Author Topic: Importing performance street Beetle to British Columbia Canada (Read 4111 times)

ethanbanville · « **on:** September 10, 2012, 09:49:30 PM »

Hey, gang. I'm moving from SoCal to Vancouver and hope to be taking my '66 Volkswagen Beetle with me. I've been told it usually isn't a problem to import unless there's been significant modifications to the vehicle. But the border folks won't define what "significant modifications" means and says it's up to the border inspector.

My car looks bone stock on the outside, minus the 2" lowered spindles with disc brakes up front. In the back it's got a 1914cc engine with dual webers under the decklid and a tuck style exhaust. Other than that it just looks clean with good paint and a custom interior.

I'm hoping someone's imported a performance VW to Canada from the states and can share their story. Anyone been through this and have trouble getting a car like this through?

Thanks so much for any help you can be.

BUSDADDY · « **Reply #1 on:** September 10, 2012, 10:00:41 PM »

"Performance" isn't the issue if it's registered/titled as a street legal car, safety items like brakes, tires, lights and wipers as well as body condition (rust) are what the inspector is worried about and that has nothing to do with the customs guy as long as you pay the tax when you enter. The safety inspection is performed by a licensed private shop long (or shortly depending on your priorities) after you enter Canada before you go to register and plate it, not at the border.

firebug · « **Reply #2 on:** September 10, 2012, 10:53:12 PM »

The importing process is fairly simple. They dont seem to concerned with the vehicle at all as long as you have all the right paperwork and you pay the taxes which in your case I don't think you will need to do since you already own the car and are just moving here. I just followed the steps on the website http://www.ratwell.com/technical/Importing-Canada.html was a fairly simple process.

Cheers
Travis

ethanbanville · « **Reply #3 on:** September 11, 2012, 11:53:54 AM »

Thanks so much for the advice and info! The car's clean front to back with safety upgrades like disc brakes up front. It's been registered with title in hand since I bought it back in 2004 so it sounds like I'll be good to go. Thanks again for all your help and I'll let you know how it turns out. And if any of you have recommendations for Vancouver area VW gatherings, parts stores or performance shops, please let me know.

Best to you and yours!
-Ethan

bwaz · « **Reply #4 on:** September 11, 2012, 01:01:23 PM »

be sure to take note of the "Obtaining a US Vehicle Export Permit requires 72 hours advance notice. If you arrive at the border without making prior arrangements they may simply turn you away." clause. Just fax the paperwork in advance, and check with them after three days that you're good to go... it will save a lot of trouble!

silas · « **Reply #5 on:** September 11, 2012, 01:15:00 PM »

hey ethan, we'll do pre-welcome to canada now and then make it official once you arrive!!

approximately what area of vancouver will you be in and when will you arrive?

alot of our cars are taken off the road here from october-ish to april-ish because of the weather (but some dudes are still are badass enough to drive them year round)! and it may be worth your while to have dry storage (garage, underground, carport, etc) handy to keep your 66 protected from the elements.

there should still be a few local vw events for 2012...Classic Car Adventure Thanksgiving run, DVKK xmas party...maybe even a few other get togethers/cruise-ins. your best bet is to keep visiting this here site as much as possible...this is where it all goes down!!

as far as local parts/performance shops...there is always the classifieds section on this site...or you can walk in, browse parts, sit down, and have a chat with the friendly and helpfull guys at AVR Import Specialties http://avrparts.com/ or check out CIP (extensive online catalogue, internet ordering, warehouse, more helpful folks) http://www.cip1.ca/

as the others have mentioned, importing your car should be fairly straight forward. just have all your paperwork together and submitted on time (like bwaz said above) and be honest about condition, modifications and value.

when you're in BC and it comes time to get your vehicle through an oop (out of province) inspection, i highly recomend staying away from the big chain stores (canadian tire, etc) and going with a smaller more specialized shop. i'm sure folks here will chime in with their recomendations, but i recomend Autobahn Import Auto Services at 1700 Kingsway in Vancouver. (604) 873-3858. talk to frankie (the owner). he did an oop inspection on my 64 beetle years ago and was fair, honest and helpfull.

