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Old Car Importation

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  • Old Car Importation

    Howdy,

    I know some of ya'll out there have delt with this or have looked into it but I'm interested in the following situation.

    I'd like to import a car sometime in the future that would be over 21yrs old but I have no intention of keeping the original engine and transmission. Would I be able to import it without an engine or would it be easier to import it with an engine that I'd quickly junk? Also what are the EPA and DoT requirements for getting such a vehicle to be road legal?

    Thanks,
    Central TEXAS Sleeper
    USAF Physicist

    ROA# 9790

  • #2
    Re: Old Car Importation

    I can contact some of my EPA buddies on my upcoming trip and find out the emissions requirements. California is different, so you'll have to contact them separately if that affects you. Dunno on the safety requirements. I'll get back to you on the EPA stuff on a week or so.

    Dan

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    • #3
      Re: Old Car Importation

      First place to look would be your own state laws....mostly they're online these days.

      My fabulous web page

      "If it don't go, chrome it!" --Stroker McGurk

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      • #4
        Re: Old Car Importation

        I don't know about EPA regs, but in NC it is best to keep it as original as possible, hopefully running, when you get the DMV guys to inspect it. Then you can change it all you want, once you've got the NC title.

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        • #5
          Re: Old Car Importation

          sounds like international intrigue
          what did the foreigners build in 1987 that was so crazy
          a 959 ? bill gates has one , even he can't drive it on the streets here

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          • #6
            Re: Old Car Importation

            I would guess that any car made in India 20 years ago would have zero chance of passing any applicable safety or emissions laws in the US. The question is, can you sneak it in and register it anyways?
            My fabulous web page

            "If it don't go, chrome it!" --Stroker McGurk

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            • #7
              Re: Old Car Importation

              Its a Hindustan Motors Ambassador and I like it, the wife likes it and loves the idea of having one in the US and our Indian friends who work for automanufactures here are actually pushing the idea of one with a V8. Its actually a relatively unmodified Morris Oxford that Hindustan Motors took over total production of in 1957. The car is almost unchanged since and were legal in the UK after being fitted with a Cat and a heater.
              Central TEXAS Sleeper
              USAF Physicist

              ROA# 9790

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              • #8
                Re: Old Car Importation


                couldn't you just buy hilman ?

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Old Car Importation

                  it would be older....



                  or just get a 51 dodge and be done with it

                  My fabulous web page

                  "If it don't go, chrome it!" --Stroker McGurk

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                  • #10
                    Re: Old Car Importation

                    My dad brought a Mercedes in from Germany in the early 80's. Basically the car has to pass DOT regulations before if can even try to pass EPA reg's. Basically you have to have the right type of lights on the car and there was a bar that had to be installed in the doors for crash purposes. The car also had to have cat's and an EGR setup. As for passing Emissions(EPA) that all depends where you live. So counties don't require emissions testing, so you'd be good to go. Even here in Phoenix you can insure your car as a collector car and you don't have to do emissions. That's what I'll be doing with the Camaro. Only catch is the car has to be more than 15 years old.

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                    • #11
                      Re: Old Car Importation

                      I'd try to get a really old car, like from before 1968, wife's folks brought a 1966 benz over and didn't have to do anything to it, even left the euro headlights on it. Although that was a long time ago that they imported it...1979?

                      My fabulous web page

                      "If it don't go, chrome it!" --Stroker McGurk

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                      • #12
                        Re: Old Car Importation

                        IN NJ . they don't even want old cars on the road

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                        • #13
                          Re: Old Car Importation

                          Originally posted by SpiderGearsMan
                          IN NJ . they don't even want old cars on the road
                          One more reason added to my list of why not to live there.
                          "Somewhere the zebra is dancing". Garth Stein's The art of racing in the rain.

                          Matt

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                          • #14
                            Re: Old Car Importation

                            I don't think I could find one that old, cars don't last terribly long in India as they don't maintain them very well, most don't even know how to open the hood (bonnet).

                            I want an Ambassador specifically, end of that discussion and if I find you crapping in my threads any more Spidey I'll get more than just annoyed.
                            Central TEXAS Sleeper
                            USAF Physicist

                            ROA# 9790

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Old Car Importation

                              Might look in Skyline forums for info. A guy in town recently got a skyline, I could ask him what he went thru, or if he got it from someone else.

                              My fabulous web page

                              "If it don't go, chrome it!" --Stroker McGurk

                              Comment

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