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 Joining from Canada (currently 1,588 views) |
| Cedric_Malitte |
| Posted on: April 1st, 2015, 15:52:23 |
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Baby Member
Posts: 8
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Hi all,
I joined the forum even if I do not own a marcos for now, but this will happen in the next few months I hope !
I'm no new to minis, I owned a few, my parents had some too, even a cooper 997 when I was really young.
I had many minis to fix and repair from friends of the club when I was living in France.
I'm almost able to tell where each nut goes 
I still have a pickup that I'm restoring with new panels for all except top and front that comes from another mini.
I also got a LTI fairway 95 in the garage that I'm selling.
About Mini Marcos, I had the opportunity about 15 years ago to buy a shell but was lacking of money the day the guy put it on sale.
I was bugging him from time to time to sell it to me for about 2 years....
Looks like it wasn't the time for me !
I live now in Canada, and Marcos are pretty rare on this side of the lake.
I have two options: grab an used shell or a complete car for restauration from UK or start on a new shell.
I'm taking my time to check the ads on the sites.
Do you know any owner of a mini marcos in Canada ?
Cheers,
Cedric
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| mike brown |
| Posted on: April 1st, 2015, 16:36:19 |
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Big Member
Location: Southampton
Posts: 419
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Welcome to the forum it can be a little quite in here sometimes but there is a wealth of information amongst the members.
There is a few cars in the state's not sure about Canada good luck with your seach.
Mike |
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Reply: 1 - 11 |
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| Brian |
| Posted on: April 1st, 2015, 16:46:02 |
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Big Member
Location: San Mateo, CA, USA
Posts: 330
Reputation: 0 (tot: ) |
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Welcome!
There's Bob Polack's mini marcos http://www.britishracecar.com/bobpolak-minimarcos.htm. I think he's in Toronto, or over near there.
Where abouts are you located? I just did a road trip through BC and YT, on the way through to Alaska. Took the 97, Cassiar, and Alaska highways.
Anyways, I'm slowly nearing finishing up on my new shell that I've been working on for about two years now -- the goal is to have it finished in time for my engagement photo shoot on June 6.
It's pretty rare to see an MM available for sale on this side of the pond, so your most likely shot will be to find one over in the UK/Europe. Whatever you buy, it will be cheaper and easier if it's a rolling shell. Possibly even to the point that for a new shell, it may make sense to pay someone to install the subframes sans engine before shipping -- at least something to look at. My shipping ended up being about 2/3 of what a bare shell ended up costing, because I had to have it crated in special wood that is allowed here in the states (and I suspect canada is likely the same).
As for a new shell, make sure to take a close look at the kit car rules for your area. California, where I am, is usually the most strict on car rules, however the kit car rules were more lenient than some other states. Also, look closely at what lets it constitute a kit car. For example, here, if I had an engine, transmission, or "frame" shipped with the car, they would consider it to be a full car, not a kit -- and it would not have been allowed in my state. And that designation is noted on an import paperwork that would be needed as part of the final street registration process.
Check out my thread here, search for 000009 in the forums. I haven't been posting lately, but do have notes about my import process. It will be different from canada's, but likely some similarities. And I'm glad to talk further, too. |
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Reply: 2 - 11 |
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| Neil KilBane |
| Posted on: April 1st, 2015, 18:17:57 |
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Maximum Member2
just a little fine tuning left to do.
Location: Newtown Forbes, Ireland
Posts: 1,416
Reputation: 0 (tot: ) |
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8042 is in Canada also as is a MkIV 196 YHD.
Check out the gallery section of the Club website. |
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Reply: 3 - 11 |
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| Cedric_Malitte |
| Posted on: April 1st, 2015, 19:40:32 |
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Baby Member
Posts: 8
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Thanks for the replies !
I'm in Quebec province in a small town 100km south from Quebec city as my wife is native from here.
It's called Thetford Mines, due to the asbestos mines that were running here decades ago.
