Need help importing a 1971 tractor from England

Bob_Skurka · Feb 17, 2005

Anyone do any importing?

I'm bringing over a 1971 Snow Trac ST4, which is a snow tractor/snow cat made in Sweden. Or at least I am trying to. It is intended to be my new restoration project. The tractor is in a state of partial restoration, and I can get it driven into a container.

I've contacted some "moving & relocation" companies and actually gotten a pretty good quote or two. But nobody really knows how much grief I may get from customs, what type of papers I need to import such a thing. I used to import water from Austrailia for my business, but I used an agent to handle all the clearing issues and in this case don't quite know where to turn.

I know a few of you guys do some importing. Any advice or help would be greatly appreciated.

Cliff_Johns · Feb 17, 2005

Von imported the cab for his Unimog restoration from the UK a couple months ago. You might try sending him a PM.

Cliff

slowzuki · Feb 17, 2005

A 71 would be eay to import to Canada, unfortunately I have no clue for the US.
Ken

PBinWA · Feb 17, 2005

I think you need to find a Customs Broker that specializes in this stuff. Check your local yellow pages or hit google.

I found these guys with a quick search:
Broker

I bet that this will be a long and painfully bureaucratic process. I hope you are willing to wait for your new toy!

PineRidge · Feb 17, 2005

Bob a customs broker is the only way to go. Try Danzas AEI 440-243-4566 they have always treated us well.

Bob_Skurka · Feb 28, 2005

Well I am beginning to make progress on importing the snow tractor from England, but if I had known what I know now I'm not sure I would have tried this.

First is the price of importing. The various shipping companies range from well over $3600 on the high end to less than half of that on the low end. (I expected to pay about $1500 to $2000 but the bids started coming in over $3000 and I started getting really worried).

Second is clearing customs. I sell candy to kids, so I don't claim to be too smart . . . customs rules seem to be a murky pond because nobody wants to clearly identify this thing as what it is. The rules are clear for importing a new car. The rules are clear for importing a new tractor. The rules are clear for importing an old car. The rules are clear for importing an old tractor. But what is not so clear are the rules for importing a sort of car sort of tractor thing that is something like 34 years old. The complication seems to come in that nobody really knows what this thing is. There are examples where these have been licensed for farm use and taken on the roadways, that makes it a car in the eyes of some folks. There are obvious ties to the skiing industry where these have been used for mountain rescue, off road ambulances, and ski trail tractors . . . those things make this an off road vehicle. I'm beginning to make headway! But usually not until after I email a photograph so that people can clearly see this is not a car.

RobS · Feb 28, 2005

Bob, is the photo you posted the "tractor" you're buying? It doesn't resemble what you posted previously, but then that picture was the actual item. Seems I had a Matchbox die-cast model of this rig when I was young /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Bob_Skurka · Feb 28, 2005

The picture I originally posted in the other forum was a trashed unit that I am actually buying. That same picture is in my photo gallery. If you read under the photo in my photo gallery is actually says that the picture is sort of a ruse. That is the Snow Trac I am buying but the current owner did a partial resortation, it now has a cab on it. The engine is untouched and needs work. The electrical is missing. Paint is needed. The interior is missing. But there is now sheetmetal on the unit and the tracks are partially restored as well.

The photo I attached above is what I am sending to the shipping agents so they see what it is that I am trying to move. It is the same shape, but better looking that what I am actually moving.

As for the MATCHBOX units, there are actually 3 versions of the Snow Trac. Version #1 had white decals on the side that said Snow Trac. Version #2, had smooth sides, and no decals. Version #3, had Snow Trac embossed in metal on the sides of the toy. I own one 1 of each version of the Matchbox toys. For version #1 I just have the toy itself, but version #2 is UNOPENED and untouched, with the box, encased in the original plastic bubble & cardboard backer; for version #3 I have the toy and the original box. (I never said I wasn't a geek).

RobS · Feb 28, 2005

OK, had another look at your beast in the photo gallery. Now I can make the connection but it sure is missing some stuff in that photo. Can't wait for you to take possesion and post some more photos. You and Von will be competing for the most obscure restoration project award. BTW, nothing geeky about collecting old Matchbox, some are quite valuable. Unfortunately, the box I have in the attic contains my own childhood models and most are well played with /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

BigAl · Feb 28, 2005

Hi Bob ,
I just imported a "one horse open sliegh" from Canada to Idaho . What a NIGHTMARE!!! The wife was ready to send me down the road . All Customs Brokers wanted us to open a account with them. I kept telling them ,this is a "one time thing' and I'll give you a credit card number for the cost . 2 months later we finally got the sliegh ! Go through a "customs broker" at the port where they will be coming into the U.S. and good luck .It will be a lesson in PATIENCE!!!
Big Al