good luck, have a safe move, post some pics of your ride in the members section, and we're all looking forward to meeting you and going for a cruise!!!

ethanbanville · « **Reply #6 on:** September 12, 2012, 12:52:56 PM »

Thanks, guys! And looking forward to rolling with you all. Will definitely check out the events!
And I appreciate the advice on shops and parts stores. And heck yeah with the dry storage. I'll rent out someone's garage if I have to to find a place for my bug and my tools. :-)

As for where we're looking, it's at rentals in Kitsilano at this point. Seems more affordable than the West End where my wife used to live.

Another engine question. Any of you who did the move have to rejet your carbs? The elevation seems the same as Los Angeles but obviously a lot wetter. I'm no pro in fluid dynamics so figured I'd ask. :-)

Will post pics on the member pages shortly.

Thanks again!
-Ethan

ethanbanville · « **Reply #7 on:** September 28, 2012, 12:29:10 PM »

HOUSTON WE HAVE A PROBLEM! I talked to Frankie at Autobahn and he told me my car would not pass because of the narrowed front beam and dropped spindles in the front which were all part of the disc brake package I installed from CB Performance.

He also told me it wouldn't pass because I need a working defroster in the front and the back which means I have to buy a whole new exhaust system with heater boxes and install it. Which made me think, wait, the '66 Beetle didn't come with a rear defroster. How can they require it?

Anyone have any words of advice, other than abandon ship?

Jeremy · « **Reply #8 on:** September 28, 2012, 01:09:54 PM »

Yours isn't the first car to have to go through this. There has to be a way. I know some inspection places will charge you the intitial inspection fee and if you fail let you bring the car back for further inspections no charge. ICBC (the local insurance company) will probably issue day permits to allow you to get work done or drive to inspections. Unfortunatly you will have to pass emisions as well. I'm sure someone more experienced will chime in.

ethanbanville · « **Reply #9 on:** September 28, 2012, 01:18:24 PM »

Thanks, Jeremy. Only way I've discovered so far is to spend lots of money I don't have to put a stock front end on and all new exhaust system with heater boxes plus a blower kit as my fan shroud doesn't have fresh air ports.

Jeremy · « **Reply #10 on:** September 28, 2012, 01:52:45 PM »

You'll at least be able to get the car in the country and from there you can putter away at getting through inspection. I wouldn't abandon ship yet. Is this your daily driver? Any more pics of your car?

Chris E. · « **Reply #11 on:** September 28, 2012, 01:59:46 PM »

Unless your inspector is an experienced a/c vw guy, I don't think they'd pick up on a narrowed beam and dropped spindles. The disk brakes could mezmorize him as well. As long as you have some front suspension travel you should be OK. This is just my opinion and may be way off base.

ethanbanville · « **Reply #12 on:** September 28, 2012, 02:04:37 PM »

Thanks and Jeremy, I couldn't figure out how to post pics to my profile or the forum. When I click on the picture link it just puts

but doesn't give me an option to upload or attach anything. I'm new to the site so appreciate any help with photo posting to profile or forums.

Jeremy · « **Reply #13 on:** September 28, 2012, 02:09:22 PM »

Photo posting isn't my forte either. Someone else might chime in. You also have a PM.

Chris E. · « **Reply #14 on:** September 28, 2012, 03:08:03 PM »

You need to host your photos on a site such as photo bucket, which is what I use and have had no problems.

ethanbanville · « **Reply #15 on:** September 28, 2012, 03:28:01 PM »

Thanks, Chris. Here's a link to pics of the pretty lady I'm trying to import.

http://s1321.photobucket.com/albums/u552/ebanville/?start=all

ethanbanville · « **Reply #16 on:** September 28, 2012, 03:39:37 PM »

http://s1321.photobucket.com/albums/u552/ebanville/?start=all

Geoff · « **Reply #17 on:** September 28, 2012, 08:50:08 PM »

Great looking car! Hope to see it on the streets on Vancouver soon.

ethanbanville · « **Reply #18 on:** September 28, 2012, 09:01:20 PM »

