TR8 New Import from USA

[John Saunders]

I have just acquired a LHD TR8 Convertible from California, expected to arrive in England at the end of September. In conversation with Robsports, I was told that the TR8 does not have UK Type Approval and that may be a problem in Registering it with the DVLA.

I have adequate experience of fetching in cars from the USA (sidescreen TR's), but the Type Approval issue is something I have not encountered before

 

My Question :-

Has anybody experience of fetching in a TR8 from the USA ? ; what problems did they encounter & how did they overcome them ?

 

I have been told that I can get round the problem by importing into Belgium first, but do not want to go to the trouble and expense involved.

Likewise, I believe I could go for SIngle Vehicle Approval (SVA) or a variant = IVA. Again expensive and not easy requiring professional inspections etc.

Any other ways to solve the problem ? Surely there must be something not too difficult nor too expensive.

 

Alternatively, could I just go to a DVLA Office ( before they all close at Christmas) , with Customs import papers, application for registration of imported car etc. etc. & play dumb on the Type Approval, on the grounds the car is over 30 years old ? Problem is that I understand that the Type Approval came in during 1975, so they may not play ball.

Thanks for any relevant advice on this problem. John M. Saunders

 

 

BTW when I do get thhis 1981 TR8 on the road over here, I will arguably be the only person who has a car from the start of the line - TR2 TS 14 OHP 242 & one of the last of the line with this TR8.

 

[TR8IAN]

John390 brought one in a few years ago, it could be worth sending him a PM and see what his experiences were.

 

Cheers

 

Ian

[Paul Harvey]

John

 

Might not be as difficult as you think

Vehicle will have to registered under NOVA - you can try this online and see how far you get before pressing the final button

Vehicle will need to pass an MOT - without a Reg No. they have to do this on the Chassis Number

If the Chassis number is from the Triumph series just call it a Triumph TR7

They may want to inspect the vehicle at DVLA after you've been there with all the forms, but if so they will only check the chassis number ties up to the documents

 

God knows what system they will use after the local DVLA offices close down - it might be better or worse

In the case of my Triumph Italia they accepted a BMIHT email about the rolling chassis that the car was a 1960 TR3 and registered it at that date with a-sub description 'Italia.'

Believe it or not, it was also originally registered in Italy as a TR3 for exactly the same reasons - chassis no. is king!

 

cheers

[Chris59]

I've bought, years ago, an ex USA LHD TR8 convertible in England : this car was registered in England as a TR8, so it can be done ?

[Trigbush]

Look for my posts on Belgian registration to convince yourself you are right.

[Alec Pringle]

There are 50 or so TR8 convertibles registered with DVLA already, so it can't be that much of a difficulty to them . . . . TR8 fhc might be another matter.

 

Cheers

 

Alec

[AnthonyF]

Well I have not done it myself but I think Paul's comments are pretty much the way to proceed. TR8s do exist in the UK as Alec says, & in surprising numbers! However the TR8 was never an official UK market vehicle, so you may find that it is simplest to register it as a TR7 - indeed this may be the only option. Chassis/VIN numbers were in one run, but if you know how to read the letter coding preceding the serial number you can tell if it is a genuine TR8.

 

A slight digression but when I was seeking to reunite my TR8 FHC with it's original factory registration, I had to take the car to be inspected. The DVLA inspector was satisfied that the car was what I claimed it was, but told me that the V5 could only be issued as Triumph TR7 as the TR8 did not exist on the DVLA computer system as a UK model. It appears that those cars with TR8 on their V5 date from a time before the records were consolidated onto the current computer records. I have a copy of my cars original V5 issued to Triumph Cars, Canley on first registration, the car even then is registered as a TR7.

 

So you are getting a California spec car - is it fuel injected? If it has been in California all it's life it should still carry all the emissions gear & cats as well, due to that State's tough anti pollution laws. Look forward to hearing more about it.

[Paul Harvey]

My Italia was only first registered in Italy in 1981 when it was already 19 years old.

I spent hours on the internet trawling for the 'correct procedure,' only to be guided a different route by DVLA.

Potentially, DVLA could have required all sorts of 1981 Type Approval information, and issued an age related plate for 1981 instead of 1960.

That's why I showed them the BMIHT trace, and they were perfectly happy with that - British 'maufacturer,' British commission Number, QED chassis no. is OK.

Chassis No. is from the Triumph TR3 series, QED it's a Triumph, that will do.

Even better, it has a Triumph engine number we can check and put on the log book too.

Keep it simple and they are happy as long as they can find it on their system.

It would have been a much harder battle to get them to register a Triumph Italia, made in Italy in 1962, on an English 1960 chassis, first registered in Italy in 1981, and now imported back to England!

 

Actually, DVLA didn't check or ask for ANY of the Italian documents, even though I'd waited 2 days in Italy to get a 'Licence to Export.'

I could have brought the car in from USA and nothing would have been different, except the Customs situation at the port of entry.

Belgium might be a route to reducing VAT and Customs Duty, which are zero for EEC cars, but I doubt it helps in the registration process.

 

I have a new V5 log book that now says 'Triumph Coupe' 'declared manufacture 1960.'

'Italia' and 'TR3' have disappeared.

I have all the original provenance if I ever need to show anyone what the car really is.

