So how do you deal with customs when there is no VIN or registration etc?

If I bought something south of the border, how do you get it across?

I've purchased cars down there, but there's the 3-day vin search etc etc.

People must do this all the time?

The operative issue that Canada Customs was worried about when I brought my tube frame car back from the states was the fact that this was not a car that was ever going to be driven on a public road and after they finally figured that out (they only had to look out the window but even after three hours they hadn't bothered to look) it was good to go. I did have a broker deal with the paper work before hand just to ensure all the paper work was in order (the best $150 I spent on the project) and I did have US Customs inspect the car by checking the SCCA number stamped on the frame was the same as in the log book, had them sign the log book authorizing the export and then moved on to Canada Customs to wade through their bureaucracy

We have brought a few FV's in the last couple of years into Can. from the U.S. Using a Broker (A&A) is money well spent. The process has changed considerably in the last 5, or even 3 years. If you get ANYTHING wrong on the paper work, doing it yourself, you will surely start the process over again.
I just p/u another from Phoenix on Saturday. On the way down, we were detained for search and questions for about an hour. First time for me, and not a darn thing you can do about. The only thing that really annoyed me was my Timmy's got cold.
3 things: Paper work, Patience, Broker. Priceless. Lots of luck. ;)

That's what I'm looking at Vees down there cause no one up here will sell. ;)

Found one, just need to figure out logistics...

Thanks for the details though! :)

Just got to ask :)

I imported a race car from California last April and all that was needed was a Deed of Sales, original Advert with price of car and proof of payment.

Once they were satisfied that the car could never be made roadworthy, all they wanted was to collect the taxes.

Mike  

Or you could try what someone I knew years ago did with a Formula Vee:  list it on the paperwork as "lawn furniture."  Of course, it helped that he was importing it in pieces.

(Yeah, I know, Homeland Security and all that.  But this was years ago, and it really did work.)

Just a reminder to EVERYONE that is bringing a purpose built race car BACK into Canada......you MUST possess the ORIGINAL bill of sale to prove that the sale originated in CANADA and it is yours, or if the purchase was in the U.S. you must still have the bill of sale and the necessary import / export papers with it.
It would be in your "best" interest to declare the car before entering the U.S. and I believe the C.B.S.A. form # is E-15. This should make your return into Canada a lot smoother.
I was detained for 2 hours coming back into Canada, last Sunday morning......some say it was rookie day.....it was Mothers day......or it was just really early in the morning. None the less, it was "very informative". I have a lot of respect for these guys and gals, after all, they do wear kevlar vests. But bottom line is....they need to see proof that the vehicle is a CANADIAN vehicle, with all it's pertinent information. Otherwise, the ordeal could ruin a great race weekend just by crossing the border. And that shouldn't happen and can be prevented. Just saying my $.02

I'm now trying to bring in a purpose built race car from the US. The customes broker I am working with tells me I need either:
(1) Vehicle bears a label affixed by the manufacturer stating that the vehicle is a competition vehicle and is registered exclusivly in closed-course competition (which I do not have since the car does not have a VIN).
(2) Vehicle is accompanied by a signed declaration indicating that the vehicle is a competition vehicle and is registered for use exclusively in closed course-competition. This signed declaration must come from a racing sanctioning body.

Does anyone know how to go about getting a signed declaration? A couple of people have suggested it would be the SCCA log book (which I do have), is this correct? Has anyone else had to jump through this hoop?

The SCCA logbook will have a couple of items which should prove useful:

1) a description of the vehicle with photos
2) there should be, on the last page, a list of owners (assuming that the information has been kept up)
3) If you have a sportsracer or a formula car, you should have received a copy of the SCCA homologation papers which identify the car.

All of the above are useful and helpful along with a signed and dated bill of sale.

I just got back from talking to the broker, it appears this is a fairly new hurdle, and was a problem for the Porsche cup cars crossing the boarder as well. No the log book won't do. The car I`m trying to bring across is a (Dillon) tube frame GT1 car.

I`m also bringing in a trailer with the car, I understand I need to get it inspected before I can insure it. Does anyone know somewhere near the Pacific crossing that can do the inspection.

Well, you definitely have a problem and I don't have anything further to offer.

Sorry about that.

Pigpen wrote on Jun 6^th, 2012 at 7:22am:

I`m also bringing in a trailer with the car, I understand I need to get it inspected before I can insure it. Does anyone know somewhere near the Pacific crossing that can do the inspection.

Any Canadian Tire store can do the inspection.
If its a brand new trailer with a VIN, its OK to use the US Temp. Permit to get it to the border. If you already know the VIN and other info on the trailer, see your ICBC agent to get a BC Temp Permit (before you go down) to get it to Canadian Tire after you cross over.
Can't help with the car though...

Thanks Larry,

Bob Williams phoned me and suggested I take the trailer to the Canadian Tire near me (Ironwood Mall in Richmond), since there is an ICBC express office right there.

Mike

Since several people have asked I thought I should let everyone know that I have both the car and trailer in Canada now. Here are some tips that may be of help to others:

• If it is a tube frame car that has a street car name in it (Camaro in my case) get a letter from a race official in the country of origin stating that it is a purpose built race car. This is because they will be wondering why there is no legit VIN to run a check on (to prove the car is not stolen). Michael Canatore (Conference Race Stuard) did the letter for me, it does help immensely if they are familiar with the car, but in my case a well used log book with photos of the car worked well.
  
• Try and get the Log Book with a history of the car (it is a real pain in the ass regardless if you do not have the log book and IMHO you should get a real discount on any race car that does not have one).
  
• Be absolutely sure that you have an original signed bill of sale with the correct serial number & log Book ID if there is one (Skip and I got sloppy on this one which caused some issues)
  
• have photos of the car with its current paint colours - this is the one that turned the tide for me once I got to US customs. As soon as it was clearly an unregistered vehicle he didn't care and stamped the paperwork. Again he also saw the log book.
  
• Next step is to report to Canadian and let them know you need to get your documentation from a broker (if you don't screw this up like I did it is easy) then report back to Canada Customs.
  

My screw up was with the trailer I was bringing across at the same time and getting into the wrong line up (use the commercial line when you have a broker - and do not misplace the yellow slip of paper they give you). Make sure you have all the documentation for a trailer, if it has a certificate of origin (my trailer was never registered so this is what I had) make sure the seller fills it out correctly and that it matches what is on the bill of sale. I'm still having a bit of a problem because I didn't notice that Skip put his company name on the Certificate of Origin and not on the bill of sale so I can't get it registered until I get a corrected signed bill of sale (this did not get picked up on until I went to register the trailer - customs and the trailer inspector did not pick up on it).  With luck I get the new bill of sale tomorrow and I can finish this off.

Thanks Cherie Storms at Pacific Customs Brokers for all your help on this.