Importing a 302 from the states

spanners · Post by **spanners** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 11:59 am

Seeing as the dollar is so good at the moment, i'm looking into the possibility of importing a Ford Racing crate 302 in preference to building up a new Rover, seems like an easy 350 hp and with the ally heads it's only 100lbs or so heavier and almost the same physical size. From Summit and Jegs its's only $3500.

I'm guessing it's pretty hard to get 350 from a Rover for anything like that amount.

My question is has anybody imported an engine from the states as a one off and how was it shipping/duty wise (I'm still waiting for a few shipping quotes to come back)

happy xmas to all

Will

alex · Post by **alex** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 12:24 pm

Hi
My mate bought in a 347 small block ford, no problem at all I will try and find more details for it if you want. I remember it being rated to 400 hp thats all.
Alex.

Alley Kat · Post by **Alley Kat** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 1:09 pm

Duty goes on top (can't recall if it goes on price+shipping or price only). Then VAT goes on the whole of that resulting amount.

spanners · Post by **spanners** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 2:02 pm

Thanks Alex and Alley Cat,

I can claim back the VAT but I haven't managed to find out the rate of duty on car parts(have you ever tried contacting customs and excise about it? may as well ask the cat!)

Even with shipping of about $1500 from FedEx it's still cheaper than I can buy one in the UK.

Do love the Rover but it's bang for your buck at the end of the day.

Will

Alley Kat · Post by **Alley Kat** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 2:12 pm

Duty depends on age & category, but for a motor I think it's supposed to be only 3.5%. Sure I got charged more than that for parts before though. Also the UK posting company may well charge a handling fee separate to all the above.
Depending what it's for, bear in mind the post-95 SVA implications, and emissions too I guess.
Kingston Shipping in Hull are supposed to be tops, not used them myself but they're often recommended so may be well worth a call to them,
cheers
Bill

Ian Anderson · Post by **Ian Anderson** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 2:13 pm

Ok
Duty will work out at 5% based on price of goods plus freight plus insurance (if you do not have an insurance charge they will apply one for you !)

VAT is then added at 17.5% (UK) unless you are in some other European state

Be aware that is you bring it in and want to claim the VAT back the goods should be invoiced to the VAT holder and not yourself.

Unless the VAT company buys engines in all the time I would be wary as the VAT man would want to see the sales invoice (unless you can show them it's fitted in a company registered car)

Your shipping is scary!

Speak to any of the reasonably big shipping companies, Davis Turner, Concordia, SBS, Kuen & Nagel and hundreds of others and get it collected and delivered on a door to door basis and expect to pay about £160 (price is based on 1000kg or 1 cubic meter and is a minimum size) They then put it in a container and ship it over. Total shipping time at present 16 days.

I'm leaving now for the Xmas break but if you want a lead on a good shipper from the USA State and Town let me know the address and I will get our shipping department to make a recomendation.

cheers
Ian

JP. · Post by **JP.** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 5:36 pm

spanners wrote:Thanks Alex and Alley Cat,

I can claim back the VAT but I haven't managed to find out the rate of duty on car parts(have you ever tried contacting customs and excise about it? may as well ask the cat!)

Even with shipping of about $1500 from FedEx it's still cheaper than I can buy one in the UK.

Do love the Rover but it's bang for your buck at the end of the day.

Will

Ford 302 GT-40 SVO - 345bhp, Real Steel gold card price Gbp 3386.07

Post by **katanaman** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 7:12 pm

You will pay around 25% total duty on the total amount which includes shipping. You will also be charged a handing charge from the shipping company to cover the customs red tape, the charge depends on the company. You also more than likely wont have any warranty as most warranties aren't international. Even if you do get a warranty its difficult to claim on as you will have to ship it back to the states not to mention the possible several months time delay. If none of that puts you off then go for it as there is definitely money to be saved if everything goes right.

