I am giving this post a number as I am sure it won’t be the last one on the topic.
After quite some research and various conversations with companies that offer drive train replacements, I had decided to go with the company Retro Electric in the UK.
They have extensive experience with British car brands and their electrification. While they haven’t done a Mk2, yet, they had converted XKs, E-Types, Bentley S and a large number of classic Mini’s and VW Beetle’s.
Several more phone calls later, the agreement was made and the first invoice sent to get the engineering started and to order the modified gauges that will display motor/battery temperature and voltage. Now, I thought, before paying the first amount, let’s make sure I understand the process of bringing the car into the UK and back to Germany and what it means for customs and paperwork.
Here’s what I learned:
- Bringing the car from the EU into the UK is an important. It is irrelevant if I plan to bring it back. It’s an import. If I have the correct paperwork and registered the transport in Germany as well as in the UK, I will not have to pay duty for the car.
- Having the car worked on is initiating a customs relevant process called “inward processing of goods“. The company performing the work needs to be registered with the HRMC (HM Revenue & Customs). If they are, I can export the car and pay duty only on the value of work that was done in the UK.
The paperwork and administrative hassle for all of this is a nightmare!
However, Retro Electric had a good consultant and they will manage everything in the UK, while I will manage the Germany/EU custom side of the process.
It took a few days and I had already got in touch with a Dutch company Peet Classics, in case I need an alternative as I really wanted to get the car worked on over the winter and finished in spring.
I talked to the owner, Peter, great car guy, and had a nice virtual tour of the workshop. Peter was recommended to me by Yvar from EV Europe (great as well, but 12 months waiting list for electro conversions). They sell the parts to Peter who does full restorations, restomods and customisations.
If you are in Europe, these two companies are a great start for your research. I did find companies in Germany that do electro conversions, but most of them specialise on German Brands – Mercedes, Porsche, Volkswagen – and none of them got back to me on my inquiry.
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