Date: Sat, 5 Feb 2005 22:23:40 -0700
Reply-To: jimt <camper@TACTICAL-BUS.INFO>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: jimt <camper@TACTICAL-BUS.INFO>
Subject: Re: I need advice/help getting a letter of conformity
In-Reply-To: <8a.1ff99890.2f36f445@aol.com>
Content-type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1"
>
> a "RI" is a Registered Importer. but, im curious too, as to what jeff was
> eluding to with the "$7000"?? a RI's fee is usually just a few hundred
> dollars.
>
> chris
>
>
Depends on the vehicle and if a letter of conformity is available, and what
needs to be done to make it conform.
A letter of conformity is the absolute cheapest route and usually only has
some minor exceptions mentioned in them. I.e. Federal emissions not CA, or
speedo/tach need replace.
If the vehicle is not in a standard listing of import then there is
another whole list of items that must be met. Most vehicles in this class
never make it out of the bonding yard. The costs are extremely prohibitive.
If a vehicle that has been "typed" in the US system it is expensive but not
necessarily prohibitive. An example of a vehicle I used to see sent to the
US from japan when I was stationed over their was the Fair Lady. An extreme
luxury version that had a US "type" vehicle. Exported it went straight to a
bonding yard at the port. Here it got tricky. You always shipped to
seattle or new orleans and not california or new jersey. (donΉt know about
how their rules are now though) at the port of entry the RI would take
possession of the vehicle and then pull and change the windshield for the US
spec one and would change out the fuel filler port for the US spec one.
DonΉt remember what the other changes were but I remember there were a
couple of other minor things that changed as well. That was 15 years ago
and prices then were about 1000 bucks picked up from the RI.
If shipped into a california port you needed more bonding paperwork to get
it out of the RI bond lot and had something like 3 business days from
leaving the bonding lot to having it out of the state. Unless of course you
had lots of money to have it also brought up to california emissions code.
I remember some vehicles were so common on the shipping that the military
transport offices even had checklists for some of them as to about what
costs would run you, things you could replace before shipping, and what
ports to use and even where in the port the RI was located.
For what was called a "not typed" vehicle, the notes just said . DonΉt do
it!
For a vanagon with no letter, I would bet on a speedo change, possible fuel
filler change, seat belts, maybe turn signal or brake light lenses (some
countries permit various colors), the right glass cert on the windshield,
and depending on year, the side and rear glass.
jimt
Planned insanity is best.
Remember that sanity is optional.
http://www.tactical-bus.info (tech info)
http://www.westydriver.com
