[alfa] re: ES30 import

[Joe Elliott <jee@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

The rule is called "Show and Display" importation, the idea being 
that you'd only drive the car to shows, etc.  I've often thought this 
would be the best way to import an SZ.  The "500 or fewer" thing 
would seem to get in the way, but the rules say that "If the answer 
to item 4 [Whether more than 500 of the vehicles were produced] is 
affirmative, the applicant must establish that the vehicle is of 
exceptional technological and/or historical significance. "  And if 
you look at the list of vehicles that have already been approved for 
Show and Display importation 
(http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/import/ShowDisplay/sdlist.html), 
one thing stands out--the BMW Z1, of which ~9000 were produced.  So 
if someone can convince NHTSA of the SZ's "exceptional technological 
and/or historical significance," importint them should be no problem. 
You'd just have to import about 4 of them since you're limited to 
2500 miles a year!  URL is 
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/import/ShowDisplay/, by the way.

-Joe


At 2:14 PM +0000 5/26/04, alfa-digest wrote:

> Date: Wed, 26 May 2004 08:54:12 -0400
> From: "Scott Johnson" <scott@domain.elided>
> Subject: [alfa] ES30 import
>
> There were some recent and extensive changes in US auto import laws
> regarding very low production "older" exotic cars. These laws were
> apparently written expressly to allow some rich guys to drive their
> porsche 959s around in Redmond, but they might also work for il
> Monstero. Here's a brief summary I found:
>
> "If 500 or fewer cars were produced, if they werent currently produced,
> if they were never U.S.-legal, and if they were rareyou could import
> them without having to pass DOT standards. As long as they met EPA
> standards and were driven no more than 2500 miles per year, theyd be
> legal."
>
> http://www.amcgltd.com/archives/003173.html
>
> Scott Johnson
> 71 1750 Spider
> Alfa Spider FAQ Author
--
to be removed from alfa, see /bin/digest-subs.cgi
or email "unsubscribe alfa" to majordomo@domain.elided