Quote Originally Posted by Maryland 110 View Post
The problem is the term "sypathetic" is completely arbitrary.

You may well have trouble with your MUD Uk center dash pod and new seats, carpeting etc as those are viewed as modifications/modernization, not restoration. The way seizures work is there is no back and forth with the inspecting officer. They are very cloak and dagger and usually refuse to communicate,so there will be no oportunity to offer your documentetion until after they decide to deny entry. I would be extremely suprised if your container is not selected for an intensive exam as all inbound containers with Land Rover on the manifest are being advance targeted prior to arrival.
Ping me @ doug@dividingcreekimports.com if you get jammed up.

They have lightened up a bit. I have had 5 trucks clear in as many days in 5 different ports.
Thanks you have echoed some of my concerns as well. That is the issue I have been debating over an over - there is no defined term by the CBP on what is "remanufacturing", "modification", "restoration". It is completely subjective and has been frustrating me through this entire process. I keep going back to a legal definition of "remanufacturing" and trying to find a precedent as set forth by the CBP and can only find is the attached letter from 1999 to HarLand Rover Restorations (http://isearch.nhtsa.gov/files/20592.ztv.html).

However replacement of ancillary equipment - as long as that equipment was originally available back in 1988 should be a compelling argument. One could argue the seats and carpet were not in former, original, normal, or unimpaired condition. The MUD center dash being a cosmetic bolt on could be removed and therefore now it is in compliance. The same could be said for any other new parts provided. It is a compelling and confusing situation and has been driving me nuts.

The news I did hear today from my customs broker is that the hold for Intensive Examination is no longer on my file. As of 4PM it had not been noted that the X-ray was completed however she was told the container had completed X-ray and was being moved to a non-customs hold area of the port.

What we 'theorize" is when it arrived Customs advised us they were going to perform an intensive examination but that it was going to be dockside. What I am hoping is that since it has been sitting there since Sunday morning the CBP Agent performed his intensive exam dockside while it was waiting on the X-ray exam. Appears the Port of Houston only performs the container X-ray exams on Wednesday and Friday. So essentially they did the intensive first then for procedure performed the X-ray exam on the container.

Now none of this has been verified officially on the computer systems so I will know for sure in the morning - keeping my fingers crossed on this and hopefully they have done what they need to do and done it in amazingly efficient time. Having been a US Army Officer (mobilized in the first Desert Storm back in the 90's) I am skeptical that our Government can be that efficient. However I would be pleasantly surprised if that is in fact the case and all of this is done and over with.

However I will ping you if for some reason there is a log jam. Otherwise I will be flying to Houston either Friday or Monday and driving the Landy home.