England bound. Should I bring the vette
05-29-2014, 09:12 AM
#1
England bound. Should I bring the vette
looks like I'll be going to England for many years. My question is, should I bring my Corvette? How hard is it to pass inspections? I have a highly modified car I'm not sure if it will work out for me. Also will they have to do a lot of work to make it road legal? It's obviously a left hand drive.
09-29-2014, 03:18 AM
#2
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Sorry about reviving an old thread, but since it was unanswered...
After being there with my C5 TT Z06, I've learned quite a few lessons.
First thing is storage. Finding a place with a proper garage is hard. I mean extremely difficult. Even if you've got money. And due to the size of garages there, a single car garage will NOT cut it, unless you can magically squeeze your car through without body damage (which is to say don't try it, it's impossible). "Double" garage or nothing. It rains all the time, when it snows it really sucks, and covered parking is very very limited.
Next, come mods. Depending on what you have done, getting your car MOT'd may be a pain or really simple. If it's in proper working condition (i.e., not throwing codes or having check engine lights on) you should be ok. Emissions aren't that hard, unless you're running a real race tune (rich). The big thing here is lights: ALL signals, including corners, must be in amber. I'd suggest picking up a set of LED turn signal mirrors (let the makers know you need amber lights) and LED tail lights with amber bottoms (Check out what Radio Flyer is offering, his set helped me pass MOT every time). If you go with the normal UK two-bulb-per-tail light and stick-on or drill-on side turn signals (they call them indicators) or my suggestion, you'll need to install resistors on the tail lights, on top of having to install a new wiring harness for the tail lights. If you get custom tail lights, ensure the guy who makes them installs them, or you'll end up needing to have an electrician come over and install them on your car for you. Your headlights need to be oriented to the right as opposed to the left (don't stick with stocker headlights, it gets really dark there, and even street lighting can be scarce in places), and you'll need to install what's called a rear fog light. What I did for that was convert my 5th brake light into the rear fog light, with a switch mounted under the dash. Now after you do all this, and you happen to bring it back, you don't need to change any of the lights; it'll still be DOT compliant. Just so you're aware, doing all those mods here in the US is way way cheaper than doing them in the UK; consider that before your move. People will say "no, wait until you're here" but in the end may cost you in the long run.
Now for some other things: yes, you're driving a LHD car in a RHD world. It's not difficult to master, but you have to be incredibly careful when you start. It's easy to end up in the wrong lane when you're used to dealing with US roads (I dealt with this mostly in parking lots [they call 'em car parks]). Additionally, you'll notice that your car is WIDE there. I mean you might as well be driving a short semi-truck. That said, you'll want to avoid side streets. Speed bumps are everywhere (and nasty) so if your car is lowered, be careful. Additionally, pot holes are everywhere (and exceptionally nasty) so if you've got nice wheels, be careful.
You're probably thinking "F it, I might as well put it in storage or sell it". Not so fast...while I will say that the UK has torn up parts of my car (the body, really), it was an exceptional driving experience. You learn a lot driving on narrow roads what you and your car can do. Additionally, seeing the UK in a Corvette is a cool experience...if you have the chance, take her up to Scotland in the summertime. Scotland, btw, has more normal, well taken care of roads (provided you're not on back country roads), and even where portions of Skyfall was filmed (Glencoe), the roads are really nice. If you drive down to Dover and take the ferry to Calais, the drives in France and elsewhere around Europe are awesome.
Now, Jeremy Clarkson and his Top Gear crew have loads to say about the Corvette that isn't too kind (with the exception of the C6 Z06 and ZR1), like how they need to see a chiropractor or back doctor after driving one, but they're pampered idiots who don't realize their roads just suck and the cars they're driving are compensating for it. If you've driven in inner cities, you'll be fine.
Additionally, I asked the same question on LS1Tech...look up my post! Hope that all helps...
Oh yeah, forgot to add:
In regards to your DRLs up front, UK law requires them to be on at all times, so if your DRLs are set to turn off when you put your signals on, that won't cut it. You'll need to wire them so that they're on at all times or they're stand alone signals with your fogs set up as DRLs (if you have them installed). Otherwise, expect whoever is doing your conversion to install a set of lights where your fogs usually are.
After being there with my C5 TT Z06, I've learned quite a few lessons.
First thing is storage. Finding a place with a proper garage is hard. I mean extremely difficult. Even if you've got money. And due to the size of garages there, a single car garage will NOT cut it, unless you can magically squeeze your car through without body damage (which is to say don't try it, it's impossible). "Double" garage or nothing. It rains all the time, when it snows it really sucks, and covered parking is very very limited.
