Teach me "Getting race cars out of Canada

Looking at buying a untitled race car from Canada. Forms, problems etc. Help-----

Do you have a VIN of any kind? I can look them up. Shouldn't be an issue

In reply to AutoXR:Homebuilt, no vin

In reply to AutoXR: Do you know anything about sub section x in the U.S. laws????

Is this Tom's a mod car? Just wait until September and I'll bring it across for you on my way to SCca nationals. They don't question it if your just going over to race.

Dunno about going south, but coming north, its far easier than bringing a road car. Canada customs seems to look upon it as a collection of parts, and as long as it doesn't seem to be chock full of new parts, no problem.

Phone the border crossing you will be using and ask them. The got nothing better to do than talk to you.

In reply to mw: Yes it is. We have a deal but don't want to get to the border with a car I can't get across. Keep in touch it this would work. Not in a rush----Bud

In reply to mw: What happens if you don't bring it back??

In reply to mw: I would meet you at RA. I go every year and am 40 miles away.

Streetwiseguy wrote: Dunno about going south, but coming north, its far easier than bringing a road car. Canada customs seems to look upon it as a collection of parts, and as long as it doesn't seem to be chock full of new parts, no problem. Phone the border crossing you will be using and ask them. The got nothing better to do than talk to you.

A race car going north is the same as a motocross bike. Competition machine, not subject to the RIV program. Pay your tax on the sale and have a nice day.

Yes, your best bet is to

a) see if there's a preferred border crossing. Some are much easier than others.

b) call and ask them what to do.

You can get a homebuilt VIN put on it the same as a home built trailer. What province is it coming from? Then you get an unfit / unplated ownership.

It's coming from Huntsville.

I went to the licensing office regarding this and they had no idea how to do it,they called head office hot line and they had no idea.I'm searching the border crossing site site now.

sounds like the easiest way was mentioned earlier .... wait for it to come here to the nationals and then take ownership ... it's already across the border ... problem solved

Some information here on the U.S. Customs website: https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/289/~/importing-a-non-u.s.-version-%2F-non-conforming-vehicle-or-car-into-the-u.s. There are a couple links at the bottom of that page to the DOT and EPA pages regarding race cars.

Went back to the licensing office today armed with the info gleaned from the web regarding licensing home built vehicles in Ontario but was shot down.They will not offer an ownership to a competition vehicle,I can build an offroad buggy or 4 wheeler type thing and thats ok,I can build a trailer that requires no inspection whatsoever before heading out on the hwy to possibly kill or mame someone but they won't give a homebuilt car that won't see the road an "unfit" ownership.

I have no idea how to proceed further,I can't produce a stack of receipts as I didn't keep any and the major components were taken from a parts car I dismantled and then took directly to the recyclers with the ownership from the original owner.I simply never considered I'd want or need to provide and ownership or prove I didn't steal the parts or even the car itself.

Any advice is welcome.

So go to a different office and get an ownership for the off road buggy that you built.

Not entirely the same but in 2011 a team from Canada drove a car to the US for BABE rally, they just drove it across the border and then flew home and I kept it. I couldn't title it because they did it that way but it looks like what you are talking about won't be titled anyway so no worries. It's just as someone else suggested, just bring it in "for an event" and it never leaves again.

I have a little experience with this because I just brought my bus across to Canada. I had to go through U.S. and Canada customs and neither gave a E36 M3. I could have brought a cruise missile over for all they cared. No one even looked at the thing. I think if it's old and has no tags, you just call it parts and you are golden. Just have your reciepts and be ready for questions with honest answers.

On the subject of trailers, I know a guy who gets stopped and questioned about half the time when he enters the US from Canada with his trailer. The main issue, as far as he can make out, is that US govt employees cannot wrap their heads around the idea of a "pay once and never pay again" trailer plate, which is what he has. They keep asking him, "So, when does it expire?" hoping to trip him up so they can nail him for having an expired plate (and, I guess, make sure that some other government collects its money – some sort of "professional courtesy" thing.)

Should be a solid box 8 on the hs-7 declaration for import. ( www.nhtsa.gov/cars/rules/import/hs799short.pdf )

http://www.nhtsa.gov/cars/rules/import/racing/Racing.html

Customs can be a nightmare, I dont know on that. But I might be able to point you in some helpful directions on the DOT / NHTSA side. (if you need more help PM me)

Stealthtercel wrote: On the subject of trailers, I know a guy who gets stopped and questioned about half the time when he enters the US from Canada with his trailer. The main issue, as far as he can make out, is that US govt employees cannot wrap their heads around the idea of a "pay once and never pay again" trailer plate, which is what he has. They keep asking him, "So, when does it expire?" hoping to trip him up so they can nail him for having an expired plate (and, I guess, make sure that some other government collects its money – some sort of "professional courtesy" thing.)

Some states in the US have those also, we deal with them all the time.

I'm with everyone else, bring it in for an event and just don't take it back.

Called the US border crossing today,they say if I bring it across it has to go thru a broker,if the buyer comes across and then takes the car back its a personal importation and no car registration reguired easy peasy.

And if we get it wrong, they pick it up and crush it--- Oh, don't forget the 25k fine-----