First Brazilian Charger on the US!!! Now in Tampa!!!

[Armudster]

As I told you guys on my last message, I found, sold and shipped a 1976 Brazilian Dodge Charger to a new forum member. It is gonna be the first one in the US, and it's estimated to arrive tomorrow in Florida. I decided to chronicle the whole process in here because there might be a few other members who are interested on something like this and the whole process was easy and uneventful. To respect the buyer's privacy, I will not disclose his user name, but he is free to introduce himself if he wishes, and I will not discuss prices publicly, so if anyone is interested in one, feel free to PM me.

The beginning:
A new forum member messaged me on this forum talking about Brazilian Chargers, he told me it was one of his dreams and asked if I could help him find one, to which I promptly replied saying I can help him.

I searched locally and found 10 cars that matched what he wanted and inspecting began, I looked every one of them and the list quickly dropped to 3 cars, of which he liked two of them. Eventually, he decided for this 1976 Dodge Charger R/T in Silver (Prata Monterey). Car was really solid and had a rebuilt 318 engine (the only engine option we had over here), with a slightly bigger cam, a holley 4 bbl, shorty headers and full stainless exhaust. It is a 4 speed car. Here is some pics of the car:

[Armudster]

 

[JR]

Neat. Congrats to the owner.

Also, I'd love to be a fly on the wall watching reactions to this at the local car shows.

[Armudster]

After choosing the car, I had thorough talks with the future owner, discussing procedures, timelines, and special requests he had (He asked me to change the steering wheel for the pre-75 model one, and asked me to send a new speedo, so he can convert from KPH to MPH). We both agreed on tackling the shipping duties to a professional trading company with a good and extended history on exporting cars to the US (Losada Import), a contract was made and buyer paid for the car so we can prepare the shipment.

The following pictures cover the steering wheel change:

[Armudster]

The process and preparation:

In order to legally export a car from Brazil, it needs to be removed from Detran's (our DMV) system, and the plates must be destroyed (sadly I couldn't save a plate since I wanted to send to the new owner to hang on his garage). After this process it went to the trading company's warehouse where it was stored until a slot on the ship opened, car was then prepared, went inside the container and it shipped on 10/23 (because of the current happenings, I couldn't get access to the port area, so I got no pics of the car on the container  ).

This pics are from the trip to the inspection facility, where car was removed from brazilian's DMV, the last pics are during inspection.

[Armudster]

These are the only pics I received for the car on Santos's Port and from the last trip in Brazil. According to the tracking info, the car will arrive tomorrow in the US, and I asked the guys at Losada for more pics of the car arriving, maybe we can get a video as well. Now, the only things that need to be done are the payment of the custom's duties (0,5%), and car will be shipped to the new owner to get the new license and plates. The car's new home will be Tampa, Florida.

[Armudster]

Neat. Congrats to the owner.

Also, I'd love to be a fly on the wall watching reactions to this at the local car shows.

I've been talking to the new owner a lot, he is very happy and anxious about the car, I am sure he will have  a lot of fun with the car. If you find out how to become a fly in the wall just tell me how, lol, as I am eager to see the reactions the car gets as well. 

[Armudster]

Almost forgot a video of the car running, don't mind the quality and the fact that the car was dirty, I shot the video when I inspected the car:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPNY54rSEfg

[DownZero]

I'm really digging that car. Beautiful lines. Would love to snag one of those myself.

[Armudster]

I'm really digging that car. Beautiful lines. Would love to snag one of those myself.

IMO the brazilian Chargers are the coolest foreign Mopars, they were based on the A Body Darts, and had v8s on all of them (318). The interiors were all changed for our models as well.

[onepunch]

I'm really digging that car. Beautiful lines. Would love to snag one of those myself.

IMO the brazilian Chargers are the coolest foreign Mopars, they were based on the A Body Darts, and had v8s on all of them (318). The interiors were all changed for our models as well.

I am the fortunate one who is getting this car, and truthfully, this forum gets a bit of the credit. The fact that I found an old post from Armud about the Brazilian Chargers, and that he still was active a decade later under the same name gave me the confidence to take a chance and try this idea about importing one of these special chargers.

For anyone also considering something similar, I recommend Armud as your agent 1000%. He walked me through the entire process, found several different cars, made all of the arrangements for the purchase as well as the shipping, Customs, etc., and is an all around great guy that I have enjoyed interacting with, and I hope to do other business together.

Hopefully the car clears Customs in the next week or so, and I can get it up to Tampa from the Miami Port. I'm sure this car will turn many heads at the local Cars and Coffees. I cant wait to drive it.

