EPA, bumper, safety certification

[aluminium]

Gents, Ladies

Please excuse my ignorance in this matter, I is from England.

I am trying to import my Replica cobra from UK. Regestration doc says it was first manufactured in 1981..... BUT.... I have "note on my document which states "rebuilt"...... I know that you have tough regulations for getting a car into the country.
I will not have any difficulty bringing the car in as it is classed as a "vintage" vehicle..... but the small print for EPA approval says that is the engine has been changed then the vintage thing goes out the window.
Am I going to have a problem bringing the car into Texas?
I have read that bringing a kit car into america is an absolute NO NO! why is this if in the states there are replica makers aplenty?
Surely if my car meets emmissions requirements then they should let it in the country?
I see an argument that it is not going to meet crash protection, theft, and bumper requirements of a 2011 car..... but how do you Americans register a kit on the road with the same restrictions?

Any help appreciated on this one. I am frightened I am going to end up with either a confiscated crushed mess of fiberglass or they are going to send it back to the UK in which case I will have just lost a bloody fortune in shipping costs.

Thanks in advance for any comments

Richard

[FWB]

Originally Posted by aluminium

Gents, Ladies

Please excuse my ignorance in this matter, I is from England.

I am trying to import my Replica cobra from UK. Regestration doc says it was first manufactured in 1981..... BUT.... I have "note on my document which states "rebuilt"...... I know that you have tough regulations for getting a car into the country.
I will not have any difficulty bringing the car in as it is classed as a "vintage" vehicle..... but the small print for EPA approval says that is the engine has been changed then the vintage thing goes out the window.
Am I going to have a problem bringing the car into Texas?
I have read that bringing a kit car into america is an absolute NO NO! why is this if in the states there are replica makers aplenty?
Surely if my car meets emmissions requirements then they should let it in the country?
I see an argument that it is not going to meet crash protection, theft, and bumper requirements of a 2011 car..... but how do you Americans register a kit on the road with the same restrictions?

Any help appreciated on this one. I am frightened I am going to end up with either a confiscated crushed mess of fiberglass or they are going to send it back to the UK in which case I will have just lost a bloody fortune in shipping costs.

Thanks in advance for any comments

Richard

as far as registration of vehicles each state has its own requirement as far as year of car verses what equipment it must have etc......

your hurdle is importation requirements, which building a car here and registering it we wouldn't ever have to deal with.