I have a friend that frequents Mexico and he said he sees the new Alfas all the time down in Mexico city. I've really been trying to find an Alfa GT and have seen some for sale down there online at the ferrari dealerships. I would like to buy one and drive it back here to the USA. The only thing that I'm wondering is, how much will it need to be modified to get it street legal? What are the illegalities of it? I currently have a 2001 Jaguar XJR and I'm sure that is more polluting than the Alfa. I know some shops that do conversions to make foreign cars legal, I'm just wondering what would need to be done. Probably just safety standards? I know someone who bought a Renault Spyder and has it here in the states, and he's going to get it made legal pretty soon.
Go to the EPA web site and you can find out. To certify it for U.S. crash worthiness may run upwards of $30,000 or more. It also needs to meet current smog standards for the U.S. and the state you're registering it in. A non conforming vehicle needs to be imported by an ICI, Independant Certified Importer. They handle the importation and conversion and they deal with the EPA.
A number of years ago a friend of mine wanted one of those Mexican Beattles, I think it was an 89 or so and since they were no longer produced for the U.S. she had it registered in Mexico with a friend who lived there. She had Mexican plates and drove it for about five years before she sold it.
I have a friend that frequents Mexico and he said he sees the new Alfas all the time down in Mexico city. I've really been trying to find an Alfa GT and have seen some for sale down there online at the ferrari dealerships. I would like to buy one and drive it back here to the USA. The only thing that I'm wondering is, how much will it need to be modified to get it street legal? What are the illegalities of it? I currently have a 2001 Jaguar XJR and I'm sure that is more polluting than the Alfa. I know some shops that do conversions to make foreign cars legal, I'm just wondering what would need to be done. Probably just safety standards? I know someone who bought a Renault Spyder and has it here in the states, and he's going to get it made legal pretty soon.
yeah... I probably should wait then, but has it been set in stone that they are for sure coming? Plus I heard a rumor of them having a northstar... if thats true it will be worth the wait. Plus I have too many projects going on as it is. My 2001 jag, my 1991 cadillac fleetwood lowrider and my 1974 Buick riviera lowrider.
At this point they are coming but that could allways change. I have not heard anything about a Northstar engine though. The current V8 for the 8C is from Maserati and I don't see why that will change. The V6 is supposed to be new.
WOW. i never even realised that they sell Alfas in Mexico!
Surely there must be ways to get it legalized. I've seen or heard about street legal Nissan Skylines in California, and a few Renault Spyders, and all sorts of other Eurocars that get brought into the US.
A friend of mine said he saw a 'new-ish' TVR floating around San Francisco.
I was in Guanajuato, Mex. a couple of years ago and saw a 147 cruising around. I went through the same thought process. I'm pretty sure that most Fiat built cars are DOT compliant as far as safety goes. I met a guy in Nashville who had a Super Brava who got it from Canada. He didn't have many issues registering it here. Who knows?
When GM and Fiat were kissing cousins, there were two Alfa dealerships in Mexico - in Monterrey and Mexico City. Once the two broke their ties, the dealerships were closed. This left many new Alfa's running around Mexico with little support. I have seen a 166 and 156 in Texas with Mexican plates. Because of NAFTA, you can legally cross the border with for several months at a time without problems.
I have received several calls in the last year from late model 156,166, and 147 owners asking if we worked on these models. I told them we would try, but since these models were never brought into the US, technical and parts availability are hard to come by.
We had a customer who wanted a 156GTA. We spoke with a big ICI here in Houston. After much research and many phone calls overseas, a late model Alfa would be every expensive if not impossible to legally convert for acceptance here in the US by the EPA and DOT. The biggest problem was the glass, and lights. Major changes would be required to meet the crash standards. The shop guesstimated a cost of around $50K if possible to get the lights and glass to meet the US standards. The customer balked when you figure the cost of a new 156GTA, shipping costs, and conversion costs.
Hopefully in 2009 the 159 will be available in a Q4 configuration. I will be in line to get one of those.
WOW. i never even realised that they sell Alfas in Mexico!
Surely there must be ways to get it legalized. I've seen or heard about street legal Nissan Skylines in California, and a few Renault Spyders, and all sorts of other Eurocars that get brought into the US.
A friend of mine said he saw a 'new-ish' TVR floating around San Francisco.
Oh yeah tons of them. I send parts to DF all the time.
I supply shops around here and other states with 156, 166, 2000> Spider parts for Mexican Alfa's
I send tons of these parts to another shop in Dallas all the time for these customers.
Parts take about 7 days or so to get in. But they are willing to wait to get the car fixed.