Next, come mods. Depending on what you have done, getting your car MOT'd may be a pain or really simple. If it's in proper working condition (i.e., not throwing codes or having check engine lights on) you should be ok. Emissions aren't that hard, unless you're running a real race tune (rich). The big thing here is lights: ALL signals, including corners, must be in amber. I'd suggest picking up a set of LED turn signal mirrors (let the makers know you need amber lights) and LED tail lights with amber bottoms (Check out what Radio Flyer is offering, his set helped me pass MOT every time). If you go with the normal UK two-bulb-per-tail light and stick-on or drill-on side turn signals (they call them indicators) or my suggestion, you'll need to install resistors on the tail lights, on top of having to install a new wiring harness for the tail lights. If you get custom tail lights, ensure the guy who makes them installs them, or you'll end up needing to have an electrician come over and install them on your car for you. Your headlights need to be oriented to the right as opposed to the left (don't stick with stocker headlights, it gets really dark there, and even street lighting can be scarce in places), and you'll need to install what's called a rear fog light. What I did for that was convert my 5th brake light into the rear fog light, with a switch mounted under the dash. Now after you do all this, and you happen to bring it back, you don't need to change any of the lights; it'll still be DOT compliant. Just so you're aware, doing all those mods here in the US is way way cheaper than doing them in the UK; consider that before your move. People will say "no, wait until you're here" but in the end may cost you in the long run.
Now for some other things: yes, you're driving a LHD car in a RHD world. It's not difficult to master, but you have to be incredibly careful when you start. It's easy to end up in the wrong lane when you're used to dealing with US roads (I dealt with this mostly in parking lots [they call 'em car parks]). Additionally, you'll notice that your car is WIDE there. I mean you might as well be driving a short semi-truck. That said, you'll want to avoid side streets. Speed bumps are everywhere (and nasty) so if your car is lowered, be careful. Additionally, pot holes are everywhere (and exceptionally nasty) so if you've got nice wheels, be careful.
You're probably thinking "F it, I might as well put it in storage or sell it". Not so fast...while I will say that the UK has torn up parts of my car (the body, really), it was an exceptional driving experience. You learn a lot driving on narrow roads what you and your car can do. Additionally, seeing the UK in a Corvette is a cool experience...if you have the chance, take her up to Scotland in the summertime. Scotland, btw, has more normal, well taken care of roads (provided you're not on back country roads), and even where portions of Skyfall was filmed (Glencoe), the roads are really nice. If you drive down to Dover and take the ferry to Calais, the drives in France and elsewhere around Europe are awesome.
Now, Jeremy Clarkson and his Top Gear crew have loads to say about the Corvette that isn't too kind (with the exception of the C6 Z06 and ZR1), like how they need to see a chiropractor or back doctor after driving one, but they're pampered idiots who don't realize their roads just suck and the cars they're driving are compensating for it. If you've driven in inner cities, you'll be fine.
Additionally, I asked the same question on LS1Tech...look up my post! Hope that all helps...
Oh yeah, forgot to add:
In regards to your DRLs up front, UK law requires them to be on at all times, so if your DRLs are set to turn off when you put your signals on, that won't cut it. You'll need to wire them so that they're on at all times or they're stand alone signals with your fogs set up as DRLs (if you have them installed). Otherwise, expect whoever is doing your conversion to install a set of lights where your fogs usually are.
Last edited by Dreadnought; 09-29-2014 at 03:30 AM. Reason: Forgot to add the part about the DRLs.
10-13-2014, 06:20 AM
#3
Racer
I lived in the UK for 3 1/2 years, and I'm back for a short spell now. Strongly endorse everythng that Dreadnought said. Add that if you plan to use it as a daily driver, you're in for a real challenge, I'd advise against that, assuming you have anther car. Weekend cruiser, if you have proper storage, will be far less stressful on the nerves and the wallet.
If your plan is to park it on the street anywhere, might as well buy 3 or 4 side mirrors for each side and throw 'em in your gear, you're gonna need 'em.
If you're not sentimentally attached to it, I saw a few guys when I was in the military do all the required mods (painful, I did 'em on other vehicles), and then sell their sports cars when they left. Seemed some local wealthy Brit was always looking for something different, and were willing to pay for it...
If your plan is to park it on the street anywhere, might as well buy 3 or 4 side mirrors for each side and throw 'em in your gear, you're gonna need 'em.
If you're not sentimentally attached to it, I saw a few guys when I was in the military do all the required mods (painful, I did 'em on other vehicles), and then sell their sports cars when they left. Seemed some local wealthy Brit was always looking for something different, and were willing to pay for it...