Is there anybody here who is smart on the current import rules? I'm specifically wondering if I were to change the engine in my 1986 Mini (started life as a Piccadilly and has a 998 A+ currently).
So I picked up this car in a trade in November of 2016. I got it as a project as the guy thought it had blown a head-gasket. I took it to a Mini specific place about 20 miles from my house and they confirmed it was the head-gasket. They fixed it for me in December of 2016. I had to deploy to the middle east in January of 2017 so I stuck it in the garage until I got back late July. From July until last month I've been working to get it to pass MOT. It does need some more work before I'll consider it road worthy.
Since I had the head-gasket replaced late 2016 the car has probably only been driven about 100 or so miles. I have been starting it up and letting it run for a while and sometimes drive it around for a couple miles at a time every other day or so. I have come to noticed that the coolant level keeps dropping and I'm having to top it up frequently. Plus, there's evidence of chocolate milkshake on the bottom of the oil cap.
Next week I'm taking it back to the place that did the head-gasket for some other work and plan on telling them about what's been going on. I'm thinking the worst case scenario is that the block is cracked somewhere.
So, that leads me to my import question. There is a very good chance I'll be moving back to the states this summer. If the Mini doesn't have its original engine, is it still able to be imported into the states? I'm trying to determine if I should unload this car if the diagnosis is bad enough.
Sorry for the rambling message!
Head could be warped or cracked. If they did a gasket but didn't check the head, it's probably the head.
I have herd things both ways about requiring the original engine to import from the UK. The US Customs folks at some ports are very picky about it and others are not.
Most of the east coast ports seem to be the picky ones. The ports along the Gulf seem to be the more lenient.
If the UK paperwork shows the same engine number as is in the car and the engine is still a proper Mini engine, then the chances of clearing fine seem to go up as well.
If the car has had radical modifications (example: converted to a "shorty"), the likelihood of easy entry goes down regardless of the engine and/or port of entry.
I imported my 1988 Mini just about three years ago from the UK. It was born with the 998 but it had a 1275 installed before it came in this country. I don't remember exactly but I don't think there was anything on the V5C document that said it it was a 1 liter car. ( i'm on the road now or I would look at my copies of the paperwork to verify). Anyway, as I remember it there's two pieces of importation paperwork that must be completed. One of them is the HS7 which attests to the fact that the car is 25 or more years old, and a second piece of documentation is an EPA document in which there is a box to be checked indicate that the engine is the same type as was installed in the car originally and that the engine is at least 21 years old. So I had no problems checking that box because an A-series engine is an A-series engine. My car's engine was missing its ID plate because it had been rebuilt, but I don't think any engine number is even on a V5C - so no paperwork to compare against.
In my mind the most important thing to ensure is that the VIN plate on the car is the true one and matches the VIN number stamped on the windshield scuttle panel. In other words, the car is what it supposed to be. That is very important because US customs are very attuned to any Minis that have been re-VIN'd.
When I get back home I will look through my paperwork and post what I found here.
Thanks for the replies, guys. Bruce, your recent experience makes me think it's not a total pain like I've been hearing.
I'll post an update when I have it at the shop next week. What they end up finding will determine my decision to either hang on to it or pass it along.
No, it's not a total pain at all. Actually, it's a pretty simple process.
Okay, I am back home now and can look through my importation paperwork. Here's what I found: The V5C does indeed note engine size and engine number. However, no engine size or number is even mentioned on the import forms used on the US side.
Specifically:
- The US Customs HS-7 Declaration simply asks for the car's VIN and then Box 1 is checked to indicate date of manufacture (to confirm it is 25+ years old). The month and year of when the car was first registered is typically used since obviously it must have been built before it could have been registered.
- On the EPA 3520-1 Declaration form box E is checked under the EPA Exempted Vehicles section to indicate that "...Vehicles at least 21 years old with replacement engines are not eligible for this exemption unless they contain equivalent or newer EPA certified engines...". Since my car had an equivalent engine, no worries. But if my car had a Suzuki Hayabusa motorcycle engine in the boot powering the rear wheels, then I could not have used this exemption.
So all the import forms just need the VIN and nothing else - no engine ID numbers requested. And when I titled and registered the car in my state, there were questions or review of the engine either - the state just wants its fees.
As I posted earlier, the thing I would really concentrate on is ensuring there is no monkey business with the VIN and the car is truly 25 years old. As long that that is honest, you should have no problems with Customs or the import process. Oh, and make sure you complete part 11 of the V5C to notify the DVLA that the car will be permanently exported.
I found the US government websites and info on importing to be pretty helpful: https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/435/~/importing-a-car-or-vehicle---obtaining-epa-form-3520-1-and-dot-form-hs-7
Bruce,
Thanks for all of that info, that is good news. I'm going to save that site to my faves.
More good news is that the engine (head or block) are not toast. The shop checked it out and said the radiator was leaking and that the milkshake on the bottom of the oil cap was mostly due to condensation. I guess that makes sense as when I was running the engine it wasn't for very long, just enough to get up to temp and putt around where I work.
They found that my steering rack is toast (I'm guessed as much) and the steering column was bent (didn't suspect that!). So they're fixing that for me this coming week. (I know I could fix those myself but with work, family, and other life stuff I'm in a time crunch.
And, it's pretty cool to have a mini shop 20 miles away--UK life!)
So, the plan is back on so that if we do end up back stateside this summer, the mini is coming.
Thanks again, gents.
Steering rack replacement with the engine in is a major pita, so be glad you're not doing that job.
Great news, can't wait to see it in it's new home.
Bent steering column, I can't even imagine HOW that happened unless it was in an accident.
Yeah, it nice to be able to take it to a place to do a "not-fun" job. On the plus side, I can help keep a mini garage in business.
Nuts about the bent steering column. I guess you never know what these old cars have been through over the years.
Bruce is right on... I also imported my '82 two years ago. No reason to duplicate Bruce's attention to detail. VIN and year seem to be the main focus. Then depending on where you will be moving back to, move state officials won't even know what your car is and won't bother with engine size/numbers. They will merely look at VIN, color, make and year for State Title. Some states don't even offer titles for cars older than 1985.