Import 1973 car with engine swap? Registering, MoT, etc

[EskimoArapaho]

Long ago, I imported a Japanese car, and did all of the necessary paperwork/mods to get registered, MoTed, etc. But that was a '96 model in '99.

I'm now looking at a 1973 car that's had an engine swap (more modern, 200cc extra, EFI and more power).

What are the likely issues involved in getting it on the road here?

• cost to buy = known
• cost to ship = known
• import duty = not sure - possibly zero if it's rare, I think?
• VAT = levied on buy price + shipping + duty
• conversion = some cost for fog light, etc
• MoT = presume this is easier for 1973 vehicles re emissions/etc, so the engine swap is not a complication
• IVA/SVA/etc = not relevant for a car of this age?
• registration = age related plate will be applied?
• car tax = none?

Any thoughts or other advice on whether an engine swap might throw a spanner in the importing process?

[TooMany2cvs]

EskimoArapaho said:

Long ago, I imported a Japanese car, and did all of the necessary paperwork/mods to get registered, MoTed, etc. But that was a '96 model in '99.

I'm now looking at a 1973 car that's had an engine swap (more modern, 200cc extra, EFI and more power).

What are the likely issues involved in getting it on the road here?

• cost to buy = known
• cost to ship = known
• import duty = not sure - possibly zero if it's rare, I think?
• VAT = levied on buy price + shipping + duty
• conversion = some cost for fog light, etc
• MoT = presume this is easier for 1973 vehicles re emissions/etc, so the engine swap is not a complication
• IVA/SVA/etc = not relevant for a car of this age?
• registration = age related plate will be applied?
• car tax = none?

Any thoughts or other advice on whether an engine swap might throw a spanner in the importing process?

Coming from outside the EU? So duty and VAT may be an issue.

MOT - no need for a fog light, pre-1980. No IVA for anything over 10yo. Yes, you'll get a '73 plate and historic vehicle free tax.

[EskimoArapaho]

Thanks for confirming some of my hopes. Yes, it's from the USA, so there's duty+VAT to pay. The USA paperwork should have the changed details (engine capacity and engine number) on them, so I assume the DVLA will just copy those into the relevant fields on the V5/database.

Alas, from other threads here, it's clear that the car is not historically interesting enough to qualify for the zero-duty/5%-VAT discount. Especially with an unoriginal engine change.

[uk66fastback]

EskimoArapaho said:

Thanks for confirming some of my hopes. Yes, it's from the USA, so there's duty+VAT to pay. The USA paperwork should have the changed details (engine capacity and engine number) on them, so I assume the DVLA will just copy those into the relevant fields on the V5/database.

Alas, from other threads here, it's clear that the car is not historically interesting enough to qualify for the zero-duty/5%-VAT discount. Especially with an unoriginal engine change.

What car is it? You don't know what their answer will be to a BTi application unless you fill in the forms and submit. Just put the bare details in ... You never know.