Congratulations Terry and enjoy your Mini!!!

Earlier today I was at my local State Patrol office for them to "Bless" my mini as a 1975 model.  I could tell that he thought it was dumb for the dept of Licensing not to accept the date of the fisrt registration on the V5C form as the model year.  After sweating bullets, he blessed it.  Then straight to my dept of Licensing to finally get it registered.  My mini, his name is Malcom, is now officially a WA state licensed vehicle.  If I purchase another car from overseas, I'll get a heritage certificate first and make sure that the bill of sale has the model year on it. 

I want to thank everyone for your input in helping me resolve my registration problem.

Terry

Dr Mini, did it cross your mind that Euro DJ is George? trolling for business?

You're right, I'm a hater...I hate it when people are STUPIC.  You say you want to help with what you know, well, I say you really don't know what you are talking about so your offer for help is dangerous.  You really don't understand that you have an illegal car in California and the first DMV you took it to knew that.  They tried to give you good advice and told you to ship it back.  But, rather than take their good advice you go down the road and find another DMV that would register it.  Just because they issued you a plate doesn't change the fact that the car in the photos is not a 74 or 75.  Still, you go on telling people that you can give them information on how to register their cars.  You don't get it do you?  Post your California license plate number and you won't have the Mini long.  George knows Minis, and it is his job to check them out if they appear to be illegal.  The photos and the DVLA info that matches your UK registration number definately don't match.  Keep the banter up, leave the photos online, post your license plate number, and then when they come knocking let us know how that works for you.  Like I said before, you are dangerous to yourself and anyone else who would take your advice on importing and registering their Mini.  Good luck.

why are you being so obnoxious and ignorant, i am not an expert in importingcar but i like to help from what i know. i can see there is a hater in this forum and they like to trolling

Bug-Mini, Contact British Motor Industry Heritage Trust (BMIHT). Archive department. For a fee they can get you the exact build date from the Chassis Number you quote.

//www.heritage-motor-centre.co.uk/archive-services/

"Dave, it never ceases to amaze me how each state in the US has its own set of rules and regulations, you would think they would all be linked and using the same paperwork and reg's."

Malcolm, I am glad that each state is different.  Can you imagine if all states used the same guidelines as EuroDJ's FOCKED up California?  Also on that note, Please EuroDJ, you have imported ONE car from England...I dare say you are no expert in the importation of Minis by no means.  JMHO...

Sorry left off the K

K = 848cc engine

XK2S1 - 227284A

X - is not used but indicates 1974-1980

2S = 2-door saloon (not 1275 GT)

1 = round nose , mini body style (not clubman)

227284 = is the sequential number of that series car, the first being 101

A = Built at Longbridge plant

well i import a mini couple a months ago my 1 car of importing from england i am located in the fock up state of ca and i be able to register mi mini as 1975 with a lil of trouble but i did and the best thing i let u know the easy way is check how many years need the epa to pass regulations here is 25yr and 21yrs to pass smog and to register a car with out problems u dont even need a manafacture notice from mini cuz its old next verified the vin and ur radiador support if is a vin plate  and other in the back of the radiador it should be one vin plate and one just for #  well if u need i lil help u can email me i can help u out a lil bit if u want.

Last vehicle I imported I had put into my father name as it was convenient at the time because he hung onto it for a few months till it was 25. He drove it to the docks and became the "exporter" and last owner aka "registered keeper" . That made it real simple - but the best bit was that because he was a family member I paid zero on the tax (this was back in Michigan).

If I ever import anything again - this is the way I'll do it again too!

Dave, it never ceases to amaze me how each state in the US has its own set of rules and regulations, you would think they would all be linked and using the same paperwork and reg's. It took me three different tag offices here to find one that would register a Mini with no BS and when i went to register my first Mini years ago i was told to go back to the UK and register it in my name first then come back, I went to another tag office no problem got a title and tag right away.

LOL - "hey I just found the bill of sale when looking through my paperwork. It's signed, dated and even has the year of manufacture. Lucky huh" ???

I would get another Bill of sale from your seller with the model year stated on it or get creative if that is not an option.

Thanks for such a prompt reply.

You would think that the V5C would be sufficient, but it took my local Dept of Licensing almost two hours on the phone to Olympia before they accepted it as a title.  What scared them off was the fact that on the V5C it clearly states that this document is not proof of ownership.  I find it hard to believe that I'm the first person in the state to import a car from the UK.  I do have a bill of sale, it included everything except for a model year.  And none of the custom forms even mention a year.  I have an appointment with a State Patrol inspector on Thursday.  Hopefully he will bless it as a 1975.  I did look on the trunk inside latch and stamped there it says 17W75.   This should be a great help.

Thank you.

The Uk V5/title is what you go by when registering so if it says first registered 1/75 then you call it a 75, what do the rest of you import documents say, don't you have a bill of sale from the seller ? AFAIK you will not find the year in the vin number as they did not get on compliance worldwide (mostly) with 17 digit vin numbers until 1980.

Look at you trunk lock and there should be a four digit code there and if it is a real 1975 it may say 48 74 which would be the 48th week of 1974, you wiper motor should have the same or close code on it too.

I would go to a different dmv farther away from the city the better usually.

I'm having a little problem in registering my Mini that I imported from the UK.  The form the British use for a title only says the date that the car was first registered.  My dept of licensing wants to know when the car was manufactured or the model year.  This seems rather nit picky to me, but you can't argue with city hall.  The VIN # is XK2S1-227284A.  I've checked with MiniManias website on how to read the vin number, but it seems like the digit for the model year is not there.  It was first registed in Jan 1975, so I'm guesing that it is a 1974.  If anyone can help I'd really appreciate it.  I have this new Mini that I can't drive on the roads here in WA state, well at least legally.

Thanks