Know Your Austin Mini

Know Your Austin Mini

Collecting the classic Austin Mini can be a challenge, even for the most knowledgeable collectors. The challenge comes with the fact that it is difficult to actually identify the model and year of the classic British vehicle. Knowing the model and year is important for several reasons, not just to know what car you happen to have in your garage.

Get the Parts You Need

When you need to buy parts, one size does not fit all Minis. There was a time when the condensers, distributor caps, plugs, points, and rotors fit every year and every model, but that ended after a few years. In order to get the right parts to keep your Mini road-worthy, you need to know exactly what you have.

Know the Import Laws

Since the original Austin Mini models are not ready for US roads, there are import laws you need to know. EPA laws and Department of Transportation laws are followed closely by the US Customs Offices. The basic rules regarding the Austin Mini involve the car being at least 25 years old. If the car meets that detail, then you do not have to have any special standards for importing the car. But, if you do not know how old the car is, you will have to meet specific requirements before you can bring the car into the country and drive it on the roads.

Get the Car Street Legal and Insured

Once you get your Austin Mini into the country, you also need to know the rules of your state. Every state has different requirements for inspections and registrations. You might have to comply with emissions regulations or other picky rules of your state. If you do not know the year and model, you will not have the information necessary to make your Austin Mini legal to drive in your state. Since states require a variety of different insurance coverages, you will also need to know your car’s true identity before an agent can give you the appropriate coverage.

The post Know Your Austin Mini appeared first on Fossil Cars Blog.

See original article: http://www.fossilcars.com/blog/blog/know-your-austin-mini/