Contact / support in US / Canada

[AndyH]

Hi,

Gerry at Hawk has been asked to supply a HAWK into CANADA.

E-mail conversation is as below:-

Gerry
do you have any Stratos /Strati sold in Canada
we are about to move there
Kieran

>>> Hawkcars 9/8/2004 2:51 AM >>>
Yes indeed, I will get Jeff Davison to contact you
Best regards
Gerry Hawkridge
----- Original Message -----
From: "Kieran Murphy"
To: <>
Sent: Wednesday, September 08, 2004 3:28 AM
Subject: Gerry


> Gerry
> Can I buy/Build a Stratos in the US
> Kieran

If anyone would be willing to contact this potential owner, please drop me a pm and I'll forward their e-mail address to you.

Heh ho.

Andrew

[mogul_x]

Andrew,

I'll be happy to talk to them, if they'd like. Please feel free to forward their E-mail addy to me. I'll PM you with my contact details as well.

Also, I know of someone who built a Hawk in Ontario, Canada some years back. He and the car have since emigrated to the USA, near Detroit. I'll see if I can get contact information - he's a friend of a friend, and I don't think I have his details.

[mogul_x]

I spoke with Kieran briefly via e-mail. Sounds like he wants to build a Stratos to use in the Targa Newfoundland once he's settled in. :)

I suggested he look into Canadian Import laws for complete cars vs. kits, and also to check the Targa rulebook for roll cage regulations. I know that the tubing in the Hawk cage is a shade too small for SCCA competition in the USA, so he'd need to special order a heavier frame if they use similar rules in Canada.

[mindofone]

I'm sorry to report, but there is no way he will be able to import a Stratos kit into Canadian law does not allow for it.


tm

[mogul_x]

I take it you looked into this recently? Not being Canadian, I won't claim to know their import regulations, but I know of at least two Hawks that were imported into Canada in the past. Both were at least 10-15 years ago, so it's possible that something changed in the meantime.

Does the ban apply to all kit cars in general? I know Canada's regulations on importing used cars are much more lax than in the US. They can get Integrales after only 15 years, while we have to wait 25.

[John]

I'm sorry to report, but there is no way he will be able to import a Stratos kit into Canada. Law does not allow for it.


We have been talking to a party in BC for some time now, who is interested in importing the Corse to Canada, for sale within Canada and the US, and who seems to think that it is possible. If the above is true, it's worrying....
What do you base that on Tom? Which province are you in?

[mindofone]

Scott,

Anything more than a chassis and bodywork will be seized by Transport Canada. Although stated as otherwise, the enforcement and laws are a bit arbitrary in terms of importing a 'kit car' into Canada. Actually, Canadian law specifically says you cannot import a kit car if it is less than 15 years old, and there is some speculation that rule will be changed to 25 years.

There have been a few lawsuits with Transport Canada, seized shipments and sorts of nasty things over the past 18 months.

And yes, we have worked on and are working on getting the Corse into Canada. It's already coming to the U.S.


disclaimer: You *can* import a race car into Canada, but you must prove that it is a race car, and not a car for the street. You are then prevented from registering the car for street use.



tm

[SUSIT]

So does that mean you could import my 20 year old Allora Stratos replica as a complete running car??

[mindofone]

We have been talking to a party in BC for some time now, who is interested in importing the Corse to Canada, for sale within Canada and the US, and who seems to think that it is possible. If the above is true, it's worrying....
What do you base that on Tom? Which province are you in?

Hi John,

I'm in the Province of USA :) I'll forward to you the bits I'm talking about from Transport Canada.



tm

[mindofone]

So does that mean you could import my 20 year old Allora Stratos replica as a complete running car??

Yes, if a Canadian wanted a RHD car, then no problem. Registration for the road is a different story, but importing it is ok.



tm

[SUSIT]

Yes, if a Canadian wanted a RHD car, then no problem. Registration for the road is a different story, but importing it is ok.



tm

What's the issue with reistration for the road if Its fit for use in the UK?
I can make it LHD no problem :)

[mindofone]

What's the issue with registration for the road if Its fit for use in the UK?
I can make it LHD no problem :)

Emissions and the fact that Canada doesn't recognize any non-Canadian safety rules or regs. Canada wants it's citizens to be safe. If you've ever been to Canada and seen all their warning signs, you know what I mean. :)


tm

[SUSIT]

Emissions and the fact that Canada doesn't recognize any non-Canadian safety rules or regs. Canada wants it's citizens to be safe. If you've ever been to Canada and seen all their warning signs, you know what I mean. :)


tm

Ok so I am not going to move to Canada. :(
And I thought the Uk was bad for silly rules ;) New zealand must be the place to live, drive on the right side of the road and seem to have few rules :D :D

Stephen

[mudhut]

New zealand must be the place to live, drive on the right side of the road and seem to have few rules :D :D

Stephen
OT, sorry, but...

Not what I've heard with regard to cars and regulations regarding modifications. Don't know the details but I expect a kiwi will be along who can shed some accurate light on things.

[Steve Strain]

[QUOTE=SUSIT] New zealand must be the place to live, drive on the right side of the road and seem to have few rules :D :D

Yes as a reasonably well traveled Kiwi I can confirm New Zealand is a great place to live.

