A finned 1959 Cadillac or a 1960s Lincoln Continental with its rear-hinged back doors is about as American as a car gets. Plenty of people dream of one, and then start to worry: will it rust on the way, will it fit anywhere, and what will HMRC and the DVLA make of it? The good news is that the UK rules are kind to cars this old. The real work is in buying a good one.
This guide covers the big Lincolns and Cadillacs of the 1950s, 60s and 70s. For the wider picture on any older car from the States, see importing a classic American car.
- Shipping from the USA
- From £1,450, shipping only
- Import tax
- 5% VAT, no duty, if it qualifies
- MOT
- Not needed over 40, if unchanged
- Time at sea
- Around 2 to 4 weeks
The cars people bring over
Most of the requests we see fall into a few groups. All of them are left-hand drive, all of them are long, and nearly all of them have a large V8.
| Feature | 1950s Cadillac | 1960s Continental | 1970s Cadillac and Lincoln |
|---|---|---|---|
| In brief | Chrome, fins and the famous 1959 tail | Slab-sided, with rear-hinged back doors and a four-door convertible | Eldorado, De Ville, Fleetwood and the Mark coupes, long and soft-riding |
| 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 |
| Rear fog light | Not needed | Not needed | Needed if first used from 1 April 1980 |
The 1961 to 1969 Continental convertible is a four-door with a powered roof that folds into the boot, which is wonderful when it works and a specialist job when it does not. The Eldorado went front-wheel drive from 1967, and the Lincoln Mark III, IV and V coupes ran from 1968 to the end of the decade.
Rust and what to check
These are heavy cars with a lot of steel, and rust is the thing that turns a bargain into a money pit. A car that has lived its life in a dry state is usually a better start than one from somewhere that salts its roads in winter. Photos of the underside matter far more than shiny paint.
Before you pay a deposit
0 of 9 done
If you can, get a marque specialist or an independent inspector to look at the car in person. On a big classic, a day of someone else's time costs very little next to a floor pan.
Size
Many of these cars are well over 5 metres long and close to 2 metres wide. That shapes three things: how it ships, where it lives and how it drives on British roads.
It 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 model and, ideally, a tape measure reading when you ask for a quote. At home, measure your drive and your garage door before you buy, not after.
Measure the garage first. A long 1970s Cadillac is a joy on an open road and a challenge in a multi-storey. Plenty of owners keep theirs in a storage unit for that reason.
Tax at 5%
A car over 30 years old that qualifies as historic pays 5% import VAT and no duty. Every Lincoln and Cadillac from the 1950s to the 1970s is old enough, but age alone does not settle it. HMRC wants the car in its original state. Restoration is fine. A modern crate engine, new suspension or a reshaped body can take it out of the reduced rate.
Here is a £25,000 car at our USA guide shipping price of £1,450, so the tax is worked out on £26,450.
| Feature | Qualifies as historic | Does not qualify |
|---|---|---|
| Duty | £0 | £2,645 (10%) |
| VAT | £1,323 (effectively 5%) | £5,819 (20% of £29,095) |
| Total import tax | £1,323 | £8,464 |
If the invoice is more than 3 months old, a recent valuation is used instead of the price. Our guide to the 5% historic VAT rules explains what HMRC looks for, and 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. GOV.UK counts replacing the chassis, body, axles or engine in a way that changes how the car works. 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
Older American cars usually need less lighting work than modern ones. A car first used before 1 April 1980 does not need a rear fog light, so that rules out most of the cars in this guide. Pre-1980 American cars largely avoid the lighting issues newer ones have, but headlights set up for driving on the right still need attention. 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 it comes straight to our site in Castle Donington to be unloaded by our own team. It does not need to run. Most cars share a 40ft container with other customers' cars, which splits the cost, or you can have a container 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. For cover once it is here, see insuring an imported car.
Questions people ask
Does a classic Cadillac or Lincoln need an MOT in the UK?
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 still has to be roadworthy.
How much import tax is there on a 1960s Lincoln Continental?
If it qualifies as historic, 5% import VAT and no duty, worked out on the price plus shipping. A heavily modified car may pay 10% duty and 20% VAT instead.
Will a big American classic 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 my classic Cadillac need a rear fog light?
Not if it was first used before 1 April 1980. A late 1970s car first used after that date needs one fitted.
Do I pay road tax on a classic Lincoln or Cadillac?
Not if it was built before 1 January 1986, once you apply for the historic tax class. The exemption is not automatic.
Found your Lincoln or Cadillac? Send us the listing on the quote form and we will price the whole job.