Thanks, Geoff! Unfortunately it looks like I'll have to make some mods back to stock specs if it's gonna pass inspection up there. Apparently narrowing a front end to compensate for your disc brake offset is a big no no. :-P

Geoff · « **Reply #19 on:** September 28, 2012, 09:09:59 PM »

Don't listen to whoever is telling you these lies. Bring it up and I'll help you get it thru without changes.

silas · « **Reply #20 on:** September 28, 2012, 11:18:24 PM »

Quote from: ethanbanville

HOUSTON WE HAVE A PROBLEM! I talked to Frankie at Autobahn and he told me my car would not pass....Anyone have any words of advice, other than abandon ship?

i believe that it would be possible to pass a car with mild mods, as long as safety/mechanicals/structural integrity/etc arent compromised (and it sounds and looks like your car is mint!)...but i dont inspect cars. bummer that frankie told you that it wouldnt pass in it's current configuration. i'm going to guess that oop inspections arent his bread & butter as they may have used to be and when you mentioned the mods he decided he didnt want to get involved. his loss.

do not abandon ship!!

Quote from: Geoff

Don't listen to whoever is telling you these lies. Bring it up and I'll help you get it thru without changes.

bam! there you go ethan. geoff is good s#!t...take him up on his offer and it'll all be good!!

bwaz · « **Reply #21 on:** September 29, 2012, 07:45:50 AM »

coming from someone who could make a bathtub sitting on a skateboard pass, that's an offer you should take!

ethanbanville · « **Reply #22 on:** September 29, 2012, 08:54:14 AM »

Thanks, guys! And thank you, Geoff. I just PM'd you.

DarrenE · « **Reply #23 on:** September 29, 2012, 10:29:07 AM »

Quote from: bwaz on September 29, 2012, 07:45:50 AM

coming from someone who could make a bathtub sitting on a skateboard pass, that's an offer you should take!

Good one Brian! Sadly, now I have an image of Geoff cruising atound in a bathtub on a skateboard in my head. Which isn't too far off my regular thoughts, lol.
I hope this all works out for you, btw. Good luck.

Bruce · « **Reply #24 on:** October 02, 2012, 09:14:50 PM »

Geoff speaks the truth. Don't listen to the mechanic that says you can't pass. My car's been through exactly the same inspection and I have a 4" beam with drop spindles.
You just need to go to a different shop. There are plenty.
What I did was to park the car in sight then walk in and inquire about an inspection.
The first guy I talked to said my car was lowered, so it can't pass. Scratch that guy off the list.
The second place said you can't have any rips in the headliner (WTF??). Since I have a couple of ½" tears in the original headliner, scratch that guy. (later I found out they have the ripped headliner rule to stop the dummies who drive around with a shreaded headliner hanging down blocking their vision and that this stupid mechanic was just being a dick)
The third guy I went to had a quick glance and told me the tread on the front tires wasn't enough. Other than that, he didn't see anything obvious to fail it on. Swapping tires is easy, so I made the appt. I went home and changed the front wheels out then went back. After 45 min in the shop, I had my inspection.
They didn't test the heater (Merged header, no heaterboxes), nor the defogger (although the rear one actually works!). Truely, the only way to test the defogger is if it's fogged up. Not possible in the summer. And besides, 68 and earlier cars never had rear defoggers, so you're exempt. Just like you're exempt from having daytime headlights, 3rd brake light, km speedo, rear seatbelts, front shoulder belts. You will need your 4 way flashers working, since your 66 is the first year for them.
They pulled off one wheel on each side to look at the pads and rotors. My horn only works when the steering wheel is at 9 O'Clock, so I generously offered to run the controls for all the lights & horn for them.

Tip: when you get the inspection, they will place an inspection sticker on your front window. You may need the sticker for when you go and register the car. After that, peel it off. It isn't required to be there.

ethanbanville · « **Reply #25 on:** October 03, 2012, 03:47:37 PM »

Awesome. Appreciate the advice, Bruce. You guys are all awesome. Can't wait to run into you all at a meet up.