Mark,
This thread seems to have got a bit into the weeds on the subject of importing kit cars into Canada, so maybe it’s time to back up a bit. From what you’ve written so far, I take it that:
- you’re a Canadian citizen (Ontario resident) living temporarily in the U.S. (North Carolina);
- you’re looking to buy a completed car, turnkey or resale, but aren’t looking to build one;
- you’re looking for an authentic replica of high quality (CSX or similar);
- you have the “means” to do this right.
I would think that not only would you want to use the Cobra in Ontario during the summer, but you would also want to use it in N.C. during the winter months. If this is the case, then you are gonna first need to understand what’s required to bring the car temporarily into both Canada and the U.S. and how to insure it while it is in either location. Sounds like you have some homework to do. This was not my situation, so I cannot help you here.
I researched my purchase for some time before buying, because I didn’t want any nasty surprises and couldn’t afford to gamble my hard-earned savings. Nothing was impossible, but everything was complicated by the fact that these replicas are considered “kit cars” in Canada; don’t know about N.C. but there are lots of members here who could help you.
Like you I was not looking to build a car. I wanted to buy one and drive it. Like you I wanted an authentic Cobra replica, built with modern components. Like you I was considering both turnkeys and resales. But frankly the used Cobra market, especially in the U.S., is absolutely flush with excellent cars at prices far below the cost of a turnkey and I really couldn’t justify going the turnkey route ($$). It might be different for you.
I used many different websites to find resale Cobras including:
www.CobraCountry.com, The classifieds on
www.ClubCobra.com,
www.AutoTrader.ca,
www.Hemmings.com,
www.kijiji.ca and
www.LesPAC.com among others. But which kit to choose? Everyone has his preference, but for the most authentic-looking Cobras you might want to consider CSX4000/6000s (the real thing), Kirkham Motorsports, ERA Replicas, Superformance and Contemporary Classic (CCX). There are a few of these cars in Canada and plenty in the U.S.
If you’re interested there’s an original 427 street Cobra (CSX3287) for sale at Legendary Motorcar in Milton ON –
http://www.legendarymotorcar.com/site/524. This is a highly regarded restoration company which originated as a Shelby specialty shop. They also have a spectacular ERA 289FIA Cobra replica for sale –
http://www.legendarymotorcar.com/site/640.
I know of eight CSX4000 Cobras in Canada, but don’t think any is for sale right now.
I know of two Kirkham Cobras in Canada and one of them (KMP529) is for sale right now in Ontario –
http://www.cobracountry.com/cobra4sa...anley-kirkham/.
There are three Superformance Cobras for sale in Canada on Auto Trader, including one in Barrie, one in Oakville, and one in Surrey B.C. I know there recently was a 10th anniversary edition SPF for sale in Toronto, too.
There are a few Cobra replica manufacturers in Canada who could build you a turnkey including:
www.Johnex3Motorsports.com (Niagara Falls ON),
www.BossReplicaMotors.com (Burlington ON),
www.DDCobra.com (Saint-Paul-de-l'Īle-aux-Noix PQ) and
www.PigeonPerformance.com (Ste-Julienne PQ). I tried contacting them all, but only heard back from two. I’m sure the Factory Five reps at
www.WesternCanadaCobras.com in Calgary AB could help you find a professional builder in Ontario to assemble a car for you.
Registering a Cobra replica/kit in Ontario is well documented and relatively straightforward, from what I can tell. The car I bought had been properly registered as a “kit car” with a Ministry-assigned VIN number (ASD...) and is therefore exempt from the Drive Clean program.
Insurance is as I wrote before.
Transport Canada is the federal department responsible for road safety standards and regulations. Simply put all vehicles manufactured for sale in Canada must meet federal safety and emissions regulations. Cobra replicas obviously don’t. However, the provincial government in Ontario does allow people to build kit cars and register them for road use, provided they meet provincial safety requirements (i.e., safety check), which is how everyone here gets their Cobra replicas on the street.
TC’s jurisdiction covers both international and interprovincial trade in vehicles. So unless a Cobra replica manufacturer can certify its products to meet Canadian standards, its cars cannot legally be sold across national or provincial boundaries. Furthermore, used cars cannot be imported from any country other than the U.S. TC publishes an annual list of admissible vehicles from the U.S. which specifically excludes all kit cars. The Canada Border Services Agency enforces TC’s motor vehicle regulations at the border. Here are some key documents on the subject:
Canada’s motor vehicle safety regulations currently apply to all vehicles less than 15 years old, which is how people can import older Cobras and other cars from any country. Vehicles of this vintage are exempt from the Registrar of Imported Vehicles (RIV) process too. However, all this could change someday; TC has been considering extending the 15 year period (see
http://www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety/safev...Rule/index.htm) mainly because of all the right-hand drive Nissan GT-Rs that young guys are importing.
So what this means is that you probably cannot import a new CSX4000/6000, Kirkham, ERA or Superformance into Canada, as TC prohibits the importation of kit cars under 15 years of age, whether assembled or in parts. So how does FFR get around this, you might ask? From what I understand FFR has worked with TC to determine just how “complete” their kits can be to not be classified as an unassembled vehicle. Unless you plan to import a kit from Kirkham or ERA or another company to build yourself in Canada, then you don’t need to worry about this. If you do go this way, then talk to Ross (mk2gt40) as he has first-hand knowledge of this.
Whew! That's the biggest post I ever made here.
Anyways, the bottom line is: Figure out what you really want and do your homework. I read everything I could find and called everyone I needed to, to figure out the lay of the land. But in the end, my Cobra is in my garage. There can be one in yours, too.