Business idea re converting and exporting kit cars

[singlecoil]

Inspired by Kubus's recent thread, I have been wondering about the possibility of somebody involved with kit cars, and with suitable facilities, of buying existing, correctly registered English kit cars, converting them to left hand drive, and offering them for sale on the Continent.

I reckon that a car such as the MK Indy, with car engine, could be converted relatively easily. Fair bit of work but nothing insurmountable.

Any thoughts?

[carsounds_dan]

I was intending on bringing it into my current business (rebuilding tired kit cars and track tools) but there are some massive barriers on the continent about kit cars.

[Gabber]

I think it is a great idee to convert the cars to left hand drive and sell them on the continent. I can only speak for the Netherlands and when the car has correct papers with it it is absolutly no problem to get a Dutch licence plate for it. For new cars (which are build brand new in Holland ) it is different matter because they have to go to the UK first and get the licence plate there first. After that no problem again to register them overhere. One thing is important the older the car the less taxes you have to pay when you want to register it.
Most distributers here in Holland are offering to convert the cars to left hand drive and asking around 2000 till 2500 euro's for it. With the current pound it could be very attractive to offer left handies direct from the UK. Hopes this helps a little.

[singlecoil]

carsounds_dan said:

I was intending on bringing it into my current business (rebuilding tired kit cars and track tools) but there are some massive barriers on the continent about kit cars.

Would you happen to know what those are, and in which countries they apply?

I have heard that entrepreneurs have been known to attend kit car shows in the UK with transporters, and buy and take several cars home with them. It's my understanding that the important thing is that they have already been correctly registered and are road legal in this country, but that actually registering a kit (that hasn't been previously registered) in parts of Europe is almost impossible.

[singlecoil]

Gabber said:

I think it is a great idee to convert the cars to left hand drive and sell them on the continent. I can only speak for the Netherlands and when the car has correct papers with it it is absolutly no problem to get a Dutch licence plate for it. For new cars (which are build brand new in Holland ) it is different matter because they have to go to the UK first and get the licence plate there first. After that no problem again to register them overhere. One thing is important the older the car the less taxes you have to pay when you want to register it.
Most distributers here in Holland are offering to convert the cars to left hand drive and asking around 2000 till 2500 euro's for it. With the current pound it could be very attractive to offer left handies direct from the UK. Hopes this helps a little.

I was typing when you posted that. Yes, it does help, thanks.

[Gabber]

Maybe you can check it but I thought that because of the European Union you can register a car everywhere in all the country's that are part of the union as long as the car has the correct papers for that car. For example the papers must mention the brand and type of the car. So Q plates are difficult or impossible.

[Dave Dax builder]

Some are more equal than others...
Some countries are easy and some (Spain and Italy for example) are much more difficult.

[Comadis]

depending in what price range you want to "operate" you can forget the idea, nobody over here in germany is willing to pay extra money for any service like that. people buy a RHD car in UK cause its cheaper and there arent much disadvantages in a open KIT with the steering on the wrong side.

[Pvapour]

YHM