I would also say I agree with the other guys on the claiming VAT back. Unless you can prove that your company trades engines or its for a legit company car you wont get to claim it back.

spanners · Post by **spanners** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 8:43 pm

Blimey if I can get it here for £160 they can keep the VAT! (I'm the one VAT registered so no problem there anyway)

I just got the $1500 figure by typing a size and weight into the FedEx website using standard service so it's obviously well off the mark.

It's certainly looking like the thing is feasable, I don't know anything about 302's but from what I've gleaned so far off the web it seems pretty good and a crate one from Ford is a pretty safe way of buying one.

Gearbox wise a T5 or Tremec has been recommended, does that sound about right? from reading on here it would appear the Tremec is stronger and the T5 may have trouble coping with 350 hp even though it may be the simpler option as am I right in thinking it was fitted to the Mustang originally?.

The shell is a pretty small/light Spartan kit car (Morgan sized) by the way so similar size box to a SD1 is preferable.

Thanks for all the advice guys, researching should keep me busy over xmas!

Will

JP. · Post by **JP.** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 7:56 am

spanners wrote:
Gearbox wise a T5 or Tremec has been recommended, does that sound about right? from reading on here it would appear the Tremec is stronger and the T5 may have trouble coping with 350 hp even though it may be the simpler option as am I right in thinking it was fitted to the Mustang originally?.

Will

You read that correct, the T5 has deffo problems with power exceeding 300 +. The Tremec is a far better option. You can look at the Tremec as an improved T5.

Alley Kat · Post by **Alley Kat** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 11:15 am

Here's the actual duty figures, which should be 3.5%:

Spare parts (new or used, regardless of age): 3.5% duty plus 17.5% VAT.
Pre-1951 cars: Zero duty plus 5% VAT.
Post-1950 cars: 10% duty plus 17.5% VAT.
Pick-ups with engines over 2.8 litres: 22% duty plus 17.5% VAT (unless truck is pre-1951, then see above).
Body shells: 4.5% duty plus 17.5% VAT.

Item + shipping + duty, then VAT on the whole, plus handling charge usually. A few bringing in crates of parts have been lucky just lately and not been charged the extras...

spanners · Post by **spanners** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 12:30 pm

nice one, have convinced myself this is the way to go just have to convince the missus now! wonder if she wants a gearbox for her next birthday...

Cheerrs for all the help and happy xmas to all.

Will

Paul B · Post by **Paul B** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 2:35 pm

JP. wrote:
spanners wrote:Thanks Alex and Alley Cat,

I can claim back the VAT but I haven't managed to find out the rate of duty on car parts(have you ever tried contacting customs and excise about it? may as well ask the cat!)

Even with shipping of about $1500 from FedEx it's still cheaper than I can buy one in the UK.

Do love the Rover but it's bang for your buck at the end of the day.

Will
Ford 302 GT-40 SVO - 345bhp, Real Steel gold card price Gbp 3386.07

If you can get a proper agreement on who pays warranty costs, should any be needed, this is by far the simplest way to go.

It may be a bit more expensive, but there are no worries about shipping, collecting, delivery, VAT, losses, failures, shipping it back because it blew up etc etc.

$3500 is about £1800, but add shipping, VAT, duty, and the costs of sorting all the above out, and you are not a lot lower than the Real Steel price.

ps. I get paid in $US, but I live in the UK. I HATE the current exchange rate

kev_the_mole · Post by **kev_the_mole** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 10:25 pm

Spanners,

the bigger Tremecs TKO500/600 may have difficulty living between the chassis rails of the Spartan while the T56 is HUGE. A T5 may live with 350 bhp in a light car but it won't like a lot of torque or drag starts.

Cheers,

Ian

spanners · Post by **spanners** » Sun Dec 24, 2006 2:08 am

Can't find any exact dimensions on the web but a tremec 500 body looks to be roughly square from the pics I can find and about 8-10 inches wide, sound about right? Frame rails on the spartan are parallel and 16 in apart so plenty of room.

The 302 crate puts out 310 lbs of torque, the T5 from Ford takes 340 so yes a bit close to the limit if I ever do any more work on the engine, so I think you're right a 500 is the way to go. Handy to be able to move the shifter position about as well. Only $400 more than a T5 as well.