Reply to "Guara Barchetta for sale on eBay"

Kirk,

I think there are different requirements depending on how the vehicle is imported.

I believe the '99 law only applies for display and show vehicles, and they have annual mileage limits which apply to them until the vehicle is 25 years old.

So long as the Guara is considered a "Motor Vehicle" by NHTSA (and I'd think it fits their definition), it would have to be imported as such (meaning it could not be imported as an "off-road" vehicle).

The "25 year" rule is specified by Title 49 Sec. 30112(b)(9), US Code, and fully exempts any Motor Vehicle older than 25 years from FMVSS requirements.

The EPA exemption is (IIRC) for any unmodified engine older than 21 years. Over that age, and it's got no restriction on it's import. (See US EPA form 3520-1 - Code E.)

Once the Guara reaches 25 years old, there will be no prohibition against importing it into the US. But that's all federal stuff, so only effects titling.

Registration, the authorization to actually DRIVE on the roads, is the responsibility of the individual states. So whether a car meets a state's requirements depends on that state's laws.

I'm no lawyer, nor expert on it. My knowledge comes from my experiences with my imported Pinzgauer and the subsequent title/registration fight over it here in Wis.

I have also heard rumors about some guy at NHTSA who collected odd cars, and IIRC some of them were vehicles imported illegally. No recollection of a name. My contacts with NHTSA were all with Coleman Sachs. I believe he's still there.