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Importing From UK

jake-cutter

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League City, Texas
Hi,

New to the site. I am interested in purchasing a Saracen APC. I have only found a few in the US, however there are a ton of them in the UK at better prices (yes I did the currency exchange). I was wondering what the process is for importing one from the UK? I am looking to get one shipped in to the port of Houston/Galveston.

Any advice would be helpful.

Thanks,
Jake
 

maddawg308

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
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You might want to try talking to someone who already imports, they may be helpful in paperwork/legal issues for importing your Saracen. Intl. Repo Depo in Texas is a good example of someone a friend of mine dealt with for importation issues, and was able to bring a FV432 APC into the country for cheaper than if he bought one here already.

On a side note, I see www.armyjeeps.net has 4 recently imported Chieftain tanks available for $45,000. Can't buy a new SUV for that anymore!
 

MrAugust

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england. uk
i contacted a us dealer regarding parts and may be a new truck, i have a dodge ram, and thy said that containers are allways to and frowing the seas, try the following to contact a exporter. www.milweb.net and look at services some one will export all day long
 

davesgmc

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Location
Mclouth, KS
Jake, there are a few saracens for sale already in your area. I was looking for one a few years ago, an found several in the southern texas area. You can still import them. Just tkes time,,,,a LONG time, you have to get your import license BEFORE you have it shipped here, otherwise you will pay BIG time to have it sit in port in storage until your form 6 (i believe) form the ATF is approved. They take approx 6 month or so to go through, I am still awaiting one to go through jut for some parts that I am wanting. There is a saladin for sale on ebay right now. You may also want to consider the Saracen is BIG, and very hard to work on. I am not sure it will even fit in a container? might have to come acorss like a tank, just on a flat skid, those aint cheap either.
 

davesgmc

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Mclouth, KS
Re: RE: Importing From UK

maddawg308 said:
On a side note, I see www.armyjeeps.net has 4 recently imported Chieftain tanks available for $45,000. Can't buy a new SUV for that anymore!
OOOOOHHH! a chieftan!! And two of those are gulf war vets too! Where oh where can I get a loan for one? That would be soooo sweet!
 

jake-cutter

Member
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Location
League City, Texas
RE: Re: RE: Importing From UK

I haven't found any close to me. Please PM or email me if you know of any Saracens close to Texas. I found a company in UK that has the import forms cleared on the US side, just waiting on the UK side. They are sending a couple of different vehicles to the US.
 

davesgmc

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Location
Mclouth, KS
RE: Re: RE: Importing From UK

I will try to find them again. There is Joe Gullo in the north east us, that has a real nice one, Another guy in Arizona that has a REALLY nice mk6. But I remember looing at one somewhere in southern texas 2-3 years ago. And I emember some others that I saw pics of in texas. Try the Yahoo emial groups, join and ask around. I know they are out there. Just not that popular due to thier size (too big to some people)
 

jake-cutter

Member
297
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18
Location
League City, Texas
RE: Re: RE: Importing From UK

I am willing to go most places in the US to get one, not just Texas. Size isn't a problem, I have a large steel building to store it. Please send me any links if you find any.
 

No.2Diesel

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RE: Re: RE: Importing From UK

Wow those Chieftans look too good to be true. I'm amazed at the low prices of British armor. I could go for some Panzerkampfwagens though. A nice juicy Panther, Tiger or King Tiger :drool:

On a similar note. What are the rules regarding half or fully tracked vehicles on public roads if equipped with rubber chevron or block tread? Can a tank ever be registered if properly equipped (lighting)
 

davesgmc

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Mclouth, KS
RE: Re: RE: Importing From UK

You cant register a fully tracked vehicle for on road use here in Kansas. We went ahead and gave them that one.

I do understand that Mississippi has an "antique tracked vehicle" tag for such things
 

davesgmc

Active member
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Location
Mclouth, KS
I have driven my feret to sonic, mc donalds, etc before, yeah I get looks. And tons of questions,,,If you dont like people asking questions, and lots of them repeatedly, dont drive a ferret thats for sure!
 

rizzo

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I wonder how much down pressure those tanks have. 50 tons is a lot, but with the tracks???? would it hurt the road on the way to the store?
 

EZFEED

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Lafayette, LA
Re: RE: Importing From UK

davesgmc said:
Jake, there are a few saracens for sale already in your area. I was looking for one a few years ago, an found several in the southern texas area. You can still import them. Just tkes time,,,,a LONG time, you have to get your import license BEFORE you have it shipped here, otherwise you will pay BIG time to have it sit in port in storage until your form 6 (i believe) form the ATF is approved. They take approx 6 month or so to go through, I am still awaiting one to go through jut for some parts that I am wanting. There is a saladin for sale on ebay right now. You may also want to consider the Saracen is BIG, and very hard to work on. I am not sure it will even fit in a container? might have to come acorss like a tank, just on a flat skid, those aint cheap either.
This was not the way to import armor or any tactical vehicle.

To import foreign tactical or armored vehicles you will need an approved ATF F-6 (Form-6 not Form-6A for military), an HS-7 from NHTSA/DOT and a EPA standard form 3520-1 or 3520-21.
Prior to making ANY deal across the pond you MUST have your approved F-6. You simply cannot import any U.S. munitions control list applicable item without one. If you do like the above then you can ensure that your load will sit at customs for however long it takes to get your permit (or be rejected for that matter) or you voluntarily abandon the item. I'd say the person whom you are describing above Davesgmc is quite lucky that the vehicle was only impounded and not seized. Importing such material without a F-6 is just simply a no-no and especially so in this day and age.

