B-day present to me....

[aeronca65t]

Linda asked me what I wanted for my birthday a few months ago.

I told her "socks".

She said, "No...what do you *really* want?"

Thus we began a quest for a Clubman/Locost/ Lotus 7 clone.

Of course, it would have been nice to get a real Lotus or Caterham.

But I'd rather spend that money on an enclosed trailer. Or a vacation to Italy.
Plus, some of the Caterhams I've seen have sketchy legality in the USA.
I wanted something that is fully legal and inspected properly as a road car by US Customs.

This car is a factory-built Robin Hood (built in Nottingham, naturally). The part about it been factory-built is important since the US Customs website makes some ambiguous statements about kit cars (which this is technically not).
It has much Sierra underpinnings (like the US-spec Merkur). This is the S7 model with inboard front shocks (not the modified McPherson struts seen on some of the later RHs). It has a slightly tired 2.0L European Pinto engine (it will be refreshed).

It's got a few scrapes and patina (me too!). Hope to be using it by springtime.

Since it's not a real Lotus (and I'm not trying pass it off as one), I'll post here on "Other British Cars". :friendly_wink:

 

[Gliderman8]

Happy B'day Nial... That is one nice present!
Now if I could get my wife to stuff a plane in the garage.....

 

[HealeyRick]

Congrats, Nial. Should be big fun!

 

[drooartz]

WOOHOO! And with the steering wheel on the proper side as well. :grin:

Very cool, you are going to have so much fun with that.

 

[DNK]

Another reason to loath you, you lucky sucker!

 

[aeronca65t]

Another reason to loath you, you lucky sucker!

LOL!

I've wanted a 7 since I first saw Patrick McGoohan in The Prisoner when I was a kid in high school almost 50 years ago.

I figure that's long enough to wait! :friendly_wink:

(yes Drew.....steering wheel is on correct side)

 

[Sherlock]

And all I own is a newer model Hyundai Accent, nothing even close to classic... :blue:

Lucky you, very nice birthday present! :thumbsup: So do you have to sell one of your other cars to make room for this one?

 

[JPSmit]

Fabulous! congratulations. so is it an XR4ti? drive train?

 

[AN5Sprite]

Cool! What year did it roll out of Nottingham?

 

[Deleted member 8987]

And all I own is a newer model Hyundai Accent, nothing even close to classic... :blue:

Lucky you, very nice birthday present! :thumbsup: So do you have to sell one of your other cars to make room for this one?

Some old sheet metal from a building demolition, tin snips, pop rivet gun, maybe some welding, couple of dozen gallons of Bondo, two cases of rattle can red, and you Hyundai can look like that, too!
Dave

 

[Sherlock]

Some old sheet metal from a building demolition, tin snips, pop rivet gun, maybe some welding, couple of dozen gallons of Bondo, two cases of rattle can red, and you Hyundai can look like that, too!
Dave

:lol: I think that might void the warranty...

 

[Keoke]

And all I own is a newer model Hyundai Accent, nothing even close to classic...

OH !! HOW LUCKY YOU ARE------:congratulatory:

 

[Roger]

Nice one, Nial, and a Liverpool registration too!

 

[3798j]

Awesome addition. Nice going Nial.

 

[NutmegCT]

Congrats on the new family member!

Now put on your parka and mittens, and go for a drive! Heat wave this weekend - heading up into the 30s!

Tom

 

[aeronca65t]

Thanks all!

Nice one, Nial, and a Liverpool registration too!

Good spot, Roger!

Fabulous! congratulations. so is it an XR4ti? drive train?

No. Basic Euro-Pinto engine (2 liter...same as US Pinto). Around 104 HP in stock form but this one has a header and downdraft Weber carb. Weights about 1400 lbs. It has independent rear suspension as used on the Sierra/Merkur with drum rear brakes.

Cool! What year did it roll out of Nottingham?

1983. This makes it old enough to pass the 25 year importation ban. There were a good number of 80s Land Rovers in the lot that came on the ship with it. Also, there were a good number of Corvettes going to Europe in the same lot. My car was parked super close to a used, regular 2013 Corvette. I didn't want to hit it as I was winching my car onto the trailer so I asked one of the stevedores to move it. He said it was going to Sweden and would fetch about $100,000. Sounds like a business opportunity for someone!

Congrats on the new family member! Now put on your parka and mittens, and go for a drive! Heat wave this weekend - heading up into the 30s!
Tom

LOL...with this thing, I think I'd have to bring along my kerosene heater in the passenger seat!

And all I own is a newer model Hyundai Accent, nothing even close to classic... :blue:

Lucky you, very nice birthday present! :thumbsup: So do you have to sell one of your other cars to make room for this one?

I will probably sell my MGB. It's a nice enough car but I didn't really use it much in 2013 and the extra garage space would be nice.

Some old sheet metal from a building demolition, tin snips, pop rivet gun, maybe some welding, couple of dozen gallons of Bondo, two cases of rattle can red, and your Hyundai can look like that, too!
Dave

Yes! I built this out of a Toyota Corolla station wagon around 1977 as an autocross "special" for about $100. It ran but I never fully finished it due to building a house.

 

[drooartz]

1983. This makes it old enough to pass the 25 year importation ban. There were a good number of 80s Land Rovers in the lot that came on the ship with it. Also, there were a good number of Corvettes going to Europe in the same lot. My car was parked super close to a used, regular 2013 Corvette. I didn't want to hit it as I was winching my car onto the trailer so I asked one of the stevedores to move it. He said it was going to Sweden and would fetch about $100,000. Sounds like a business opportunity for someone!

Did you import this one yourself? If so, I'm curious as to how the process went for you. I was seriously looking into doing that in my hunt for a RHD Bugeye, but got lucky and only had to import mine from California.

 

[LarryK]

Hope she did not mandate as a no track car!!

 

[aeronca65t]

Yes, Drew. Imported it myself.

It was easy (as long as your car at least 25 years old and you don't live in Calif).

There is some very confusing language on the DOT website about kit cars so you'd have to be careful before you try to bring in a Caterham, Ginetta, Lotus 7, Robin Hood, Westfield or other cars that are sometimes viewed as kit cars.

I used https://www.2wglobal.com for shipping and Kerans And Daly Inc (here in NJ) as my shipping broker.

2wglobal are happy to quote from anywhere to anywhere.

The shipping broker takes care of all the paperwork with US Customs, the DOT and EPA.

I towed my A35 in from Canada and did it myself. But I talked to a guy at the DOT and he advised using a broker when shipping a car from Europe.

I had the car sent "ro-ro" (roll on-roll off) which means they drive it on and off the ship. You can also ship cars in containers but it costs quite a bit more.
Since modern car carrier ships are enclosed anyway, it's not like the cars are sitting up on the main deck getting sprayed with seawater like in the old days.
If a car doesn't run, they will tow it on and off the ship for an extra charge.

The most important form is the HS-7 Declaration Form.

NJ also requires a notarized receipt in addition to a signed V5 (British car title).
I had to pay the buyer a little extra to have a notarized receipt made up by his lawyer.

Larry: I already have two race cars. This one is just for street and maybe an occasional track day. :friendly_wink:

 

[drooartz]

Glad it all worked smoothly for you. Waiting for the car to float its way over here must have been tough!

My old MGB came out of Canada, used a trucking company that handled the paperwork. Doing one cross-ocean seemed a bit more potentially nerve wracking, was glad when I found my Bugeye in the states.

Definitely keep us updated. Been tempted by a Seven on a number of occasions.