Importing & registering a kit car from the states??

[LarJammer]

I've been a fan of the Bill Thomas Cheetah since..... well, forever. Now a company in the states is offering a replica which looks to be good quality. So what would be involved in getting one on the road in the UK? Would it be cheaper to buy it in kit form or buy a ready built car (possibly subject to VAT and duty?).

Having a quick scan through the manual I'm concerned it wouldn't even pass the test - 'E' marked windscreen, lamp positions, door latches & various radii being possible issues.

If you don't know what a cheetah is get the tissues ready:

[crbox]

See new post entitled Cheetah under American Cars or Yank Motors. Posted today by complete coincidence!

[Steve_D]

Importing and getting a built car through IVA will be more problematic.

As a kit you will be in a possition to address IVA issues as you go along.
Light positions will be your biggest issue so I would start by getting the supplier to supply measurements. It must have fog and reverse lights. The fog light is the only light that has to be E marked. There are ways to resolve the screen marking.

Steve

[Paul.B]

LarJammer said:

There are many, many things on this car that would fail an IVA but most look like easy fixes. (Sharp edges, wheels sticking out etc.) When 'others' have imported kits from the States they have had big issues getting them through IVA as the kit was never designed with the test in mind. The first question should be 'Has anyone else done it and passed the test?'

[LarJammer]

Afaik noone has imported one of these before.....

[rdodger]

E marked glass, light heights and exhaust edges would be the biggest issues I would imagine. Correct offset wheels are easy enough.

The rest is general stuff. It depends really if you have the time, skill and patience to build it to pass. I wouldn't expect much support from the factory to get it through IVA.

[Flying Toilet]

Someone I know was looking at importing a ex-drag racing Cheetah recently, ill find out from him what he is upto and what the outcome was.

He is very local to us both too Ant, Lavendon in fact...

Edit scrap that, think it was a fibreglass trends one, this one if I remember rightly:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1965-FIBERGLASS-TRENDS-CHE...

Edited by Flying Toilet on Friday 7th June 13:52

[LarJammer]

If hes got it running i should hear it as i drive through olney!

[PaulKemp]

A quick look and I only see windscreen markings as an issue
Light heights look fine compared with other kits on the road now
Exhaust just needs a rolled edge fitting
Wheel coverage may need some lateral thinking
For instance an old kit recently put through IVA failed on swept front wings so black cycle wings were put on under the swept wings.

[Yazza54]

Would you not be better off having them register it over there then bring it here as an import? Surely that's possible as people have been importing foreign cars for years.

[Steve_D]

Yazza54 said:

Would you not be better off having them register it over there then bring it here as an import? Surely that's possible as people have been importing foreign cars for years.

It will still have to pass an IVA test when it gets here.

Steve

[dingocooke]

Yazza54 said:

Would you not be better off having them register it over there then bring it here as an import? Surely that's possible as people have been importing foreign cars for years.

Correct, if the car has title in the states, you can import, pay your duty, and the V5c will reflect the title it had in the states. No need for IVA, but it will need an MOT if over 3 years old. Most yankee car imports here are registered this way, including replicas, kits and rods.
Your local DVLA office has a form for importing a car, or you can download it off t'internet...enjoy!!

[smash]

Pretty sure it needs to be over 10 years old to avoid IVA on import

[Steve_D]

smash said:

Pretty sure it needs to be over 10 years old to avoid IVA on import

Exactly what I was told today whilst at the IVA test centre.

Steve