I checked with Rory for a shell, and it's close to 750GBP shipping insured to Montreal port.
Makes a 6000GBP package for stage2 kit
Or I could try to get a rolling shell into a shared container from UK.
Shipping to QC or Ontario provinces is not a problem as my company have trucks on the road that deliver to the provinces, and come back empty most of the time.
I already collected a few mini parts in Ontario like this
And for brokerage we use a specialized firm for our import/exports, should be trouble free.
Yes I think I'll have to read carefully the laws concerning vehicles sold as kit here, but as far as I can remember, here we are able to manufacture cars and plate them.
I'll write to an engineer working for the registration bureau just to be sure.
Thanks again for your welcomes ! |
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Reply: 4 - 11 |
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| Brian |
| Posted on: April 1st, 2015, 22:57:08 |
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Big Member
Location: San Mateo, CA, USA
Posts: 330
Reputation: 0 (tot: ) |
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I also got quotes in that range for shipping -- Rory offered to crate for 450GBP, and the initial shipping quote was in the 900GBP range (to the US west coast, so a bit higher than an east coast location), plus the cost to crate the car. However, several things added to it -- the US has lumber import restrictions (it looks like Canada does, too), and Rory's crates couldn't be certified to meet those regulations, so I had to have the shipper crate it instead, using certified lumber, but at a higher cost. Also, the shipping quotes didn't include several needed things, like the fees at the receiving harbour to move the pallet from the ship to the dock, some customs fees, and documentation fees, etc. The various fees and such ended up costing quite a bit more than the shipping.
As for transport, my price included me picking the pallet up at the dock (and there were even fees for them to move the pallet from the dock to my trailer).
People had told me to take the initial shipping estimates, and double them, so I went in with my eyes open, and it turned out to be in that range. I would have been upset if I had gone in expecting the quotes to be accurate .
As for the new shell...I think it was a great way to go. However, it is not just a project where things will fit together like assembling something out of a box. Examples: I needed to do lots of crazy stuff to get the subframes to go in, and Rory forgot to mark out where the holes for the brake and clutch to go through the firewall, so I had to do exploratory drilling to find out where the embedded metal was in the crossmember there. It's been a great project, but again, go in with eyes open .
I've actually stalled on getting work done, so I've arranged with a corvette shop to finish out some of the fiberglass work on the car -- they've gotten my doors finished, and are finishing out some of the gelcoat seams. They have been appalled at some of the fiberglass joins in the car, and some of the mould seams are likely going to be visible ongoing, because the nose piece doesn't join at flat planes. Again, not a complaint, but make sure you are aware that a bit uneven and etc is to be expected in a perfectly finished project .
I'm excited to see another north american Mini Marcos, whether new shell or a refurbished old one, around .
Oh, and at least for the US, I had to have a Manufacturers Certificate of Origin, which Rory didn't have. I ordered some (with the aid of rory), and the minimum order was like 100, so I have spares. If you need that for your process, let me know, as it might save you a hundred or so bucks . |
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Reply: 5 - 11 |
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| mike brown |
| Posted on: April 2nd, 2015, 07:39:32 |
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Big Member
Location: Southampton
Posts: 419
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The mini Marcos moulds are quite old now and I suspect a lot of the line-up issues have never been addressed if I were buying a new shell I would get the generic colour normally white and get it painted. Two reasons 1 the colour will be better and last longer. 2 the work needed to sort the seams is a lot quicker in filler than gel coat so the saving will go a long way to the paint cost.
Mike |
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Reply: 6 - 11 |
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| Cedric_Malitte |
| Posted on: April 2nd, 2015, 15:05:56 |
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Baby Member
Posts: 8
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Brian,
thanks for all the infos.
I was aware of the numerous fees at the port, as we pickup and send stuff for the company.
Although, I'll have to check that closer
Best for me would be to have the shell sent to France then put in a container with other stuff for the company that will be imported from there
Well, I'll have to sort that !