In answer to the above suggestion (and at the risk or boring a few others) – Yes we do have many rules and a similar certification system for low volume (where less than 200 are manufactured world wide per year e.g. HawkCars)and modified vehicles.

Essentially all “kit and scratch built” cars whether imported or built locally need to be certified (like your SVA) as complying with the current NZ laws and international standards (as do all mass produced cars) before they can be first registered and subsequently tested for a Warrant of Fitness (like your MOT).
There is however one big exception to this, that being the frontal impact standard.
In NZ all cars built after 1995 must have an internationally recognized frontal impact standard to be legally registered for NZ roads. If not they cannot be registered. This is much to the dismay of many importers of some models of TVR, Ferrari and Porsche etc, where there is no such impact standard. This is despite such cars being possibly legal and previously driven in say the UK.
If the car is say 20 years old or more then the impact standard does not apply. There is also a requirement for new LHD cars to be converted to RHD although I am not sure what the cut off year is.

My Stratos has been through the certification process twice. First in 1991 as a Lancia Beta powered vehicle, then again in 2006 following the conversion to Alfa V6.
The latter recertification was required not just due to the engine change but also due to the modified brakes and rear suspension mounts. During this process the car was tested and passed as complying with all the standards applying to low volume vehicles.
After the test a “low volume vehicle compliance plate” was fixed to the front bulk head of the car that documents its main components, e.g. chassis, engine, wheels, suspension, brakes, axels etc. This gives the car an identity and presumably a process for detecting any further non certified modifications.
The only areas I am aware of that the Stratos kit may be deficient in is to do with the side intrusion, interior impact and side window standards.
When my chassis was made there was no built in “intrusion protection” i.e. a bar connecting the door hinges to the burst proof locks and there is no equivalent “E” marking on the plastic side windows.
To comply with the interior impact safety requirements I have had to fit high back race seats and 4 point harness belts (due to the close proximity of the driver and passengers heads to the rollcage, steering wheel, dash etc).
In the future MOT tests may include noise and emissions although these will be linked to the age of the vehicle (or mechanicals used).

For anyone contemplating a move to NZ or importing a low volume vehicle there is a BIG advantage in belonging to a club like the Constructors Car Club www.constructorscarclub.org.nz
Clubs like this have their own certifiers that know the standards intimately and will advise on, oversee the build and avoid any compliance issues.
Through the club we get a lot of enquiries from UK and other immigrants bringing kit cars with them.

I hope the above satisfies any interest.

BTW I believe it is even tougher to import kits into Australia (Stewart?)

Cheers

Steve

[SUSIT]

Thanks for all that Steve,
very useful info and might point to what may happen in the UK in years to come. The message might be if anyone in the UK is considering building a Kit in the next 5 to 10 years it may be better to do so sooner rather than later.
I would agree NZ a great place to live/visit spent 6 weeks touring both North and south Islands in 2002. Great holiday from begining to end. Saw more motorsport in the 6 weeks there than the previous 6 months at home.
hope to get back in the next couple of years

Cheers
Stephen

[Steve Strain]

Thanks Susit

An interesting point you make about building now rather than later. We were saying that 10-15 years ago but despite all the new rules it is still possible to build your own car from scratch or import a kit as long as it is well engineered and meets all the safety and standard requirements.

Alot of these rules e.g. frontal impact, were aimed at preventing NZ becoming a dumping ground for old Japanese imports and the noise standard is clearly aimed at stopping boy racers being a nusiance with their big bore exhausts.
I am all for the rules provided they are sensible in the interests of occupant safety and do not interfere with my passion of building and running a Stratos.

BTW there are NZ Stratos owners and builders in Auckland, Wellington, Nelson and Christchurch, so if intend travelling this way give us a call.

Cheers

Steve

[SUSIT]

Thanks Susit

An interesting point you make about building now rather than later. We were saying that 10-15 years ago but despite all the new rules it is still possible to build your own car from scratch or import a kit as long as it is well engineered and meets all the safety and standard requirements.

Alot of these rules e.g. frontal impact, were aimed at preventing NZ becoming a dumping ground for old Japanese imports and the noise standard is clearly aimed at stopping boy racers being a nusiance with their big bore exhausts.
I am all for the rules provided they are sensible in the interests of occupant safety and do not interfere with my passion of building and running a Stratos.

BTW there are NZ Stratos owners and builders in Auckland, Wellington, Nelson and Christchurch, so if intend travelling this way give us a call.

Cheers

Steve

Thanks for that Steve, will keep that in mind.
Interesting about noise issue etc. We stayed the first few days in a Hotel in central Christchurch and the boy racers in the turbo starlets etc were busy till the wee small hours. Cant recall everseeing a police car on the south Island
Out of interest could you temp import a Stratos replica to take partin motorsport events in NZ?

[Steve Strain]

Hi Susit

That's exactly the issue and unfortunately its not just in Christchurch.

Yes many do import cars into NZ for the national summer race series, hill climbs like the Wanaka "Race to the Sky" and other profile events. For a race car it is easy to do, but to drive it on the roads from say one event to another I am not sure.

I will ask one of our certifiers and let you know.

Steve