Topic: Do import costs count in Lemons budgets?

So, I've found a listing for a 20th January auction of supercheap classic barn finds (https://www.interencheres.com/vehicules … =estimates) in France and wanted to post it for a team crazy enough to import a rustbucket from there, but I don't know if that would be OK for the budgeting.

So, are the import costs counted in?

Re: Do import costs count in Lemons budgets?

Almost any car in that listing would get instantly put in class C no questions asked.  They wouldn't care about your import budget, but I don't think a team can afford the import costs and the hassle dealing with customs on those cars.

Some awesome cars in there though.  Spank there are TWO Toronados.

Team whatever_racecar #745 Volvo wagon

Re: Do import costs count in Lemons budgets?

Rule 4.1 refers to "total investment" and "total spent to purchase and prepare" which I'm inclined to interpret as not including shipping or import fees. Transporting the vehicle from one place to another isn't an inherent aspect of purchasing it, nor does transportation result in having more invested in the car (except perhaps emotionally). Transportation might count as an aspect of preparation, but that would be a pretty weak argument to make, since the cost of transporting a car to, for example, a cage builder, or even to the track, doesn't count.

When our team raced a British-market MG Metro we were asked nothing at all about any aspect of our budget, although it is true that in our case it was a previous owner who had imported it. I really don't think the judges would have cared even if we had been the ones who had brought it to the US, though. I suspect the same would be true if you were to bring over something unusual. We did, however, have to request a waiver for the "legal for US highway use at the time of their manufacture" part of the rules, which is something to keep in mind when looking at foreign-market vehicles.

1982 MG Metro 1300: IOE 2015 Pacific Northworst GP, Longest Distance 2010 Cd'L Box Wine Country Classic
1980 KV Mini 1: Worst of Show and Fright Pig Supremo 2009 Concours d'Lemons
1978 H Special: Second-Round Elimination 2010 Lemons Pinewood Derby at Sears Pointless
1967 SAAB 96: IOE 2012 Pacific Northworst GP, Organizer's Choice 2022 Hell on Wheels California Rally

Re: Do import costs count in Lemons budgets?

You bring something cool, nobody cares about cost.

Mistake By The Lake Racing (MBTL)
88 Thunderbird "THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO!", Ex Astris, Rubigo / Semper Fracti
A&D: 2014 Sebrings at Sebring (NSF), 2014 NJMP2 Jurassic Park (SpeedyCop), 2012 Summit Point J30 (PiNuts)
2018 Route Sucky-Suck Rally Miata, 2019 World Tour Of Texas 64 Newport

Re: Do import costs count in Lemons budgets?

Keep in mind that a waiver may be required for an import vehicle:

2.1: Vehicle Eligibility: Entry limited to mass-produced, four-wheeled vehicles legal for US highway use at the time of their manufacture.

Sorry For Party Racing! - 1985 Pontiac Firebird - Car #35

A race car exists only in two states: broken or in the process of becoming that way.

Re: Do import costs count in Lemons budgets?

I wouldn't worry too much about 2.1 for pretty much any of those cars.  I see lots of awesomesauce there.

French Connection Lincoln?  Check

Diesel Fiat 131?  Check.

Lambo Miura?  Well, maybe not so much.

1990 RX7 "Mazdarita"  1964 Sunbeam Imp (IOE 2013 Sears Pointless) 2002 Jaguar x-type (Winner C-Class 2021 Sears Pointless)
Gone bye-bye
1994 Jaguar XJ12 (Winner C-Class 2013 Sears Pointless)  1980 Rover SD1 (I Got Screwed 2014 Return of Lemonites)

Re: Do import costs count in Lemons budgets?

Guildenstern wrote:

You bring something cool, nobody cares about cost.

Truth

Re: Do import costs count in Lemons budgets?

I'd imagine 2.1 could be waived for a cool car, but I'd check with the Lemons staff first. Legal for road-use in other countries seems safe enough to me, but the crapitalists still won't let me run a Trabant as it runs afoul of the minimum wheelbase rules. >:(

Re: Do import costs count in Lemons budgets?

ninjacoco wrote:

I'd imagine 2.1 could be waived for a cool car, but I'd check with the Lemons staff first. Legal for road-use in other countries seems safe enough to me, but the crapitalists still won't let me run a Trabant as it runs afoul of the minimum wheelbase rules. >:(

A wheelbase waiver isn't the same as a 2.1 waiver. As long as it has a "safety" steering column and meets minimum wheel base rules, probably fine.

That guy

Re: Do import costs count in Lemons budgets?

