Can you import a tvr into USA
Discussion
SILICONEKID340HP said:
Why are they so hot on safety when they have hot rods and choppers which are dangerous..Im sure they allow kits cars caterams etc..
+1. Just got back from the states last week and I have to say the average US driver is an idiot. Almost every car has a driver texting or their phone glued to their ear, most dont bother with seat belts, motorcyclists dont bother with helmets but atleast they all know how to use the horn! Makes me laugh when the TVR V8 is not allowed because of it's safety/emmisions. It's the driver not the car that's dangerous
i was led to believe that TVR's werent aloud in the US cos they dont have bumpers, but if you took them apart and assembled them over there then they can be classed as kit cars so therefore alowd, i think i was reading an article about it somewhere but not sure if i remembered it totally correctly, with regards the emissions, surely yank engines arent the most efficient in the world any way so would that matter? most of their engines are quite crude in fact, the big old 8 litre engines must chuck some crap out surely? lol
t1blk said:
Interesting....So just what would it take to make a V8 TVR street legal in the U.S.A. ?
It is quite easy to import to the US, if your car is more than 25 years old or on a one year visitor's visa. Otherwise I wouldn't bother. Many of the States (not the major ones) will allow "car parts", (i.e disassembled with engine, gearbox, exterior lights and loom out) to be reassembled and registered with a local State kitcar VIN. So you end up with disassembly costs, shipping, customs and brokerage fees, re-assembly costs, kitcar registration costs and a car with a degraded value and provenance. On the other hand, the US is a treasure trove for your engine parts. Most here forget that the Rover V8 was born in the USA where they made more in 3 years than Rover made in 35. For example, if you want a new pre-GEMS timing cover, they can only be had in the US.. not the UK.
The US prefers big capacity as their route to more power rather than higher and higher tuning levels. That keeps the lowdown torque up along with bhp. I would have thought that anyone on this side driving any V8 would agree with them
. And I would have to give the Chevy LS series (LS2, LS3, LS7, LS9) the prize for the most remarkable automobile engine on the planet in the last decade and for the foreseeable future. Light, compact, efficient, bullet proof, immensely powerful and inexpensive. As for US driving habits, I have to agree.
L.
Edited by plushuit on Sunday 27th November 17:21
NOT QUITE THAT SIMPLE Many have tried going the "Grey area" of the rules and I for one would be looking over my shoulder all the time for the big crushing machine that DOT owns if I tried that. There is a Cerb in Canada but it came in under the 15 year old conditions and I know someone who is trying to get a ruling here in Canada about using the "grey area" of kit car rulings but if it works, It will be damm expensiveand more than likely out of reach of the average car nut. They asked for a ruling back in May and 6 months later, NOTHING IN WRITING FROM DOT/GOVERNMENT.Verbally, sounds like there might be hope but like I said earlier EXPENSIVE and at what point will the normal person through up their hands and give up/surrender.
We have an Ultima GTR being built down the street and we even have our own molds and there are lots of hoops to jump through with that. And only certain documented ways of obtaining things as once complete the car still has to pass DOT.
There are stories about a Tuscan in Florida that a car dealer was selling (many times it went up for sale) and they say that they have legal road registration for the car.
(If they do have legal registration for that car,they have figured out how to print free money and they will import many cars, but I won't hold my breath on that happening any time soon.
I have even seen pics of (I take it,the said car) that were taken by a Brit on vacation in the west part of the U.S. of A. and posted on the internet. Picture isn't clear enough or close enough to tell if it had a dealer plate or not. A dealer plate might work for a short period of time but sooner or later that "Grey area" will be a thing of the past.
Most things (like Colonial TVR ownership or having the perfect wife/spouse) might be obtainable but at what costs????????
One province here in Canada has already banned importing RHD cars and we hear that other provinces are also looking at doing the same thing. If that does happen, what percentage of TVRs were built LHD???????? and what will be the odds on getting one legally on this side of the pond.
Every so often a thread like this one pops up and many people get excited about owning a TVR on this side of the pond (and I for one would give my left nut for a Saggy) but we must all wake up and smell the coffee. Hopefully Paul (Unrepentant??) will show up and post his experiences about bringing his car over to the Colonies and the best he could do was 12 months and then it would have to go back to where it came from. He ended up settling on buying a nice Wedge over here.
WE CAN ALL DREAM THAT ONE DAY, NEWER STYLE TVRs WILL BE ALLOWED ON THIS SIDE OF THE POND.
We have an Ultima GTR being built down the street and we even have our own molds and there are lots of hoops to jump through with that. And only certain documented ways of obtaining things as once complete the car still has to pass DOT.
There are stories about a Tuscan in Florida that a car dealer was selling (many times it went up for sale) and they say that they have legal road registration for the car.
(If they do have legal registration for that car,they have figured out how to print free money and they will import many cars, but I won't hold my breath on that happening any time soon.
I have even seen pics of (I take it,the said car) that were taken by a Brit on vacation in the west part of the U.S. of A. and posted on the internet. Picture isn't clear enough or close enough to tell if it had a dealer plate or not. A dealer plate might work for a short period of time but sooner or later that "Grey area" will be a thing of the past.
Most things (like Colonial TVR ownership or having the perfect wife/spouse) might be obtainable but at what costs????????
One province here in Canada has already banned importing RHD cars and we hear that other provinces are also looking at doing the same thing. If that does happen, what percentage of TVRs were built LHD???????? and what will be the odds on getting one legally on this side of the pond.
Every so often a thread like this one pops up and many people get excited about owning a TVR on this side of the pond (and I for one would give my left nut for a Saggy) but we must all wake up and smell the coffee. Hopefully Paul (Unrepentant??) will show up and post his experiences about bringing his car over to the Colonies and the best he could do was 12 months and then it would have to go back to where it came from. He ended up settling on buying a nice Wedge over here.
WE CAN ALL DREAM THAT ONE DAY, NEWER STYLE TVRs WILL BE ALLOWED ON THIS SIDE OF THE POND.
SILICONEKID340HP said:
You could break the car down stick it in the container ,then do a restoration project in the usa.Job done..
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