Chimaera to a good home, Stateside?

[cutmonster]

Gents,

Two years ago I had the pleasure of working for 6 months in NYC and (as I am sure most people do) fell in love with the US of A.

Now, one of my long-term ("driving") ambitions (if you'll excuse the pun) is to drive around the US. But not (with all respect to the US automobile industry) in a US-hire car. I want to do it a TVR.

Next May and June, I am planning to do just that in my 2-year old Silver Chimaera. I am aware of the logistics of getting the Tiv legally out there and am working at putting the plan together.

I was proposing in any event to upgrade to a Tuscan next year and so I am wondering (since I will be Stateside with my Chim) whether there would be any prospect of selling the Chim to a loving home in the US. I would need to get a respectable price for the economics of it all to work, but hnyone any thoughts if this is feasible?

All the best to you Tivheads out in there and I hope Peter Wheeler et al make the transition to the US soon!!

David.

[venom7]

You could sell it for off road use only.
That about it short of selling it to another Brit who is in the US but resides in UK. But I imagine you would all sorts of problems since you would have to ship it back and forth again so the new owners name appears on the freight waybill and landing papers.
Just my guess.

[cutmonster]

Thanks Venom7. It doesn't look good for a US sale. Nevertheless, I will still press on with the plan to drive across the US!

[paul]

never say never, old boy....
I'm in NYC and have been thinking of bringing a Chimaera or Griff over for the last 3 years. I'm a Brit-in-exile so would be no problem to buy off you under HS-7 (the magic paperwork I believe).
If the price and spec where right, we might be able to do a deal....

[cutmonster]

Paul thanks for the response. I shall keep in touch. I lived in NYC for a year and I have to say the thought of having a Tiv on hand crossed my mind on a number of occassions!
I would say that there may be some like-minded Brits out in the US so maybe there is a possible market after all? I have seen references to a loop-hole for kit cars (which seem to include cars shipped minus the engine). That could be a way round the red tape. I will explore further - hopefully with help and assistance from this thread - and post my findings.

Regards
David

[paul]

I suspect you'll find that the car is legally sellable to non-American citizens as they can own the car for upto a year with the HS-7 paperwork. A little excursion over the border to Canada or Mexico can help facillitate a 'renewal' of the paperwork (I'm unsure as to how kosher this is, but I believe Faisal's done it - see www.tvrfreak.com ). The only way of selling to a US citizen is to get a legal title for the car in one of the US states. There have been post-92 Griffs registered as 1960's Griffiths to obtain titles. Not sure you'd be able to do this with a Chimaera as TVR never produced that model before they exited the US in the early 80's.
I'm hugely sceptical of the "ship it as a kit in pieces" mehtod, especially as US customs are much more vigilant post Sept 11th.

If you stick with the HS-7 route, your main issue is the market of non-US citizens for TVR in the US is probably quite small...

[tasmin83]

Cutmonster:
When you have your plans formulated for the US journey,
let me know. I'd welcome you to come for a visit and
perhaps I could recommend some good "driving roads"
in my part of the country for you.
It would be great to see a Chim here in the US for
once.

[cutmonster]

Tasmin83 I will certainly take you up on that! Where are you based out of interest?

[cutmonster]

Gents, by the way (tentative) details of my trip are on
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=14164&h=0

Am I being realistic for an 8 to 10 week journey?!!

>> Edited by cutmonster on Tuesday 23 July 18:04

[tasmin83]

Thanks for the update. Your trip listing indicates
a routing through Richmond, Virginia. I am about 3 hours west of there just off Interstate 81. If that
is not on your route, I would be willing(schedule
permitting) to try and meet up with you somewhere
along the way.
As for how long your trip should take, that depends on
many variables, including how firmly do you plan to keep to schedule, are you open to side trips on a whim,
and unpredictable weather, and how many miles per day
you plan to accomplish. 8-10 weeks should be sufficient overall.

[cutmonster]

Tasmin 83 this is all looking good BUT preliminary due diligence seems to suggest no UK insurer will insure me for the US. Suppose that means I would have to go "local" ie US. Anyone know if this would be a problem?
See
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=14164&h=0
for more talk on this proposal!!

All the best guys.

David

[Terminator]

Try this thread www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=7421&f=35&h=0&hw=gumballd