by "MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s" (mastermario)
Published 11/28/2017 at 16:11
by "MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s" (mastermario)
Published 11/28/2017 at 16:11
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STARS: 0
Is it legal to import a car before the 25 year age limit if it won’t be registered or used on public roads? Say I want to import something to use as a track car only and will get trailered to events but it’s younger than 1992...can I?
The government being the way it is I’m going to go ahead and assume that it’s a no, but I’m having trouble finding a solid answer to this.
M3 for your time
"HammerheadFistpunch" (hammerheadfistpunch)
11/28/2017 at 16:13, STARS: 7
nopity nope nope. its the import not the use.
"Roadster Man" (roadsterman)
11/28/2017 at 16:22, STARS: 1
correct!
"MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s" (mastermario)
11/28/2017 at 16:23, STARS: 0
Well that sucks...stupid laws
"MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s" (mastermario)
11/28/2017 at 16:24, STARS: 0
Kinja appears to have eaten my image...here it is again
"HammerheadFistpunch" (hammerheadfistpunch)
11/28/2017 at 16:25, STARS: 0
Correct.
"E90M3" (e90m3)
11/28/2017 at 16:26, STARS: 5
Well that sucks...stupid laws Mercedes-Benz
"ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com" (ita97)
11/28/2017 at 16:33, STARS: 2
https://one.nhtsa.gov/cars/rules/import/Racing/Racing.html
You sure can, provided that is was a purpose built race car (meaning it was never a street car with a VIN type number) from its original construction. For things that were originally motor vehicles that are later used or built as racecars, the answer is a bit more complicated. If past the 25 year mark, yes. If younger than 25, then only temporarily under the racing exclusion.
"WRXforScience" (WRXforScience)
11/28/2017 at 16:34, STARS: 2
There are some exceptions to the import rule for historically significant cars, but if your “racecar” was made from a production car you are pretty much out of luck.
People have done things like import cars as parts and assemble locally, which can be done legally for a racecar (usually this is done to circumvent the import restrictions and the cars get seized and crushed while the owners are brought up on smuggling and/or tax evasion charges).
Short answer is: no.
Longer answer: maybe, but don’t ever try to do any paperwork with it and never have it on a public road.
The whole endeavor is going to be expensive, time consuming, frustrating, and not worth the trouble. It would be easier to take an American version and clone the desired vehicle.
"ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com" (ita97)
11/28/2017 at 16:39, STARS: 3
Ahem, https://one.nhtsa.gov/cars/rules/import/Racing/Racing.html
Probably half of the purpose-built cars at any SCCA race are here this way, as there are as many manufactures of formula cars and sports racers from outside the US as there are here.
"vicali" (vicali)
11/28/2017 at 16:44, STARS: 1
probably just easier to move to Canada..
"HammerheadFistpunch" (hammerheadfistpunch)
11/28/2017 at 16:48, STARS: 2
“Obtain from the vehicle’s original manufacturer a letter stating that the vehicle was originally manufactured as a racing vehicle.”
i.e. It can’t have been a road legal vehicle.
"LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com" (limitedtimeonly)
11/28/2017 at 16:50, STARS: 0
“Obtain from the vehicle’s original manufacturer a letter stating that the vehicle was originally manufactured as a racing vehicle.”
Hmm. Seems like MasterMario was not thinking of a car manufactured to race, even though he wrote about dedicated track use. I may be projecting. I find that link very educational.
"LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com" (limitedtimeonly)
11/28/2017 at 16:52, STARS: 0
Great minds focus on the same sentence.
"ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com" (ita97)
11/28/2017 at 16:59, STARS: 0
If you check the box for permanent importation, you’re correct. If you check the other box on the form for temporary importation, it can most certainly be a road car (newer than 25 years old)that was converted into a racer. This is also very commonly done thing. You basically just supply the information on the car, and you have to tell them exactly where and when you’re going to play with it. The process works the same as a temporary importation of show and display cars.
“A motor vehicle that was not originally manufactured as a racing vehicle can only be imported on a temporary basis under Box 7 on the HS-7 Declaration form. The importer must obtain a letter of permission from NHTSA to import a vehicle on that basis. To obtain such a letter, the vehicle must be in full racing configuration at the time of importation and lack features associated with safe and practical public road use. Determinations are based on the capability of the vehicle to be used on public roads, not its intended use.”
"ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com" (ita97)
11/28/2017 at 17:04, STARS: 0
After you give Porsche North America a check for $213,000, this would be how your new GT3 cup car get delivered to your door. It is also how racers buy about half of the new formula cars and sports racers out there.