pss.  one last thing..  you should have BMHT cert to prove the year.. this is NOT OEM color and my guess has non OEM engine.. www.heritage-motor-centre.co.uk  think it is 74 quid. now..  later bc  ps.. understand CKD s cars from the UK also on the radar  now for SEIZURE.  like Super 7s.s   later bc 

spank... can NOT be exported to canada..   think the wording with CBP..is    NO shipment to co-joining ( sp?)countries..  ( which means. NOT mexico or canada...  this can be imported as motor vehicle parts. Box 2 A on the DOT. and then box W for  EPA.. no engine and tranny.. and taken to local Foreign Trade Zone and a Manipulation done. to take off the engine /tranny and NON DOT   original items..  I just did two MGFs for friend recently  ..   also you can apply for mitigated   forfeiture  which you agree to pay 25% value of vehicle and then DOUBLE the DUTY. and you can keep the vehicle in the USA. I have done this recently also.. later  bc  PS  I have the CBP forms for BOTH..  

You said it, Bill.

this guy owns a pink miniature mini propelled by nitro, he's been into every single brighton mini run every year,his face is all over the place in anything mini related, he has a shop in London, one acre of land full of minis, mini parts, people goes to him for parts, sadly he lives in GB not in US, otherwise i'll be visiting his shop everyday., But yah, i haven't seen one of those little chopped minis in person but sure looks cool in the picture. someone mention about port of washington, i believe that plce is TWW's teritory, he's been trading,buying minis and other british cars all his life, he knows a lot of people in that Port., you can contact him for moral support or whatever support you need. he also sells 998 engines for 700 bucks. (with a compression of 230psi with oil, and 50psi without oil) annyway, i only wish you good luck in your mini venture, i'm positive you can bring it to the US soon...

I have imported minis and Morris minors in the past but its been 3 year since the last. I was just planing on using it for car shows i dont even know if i will fit in it, I'm 6'3" tall.
my broker sent me an email that there was a problem about the same time i walked into customs. I told her it had been shortened in an email and she didn't say much about it.
i thought that it would meet the over 25 year old thing but i new nothing about the modification rules.
i guess if my congresswomen cant help it will be going back, it cant even go to Canada or Mexico it has to go across the pond.
I will check into the ebay policy's on advertising it for the US and not being able to keep it.
thanks for all the input.
i do know someone in CA. That brought in a shorty from Scotland last July same port with no problems.

Ship it / divert it to Canada and go pick it up there? or Washington State?

Bill: I think you use to talk about selling them if they don't meet CA standards. Can that be done here??

grrrrrrrrrrrrrr.. the arm chair expert.. specialist    knows everything. about every mini..   guess you even sniffed a dogs butt..  like the holiday inn commercial today??

Hi beane1, first i feel sorry for whatever demise you are going through with your purchase, i feel your agony. it's just feels so bad when you already paid for it, then there were problems along the way and you don't have anyone to talk to on their side... 2nd, i wanted to ask why did you buy the car? do you plan to trailer it and bring it to shows? because i don't think it can be street legal, especially in California, and to consider it's very short wheelbase, which i think it's only 30inches wheelbase,,, it'll be extremely dangerous to use it on the road, that's just my opinion. anyway, i hope everything goes well so you can finally bring the mini to your home.

PS: ask the owner to fax you the records of all components and parts that were replace on that car if he still have it.

good luck!

Hope to see you in SCCA event / match tour at the stadium on march 3

Pretty much the norm. as Malsal said..  must be ALL original.. even  OEM engine.. all the glass.. including windscreen.. headlights and even seat belts MUST be OEM..  this has came about after Will Hendrick got the 78 SEIZED land rovers back here in NC..from CBP /DHS  in 2015..   and helps to have BMHT to prove all this.. even seeing minis SEIZED for changing from RHD to LHD..   sure the arm chair experts  have their ears PRICKED up on this.. BUT most have NOT imported a  car since jesus was in short pants..  sorry to hear about the loss..  later bc

ouch,   less than knowledgeable/honest broker.

It has been discussed a lot of times here that vehicles now being imported have to be exactly as they left the factory or they will be seized and possibly crushed, you are lucky they are letting you keep ownership of the car. It is blatantly obvious apart from the shorty conversion yours is not.
You will have to ship it back or forfeit it as for driving that far your broker should have known it was not released as that is part of what he is paid for.
Your option may be to disassemble it and ship the car in a container as parts with the parts removed in a separate container or pallet, not a cheap way to do it.
Bill Cox should chime in and he will know the best way to go on this.

If I had to guess, I'd guess that you're screwed - that is a Custom Car, with new wheels, bodykit, grille, headlamps, bonnet, and unibody.

That much shorter, with no doors and all the new bits, it's just not a Mini as DOT recognise one.

Also, you've imported it to California, where they generally get upset about anything newer than 1967/8 when the Mini ceased being sold.  There are a few loopholes for up to 1974 I believe, but 1988 will get them digging their heels in and warming up the crusher.

Best of luck !

i imported a 1988 Mini Shorty from England, used a broker and everything and I drove from Riverton Utah to Port Hueneme CA. (750 miles one way) to pick it up DOT/NHTSA had seized it and would not let me have it. I was told it had to get shipped back because it has to much new materials used on it and now its a new car???
i dont know who decided this but i cant even talk to any body there. It's the same old car just shorter, i have my congress women's office working on it but still waiting only have 2 weeks left before something has to happen to it.
any ideas?
thanks
[email protected]