Advice please before I potentially bankrupt myself!

[guspickett]

Hello

This is my first post so be gentle.

I am currently in the States looking for an airstream to bring back to the UK. I sort of had my sights set on a 1978 safari, and I want to ship it back to the UK.

Now, I understand that to meet UK regulations I will have to alter the trailer, but despite searching the forums I still don't have an idea exactly what i need to alter and how much it should cost. I figure whatever the alterations are I should get carried out here in the states where it is probably going to be cheaper.

Has anybody already done this? i would be really grateful for some advice while I'm putting my budget together.

[brunoffrance]

Originally Posted by guspickett

Hello

This is my first post so be gentle.

I am currently in the States looking for an airstream to bring back to the UK. I sort of had my sights set on a 1978 safari, and I want to ship it back to the UK.

Now, I understand that to meet UK regulations I will have to alter the trailer, but despite searching the forums I still don't have an idea exactly what i need to alter and how much it should cost. I figure whatever the alterations are I should get carried out here in the states where it is probably going to be cheaper.

Has anybody already done this? i would be really grateful for some advice while I'm putting my budget together.

Hi;
I don't know UK regulations so just to tell you that you have a collectible travel trailer and, if your country regulations are similar as the one , in FRANCE, you can keep and drive the trailer as is, without chaniging even a bulb.... because it's a vintage vehicle; so , to you to know what the Uk regulations allow you (may be contact Airstream Europe based in UK );

For shipping my 27' to Begium, I've paid about $3800 .
if that can help you ....

Bruno.

[Maybricks]

Originally Posted by guspickett

Hello

This is my first post so be gentle.

I am currently in the States looking for an airstream to bring back to the UK. I sort of had my sights set on a 1978 safari, and I want to ship it back to the UK.

Now, I understand that to meet UK regulations I will have to alter the trailer, but despite searching the forums I still don't have an idea exactly what i need to alter and how much it should cost. I figure whatever the alterations are I should get carried out here in the states where it is probably going to be cheaper.

Has anybody already done this? i would be really grateful for some advice while I'm putting my budget together.

Hi. As importers of classic travel trailers, including but not restricted to Airstreams, to the UK. We have the definitive answers.

There are indeed a number of things that you will need to do as, unlike motor vehicles, trailers come under a completly different set of regulations and many of the 'historic vehicle' grandad rules do not apply.
While it can be said that most folks get away with the Grandad rules because most Police officers do not have a full understanding of the law, would you really want to risk having your trailer impounded for a possible breach of the regulations? or an insurance company failing to pay out because the trailer was not legal in the event of some mindless moron creating some damage to your pride and joy?
However, this is not a costly or difficult process and we will be pleased to advise and/or carry out the work for you at a moderate cost.
I would also say, at this point, that we have seen some horrific attemps at UK conversions as well as equally horrific prices quoted. If you follow our guide lines then you will also get all the necessary paperwork to prove EU conformity and compliance which will also help with insurance. All our conversion work is done in such a way as to be comensurate with the age of your trailer and only essentail modifications are made to the trailers original fixtures and fittings etc.(most of which can never be seen) Also our package includes offical CRiS registration (also helps with insurance and security)
It is a false economy to have this work done State side as they have just as much trouble understanding our regs as we do theirs.

As well as taking the conversions into account don't forget to take into account import duties, port fees etc.

If you or anyone would like to discus this further then please PM us and we will give you our contact telephone number

[maxandgeorgia]

Guspickett, welcome to our forum! We have had several forum members bring Airstreams from the US into their home countries, so they must have much of the information you need. I would suggest that you search in our archives using the search function on the menu at the top of the page. Type in key words and I think, with some time and patience, that you should be able to come up with some UK owners to whom you can send personal messages to find solutions to some of your questions. Good luck and keep us posted on your progress. ~G