A 1957 Bel Air in two-tone paint or a long, low 1964 Impala is about as close to an American film set as you can park on a British drive. Chevrolet built these cars in huge numbers, so there is plenty of choice and good parts supply. The questions people ask us are nearly always the same: will it fit, how bad is the rust, and does a modified car still get the 5% VAT rate? This guide answers all three.
- Shipping from the USA
- From £1,450, shipping only
- Time at sea
- Around 2 to 4 weeks
- Import tax
- 5% VAT, no duty, if it qualifies
- MOT
- Not needed over 40, if unchanged
The cars people bring over
The Bel Air name arrived in 1950. The Impala followed for 1958 as the top Bel Air, then became a model in its own right from 1959 and soon outsold it. Every one of these cars is left-hand drive, and most of the ones people want have a V8.
| Feature | Tri-Five Bel Air | Early Impala | Later Impala |
|---|---|---|---|
| Built | 1955 to 1957 | 1958 to 1964 | 1965 to 1970s |
| In brief | Chrome, fins and the first small-block V8 | The 1959 fins, then the crisp early sixties shape and the SS | Big full-size cruisers, longer and softer as the decade went on |
| UK test | None if not substantially changed | None if not substantially changed | None if not substantially changed |
| Import tax | 5% VAT, no duty | 5% VAT, no duty | 5% VAT, no duty |
The 1955 to 1957 cars, known as the Tri-Five, are the ones most people picture and the ones that cost the most. The early sixties Impalas are close behind, with the 1964 car a favourite in the lowrider world. The later full-size cars are usually cheaper to buy, which makes them a good way into a big American classic.
Size
These are long, wide cars, and the later ones are well over 5 metres long and close to 2 metres wide. That affects how the car ships, where it lives and how it drives down a narrow lane. A big Impala takes more room in a container than a normal saloon, so expect the price to come in above our guide figure. Give us the exact year, body style and, ideally, a tape measure reading when you ask for a quote.
Measure the garage first. Check the length of your drive and the width of your garage door before you buy, not after. Plenty of owners keep theirs in a storage unit.
Rust and what to check
Rust matters far more than mileage on a car this old. One that has spent its life in a dry state is a much better start than one from somewhere that salts its roads in winter. Fresh paint can hide a lot, so ask for photos underneath as well as the glossy ones.
Before you pay a deposit
0 of 8 done
Our guides to buying a car abroad safely and buying a car from a US auction cover the general checks. If you can, have an independent inspector look at the car in person before it ships.
Lowriders and modified cars
Many Impalas and Bel Airs have been changed over the years. Lowriders with hydraulic suspension, small wire wheels and custom paint are a big part of the scene, and so are hot rods and restomods with modern engines. All of them can be imported. The difference is in the tax and, sometimes, the MOT.
HMRC's 5% rate is for cars in their original state. Its guidance leaves out vehicles that have been modernised, hot-rodded or modified, so a lowrider or a restomod may well pay 10% duty and 20% VAT instead. Restoration is fine. Our guide to the 5% historic VAT rules explains what HMRC looks for.
The MOT exemption has a similar condition. GOV.UK counts replacing the chassis, body, axles or engine in a way that changes how the car works as a substantial change, so a heavily modified car may still need an MOT. If you are looking at a modified car, send us the details before you buy and tell us about any suspension work when you ask for a quote.
Tax at 5%
A car over 30 years old that qualifies as historic pays 5% import VAT and no duty. Here is a £20,000 car at our USA guide shipping price of £1,450, so the tax is worked out on £21,450.
| Feature | Qualifies as historic | Does not qualify |
|---|---|---|
| Duty | £0 | £2,145 (10%) |
| VAT | £1,073 (effectively 5%) | £4,719 (20% of £23,595) |
| Total import tax | £1,073 | £6,864 |
If you are moving to the UK and qualify for Transfer of Residence, the car can come in with no tax at all. The import tax calculator runs your own numbers.
MOT and vehicle tax
A car built or first registered more than 40 years ago, which today means before October 1986, does not need an MOT as long as it has not been substantially changed. That covers every Impala and Bel Air in this guide. It must still be roadworthy, so we put older cars through an MOT as a check when we register them.
Cars built before 1 January 1986 can also go into the historic tax class, with no vehicle tax to pay. You have to apply for it. It does not happen on its own.
Lights
The DVLA registers left-hand drive cars without asking for the steering to be moved. A car first used before 1 April 1980 does not need a rear fog light, which takes in nearly all of these cars. Headlights set up for driving on the right still need adjusting or replacing, and a late 1970s car first used from April 1980 needs a fog light fitted too. Our guide to converting an American car for UK roads covers the details, and left-hand drive cars in the UK covers living with the wheel on the left.
Shipping in a container
For a classic like this, a container is the usual choice. The car is strapped down and sealed in, out of the weather, and comes straight to our site in Castle Donington to be unloaded by our own team. It does not need to run, which helps with a project car. Most cars share a 40ft container with other customers' cars, or you can have one to yourself. Our guide to shared and sole containers compares the two.
We collect from anywhere in the USA and truck the car to the port. East Coast sailings take around 2 weeks and West Coast around 4, with about 2 weeks before that for paperwork and loading. US Customs normally wants the title before the car leaves, and shipping a car from the USA covers the whole journey. Once it is here, our dealer-level DVLA account lets us register it within 10 working days.
Questions people ask
Can I import a classic Chevrolet Impala or Bel Air to the UK?
Yes. It follows the same route as any classic American car: shipping, customs, any lighting changes, an MOT check where needed, then DVLA registration with the steering left where it is.
Does a lowrider Impala get the 5% VAT rate?
Often not. HMRC wants the car in its original state, and its guidance leaves out modified and hot-rodded vehicles. A lowrider may pay 10% duty and 20% VAT instead. Check with us before you buy.
Does a classic Impala need an MOT?
Not if it was built or first registered more than 40 years ago, which today means before October 1986, and has not been substantially changed. It must still be roadworthy.
Will a big Impala fit in a container?
Usually, yes, but these cars are long, so give us the exact model and measurements when you ask for a quote. A large car normally costs more to ship than our guide price.
Does a 1960s Bel Air or Impala need a rear fog light?
No. Cars first used before 1 April 1980 do not need one. The headlights still need setting up for driving on the left.
For other Chevrolets, see our Corvette, Camaro and C10 and classic pickups guides, or the wider guide to importing a classic American car. Found your car? Send us the listing on the quote form and we will price the whole job.
