Pablo

iTrader: (1)

It looks like I will end up moving to Sicily and I am contemplating taking my car. It's a 91 Z28 built (and still under construction) for road racing (time trial type stuff). I will be doing more research but as far as I can tel there is at least one track, autodromo di pergusa and I hope to find more. I'm hoping the road racing is as good as the reputation Italian motorsports has led me to believe.

Can anyone tell me more about the car scene? Vehicle regulations? etc?

I will be moving there with my wife who is in the US Navy so I will have no problem receiving parts through the mail (it would be like having a part shipped in the US)

Any info would be appreciated.

watson90z

iTrader: (1)

asfalto

hi, i'm from italy!
there's a small american car scene here, about 20 car meetings a year but mainly in the north.
registering an american car is a little bit difficult but not impossible (it took me 1 year to get italian plates for my 88 iroc); camaros have the good gift of having orange tail turning lights which are standard in europe. maybe you can get AFI plates: people from US army drove cars with that plate but now i don't see them anymore, now army people drive (american) cars with italian plate (i don't know why).
i think the best way is to register your car in Vicenza (city of caserma ederle US army base) or in a town near a US base because you'll find more competence about american cars in the italian offices.
another way is to register it as a historic vehicle (20 years old at least..and you got it!) : you don't pay taxes to drive it, insurance is very cheap (compared to the standard cars insurances) but it's a long procedure and i don't know if you need to be an italian citizen.

hope this helps!!!

ciao

Pablo

iTrader: (1)

Thanks for the reply asfalto. From what I understand, I'll be able to register the car under a special status given to US military personnel. They will pay to ship one car for us so I'm sure it is not hard. I still haven't learned any details.

Is there any kind of emissions testing or vehicle inspections in Italy? My car is very far from stock so I'm concerned that if there is an inspection of any kind my car will not pass.

Is there a forum for Italian car enthusiasts I should check out? I speak/read Spanish so I can partially read/understand some Italian since the languages are so similar. I need to start learning Italiano anyway

Anyway I'm very excited to be living in your country. It is a beautiful place with an amazing history.

asfalto

italian cars must be checked every 2 years and have to respect the features they had when they were born: brakes, lights, wheels and SMOG emissions. so your car's got to respect '91 emission parameters that, i mean, it's pretty easy unless you got holes in your exaust system.
your car is not stock.. i think that nobody at MOTORIZZAZIONE (or MTC: italian office for registering cars) knows what a camaro actually is like so...
but you'll better check this aspect with whom is following the car shipment.
all above if you get italian plate. dunno with other kind of plates.

this is our forum..american cars only.. what's better?
http://www.usacarsforum.it/forum/

nice place sicilia! it's warm down there, something like california wheather; people are lazy.. very lazy! you'll see..

for more questions i'm here!
ciaooooo

Pablo

iTrader: (1)

Thanks again for the information Asfalto.

I hope there is an exemption to the inspections for military members. With regard to the emissions testing, is there an actual tailpipe emissions test or is it just a visual inspection?

Do you know anything about Autodromo Di Pergusa or any other tracks? If I do bring my car I would definitely want to go to the track.

Can you give me an idea of how hard it is to find a home with a garage? I understand you are in the north but any information would help. I'm always working on projects and would really like to live somewhere with a 2 car garage. How unusual is this arrangement for homes in Italia?

I will check out the forum, thank you for the link. I'm sure I will have more questions as the time to move approaches. I hope I'm not being a bother.

asfalto

don't worry, i'm glad to help you!
yes, they sniff your pipes but remeber, you have to respect '91 emissions not 2011 emissions.
now the italian forum is down but i'll send you in pm asap the name of an american lady from the US army in vicenza that owns 2 american cars with italian plate. she will be a perfect reference for your case.
sorry, i don't know Autodromo Di Pergusa; i know 3 or 4 quarter mile acceleration days in here, but they are 12 hours driving away from sicilia.
this is 1/2 hour away from my home: http://www.autodromodifranciacorta.com
italians houses usually have garages in the basement and usually are pretty small. single houses like american ones are very expensive, but i think that if you go to the countryside (suburbs) you'll find something with garages on the street level.
anyway, if your not in a touristic place south is cheaper than north.

ciao
bye

asfalto

another link
http://www.hillsrace.it/