New Member

[cwalshaw]

Hi all,
I am a new member.
I have just returned to the UK after working in the USA for 7 years. The last 6 months my wife and I spent time in our motorhome travelling around 30 odd states. We had a BLAST! We covered 17,000 miles and have over wintered the rig in Plymouth MA.
When we get round to it we intend to collate the 1700 photograph and our journal to share with interested parties.
We will return to the US in the Spring to spend more time on the East coast, then ship it back to the UK in the Summer. We intend to ship it from Baltimore Maryland to Southampton UK. Then tour both in the UK and Continental Europe ( so the left hand drive and headlights will not be a problem), then garage it in Southern Europe (France or Spain).
I would appreciate any help or direction anyone can supply as to the difficulties we may encounter and details of the modifications we need to make in order to make it street legal in Europe, lights, power converters etc.
If any Brits have done this, can they recommend a UK vendor who can carry this out? Any experiences welcome.
The motorhome is  a 27 foot Fleetwood Terra model 26Y 8.1 liter petrol.Width 102 inches (plus awning).It of course has a 120v/12v AC/DC converter and a 30 AMP external service.
Hope someone can help.
We would be happy to share our knowledge and experience of our US trip if there are any questions for us.
For any Americans still worried about gas going back to over $3 per gallon, just think of us here at $6 (although a slightly larger gallon I will be lucky to get 12 mpg). Mad or what?
Best tip for USA travellers, get onto Passport America.com, great 50% campsite reductions!

Colin & Jenny Walshaw

 

[Tom]

Hello Colin & Jenny, welcome to our forum. There have been numerous discussions here regarding those issues. Try using the Search button above. Also check our Visitors to the USA message board. Last but not least, click the Library button above and select the Visitors to the USA category.

 

[Ron]

Hi Colin & Jenny,

Welcome to the RV Forum .  Please look around the forum,  join in on any of the on going discussions, start new discussions, or ask questions. 

 

[cwalshaw]

Hi,
Sorry have been offline for some time as my internet provider went bust!
Ref below question.
I have searched around the site as per your advice. Main topics are to do with tax,customs, shipping etc. I'm quite happy with all that stuff. Main problem is with conversions from US specs to UK, electrics(240v 50Hz to 120v 30Hz), turn light color changes( are lenses available?) and the BIG question width! As far as I can see the EEC widest spec is 2.55 metres (100 inches), my Fleetwood spec says it's 102 inches without the awning!
At 27 foot it is certainly not the longest (not a problem) and widest rig brought in, so there must be a wrinkle somewhere.
I need someone who has physically brought one in to give me the lowdown on their experience with having it MOT tested. Did they get electrical conversions state side, or someone in the UK? I would appreciate help here, when (if) I manage to get it here I will be happy to produce a how to do it guide for the site, to keep all the other Limeys like me from hasseling you.
HELP!
Colin

 

[Tom]

Colin,

There have been quite a few discussions right here in the forum. A search using 'UK power' turns up a number of them, including:

This one and this one and this one dealing with the power conversion issue.

You can search using 'DVLA' and read what folks have run into on the width issue. Some of the folks dealing with this issue are still around here and hopefully they'll jump in with their experiences. Similarly with the colored lens issue.