Mad concept i know but, a few things started me thinking... does anyone ever import a car temporarily into the USA from UK/Europe. I'm talking relatively ordinary (possibly eccentric) people. Apart from the expense of shipping, is it much different than traveling to Europe in a UK car? Knowing the USA it wouldn't be that easy...
Its mainly 3 things that led me to asking this...
1) I've been listening to NPR's Car Talk for the last couple of years and noticed a couple of people talking of friends shipping their old Citroens (2cv i'm guessing) into the USA for a 3 month stay. The presenters thought it was mad but, never said you can't do it, just parts would be hard to come by.
2) being a massive Ford Escort fan, I know Martin Sasche shipped his Escort mk3 Xtrac to Colarado to race at Pikes Peak. Heres a quote from the story at : erc24.com/archives/13419 Definitely worth a read!!
"In early 1984 Martin Schanche told me that the PPIHC organisers had offered him a lot of money if he would come over to participate with his all-new Ford Escort Mk3 Xtrac/Zakspeed in their event. I agreed to go with him and that I would take care about our flights, while he would do the shipment of his car. But 1984 was also the year of the Los Angeles Olympics and I was not able to get tickets cheap enough to afford for me in those days. The result was that I stayed at home, while he was flying alone to Denver in Colorado. The car went with ‘Flying Tigers’ from Frankfurt on the Main in Germany and had been equipped with the necessary lamps all around, some street legal tyres as well as two British registration number plates. Schanche had no towing car with trailer available and simply drove his 560bhp Xtrac Escort from the airport to the Pikes Peak area, and later back to the airport again, the XR3 being stuffed with all tools and spare parts. "
3) After watching this fantastic video on Air Ferries to Europe in the 60s. I started to think, i wonder if this concept was ever proposed to the USA. I guess "Flying Tigers" as mentioned above could have done a similar Job although i havent found much info on this.
In no way will i be trying to temporarily export my Escort 1.1 for a few weeks in L.A. or, to taking a shot at Pikes Peak myself... I hope someone gets a kick out of the concept though.
Here's a few pics of UK cars in the USA..
Its mainly 3 things that led me to asking this...
1) I've been listening to NPR's Car Talk for the last couple of years and noticed a couple of people talking of friends shipping their old Citroens (2cv i'm guessing) into the USA for a 3 month stay. The presenters thought it was mad but, never said you can't do it, just parts would be hard to come by.
2) being a massive Ford Escort fan, I know Martin Sasche shipped his Escort mk3 Xtrac to Colarado to race at Pikes Peak. Heres a quote from the story at : erc24.com/archives/13419 Definitely worth a read!!
"In early 1984 Martin Schanche told me that the PPIHC organisers had offered him a lot of money if he would come over to participate with his all-new Ford Escort Mk3 Xtrac/Zakspeed in their event. I agreed to go with him and that I would take care about our flights, while he would do the shipment of his car. But 1984 was also the year of the Los Angeles Olympics and I was not able to get tickets cheap enough to afford for me in those days. The result was that I stayed at home, while he was flying alone to Denver in Colorado. The car went with ‘Flying Tigers’ from Frankfurt on the Main in Germany and had been equipped with the necessary lamps all around, some street legal tyres as well as two British registration number plates. Schanche had no towing car with trailer available and simply drove his 560bhp Xtrac Escort from the airport to the Pikes Peak area, and later back to the airport again, the XR3 being stuffed with all tools and spare parts. "
3) After watching this fantastic video on Air Ferries to Europe in the 60s. I started to think, i wonder if this concept was ever proposed to the USA. I guess "Flying Tigers" as mentioned above could have done a similar Job although i havent found much info on this.
In no way will i be trying to temporarily export my Escort 1.1 for a few weeks in L.A. or, to taking a shot at Pikes Peak myself... I hope someone gets a kick out of the concept though.
Here's a few pics of UK cars in the USA..
