The K5 Blazer is a full-size pickup cut short and given a back seat and a removable roof. GMC sold the same truck as the Jimmy. Big, simple and easy to work on, it has become one of the most sought-after classic American 4x4s. The worry is usually rust and whether a truck this size makes sense in the UK. It does, and because every K5 is now over 30, the import rules are on your side.
- Shipping from the USA
- From £1,450, shipping only
- Import tax
- 5% VAT, no duty, if it qualifies
- MOT
- Not needed over 40, if unchanged
- Time at sea
- Around 2 to 4 weeks
Which K5, and what it means
Full-size Blazers and Jimmys fall into two generations. All of them are left-hand drive, and most of the ones people want have four-wheel drive and a petrol V8. The build date decides the test and the vehicle tax, worked out from today, 12 October 2026.
| Feature | First generation | Square body, early | Square body, late |
|---|---|---|---|
| Built | 1969 to 1972 | 1973 to September 1986 | October 1986 to 1991 |
| UK test | None if not substantially changed | None if not substantially changed | MOT |
| Import tax | 5% VAT, no duty | 5% VAT, no duty | 5% VAT, no duty |
| Rear fog light | Not needed | Needed if first used from 1 April 1980 | Needed |
The first-generation trucks have the rounded front shared with the 1967 to 1972 pickups and are the rarest. The square body is the one most people picture, and it ran for nearly two decades with only small changes. A two-wheel-drive Blazer was sold too, so check what you are looking at if four-wheel drive matters to you.
Rust and the removable top
The roof is part of the charm and part of the problem. A rear top that has not sealed properly lets water in, and it sits in the floor and the rear corners for years. Combine that with a truck from a state that salts its roads, and a K5 can be rotten underneath while the paint still looks fine. A truck from a dry state such as Arizona or Nevada has usually kept far more of its steel.
Ask whether the top comes with the truck, and in what state. A missing or cracked top is a real cost to put right, and some owners have swapped it for a soft top or none at all.
Before you pay a deposit
0 of 8 done
If you can, have an independent inspector look at the truck in person. Our guide to buying a car abroad safely covers how to do that, and buying a car from a US auction is worth a read if the truck is up for bidding.
Lifted and modified trucks
A lot of K5s have been lifted, given bigger tyres or rebuilt with a modern engine. That is fine to drive, but it changes two UK rules, just as it does on a classic Ford Bronco.
- HMRC's 5% rate is for vehicles in their original state. Restoration is fine, but a modernised or restomod truck is the kind HMRC's guidance leaves out, so it is likely to pay the standard rates.
- The MOT exemption for vehicles over 40 does not apply if the truck has been substantially changed. GOV.UK counts replacing the chassis, body, axles or engine in a way that changes how the vehicle works.
Ask for the build list. On a modified K5, the list of what was changed is worth more than the photos. Send it to us before you pay and we will tell you how the tax and the test are likely to fall.
Tax at 5%
A vehicle over 30 years old that qualifies as historic pays 5% import VAT and no duty. Today that means anything built before October 1996, which takes in every K5 and full-size Jimmy. Here is a £20,000 truck at our USA guide shipping price of £1,450, so the tax is worked out on £21,450.
| Feature | Qualifies as historic | Does not qualify |
|---|---|---|
| Duty | £0 | £2,145 (10%) |
| VAT | £1,073 (effectively 5%) | £4,719 (20% of £23,595) |
| Total import tax | £1,073 | £6,864 |
Our guide to the 5% historic VAT rules explains what HMRC looks for, and the import tax calculator runs your own numbers.
MOT, vehicle tax and licences
A vehicle built or first registered more than 40 years ago, which today means before October 1986, does not need an MOT as long as it has not been substantially changed. It must still be roadworthy, so we put older vehicles through an MOT as a check when we register them. A late square body built after that date takes a normal MOT.
Trucks built before 1 January 1986 can also go into the historic tax class, with no vehicle tax to pay, but you have to apply for it. Check the gross weight on the door label. Our guide to importing a pickup truck explains why the 3,500kg line matters for the test and your driving licence.
Lights
The DVLA registers left-hand drive vehicles without the steering being moved, so a K5 stays as it is, and the speedometer already reads in mph. The work is lighting: amber rear indicators, headlights set for driving on the left, and a rear fog light on anything first used from 1 April 1980. Our guide to converting an American car for UK roads goes through each change.
Shipping a K5
For a classic truck, a container is the usual choice. It is sealed in, out of the weather, and it does not need to run, which helps with a project. Sharing a container with other customers' vehicles splits the cost, and our guide to shared and sole containers compares the two. A lifted truck may not fit a standard container, so give us its real height.
As a guide, built from a year of real jobs, shipping a car from the USA starts from £1,450, shipping only. We collect from anywhere in the USA. East Coast sailings take around 2 weeks and West Coast around 4, with about 2 weeks before that for paperwork and loading. US Customs wants the title at the port at least 72 hours before the truck sails, and importing a classic American car covers what to do if the state never titled it.
Questions people ask
Can I import a K5 Blazer to the UK?
Yes. A K5 follows the same route as any classic from the USA: shipping, customs, lighting changes, then DVLA registration. It stays left-hand drive.
Does a K5 Blazer need an MOT?
Not if it was built or first registered before October 1986 and has not been substantially changed. Later square bodies take a normal MOT.
Does a K5 Blazer pay 5% VAT?
If it is in its original state, yes, as every K5 is over 30. A heavily modified or restomod truck is likely to pay 10% duty and 20% VAT instead.
Is a GMC Jimmy any different to import?
No. The full-size Jimmy is the same truck with GMC badges, so the tax, test and lighting rules are identical.
Do I pay road tax on a K5?
Not if it was built before 1 January 1986, once you apply for the historic tax class. The exemption is not automatic.
Found your Blazer? Send us the listing, the build list and photos of the top on the quote form and we will price it all the way to UK plates.
