Importing Caterhams

[dazza]

Brand new member here. Owned a couple of Caterhams in the UK (K Series) and am now about to take delivery of a 420 in kit form. Planning to bring it over to California (where I live) at some stage but does anyone have experience of the process. I have been through the various EPA guidance and it looks like quite a challenge....

[mrmustang]

Brand new member here. Owned a couple of Caterhams in the UK (K Series) and am now about to take delivery of a 420 in kit form. Planning to bring it over to California (where I live) at some stage but does anyone have experience of the process. I have been through the various EPA guidance and it looks like quite a challenge....

 

California is actually getting easier these days, do a search of "SB100"

[breezy7]

Try asking at the California Caterham Club site

http://californiacaterhamclub.com/chat/index.php

[Shoe String Racing]

The SB-100 deal is really beneficial compared to the red tape morass one would expect in CA. Just calling your car a 1960's vintage to be exempt from smog is unbelievable to me. But true. Start here:

 

http://home.thegrid.net/~ffr4776/SB100_Registration.pdf

 

 

My actual story probably doesn't help you if you're building the car yourself, but here's how easy it was for an out of state registered car.

 

http://stalkercars.forumotion.com/t162-sb-100-and-out-of-state-built-cars

 

Good luck.

[darylwal77]

Thanks for all your replies, I'll keep you posted on the process and share a guide when I'm through it.

 

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

[Rizone]

I am trying to do the same in NJ. Not to hijack the thread - but does anyone have specific info in registering a completely assembled one with ford duratec engine?

[Croc]

Rizone - I suggest you PM MrMustang as he has always said on this forum it is easy. So he knows something that no-one else has been able to work out. If that does not help, then PM me offline - I have 2 Caterhams in NJ and used to have another NJ Caterham that I sold and so can talk you through the process I experienced on a variety of sevens and share what each other individual seven owner has done in NJ since 2008.

 

Sorry thread hijack is over.

[mrmustang]

I am trying to do the same in NJ. Not to hijack the thread - but does anyone have specific info in registering a completely assembled one with ford duratec engine?

 

Bottom line these days (after changes made in April 2016), if buying a car using a modern day drivetrain, you are forced to use the new and improved NJ "Kit Car" process. A call to the NJ DMV 609-292-6500 (extension 5064) will get you the "Kit Car Package", follow the instructions enclosed, and you'll be good to go.

 

If you are buying a previously titled car out of state with a modern drivetrain installed, you will either have to pass emissions inspection (OBD style port required, along with a trip to your friendly neighborhood reinspection station if you fail the state emissions test), or you may have to go through the NJ "kit car" process and have the car reclassified in the system.

 

If you are buying a car with a vintage drivetrain (pre-1976), then you'll need to provide a letter to the DMV so they can base their emissions (in their system)testing off the year of the engine block.

 

Worst case scenario, you'll have to petition the NJ DMV and go through the NJ kit car process from scratch. Not has hard as it was in the past, but can be tedious and time consuming.

 

Bill S.