DirtyDuc wrote:
ninjacoco wrote:

I'd imagine 2.1 could be waived for a cool car, but I'd check with the Lemons staff first. Legal for road-use in other countries seems safe enough to me, but the crapitalists still won't let me run a Trabant as it runs afoul of the minimum wheelbase rules. >:(

A wheelbase waiver isn't the same as a 2.1 waiver. As long as it has a "safety" steering column and meets minimum wheel base rules, probably fine.

Pagel is also being VERY stringent on the safety glass now as well.  Our '47 had factory safety glass but he made us change the windshield as he said even if it was safety glass in '47 it does not act like safety glass now.

Re: Do import costs count in Lemons budgets?

ninjacoco wrote:

...still won't let me run a Trabant as it runs afoul of the minimum wheelbase rules.

I'm under the impression that Lemons HQ isn't thrilled with the idea of decades-old Duroplast on track. Or, as far as that goes, fresh Duroplast.

1982 MG Metro 1300: IOE 2015 Pacific Northworst GP, Longest Distance 2010 Cd'L Box Wine Country Classic
1980 KV Mini 1: Worst of Show and Fright Pig Supremo 2009 Concours d'Lemons
1978 H Special: Second-Round Elimination 2010 Lemons Pinewood Derby at Sears Pointless
1967 SAAB 96: IOE 2012 Pacific Northworst GP, Organizer's Choice 2022 Hell on Wheels California Rally

Re: Do import costs count in Lemons budgets?

mharrell wrote:
ninjacoco wrote:

...still won't let me run a Trabant as it runs afoul of the minimum wheelbase rules.

I'm under the impression that Lemons HQ isn't thrilled with the idea of decades-old Duroplast on track. Or, as far as that goes, fresh Duroplast.

As it never finishes curing (hence the smell) isn't it all fresh?

Re: Do import costs count in Lemons budgets?

mharrell wrote:
ninjacoco wrote:

...still won't let me run a Trabant as it runs afoul of the minimum wheelbase rules.

I'm under the impression that Lemons HQ isn't thrilled with the idea of decades-old Duroplast on track. Or, as far as that goes, fresh Duroplast.

I suspect it has more to do with the impact resistance characteristics of Duroplast than seeing that stuff on track.  A hit from a crown vicky and all that would be left is a cloud of dust.  Plus the wheelbase is too short.

1990 RX7 "Mazdarita"  1964 Sunbeam Imp (IOE 2013 Sears Pointless) 2002 Jaguar x-type (Winner C-Class 2021 Sears Pointless)
Gone bye-bye
1994 Jaguar XJ12 (Winner C-Class 2013 Sears Pointless)  1980 Rover SD1 (I Got Screwed 2014 Return of Lemonites)

Re: Do import costs count in Lemons budgets?

OnkelUdo wrote:
mharrell wrote:

I'm under the impression that Lemons HQ isn't thrilled with the idea of decades-old Duroplast on track. Or, as far as that goes, fresh Duroplast.

As it never finishes curing (hence the smell) isn't it all fresh?

The cure will come when the dictatorship of the proletariat gives way to the true classless society. The smell serves to remind us of the struggle.

Also, what cheseroo said.

1982 MG Metro 1300: IOE 2015 Pacific Northworst GP, Longest Distance 2010 Cd'L Box Wine Country Classic
1980 KV Mini 1: Worst of Show and Fright Pig Supremo 2009 Concours d'Lemons
1978 H Special: Second-Round Elimination 2010 Lemons Pinewood Derby at Sears Pointless
1967 SAAB 96: IOE 2012 Pacific Northworst GP, Organizer's Choice 2022 Hell on Wheels California Rally

Re: Do import costs count in Lemons budgets?

1948 Chrysler Windsor 'C'

https://thumbor.img.prod-indb.io/et82YTsVN9Yos0DmAnmh8XsnYi0=/fit-in/400x400/2018/12/21/225432_5207859_aea472baddccb09e538aec57427b20af

1937 Citroen van:
https://thumbor.img.prod-indb.io/ld5wBDz2hz_l2mX3pkD9NTKDR5s=/fit-in/400x400/2018/12/21/230714_695451391_1ee725f7f230cc1a7eb0adb2d4b99b4d


And lots and lots of other wonderfully weird crapcan-didates.

Re: Do import costs count in Lemons budgets?

mharrell wrote:

I'm under the impression that Lemons HQ isn't thrilled with the idea of decades-old Duroplast on track. Or, as far as that goes, fresh Duroplast.

That was the flimsy excuse that I got when I wanted to race my Trabant.

Everybody grab your brooms, it's shenanigans!

Re: Do import costs count in Lemons budgets?

If you're bringing something that might be fast and/or reliable on a race track, we'll care about import costs. If you're importing a Nissan President or Matra Bagheera, we won't care about any of the costs.