Hi All,
This is probably one for our US friends.
There is a chance I may get a job in Los Angeles. If I do, how difficult would it be to take and register my UK spec, right hand drive 'Busa
engined Vortx?
I'd planned to IVA it in Mar/April so could take it unfinished to LA and complete it there.
Don't California have the strictest emmissions control requirements in the world?? Think you may struggle getting registered there myself but how
cool would it be to drive a Busa VortX around Beverly Hills
yep, california's full of hippies, and hate cars.
i'd get it legal here first. gives a bit more back up to get it imported there (to show its already deemed legal)
Simple answer.....borderline impossible.
UK road legal standards have no bearing on standards here.
However, there is always a way round these things....just I'm not the one with answers....
Cue Kurt...or other CA forum members...
My only experience first hand is from Oklahoma where it would be a piece of wee to register an unfinished kit left hand drive or not.
In California, short answer is you haven't got a chance 
[Edited on 15/2/10 by liam.mccaffrey]
Can you regster it in a state that'd make life easy then just take it to CA?
It would be possible to get it registered. Every year, CA alows 500 specially constructed cars get registered exempt from smog testing under a bill
called SB100.
You will need to make an appointment in December for the following year, and all numbers are usually taken in the first Monday of January. I got mine
registered in 2007. I'm in San Diego.
You will need to pay CA sales tax on all parts purchased outside CA, this could add up to quite a bit.
There is no IVA equivalent, just a basic lights and brales test.
Check out the USA locost forum - locostusa.com - there is a section on registering with a few discussions on CA. In short it is possible, it can be a
pain in the ass, but we have a few BEC's over here - one nice MK Indy Busa amongst them.
I have a STM 7 in Michigan. The key would be to not register it in the UK, you want to ship it into the USA as a kit, not a finished car. You may
want to ship the motor separate than the frame.
Like people said above, CA is a pain.
Thanks Guys,
That's really useful. I take it I could simply not register it and trailer it to trackdays so it's not used on the roads?
If it's just for competition that's totally different...I don't think the other rules apply at all....I'm pretty sure that would
be a relative no-brainer.....of course it would be easier if all road-going accessories are removed before importing and then import it purely as
an-off highway competition vehicle.
No doubt someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but i'm pretty sure that's how it works.
quote:
Originally posted by sucksqueezebangblow
I take it I could simply not register it and trailer it to trackdays so it's not used on the roads?
So if I took it over to LA I could track it for most of the year and then go for one of those special registrations in December/Jan to get it registered and on the road?