And once its here, I will post some photos for everyone to see. I am already working with Armud on another car, but I wont go into detail on that one just yet. I would hate to jinx it lol

 

[JB400]

Congrats on the purchase.  You have good taste in cars

[6bblgt]

 

so, besides the steering wheel & the underhood modifications, what is non-stock, modified, custom about this Brazilian Charger?

[Armudster]

I'm really digging that car. Beautiful lines. Would love to snag one of those myself.

IMO the brazilian Chargers are the coolest foreign Mopars, they were based on the A Body Darts, and had v8s on all of them (318). The interiors were all changed for our models as well.

I am the fortunate one who is getting this car, and truthfully, this forum gets a bit of the credit. The fact that I found an old post from Armud about the Brazilian Chargers, and that he still was active a decade later under the same name gave me the confidence to take a chance and try this idea about importing one of these special chargers.

For anyone also considering something similar, I recommend Armud as your agent 1000%. He walked me through the entire process, found several different cars, made all of the arrangements for the purchase as well as the shipping, Customs, etc., and is an all around great guy that I have enjoyed interacting with, and I hope to do other business together.

Hopefully the car clears Customs in the next week or so, and I can get it up to Tampa from the Miami Port. I'm sure this car will turn many heads at the local Cars and Coffees. I cant wait to drive it.

And once its here, I will post some photos for everyone to see. I am already working with Armud on another car, but I wont go into detail on that one just yet. I would hate to jinx it lol

Thank you buddy for the inspiring words, I am very happy you enjoyed the process,and I can't wait until you have her in your hands. Meeting you was a pleasure, and I was happy looking at everything for you.

You can be sure I am at your disposal not only on car related matters, and you are welcome to visit me in Brazil anytime!!!

Yes, let's keep the next project a secret for now, lol

[Armudster]

so, besides the steering wheel & the underhood modifications, what is non-stock, modified, custom about this Brazilian Charger?

Other than that, compact AC compressor and the electric fuel pump (car has roller cam), everything is stock.

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Great story on this process.  Thanks for sharing.   

onepunch, do you foresee any problems registering/inspecting the car here in the US?  Is there any extra paperwork needed?

[Fitz73Chrgr]

Awesome!  I've always wondered what it would take to get one here.  I did not know there weren't any in the US already.

[onepunch]

Great story on this process.  Thanks for sharing.   

onepunch, do you foresee any problems registering/inspecting the car here in the US?  Is there any extra paperwork needed?

I am told that as long as I have my Customs docs, the age of the car eliminates any of the usual emissions / safety stuff that can sometimes snag imports. Florida requires VIN verifications for out of state vehicles, so I will have to either take the car with me to DMV, or have a police officer stop by the house and sign the VIN verification form.

Hopefully there are no issues. As usual with DMV though, it probably depends on which clerk I happen to get.

[Nacho-RT74]

That's nice! I'm agreed on your statements about the Brazilian Chargers are on pf the best looking "outsiders" Mopars in the world, but the dispute is hard, side to side to the Argentinian Polaras or GTXs and Aussie Chargers.

But I think is not the first Brazilian Charger in the US, since I remember one green being sold on eBay not too long ago? I think in California?

[Armudster]

That's nice! I'm agreed on your statements about the Brazilian Chargers are on pf the best looking "outsiders" Mopars in the world, but the dispute is hard, side to side to the Argentinian Polaras or GTXs and Aussie Chargers.

But I think is not the first Brazilian Charger in the US, since I remember one green being sold on eBay not too long ago? I think in California?

Yep, I remember the green one, that one was in Brazil, but announced on ebay, owner wanted to sell to an american, the auction reached 65k USD but didn't sell because it didn't reach reserve. That same car was sold later to a big brazilian collector around here.

[Nacho-RT74]

Oh Ok!

[AKcharger]

were in florida??

[onepunch]

Tampa

[gtx6970]

neat car for sure

[67440chrg]

Cool car. I would like to have one and a Australian Charger too.

[AKcharger]

Tampa

Im 45 min away!

[Armudster]

Container arrived in Port Everglades in Miami yesterday morning, I am waiting for more news and pics to share!!!

[cbrestorations]

If a charger is a dart in Brazil, what's a dart look like?

[Armudster]

A Dart is a Dart, lol. Or as we say in Brazil, a Charger without the grille, fancy interior and c pillar extensions.

