Importation of AFV's into the USA

[Neil Ashley]

I note that in Bob Flemming's current advert on Milweb, he is talking about a ban being introduced preventing the importation of American manufactured armoured vehicles back into the USA.

I seem to rember a few years ago there may have been a problem with lend lease vehicles, but I had not heard of a total ban of this type. Can any of our American members confirm the situation on what is covered.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally posted by Neil Ashley
...preventing the importation of American manufactured armoured vehicles back into the USA.

...there may have been a problem with lend lease vehicles, but I had not heard of a total ban of this type.

Neil, I think this is the same. Shortly after WW2 the large auto manufacturers initiated a law banning any Amercan manufactured vehicle supplied under Lend-Lease from being brought back into the US. This was done to prevent their home market being flooded by ex-Army vehicles, thus seriously threatening the manufacture of new vehicles. I believe today this law is mainly applied to armed/armoured vehicles, would be interested to hear if they apply it to unarmoured and unarmed trucks as well.

H.

[Neil Ashley]

Hanno

The vehicles in Bob Flemming's advert would have been supplied to Yugoslavia post-war, so presumably this ban is a bit wider than just Lend Lease.

This particular ban I thought had been in place for a long time, so unless the State Department are about to start rigidly enforce it, perhaps it is just an advertising ploy to sell the vehicles.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally posted by Neil Ashley
The vehicles in Bob Flemming's advert would have been supplied to Yugoslavia post-war, so presumably this ban is a bit wider than just Lend Lease.

Being a lawyer employed by a big auto manufacturer, one would probably smart enough to extend the Lend-Lease scheme to any similar arrangement (MDAP, MAP, etc.)

This particular ban I thought had been in place for a long time, so unless the State Department are about to start rigidly enforce it, perhaps it is just an advertising ploy to sell the vehicles.

The ban has been in place since early after WW2, later on it probably wasn't enforced rigidly (think of all the MDAP GMC 2.5 ton trucks being re-imported during the 1980s), but it must have been there all the time in some sort of another. Think of the specal arrangements made to prevent M151 and HMMWV vehicles being auctioned off to the general public in the US - all done to protect the lucrative jeep/SUV market.
With the increase of terrorist threats, the ban was re-enforced on any AFV, being old or new. It is not an advertising ploy. I personally am happy for us in Europe the law is enforced, otherwise every piece of armour on the market would go to the US.
Search the internet for "US Import Permit (BATF Form 6)" for more background info.

Regards,
Hanno

[Neil Ashley]

Hanno

I could not agree more. If it means more vehicles staying in Europe and perhaps prices decreasing, more the better.

Its just strange if Bob is correct that this loop hole is being pluged now.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally posted by Neil Ashley
Its just strange if Bob is correct that this loop hole is being pluged now.

Neil, Bob's advertising ploy is that his merchandise is already imported into the US of A. Every now and then someone finds a loophole or another way to get one of those Form 6's.

Here's Bob's webvert: http://www.milweb.net/webverts/22995/

H.

[alleramilitaria]

there is a catch.
the M-36 ATG was given to the yugo army. after that the M-36 was re-engined and lots of mods added and some of the original items removed durring a total upgrade. after the rebuild it was renamed as a yugo made vehicle. so it is really not a US vehicle any more. kinda like the IDF supper shermans.


the hummers cant be sold in the states any more due to a contract between the DOD and the producer (at the time AM).
general). ones that snuck through are the early ones 85-86.
oters are replicas or crash rebuilds for the most part.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally posted by alleramilitaria
there is a catch.
the M-36 ATG was given to the yugo army. after that the M-36 was re-engined and lots of mods added and some of the original items removed durring a total upgrade. after the rebuild it was renamed as a yugo made vehicle. so it is really not a US vehicle any more.

Not a catch your legislators care about. It was originally built in the US, that is why you as a US resident cannot import it.

the hummers cant be sold in the states any more due to a contract between the DOD and the producer

Yes, like I said all done to protect the lucrative jeep/SUV market. I can buy a low-mileage ex-USMC M151A2 jeep here in Europe and register it, you on the other hand can only buy one for museum display purposes or use it as an unregistered truck on private property.

H.

[alleramilitaria]

hanno i know of at least 3 M-36s that got into the US via ATF-6s that were listed as yugo ATGs, and the supper shermans are still coming into the US. it just depends on the way the ATF is feeling that day, who you know, if the stars are in alignment, your 4 leaf clover is working, etc....

its a loophole that if you know the right person can be used. as far as the M-151s and hummers go for the most part if you have a state here in the US (alabama is a good one) give you a title for one then you are good in all the states. there are some states that if you build a vehicle from parts you can call it a homebuilt / scratchbuilt and have it titled with no problem. some people have even built a good hummer from 50-60 tons of scrap from DRMO. they then get a title and bang they have a good vehicle for the road. and the laws are changing here about un-registered vehicles for hunting and farm use. here in texas a pasanger vehicle (jeep, etc) must be registered or TEXDOT can fine you. its getting that you MUST have it registered in some states, even if its a old rusty frame up on blocks out back. there is a scam here that in some states your unregistered vehicle will be seized by the state (even if you have it in a shed) sold to a poluting agency (power or chemical plant) and then distroyed. the poluter then gets a waver for some of its polution and it does not have to meet the EPA clean air act.

[Ponysoldier]

Greetings
The Hummers is now being sold here in the US.
They the same body style as the military ones.
They are more plush that the military version
and quite pricey.
Patrick