(This will be sent in two parts as it seems that the list doesn't allow looong
posts.)
The Austin Pickup that I bought from the Kiwi on eBay made it home Tuesday at
about 4:30PM. 925 pretty much trouble free miles.
The flight out to Baltimore was uneventful as was the night in Baltimore at a
motel near the airport. The next morning, however, I got a cab ride to the
port (supposedly) by a nice gentleman with a firm grasp on about eight words
of English. Why do the cab companies do this? So the cabbie, who seemed to
be a nice guy, but I don't know for sure since we speak different languages,
takes me down by the ports and, after several times repeating to him and
showing him on paper where I needed to go, takes me to a completely different
place. That's what you get for a $50 cab ride, including tip?
He took me to some military terminal where I was promptly, but firmly,
informed I had no need to be there. They did nicely tell me that the place I
needed to be was three miles down the road -- quite a hike in nearly 90 degree
weather with about 100 pounds of tools, spares, laptop, manuals, personal
stuff, etc., etc. They took pity on me and got me a lift to the right
address.
Once inside I was directed to go to one building where I was told to go to
another building first, then back to the first building and then to one other
building. Geez, this was fun. I had pre-called Customs for the procedures,
paperwork, etc. needed and was told I would need to pay fees totalling $102.75
to bring the truck into the country. OK, no problem.
When I got there, the Customs and Border Patrol agent examined the papers and
discovered that a 1967 Austin A60 Pickup was actually a pickup truck and not a
car. Imagine that. I'm hoping they do a better job in some of their other
duties protecting our country. So, the agent says that he needs to go check
on something and, after much perusing of several manuals, comes back with the
old "I've got good news and I've got bad news" line. OK, give it to me. He
says the good news is that he can let me bring it into the country; the bad
news is that it will cost more. So, I'm thinking that maybe the cost will
double -- so what. He says it will cost $949 because it is a truck and can
carry cargo and the American motor vehicle industry had hired lobbyists years
ago to protect their domination of truck sales in the U.S. by petitioning
(bribing, or whatever) our politicians to put prohibitive tariffs on truck
imports. I guess this is how they represent us citizens who elect them -- or
was it the corporations that buy them?
Pay attention: if you feel the urge to import a motor vehicle, get a car, not
a truck. Also, a friend of mine bought a Ferrari race car from a museum in
Germany and ended up paying another $80,000 to get it into the country,
through Customs and to make it legal to drive on the streets. Another lesson:
get a car that is at least 25 years old so you are exempt from EPA and DOT
rules. $949 doesn't seem that bad, anymore. I can't wait to tell him (rub it
in his face). ;-))
Larry D
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