[TR8IAN]

The DVLA do have TR8 as a catagory (my car is listed as one) however you may be able to frig the system some more as some of the early cars were registered by the factory as TR7 V8s.

 

It should be do-able but I would start the process as soon as posible with your local DVLA centre and get more detail from Heritage using the VIN numbers etc if you can.

 

As Paul says "God knows what system they will use after the local DVLA offices close down" my local office shuts on the 13th October - they have been more than helpfull over the years trying to claim back number plates on all sorts of weird cars. I was able to reunite my car with it's "works" registration number last November a process that only took a few days and no inspection - I was lucky though my USA TR8 hasn't been out of the UK and I had loads of paperwork to prove it's identity.

 

Again as everybody is saying - the vin/chassis numbers are King!

 

Best of luck.

 

Ian

[John Saunders]

Thanks everyone for all your comments and advice.

 

I have sent off for a Gaydon Heritage Certificate a few days ago, so hopefully that will enable the DVLA to fill their little boxes.

I also went up to the DVLA Worcester who were incredibly helpful. Amongst other things they gave me a sort of unofficial document (no number) labelled documents needed for registration of a used vehicle. They also inicated items rerlevant to me.

One thing interested me in particular. Under a heading of 'Type Approval' it states that cars & bikes over ten years old do NOT need Type Approval, so on the face of it I am ok. Proof will come when I try it Register it with the DVLA.

 

Yes the Car is the full house fuel injected TR8. I am told the emissions stuff should be removed. However, I am also told it is not just unbolting the cats. etc. The ECU etc have to be remapped. That sounds expensive ! Think I will wait until I have done a few miles & saved up for that !

 

Will give you updates when car has safely landed & I have cleared a few hurdles.

 

Cxheers, JOhn S

[Alec Pringle]

'Full House' is one way of putting it, the engine was pretty effectively strangled . . . . .

 

Somewhere I have a copy parts list of the various BL injection systems for the North American cars, which might be helpful, but the simple answer is to throw the lot away and replace with a Holley or Edelbrock, or the more complicated route of converting to later Rover EFI.

 

Cheers

 

Alec

Edited September 9, 2013 by Alec Pringle

[Paul Harvey]

John,

 

Your experience at DVLA Worcester mirrors mine exactly.

If you get a problem there ask for Lisa, the unit manager, as she was the one who booted mine through to the evident surprise of her colleagues.

You can also get an almost instant online search from Gaydon Heritage for £8, which was good enough for Lisa.

The paper certificates can take some time to arrive.

[John Saunders]

Hi Alec, if you come across your parts list of the injection system on North American Cars I would be interested to see it. In fact, with your agreement, we ought to have a copy in the Archives - agreed ?.

 

Paul, many thanks for comments on DVLA Worcester. I will see how long it takes the full certificate to arrive from Gaydon, but otherwise will get hold of an online copy. You never know what will work, or not, so feedback is nmost useful

[Alec Pringle]

Hi John,

 

yes of course, no problem.

 

As soon as my current knackered back recovers I'll have a root in my attic archives, I know the injection stuff is up there, just can't access

the eaves cupboards right now !

 

Cheers

 

Alec

[AnthonyF]

Who told you to throw away all the emissions stuff? You might ditch the cats as they are restrictive, especially if the exhaust system ever needs renewing, but leave the rest alone. Don't remove or disconnect the Lambda sensors in the downpipes below the manifolds, that will muck up the ECU feedback loop & hence the mixture control. The rest of the emissions kit is just the non vented fuel system, it makes no difference to the car's performance.

 

Remember that the EFI was not designed to improve performance, it was to meet the ever tighter EPA pollution requirements in the states. Unmolested fuel injected TR8s are getting to be rare cars. If Alec's back does not get better I have the info about the EFI system as well, basically it is Bosch L-Jetronic with Lucas labels stuck on, apart from the ECU which is all Lucas's own work.

 

It is actually a very reliable system (well, it is Bosch after all ) but If you have any questions about the EFI there are some VERY knowledgeable people both here & in the States who would help.

 

Looking forward to hearing more when you have it.

[TR8IAN]

Have to agree with Anthony there is no need to throw out your injection / emissions stuff, there are enough people about who know about the systems to keep you up and running and in good tune too!

 

If however you do decide to find a home for it in a skip - throw it my way, as I'm missing a few parts to return mine to factory spec

 

Cheers

Ian

[Odd]

I must wholeheartedly agree with Anthony and Ian! Don't throw out the efi - it's a VERY good system actually. Sure, the later hot wire injection is better yet - and a modern programmable system like the MegaSquirt is better/equal to the hot wire version. You cannot 're-programme' the efi system in a genuine efi TR8, the ecu is the way it is. You can however take out the catalytic converters (or better: change them out for modern metallic high flow ones) - if you have no conscience for the air we all have to breathe... But as he wrote, leave the lambda sensors where they are, they govern the ecu in closed loop mode.

 

EFI is ALWAYS superior to old/antique carb technique. Even the old L-Jetronic ones...
/Odd

[180MPH]

Hi.

 

I have a TR8 import from America which I bought last year and am about to try and register it with DVLA.

Can you tell me how you got on and what did you need paperwork wise.

 

Thanks in advance