The reality of importing a car to the USA
Discussion
dvs_dave said:
Nothing to stop you importing a roller, then putting an engine from another type approved car that you've purchased in the US and then using that vehicles title. That then falls into the kit car/specially constructed vehicle. Difficulties arise if you want to use the original Speed 6 engine.
Take your pick, something with an LS, or to keep it British, Jag have a couple of solid power trains that could be dropped in.
As an FYI all the later cars have DOT approved glass (my Tuscan does) so that's that particular difficulty handily solved.
Sure there is, its called federal law. Take your pick, something with an LS, or to keep it British, Jag have a couple of solid power trains that could be dropped in.
As an FYI all the later cars have DOT approved glass (my Tuscan does) so that's that particular difficulty handily solved.
Specifically its illegal to import a previously assembled car, remove the engine and import it as a kit car. As far as the DOT and EPA are concerned, unless the car is sold by the manufacturer as a kit car (Noble) then it is not a kit car. And as far as the DOT/EPA are concerned there's no way you're importing that car as a specially constructed vehicle.
Not legally anyway.
Now, CAN you import one? Sure you can, just like cocaine. Doesn't make it legal.
dvs_dave said:
The first two pics are of cars either with a Florida plate or in what's almost certainly Florida based on the palm trees. Its pretty much common knowledge that its rather easy to get almost anything registered and titled in Florida. That doesn't mean the car is here legally. 
The black car has a dealer plate on it, that certainly doesn't prove that its here legally. I have dealer plates, I can put them on whatever I want.
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