>On Tue, 17 Jan 1995, elfking wrote: > >> i was recently informed by someone i do not know that when importing a car >> into the us it must meet us safety standards for its manufacture year. is >> this true. if so would customs inspect a brazilian bus as a 1995 or a a 1975 >> (if those are the specs they are made to). >> >> -avery >> > > >To import an automobile into the US, it must meet the US standards >as of the date the automobile was manufactured, not designed. Alas, the >Brazilian busses are not importable, without *major* mods. Some will be >impossible. Finding "DOT" lenses for the lights might be possible if >they really did reuse the mid-70's fixtures, but installing 1995 site >impact protection (and certifying it by crashing a couple of vans) and >getting an airbag system installed would drive the cost *way* beyond >reality. I looked into this back a bit when I lusted after an East >German "Carboard Car". Even getting a cerifiable manufacture date proved >impossible. If you want a car that was manufactured outside the US and >it was not on the road by Jan 1, 1968, and the owner does not have good >records, you are setting yourself up for major heartbreak. Even with >all the record, it will still cost a minimum of ~$1500 for certification >through one of the few DOT licensed importers. > > H Steven Dolan > dworkin@netcom.com > > It must be possible somehow. MOFOCO here in Milwaukee has three (at least, that's how many I saw, they may have more for all I know) white double cab brazilian made late eighties pickups. They don't have license plates, nor do they have VIN's as far as I could tell. They are parked out in the lot during the day, and driven inside the garage overnight. I was there when they were moving them and they sound great!!! Dean
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