Notice of Receipt of Petition for Decision That Nonconforming 1984 Rolls Royce Silver Spur Passenger Cars Are Eligible for Importation

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. 96-091; Notice 1]

Notice of Receipt of Petition for Decision That Nonconforming

1984 Rolls Royce Silver Spur Passenger Cars Are Eligible for

Importation

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of receipt of petition for decision that nonconforming

1984 Rolls Royce Silver Spur passenger cars are eligible for

importation.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces receipt by the National Highway Traffic

Safety Administration (NHTSA) of a petition for a decision that a 1984

Rolls Royce Silver Spur that was not originally manufactured to comply

with all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards is eligible

for importation into the United States because (1) it is substantially

similar to a vehicle that was originally manufactured for importation

into and sale in the United

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States and that was certified by its manufacturer as complying with the

safety standards, and (2) it is capable of being readily altered to

conform to the standards.

DATES: The closing date for comments on the petition is October 7,

1996.

ADDRESSES: Comments should refer to the docket number and notice

number, and be submitted to: Docket Section, Room 5109, National

Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 400 Seventh St., SW, Washington,

DC 20590. [Docket hours are from 9:30 am to 4 pm]

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: George Entwistle, Office of Vehicle

Safety Compliance, NHTSA (202-366-5306).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

Under 49 U.S.C. Sec. 30141(a)(1)(A) (formerly section

108(c)(3)(A)(i)(I) of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act

(the Act)), a motor vehicle that was not originally manufactured to

conform to all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards shall

be refused admission into the United States unless NHTSA has decided

that the motor vehicle is substantially similar to a motor vehicle

originally manufactured for importation into and sale in the United

States, certified under 49 U.S.C. Sec. 30115 (formerly section 114 of

the Act), and of the same model year as the model of the motor vehicle

to be compared, and is capable of being readily altered to conform to

all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards.

Petitions for eligibility decisions may be submitted by either

manufacturers or importers who have registered with NHTSA pursuant to

49 CFR Part 592. As specified in 49 CFR 593.7, NHTSA publishes notice

in the Federal Register of each petition that it receives, and affords

interested persons an opportunity to comment on the petition. At the

close of the comment period, NHTSA decides, on the basis of the

petition and any comments that it has received, whether the vehicle is

eligible for importation. The agency then publishes this decision in

the Federal Register.

Champagne Imports, Inc. of Lansdale, Pennsylvania (``Champagne'')

(Registered Importer 90-009) has petitioned NHTSA to decide whether

1984 Rolls Royce Silver Spur passenger cars are eligible for

importation into the United States. The vehicle which Champagne

believes is substantially similar is the 1984 Rolls Royce Silver Spur

that was manufactured for importation into, and sale in, the United

States and certified by its manufacturer, Rolls Royce Motors, Ltd., as

conforming to all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards.

The petitioner claims that it carefully compared the non- U.S.

certified 1984 Rolls Royce Silver Spur to its U.S. certified

counterpart, and found the two vehicles to be substantially similar

with respect to compliance with most Federal motor vehicle safety

standards.

Champagne submitted information with its petition intended to

demonstrate that the non-U.S. certified 1984 Rolls Royce Silver Spur,

as originally manufactured, conforms to many Federal motor vehicle

safety standards in the same manner as its U.S. certified counterpart,

or is capable of being readily altered to conform to those standards.

Specifically, the petitioner claims that the non-U.S. certified 1984

Rolls Royce Silver Spur is identical to its U.S. certified counterpart

with respect to compliance with Standard Nos. 102 Transmission Shift

Lever Sequence * * *, 103 Defrosting and Defogging Systems, 104

Windshield Wiping and Washing Systems, 105 Hydraulic Brake Systems, 106

Brake Hoses, 107 Reflecting Surfaces, 109 New Pneumatic Tires, 113 Hood

Latch Systems, 116 Brake Fluid, 124 Accelerator Control Systems, 201

Occupant Protection in Interior Impact, 202 Head Restraints, 203 Impact

Protection for the Driver from the Steering Control System, 204

Steering Control Rearward Displacement, 205 Glazing Materials, 206 Door

Locks and Door Retention Components, 207 Seating Systems, 209 Seat Belt

Assemblies, 210 Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages, 211 Wheel Nuts, Wheel

Discs and Hubcaps, 212 Windshield Retention, 216 Roof Crush Resistance,

219 Windshield Zone Intrusion, and 302 Flammability of Interior

Materials.

Petitioner also contends that the vehicle is capable of being

readily altered to meet the following standards, in the manner

indicated:

Standard No. 101 Controls and Displays: (a) inscription of the

word ``Brake'' on the brake failure indicator lamp lens; (b)

installation of a seat belt warning lamp that displays the appropriate

symbol; (c) recalibration of the speedometer/odometer from kilometers

to miles per hour.

Standard No. 108 Lamps, Reflective Devices and Associated

Equipment: (a) installation of U.S.--model headlamp assemblies; (b)

installation of U.S.--model front and rear sidemarker/reflector

assemblies; (c) installation of U.S.--model taillamp assemblies.

Standard No. 110 Tire Selection and Rims: installation of a tire

information placard.

Standard No. 111 Rearview Mirror: replacement of the convex

passenger side rearview mirror.

Standard No. 114 Theft Protection: installation of a warning buzzer

and a warning buzzer microswitch in the steering lock assembly.

Standard No. 115 Vehicle Identification Number: installation of a

VIN plate that can be read from outside the left windshield pillar, and

a VIN reference label on the edge of the door or latch post nearest the

driver.

Standard No. 118 Power Window Systems: rewiring of the power window

system so that the window transport is inoperative when the ignition is

switched off.

Standard No. 208 Occupant Crash Protection: installation of a U.S.-

model seat belt in the driver's seating position, or a belt webbing

actuated microswitch inside the driver's seat belt retractor. The

petitioner states that the vehicle is equipped with combination lap and

shoulder restraints that adjust by means of an automatic retractor and

release by means of a single push button in both front designated

seating positions, with combination lap and shoulder restraints that

release by means of a single push button in both rear outboard

designated seating positions, and with a lap belt in the rear center

designated seating position.

Standard No. 214 Side Impact Protection: installation of

reinforcing door beams.

Standard No. 301 Fuel System Integrity: installation of a rollover

valve in the fuel tank vent line.

Additionally, the petitioner states that the bumpers on the non-

U.S. certified 1984 Rolls Royce Silver Spur must be reinforced, or

U.S.-model bumper components must be installed, to comply with the

Bumper Standard found in 49 CFR Part 581.

Interested persons are invited to submit comments on the petition

described above. Comments should refer to the docket number and be

submitted to: Docket Section, National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration, Room 5109, 400 Seventh Street, S.W., Washington, DC

20590. It is requested but not required that 10 copies be submitted.

All comments received before the close of business on the closing

date indicated above will be considered, and will be available for

examination in the docket at the above address both before and after

that date. To the extent possible, comments filed after the closing

date will also be considered.

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Notice of final action on the petition will be published in the Federal

Register pursuant to the authority indicated below.

Authority: 49 U.S.C. 30141(a)(1)(A) and (b)(1); 49 CFR 593.8;

delegations of authority at 49 CFR 1.50 and 501.8.

Issued on: August 29, 1996.

Marilynne Jacobs,

Director, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance.

[FR Doc. 96-22537 Filed 9-4-96; 8:45 am]

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