If the vehicle has weapons they must be deactivated according to U.S. specs prior to entering our borders. If you wish you can arrange to demil them in a bonded warehouse under ATF supervision but it'll cost you $$$$$$$. European deac's DO NOT count. Demil requirements in the UK and USA are as different as night and day. Your F-6 will come with demil requirements if applicable so have them followed to a T. Failure to do so will put you in violation of importing contraband items and residence change to Club Fed is your reward.

If the vehicle is U.S. manufactures such as a WW2 vehicle then you're better off forgetting about it. U.S. vehicles can be imported BUT they must be eligible to do so. The vehicle must be lend lease or direct sale from US to the foreign entity for legitimate military purposes. The vehicle must be held in that countrys military service for at least 5 years to be considered as belonging to that country. Also the country must not be a prohibited country under US embargo. ANY U.S. vehicle thast is US or was formerly US must get US State Department approval first. Obtaining this approval is like pulling teeth so that's why I say forget about it.You must also prove that the vehicle was held by country X's military during the years specified.

You will have to fill an EPA standard form 3520-1or 3520-21. You will use the -1 for road worthy vehicles and -21 for all non-road vehicles. EPA requires that an engine be 21 years old or older to be considered antique and not-applicable to the Clea Air Act.This form can be completed during arrival.

You will also need the DOT/NHTSA HS-7. You can import the vehicle as an antique and exempt from FMVSS if the vehicle is 25 years old or older. Anything else must be retroffited to meet current FMVSS. Again you must prove this.
 

EZFEED

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RE: Re: RE: Importing From UK

Oh yeah, as for duties.

If you are importig one vehicle and ONLY one vehicle PER SHIP, then you can import your vehicle tariff/duty free.
Now understand I put emphasis on one per ship. Your F-6 is good for as many vehicles as you can import at any time during the 12 months it is valid. When it expires you can always request another or do like me and request a replacment within 2 months of the originals expiration date. Usually it only takes 3 weeks to get a F-6 back. It's a free permit and only costs you time, take advantage of it. I've got a vehicle on the way at the moment, check the transportation section and look for my post. It has cost me a grand total of maybe $8-$9,000 including shipping and handling. $3,000 for the truck, $1,000 for a complete restoration, $1,100 for internal shipping, and like $3,000 for shipping and port services. Not anywhere do I have to pay for any permits, bribes, etc.

The whole bribe thing that RI's in this buisness tell you is mostly to throw you off and make it seem more shady of a job than it usually is. Sure if you deal with these little third world arms dealers then I can see where you might have to grease some things but if you stick with a more well know dealer wether it be in the UK or former com-block you should be cool. I've never imported from the UK because stuff is way too expensive there and for no good reason either.

I really can't say much better for the armor dealers here in the U.S. either. They make a tremendous profit per vehicle. Granted, such things don't sell as quick as used cars and theres not much of a market for them so they try and recoup the entire lot's expenses on one or two vehicles so you "usually" end up paying 50-75% above actual cost. Learn to do it yourself and you'll be better off. I'm looking at a T-72 for $17,000 right now, might get that next year.

Here is a decent UK armor dealer you might want to check with.
http://www.witham-sv.com/

They've got allot of good stuff as well as crap. The FV-432's are pretty nice and fast too! Easy to work on IMHO. They have some Saracens too but you have to register with them to view the full catalog I beleive.

Your Saracen will be imported under the tarriff heading 8710.00.00 Stat-Suffix 30. SS-30 is for all tracked APC's, tanks, and other tracked and armored fighting vehicles. The duty rate for your Saracen is 0% for one and for 2 it's 35% of the declared value.
If you were doing a truck or a self propelled howitzer or something of that sort it would be 9301.11.00 SS-00 and your duty rate would be 0% per one and 27.5% per two.


The reason for this is simple, importing one looks like an obvious personal; import. Importing two looks like you want to sell them. If you are importing to sell then you need to register with ATF as an RI (Registerd Importer) the arms control act. Importing and selling military equipment imported on a personal F-6 is illegal and will win you like 10 or more years plus a big fine in Club Fed so don't sell or even look like you are engaging in the buisness of this.
 

jake-cutter

Member
297
13
18
Location
League City, Texas
RE: Re: RE: Importing From UK

I'm looking. The importer from over seas has an office located here in the States and has all of the forms almost cleared. (form 6 with ATF is done) I would like to find a Ferret Mk2 and/or Saracen APC in the US ready to go, but I haven't found anything yet. If I don't finding anything soon, I will be improting something.
 

davesgmc

Active member
833
131
43
Location
Mclouth, KS
ferret and pig for sale on ebay

Jake, I see that there is curently a ferret and a pig for sale on Ebay. The fferet might go for a good price, the pig,,,,well it was sold on ebay a while back, dont think the guy that has it now paid anything near whaqt his opening bid is. Pig is a pretty decent truck, but I personally think his opening bid is too high. I bid on it before and it wasnt near that price. ITs true history isint exactly what he says it is, it was restored way back when and the "felix" symbols added by a gent in the UK. not a true "felix" vehicle, but still quite a nice pig.

The ferret (mk1) no turret, looks decent. Missing some interior bins, but no big deal, can spend osme of the money you would save on buying it to buy some later. I personally like the turretless ferret better. I had mine off for a while and may take it back off again later.
 
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