Anyone imported a car for Rally use

[Duncan]

Hi All,

As above, I'm wondering if anyone on here has ever imported a car for rally use.

I understand, in theory, that as long as the car is approved for rally use and I hold a national rally license, I can use the car on the road in NSW for:

* Driving to and from events

* Driving to and from practice

* Driving to and from services

Has anyone got experience with the practicalities of this?

[Sydneykid]

Hi Duncan, basically you just ring up and get a permit number and tell them what you are doing. If you get pulled over you just quote the permit number.

You can use the permit for all sorts of things, including the ones on your list of course;

*Running a new engine in (you can get a permit for a couple of weeks for that).

*Running a new set of disks and pads (couple of days)

*Running in the East Coast Rally (you can get a permit for a couple of weeks for that).

*Taking it anywhere for an event, yes even from Sydney to Melbourne for a Supersprint.

They don't like you getting permits all the time (as in drive your car to work every day for 3 months). Your usage is reviewed every year. If all looks legit they give you sign off for next year. I don't think that would happen if you, say, kept getting busted for speeding and other traffic offences while on permits.

Use it for what it was intended and you won't have any problems. Abuse it and it will be quickly and permanently removed.

[Duncan]

Thanks for that, it seemed pretty easygoing to me, unusually so....pretty much covers any genuine use for a race car as far as I can see. In particular, I don't want to buy a trailer yet so driving it where possible sounds good

And of course, the permit to use on the roads is totally seperate to the DOTARS import approval right? Is it CAMs or RTA that monitor usage - I understand it is CAMs that provide the permit numbers.

[Dominic]

Duncan, I have just undergone this with my GTiR and it was the most frustrating 3 months of my life. The rules have changed dramatically.. 1 To import the car you need C3 or higher. 2.The car MUST have DOTARS approval for importation as a race/rally car. 3. The car has to be signed off by a dual accredited blue slip specialist IE MRT, Race and rally (I used Ben Ruggles Motorsport) 4.The car has to comply with CAMS National rally requirements IE full cage, extinguishers, seats etc. I know heaps about this so contact me [email protected] if you want to know more.

[Duncan]

Thanks for the extra info Dominic.

1. License is OK, I've now got C4 and National Rally

2. Car is a 32 GTR so is homologated and OK for Race/Rally

3. Thanks, will follow up further...but I will need to get it prepped first I guess

Car will be built to 3E Production Car (Combined Touring) spec, but I want to use it for rallies like Dutton, etc as well, so I need Rally rego not just Race.

I'll catch up with you at Dutton, we're entering a blue R33. Should be easy to spot

[Dominic]

You wont miss me, Ive also got a blue R33 (GTR)

[Duncan]

oi, what happened to gtir? catch you there

[floody]

What if you don't have a C3 license. Could you ship a car in to use for trackdays, and trailer it there and back without registering it? How would that work?

cheers,

floody

[Duncan]

bad news floody, you still need the cams license to get import approval in the first place....if you go for "circuit" not "rally" import you still need the C3 but can't drive it on the road

[floody]

Man, what a PITA... I only want to compete in club level sprint type events, which a 2S license would be enough for but noooooo, to import a car I need a C3..