US Mustang to Europe (Netherlands)

I'm definately moving back to Europe (the Netherlands) but will hate leaving Pony behind. Even though with European gas prices it'll mean she'll be a weekend driver only. :-( But hey, there's probably not any

94-98 Mustangs there anyway...

I can get her shipped from Miami for about $800 in a container and can even put personal effects inside her. Which would mean Rhino Ramps, garage jack, jsckstands and tools of course. Maybe some spare parts like an alternator and brake pads as those are about ready to go and Im not sure they are readily available over there...

What I need to know is if the standard US head and taillights that are on a SN95 will be acceptable. I know the Euro taillights have an orange part in it for the blinker.

I know I'm gonna have to do something to the gauge pod as it's in miles and I need kilometers to be the prominent one. I wonder if those white gauge kits I see on eBay would be available with KM prominent (Like eg for the Canadian Mustang drivers) it should not be to hard to affix those to my current gauge pod. Unless I can find one cheap that is in KM for a V6.

Any advice greatly appreciated. As I'll have to leave her in the US if it's going to cost more than about thousand to refit her.

Thanks in advance

Paul

Reply to
Paul
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The headlights are barely acceptable in the US, and they definitely don't meet E-code specs. :\

I know with the 99+ Mustangs, you can simply swap in the Cobra taillight assembly, but I don't know if the SN95 Cobras also had the amber turn signals (and my recollection says they didn't).

The man to talk to about the feasibility of bringing your lighting up to spec is the namesake of Daniel Stern Lighting. Dan a real expert on everything relating to automotive lighting, and he'll be the first to tell you there's a lot more to it than just swapping the lamp assemblies. You can find his e-mail address on his website at

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The decals are probably the way to go (try ebay.ca), unless you can find a Canadian dealership or Musttanguy's Canuck counterpart willing to cut you a deal...

For that matter, you might just ask Tim AKA Musttanguy himself; he might be able to give you some leads.

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or just PING him here in the group.

Reply to
Garth Almgren

While I don't know the specifics of the import requirments for the Netherlands I figured I would throw out a few things to ya.

You can get the Export taillights for about $200 from KarKraft for the 94/95 cars. These lights have the amber turn signal lens. Don't worry about spare parts, I have a couple of customers already in the Netherlands and have no problem shipping anything you may need.

TIM -aka- snipped-for-privacy@AOL.COM

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Reply to
Musttanguy

at 09 Nov 2003, Musttanguy [ snipped-for-privacy@aol.competition] wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@mb-m14.aol.com:

Ahhhhh! Thank you...

Now that is really good to hear. I'm worried about the headlights though. As Garth said, they barely meet US specs and I know European specs are far more stringent. But I've never seen 95 Mustang European headlights. And I doubt those 'euro' ones you see on eBay meet specs.

I would really hate to have to leave her here...

Reply to
Paul

I live in Norway, and we have some of the same rules as rest of Europe here. The taillights are acceptable here, but NOT the headlights (among other things - the seatbelts will also not be approved by our "Biltilsynet" - DOT). The only problem is, there are noone who produces e-marked headlights for these cars, which means we norwegians are not able to import and registrate SN95 and newer Mustang UNLESS they are bought and used in the US for atleast two years, and then brought over to Norway (this rule has been altered now ofcourse).

The European Union (were you have Netherlands and Germany among others) do not have these strict rules for import. As long as the car has been approved by the DOT in the US, it's also acceptable in the EU (that is - The Netherlands). Therefore you do NOT have to change anything. Just to be sure, check this out.. :) If you know anyone in the Netherland, get them to call the DOT there and ask, but I'm fairly sure that this is correct.

Regards Tomas Kristiansen Owner of the only 1991 Ford Mustang LX 5.0 Cab in Norway

Reply to
Tomas Kristiansen

Oh, forgot.. Bring it over anyway, and sell it to me! :)

Tomas

Reply to
Tomas Kristiansen

I don't think there should be a problem with the headlights, as 94-98 Mustangs surely have been sold in Holland, or otherwise in Europe. So there must be replacements available through the normal (Ford) channels.

When you bring over the car as part of your household, there is a certain period (3 months?) within which time you must have the car registered here. That should give you ample time to go to a local ford garage and get the headlights.

Or you could send an email to the Dutch Mustang club ( snipped-for-privacy@fordmustangclub.nl). They should be able to help you before you come over.