At this point they are coming but that could allways change. I have not heard anything about a Northstar engine though. The current V8 for the 8C is from Maserati and I don't see why that will change. The V6 is supposed to be new.
The gas engines in the new models, 159 and Brera, are GM related the 4 cyl. Opel, the V6 Holden. I believe the engines are build by GM to Alfa specs.
The body platform of the 2 models is based on a joint venture with Saab (GM owned) but Saab pulled out. The fairly new Fiat Croma is using the GM gas engines and the 159/Brera body platform, too.
The diesel engines for all Fiat/Lancia/Alfa models are still the Fiat Group's own design and products - a new V6 diesel are in the tube. Fiat sells these engines to GM Europe, Suzuki and others.
The current Alfa model 147 and GT (based on the 147/156 platform) still uses the Fiat Group 4 inline and V6 gas engines and inline 4 and 5 cyl. diesels.
On the matter of making a resent Alfa model legal in the US, the coloring of the lighting and signals shouldn't be too difficult, you can get clear glassed rear lights and put appropriate colored bulbs in them, front side / signal light will need some modifications. However, the pollution and crash worthiness approval might be much more difficult.
Erik
The problem is not the color 0f the lights and glass, the problem is it MUST have on each lamp and glass the DOT number. These cars do not have DOT items. According to the ICI there is no exemption for these items under current regs. The emissions and crash items are usually part of the conversion.
When the Fiat and GM relationship fell apart, the Alfa dealerships were closed. There are now some very expensive late model Alfa's in Mexico needing repairs. It is hit and miss with these models, since most of them are still so new.
Well, it seems to me that the unfortunate dealers and owners must contact some Alfa organization in neighboring countries or someone like Altissimo Int. who had an entry on this tread. Int. Auto Parts might be able to help, if they what to. I presume that the dealers still have the special tools, programs and work shop manuals.
Just checked Alfaromeo.com, there is a link to a fully functioning web showing all current Alfa models, are you sure that the Fiat Group just pulls the plug on the market? Just like in the US.
Erik
When GM and Fiat were kissing cousins, there were two Alfa dealerships in Mexico - in Monterrey and Mexico City. Once the two broke their ties, the dealerships were closed. This left many new Alfa's running around Mexico with little support. I have seen a 166 and 156 in Texas with Mexican plates. Because of NAFTA, you can legally cross the border with for several months at a time without problems.
I have received several calls in the last year from late model 156,166, and 147 owners asking if we worked on these models. I told them we would try, but since these models were never brought into the US, technical and parts availability are hard to come by.
We had a customer who wanted a 156GTA. We spoke with a big ICI here in Houston. After much research and many phone calls overseas, a late model Alfa would be every expensive if not impossible to legally convert for acceptance here in the US by the EPA and DOT. The biggest problem was the glass, and lights. Major changes would be required to meet the crash standards. The shop guesstimated a cost of around $50K if possible to get the lights and glass to meet the US standards. The customer balked when you figure the cost of a new 156GTA, shipping costs, and conversion costs.
Hopefully in 2009 the 159 will be available in a Q4 configuration. I will be in line to get one of those.
glass and lights? REALLY? why is it $50k to get the glass and lights to meet us standards? couldn't you just take glass from another car, and trim it to fit?
No because the DOT stamp and cert would not be there. And if you said it's DOT spec glass they will ask for test docs for the model you are claiming is DOT approved and you would not have the ICI papers and they will sieze your car or send it back to the import country.
Then they would kick you in the nuts and call you names! JK, the above is true however...
I have purchased a 1997 Alfa Spider and it is here in the US sadly sitting in my garage. It may never get DOT approved and allowed to be driven. The conversion to federal standards is actually not to expensive, $3500-10,000, but without crash test results the NHTSA will not allow the alfa to be imported.
The Skyline importer in Torrance, CA is a RI (a NHTSA registered importer) actually crash tested the cars to provide safety results. They are now able to import those and resell legally to US. If anyone out there has an extra 1/4 mil, we can partner up and become a RI and crash a few alfa's to start our own import business.
I have purchased a 1997 Alfa Spider and it is here in the US sadly sitting in my garage. It may never get DOT approved and allowed to be driven. The conversion to federal standards is actually not to expensive, $3500-10,000, but without crash test results the NHTSA will not allow the alfa to be imported.
The Skyline importer in Torrance, CA is a RI (a NHTSA registered importer) actually crash tested the cars to provide safety results. They are now able to import those and resell legally to US. If anyone out there has an extra 1/4 mil, we can partner up and become a RI and crash a few alfa's to start our own import business.
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JK, the above is true however...
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