About the new shells... I was smiling while reading.
As I rebuilt a pickup almost from the ground with new panels made from factory equipment, I shouted, raged and almost cryed trying to fit some panels together at some point !
Tolerances are quite large !
At some point, I untacked the panels, bought clecos ( fasterners to hold panels for planes ) and assembled most of the parts using them, and after all aligned properly, I welded.
And as Mike stated, molds are bit old now
I want a friend of mine to paint the car the color I want. It's his job and he's talented.
He works for a guy here that owns enough old precious cars to build a museum. What he does on those cars is top notch !
About fiberglass work, I played a bit with that on surf boards, long time ago when I had enough hair to have them long
I know someone here repairing boats ( we have huge lakes here ), might be of some help too.
I do not have yet any answer from the registration bureau.
We have some Manufacturers Certificates of Origin here, as we build machines and trailers to go with.
I don't know what would happen if I get a shell from UK, and a certificate of origin from US.
Wonder if they will go nut at the registration bureau like last time I tried to plate my pickup 
It was out of their habits, and they had to be 3 on the file to sort it out !
Paperwork..... I hate that |
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Reply: 7 - 11 |
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| Cedric_Malitte |
| Posted on: April 2nd, 2015, 21:44:13 |
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Baby Member
Posts: 8
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I read the document relative to hand made cars for the province, and all I'd need is a chassis number from Rory and check the glass markings.
And of course respects some rules for brakes, lights, gas line, exhaust and so on.
Very detailed paper, apart for one thing: exhaust.
Made me laugh.
If I translate: "An exhaust must be fitted and the noise must not be too loud" !!!!!
For the horns: 82 to 102dB @ 45ft.
How do they measure the "not to loud" ? |
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Reply: 8 - 11 |
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| Brian |
| Posted on: April 2nd, 2015, 23:52:52 |
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Big Member
Location: San Mateo, CA, USA
Posts: 330
Reputation: 0 (tot: ) |
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For my vehicle inspections, I had to go through fairly extensive inspections. I wanted to get registration done as early in the process as possible, so I went through with the windshield duct taped in, no doors, no hood, no rear/side windows, the mirrors taped to the car, the battery tied to the dashboard with string. Everything passed, until the final inspection, they rejected me because of no windshield wipers. I've now made a roof rack that holds windshield wipers, as I don't intend to put wipers on my car.
For the fiberglass finishing for my car -- I had contacted several boat places here, and they all said their gelcoat/fiberglass work was more practical than pretty -- every single place told me to contact a corvette restorer. I found a couple of local corvette restoration shops, and found one very near to my house, he just picked up the car a few weeks ago, and has been working on finishing it. |
Last modified April 2nd, 2015, 23:58:53 by Brian |
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Reply: 9 - 11 |
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| Brian |
| Posted on: April 2nd, 2015, 23:56:07 |
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Big Member
Location: San Mateo, CA, USA
Posts: 330
Reputation: 0 (tot: ) |
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Oh, and as for the certificate of origin, it's printed in the US, but it's with Marcos info. I contacted the printer, they checked with rory to make sure it was legit, and then they printed up MCO paperwork to the international spec, with Rory's info. I probably should just ship the extras over to Rory, because upon my investigation, it seems that lots of countries outside europe will require that form for a registered car .
The form I have is watermarked and such, and is, as far as the printer is concerned, printed directly for Rory. |
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Reply: 10 - 11 |
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| Cedric_Malitte |
| Posted on: April 3rd, 2015, 15:18:55 |
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Baby Member
Posts: 8
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Thanks Brian,
I will check that.
I had a look at transport canada website to check if I'm allowed to import a kit.
Looks like yes, but there are some points that I'd like to check with them.
I tried to send a fax, but the number is not answering.
I did know that machines where on Easter vacation too |
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Reply: 11 - 11 |
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Mini Marcos Forum > General Boards > Mini Marcos > Joining from Canada
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