklahomacity.craigslist.org/cto/d/ardmore-lotus-seven-series-4/7040053804.html REPEATS Replica https://www.ebay.com/itm/2009-Lotus-Super-Seven/293373664468?hash=item444e6edcd4:g:GjQAAOSw3nNd6TeR Lotus 7 S2 https://www.ebay.com/itm/1964-Lotus-Super-Seven/223653636043?hash=item3412cba7cb:g:IRUAAOSwbzpdcqDW and https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/dealer/lotus/super-seven/2315081.html Lotus 7 S2 http://www.race-cars.com/carsales/lotus/1557321710/1557321710ss.htm Stalker http://www.race-cars.com/carsales/lotus/1437589044/1437589044ss.htm Caterham SV https://vintageracecarsales.com/portfolio-view/2013-caterham-seven-480/ Caterham https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/cars-for-sale/caterham/unspecified/2320672.html Stalker https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/cars-for-sale/lotus/7/2167534.html Replica https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/cars-for-sale/lotus/super-seven/2289894.html Birkin http://sodo-moto.com/listings/1990-birkin-seven-so-cal/ Birkin http://sodo-moto.com/listings/1991-birkin-seven/ Caterham SV http://britauto.com/portfolio-view/201216-nos-caterham-sv-roadsport/ Caterham http://britauto.com/portfolio-view/2000-caterham/ Wharton 7 https://classiccars.com/listings/view/1299993/1978-lotus-seven-for-sale-in-cadillac-michigan-49601 Blakely 7 https://miami.craigslist.org/mdc/cto/d/miami-1980-lotus-7/7044898124.html CANADA Caterhamhttps://www.kijiji.ca/v-classic-cars/oakville-halton-region/lotus-caterham-super-7/1454204099 Deman SR7 https://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/oakville-halton-region/deman-sr7-2l-turbo-lotus-7-super-seven-caterham-replica/1478876272 MCC7 (Fejer) Project https://www.kijiji.ca/v-classic-cars/mississauga-peel-region/mcc-7/1432118799

So with full fuel load and the wing attachments you are essentially at 2000 pounds for a Stalker XL? wow! A Caterham SV with full tanks is 1350 pounds - 650 pounds lighter. Whose been hitting those donuts eh? Where is the extra weight coming from if the Stalker with 3.8SC is at 1400 pounds? Engine is how much more? Frame? Larger fuel tank?

After reading that ad, I think he has not much chance of selling that car at the price he wants. I get he is thoroughly pissed off at Stalker for some issues but you don't throw a manufacturer under a bus and not expect that action to rub off on the car you have for sale. Secondly he misses the point with our cars - they are more highly strung and require a level of owner involvement in fettling to get them exactly right. They are not turn key Toyotas by nature. Thats why the driving experience is so special.

A Stalker XL weighs 2000 pounds???

Wiper arms are off a 60-70s era mini. Blades for that car will fit.