US cross country roadtrip: Importing a Ford Model A with a twist (1 Viewer)

[bikemaniac]

Hi,

My plans for the summer are:

Taking my 1930 Ford Model A with Danish license plates and a Danish title, drive it from Copenhagen to Bremerhaven put it on a Roro ferry and ship it to New York. Here I will do a cross country road trip following the Lincoln Highway to San Fransisco (some 3300 miles). As an adventure I will do all repairs on the roadside. In San Fransisco I want to sell the car (maybe using Ebay) and fly back home to Denmark again. Again, I have to stress, I want to sell the car in the US - I have no intentions for bringing it all the way back again. I am NOT a US citizen.

Getting insurance on a foreign vehicle with foreign title and plates is no problem with Hagertys. Even being a foreigner. Insurance is no problem.

The problems arise in customs (in New York) at the harbor and this is where I need some advice from the experts here:

1. As far as I am aware I can legally and very easy import a car as a tourist, drive it around US for 90 days and reexport it again. I think they will stamp my passport with vehicle details and when leaving the US they will be looking in my passport for the export stamp again - if it misses I have a problem. At least this is the way it works all over Africa . I dont want that option of reexporting the car again.

2. Then there is the idea of making a normal import at the harbor. Paying some duty/import taxes (not an issue) and have it registered on US plates with a US registration. Then the car has been legally imported and I can legally sell it whenever I want. I am not too happy about this solution because I wanted the gimmick of driving a 86 year old Danish car across US. Also, I do not know how long the paperwork will take at the harbor, getting plates, making US registration papers. Anyone with information on that. Does the car have to go through some sort of roadworthy mechanical inspection (even if it is 86 years old)?

3. A third option would be to import the car as a tourist and drive it across US with the intention of reexporting it again after 3 months. When I reach San Fransisco I will go to the harbor and export the car normally. I will walk out the office and shortly after walk back in and ask for a normal import with US plates, registration papers etc. That way I can drive Danish car across. Would that be possible?

4. Is there a 4th even easier option?

Thanks,

Lucas

 

[JohnnyC]

Hello

What a great adventure you'll have!!

My father has a 30' A as well ... Original paint even coupe with rumble seat... He lives on Long Island ... There is a Model A guy who is not far from him (that's all the guy works on I guess) ... But... There are plenty of parts guys here and there for you

You may already know these:
Model A Parts and Service SUPPLIERS

I can't really help too much with your delemma ... But... Found this , you may have already seen this page ... Maybe they can help

Motorhome Shipping to the USA & Canada, South America, South Afrika, Australia & New Zealand - SeaBridge

Trans Global

Too bad there wasn't a ferry to skip accross with like one to Iceland then another one to Greenland then Canada that type of thing

I seem to recall transatlantic cruises having an option to ship a vehicle with you... But after checking I guess those days are over

Pics of my dads A

 

[LS1FJ40]

I don't know anything about the tourist importing of vehicles but have imported one vehicle from Japan. It sat at customs for 3 weeks before they released it. It was painful knowing it was in the US but technically not in the US.

I'm not sure what the difference is with driving it as a Danish vehicle or registering it here in the US and then driving it. Other than to you personally. As far as selling it, you will be much better off selling it titled in the US than not.

 

[gr8ful]

You are actually talking about two different things here. First is import, second it title & registration. You can import the vehicle as an FIOR (foreign importer of record) and leave your current title/registration/plates in place, as long as they are current. If you were pulled over,you simply show proof that your registration & plates are valid, and that you hold the required insurance on the vehicle to drive it here. Since they'll be in Dutch, maybe pay for certified translations of all your paperwork to
Prove what it says (not tart, chamber stamp, embassy stamp go a long way). When you go to sell, sell it as legally imported, but not titled & registered here, but with all legal import paperwork. It will be a snap for the new owner to title since it is DOT exempt.

 

[LS1FJ40]

I can speak from first hand experience that I would NEVER buy a vehicle that is just imported but not titled and registered in the US. Some states WILL NOT title it if not imported by the person titling it. Illinois is an example of this.

 

[gr8ful]

Its really not that complicated & done all the time. It's simply a direct import sale. You are correct though that some states are tougher than others. I can't speak to Illinois regulations, but Cali is certainly tough like that. Really not a big deal though, as the importer/seller would be there at the time of sale, so he could just go to the DMV with the buyer before flying home

 

[120mm]

If you get here and drive Lincoln Highway, be sure to enjoy the lovely state of Iowa.

Ames is a second home to me and my family.