Michel

1966 Mustang 289 convertible

"Paul" schreef in bericht news:Xns942F6058743E1parrotpapa@65.32.1.8...

Reply to
Michel Wets

Sorry Thomas, but that's not correct.

I've just imported my 66 Mustang and I do have to replace the headlights with E-code lights before I can apply for a Dutch licence plate.

Michel

1966 Mustang 289 convertible

"Tomas Kristiansen" schreef in bericht news:KkPrb.25041$ snipped-for-privacy@juliett.dax.net...

Reply to
Michel Wets

No. The mustang has about the worst USDOT stuff. Red turn signals are not legal in countries that use the ECE standard. (amber is required)

This might be a big help to you:

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Not the same country of course, but it should cover some of the same problems you'll have.

Yes, you should be able to get something from canada that will do the trick if that's a requirement.

Reply to
Brent P

If anyone finds a source of ECE headlamps for '94-'98 cars please let me know. I've written ford dealers in europe with no success. An as the headlamps age on my '97 they are getting worse and worse. (and yes, I already know about fitting the hyundai ECE lamps, but I learned that there is more hacking involved than I would like to do)

Reply to
Brent P

You are kidding me?!? You don't have the 30 year rule in the Netherlands?? Thought you had the same rules as in Germany since you are in the Union...

Tomas

Reply to
Tomas Kristiansen

If so.. there is one problem. It doesn't exist any E-coded headlamps for the SN95... The funny thing is, there are alot of SN95's in Germany which use dot-coded headlamps. Does this mean you have rules that differs from EU?

Tomas

Reply to
Tomas Kristiansen

but for a '66 fiting ecode headlamps is easy. There are direct replacements for sealed beams. I've been thinking about doing it on my mav just to have better lighting. But I don't drive the car at night much, so I'll probably won't.

Reply to
Brent P

I live in the Netherlands and drive a 95 v6. The headlights are the standard us spec, the all red rears are also allowed.

Erik.

Paul schreef:

Reply to
Erik

at 10 Nov 2003, Michel Wets [michel snipped-for-privacy@unspam.hotmail.coml] wrote in news:3fafc26f$0$259$ snipped-for-privacy@news.nl.uu.net:

I'll have to check on that. Perhaps Hessing in De bilt has them. At a a steep price of course. :)

True, I know a lil garage there that may be able to help me if they are available...

Thanks! That should help enormously! I just emailed them...

It's appreciated!

Reply to
Paul

at 10 Nov 2003, Erik [ snipped-for-privacy@planet.nl] wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@planet.nl:

Great! Do I need to change the instrument cluster to show KM prominent instead of Miles?

Seems like Pony is going on a trip...

Reply to
Paul

at 10 Nov 2003, Tomas Kristiansen [ snipped-for-privacy@c2i.net] wrote in news:3mPrb.25042$ snipped-for-privacy@juliett.dax.net:

I could do that. You'd have to wait 12 months though. I checked customs rules and that's what it tells me if I bring it over as personal property.

Reply to
Paul

If I can give you some advice - Be absolutely 101% certain that noone can open the container or you will lose everything inside the car. I have a friend who brought back a 65 Mustang with all his tools and so on in the trunk, and he lost the lot!

Just a friendly warning!

"Brent P" a écrit dans le message de news:SyPrb.162394$Fm2.144027@attbi_s04...

Reply to
elmo

I'm actually looking for a SN95, but the problem here in Norway is those headlamps... There is a way around it, and that is to install xenon lights and take the reflectors from a BMW, and then registrate it. Then just switch back to the original headlamps... :) It's kind of stupid.. The norwegian DOT has pretty strict rules, which makes it real hard to import many kinds american cars (Mustangs among them). Looks like it's going to change in the near future tho. The biggest problem are the taxes. If I where to buy a brand new 2003 Mustang with a V6 in Norway (IF the car was approved by the DOT that is), it would cost me:

Hold your horses....

80.0000+ DOLLARS!!!! Yes, you read over eightythousand dollars!

If I were to import a 95 V6, I'd have to fork out over 15000$ on taxes alone...

Tomas

Reply to
Tomas Kristiansen

Paul,

Contact Ford in Dearborn, they will have the "export only" headlamps and tail lamps you will need for your cars transformation to UK standards..............

Bill S.

Paul wrote:

Reply to
Bill S.

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