Registering a US barn find

Registering a US barn find

Author
Discussion

DDave79

Original Poster:

25 posts

172 months

Monday 6th November 2017
quotequote all
Hi all,

Considering buying a barn find without a title for importing and restoring. Guidelines on dvla are a little fuzzy on cars without valid foreign reg. and suggest something about 'proof of date of manufacture'.

How hard is this, in practice, and how 'difficult' are the dvla on it?

Many thanks for thoughts

Dave

SRT Hellcat

7,017 posts

216 months

Monday 6th November 2017
quotequote all
you need to really look into this. You may well have a big problem stateside with US Customs if the car is not titled

DDave79

Original Poster:

25 posts

172 months

Monday 6th November 2017
quotequote all
Thanks for the steer, well worth investigating!

As it happens, car is in Connecticut , a state that does not require title for cars over 20 yrs old.

US customs will release pending this confirmation.. Which is a pro Forma letter located below.

http://www.ct.gov/dmv/lib/dmv/title_letter.pdf

aeropilot

34,302 posts

226 months

Thursday 9th November 2017
quotequote all
DDave79 said:
Hi all,

Considering buying a barn find without a title for importing and restoring. Guidelines on dvla are a little fuzzy on cars without valid foreign reg. and suggest something about 'proof of date of manufacture'.

How hard is this, in practice, and how 'difficult' are the dvla on it?
Its just got harder, but not horrendous if you are doing a back to stock restoration.

You won't now be able to get a plate assigned to the car after importing as needs to be roadworthy, complete etc. DVLA send out an inspector from SGS now on pre-65 cars especially, to make sure ID, and roadworthiness to get a plate. You'll need to keep all the NOVA import documentation etc for when the resto is finished. You'll also need a proof of date of manufacture if car will be in the 'historic' VED rate. If car still has visible VIN etc., then this is straightforward via a letter and inspection from a one make car club/specialist in that type of car. Possible worth doing before the car is exported from USA if there is no suitable club/person in UK to do this later on when resto is finished.
You'll now need to be very careful about what gets replaced etc., and keeps notes of the restoration to prove crap to DVLA when you apply for a reg number.