[Wingnut426]

Saw this on Utube. Maybe somebody can translate some details of this car. WINGNUT

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6s_zotwZwxA

[onepunch]

cleared Customs this afternoon. Should be to my house in about 5 hours  :-)

[AKcharger]

It took that long? Is there any D.O.T stuff you have to do? I recall cars from Japan had to have a list of modifications

[Armudster]

It took that long? Is there any D.O.T stuff you have to do? I recall cars from Japan had to have a list of modifications

It took a long time because of the second wave of Covid, port and warehouse workers are at lower capacities.

[XH29N0G]

Wow, I always thought of port everglades as Lauderdale rather than Miami.  Learn something new every day.  Used to have a big farm out west in davie.  Not that way anymore.  just looked and the ponds we had were filled in, new ones appeared, even the driveway where I got my grandfather's car up to 60 mph before locking and sliding across the lawn at the end is gone.  I was 11 or 12 at the time and his idea was to give us the keys to the car, the keys to the tractor and tell us to occupy ourselves.  So are the pastures where he told us to go drive after seeing us slide on our 6o mph jaunt up the driveway.  Those were the days.

Well almost, my father's friends talked about other days when they did things that sounded like they were straight out of the movie porkies.  I heard their stories before that movie appeared so it always made me wonder.  the quote I remember was "I'll never forget the sound of barbed wire stretching"  Apparently they told kids at school there was this girl.... and when they brought them to the old farmhouse, they had someone there with a shotgun ready to meet them and scare em.
I loved that place and am sad when I think of how much it has changed since the 70's.  I'm sure my dad is sad to see how much it has changed since the 50's.

All that from port everglades.  where the power plant would draw the manatees.  Are they still there?

[onepunch]

It took that long? Is there any D.O.T stuff you have to do? I recall cars from Japan had to have a list of modifications

No modifications necessary due to the age  :-)

[Fitz73Chrgr]

Let's see some pics!!!

[fc7_plumcrazy]

any updates?

Carsten

[onepunch]

any updates?

Carsten

The car is here in Tampa, safe and sound in my garage. I am only waiting on some documents from the import company so that I can register it with Florida and get a tag. Then the first order of business is to take her out for some photos :-)

Hopefully the docs come next week and I can get an appointment at DMV within a few days of that........

Edit:  Once the docs arrive and the DMV approves everything, I will also add a follow up review about the import company (Losada), and if all the docs were correct to make DMV happy. And of course I cant say enough positive things about Armud, and what a HUGE help he was in this entire process. Without him, this would not have happened.

[onepunch]

ok, so after drawing the short straw at DMV the first time and getting the wrong clerk, I finally got the extra documents they wanted and as of this moment I have a Florida title and license plate in my hand!!!! I'm pretty excited to finally be able to drive this car.

It is currently at Harwoods shop getting a once-over and getting dialed in (in Brazil they have super high ethanol content so the carb was WAY out of adjustment)

Hopefull in a week or 2 I get it back and can post some photos out in the real world.......

[b5blue]

Good luck! 

[AKcharger]

Post of PM me when you go to a show I wanna come see it!

[sdweatherman]

I'm really digging that car. Beautiful lines. Would love to snag one of those myself.

IMO the brazilian Chargers are the coolest foreign Mopars, they were based on the A Body Darts, and had v8s on all of them (318). The interiors were all changed for our models as well.

Yes, they definitely have that late 60s Dart look to them.
Scott.

[Polygon]

That is one of the coolest cars I've ever seen. I'm 50 miles from Tampa and maybe someday I'll see it's at a show

[onepunch]

That is one of the coolest cars I've ever seen. I'm 50 miles from Tampa and maybe someday I'll see it's at a show

I got the car back from Harwoods today, and I am going to try and get her over to the Bay Life car show on Saturday. Its too late to actually put her in the show, but will be there in the parking lot........

https://www.baylife.org/car-show/

[70 sublime]

Show Car Pre-Registration is closed.
Don't worry, you can still register the day of the show! You may arrive as early as 7:30am, but please be here by 9am. The lot closes when we fill up, so get here early to claim your spot!

[onepunch]

Show Car Pre-Registration is closed.
Don't worry, you can still register the day of the show! You may arrive as early as 7:30am, but please be here by 9am. The lot closes when we fill up, so get here early to claim your spot!

We are going to go up there with the car, but will not be able to enter the show. My girl has to pick up her daughter at 1:30 and the show doesnt end until 3. Usually shows dont like you leaving early......

[ACUDANUT]

Man, that looks more like a dart/duster/scamp. 

[Nacho-RT74]

Man, that looks more like a dart/duster/scamp. 

Pretty much is a 69 Dart GTS with a front face/header and elongated Sail panels coming from Mexican Darts design. That's how Brazil made their Charger version. And Rallye interior