How do I make my US spec. 1988 SL legal for the UK?

[Lord Hemming]

I currently live in the USA and am intending to ship my mint 30k mile 560SL home with me later this year (I know filling it up with fuel will be fun at £1 a litre ). The car is in such good shape coming from a dry state, I don't want to part with it.

Does anyone know what changes I will have to make to the vehicle to get an MOT? I am specifically thinking about the side marker turn signal lamps, my car doesn't have any. I may install RHD euro headlamps or replace my USA spec headlights with RHD Cibie units with side lights built in before it is shipped.

Any information would be gratefully received

 

[rf065]

There are a few companies in the UK who import USA cars and sell them in the UK. They also carry out the neccessary work to make the car legal in the UK. The last time I heard it did not amount to that much work. Converting the indicators & fitting a rear fog light springs to mind. Perhaps a search on google for one of these companies web sites would explain what exactly is required?

Russ

 

[television]

Yes as rf065 it is the colour of the indicators and the LHD headlamps

 

[kelbenz]

As far as I know any car first registered after 31/12/1985 needs side repeater lamps. There is no ruling though concerning where you mount them.
I think that the rule is there must be visible light when standing 1 metre to the side of the vehicle in line with its rear, so some cars that have wrap around indicators can get away with having no seperate repeater.
If your car has the side marker lamps that most American cars seem to have then I guess you could simply convert that to be a side repeater.
Otherwise as already stated you will only need RHD headlamps and a rear fog light(with a suitable in car warning light to show that its on)
It may be worth looking here http://www.motuk.co.uk/

 

[Lord Hemming]

Thank you everyone, I'll do some research into the rear fog lamp. I know I can buy a euro headlamp switch here with the fog lamp setting and warning light.

The side repeaters will be a pain as we will have to drill holes into the front wings, but again I will do my homework. If anyone knows the OEM location, please let me know!

I really appreciate your help

 

[kelbenz]

The side repeaters will be a pain as we will have to drill holes into the front wings

Maybe you could look into the possibility of fitting some late model door mirrors with the side repeaters incorporated, or even some aftermarket mirror repeaters