Anybody shipped a car from USA to Australia?

[400TT]

Glen, some good opportunities, but also some traps for uninformed players.

Also added in the LHD -> RHD info above.

[macloft]

Interesting how on another thread a big block Robnell seems to be a Cobra that holds it value in Australia and a car of choice (maybe)
If you had the opportunity what do you Australians think would be a good car to bring into Aussie from the US (no Kirkham and no CSX $$$$). Would it be A big block or Coyote motor or strocked 351 or 302. ERA, Superformance, BDR, Shell Valley, Contempory, etc (probably not a FFR because similar to what we got maybe). Slab side or 427.
Forget the LHD or side impact bar issues.

What would be your choice of cobra import?

Cheers
Bruce

[xb-60]

Originally Posted by macloft

Interesting how on another thread a big block Robnell seems to be a Cobra that holds it value in Australia and a car of choice (maybe)
If you had the opportunity what do you Australians think would be a good car to bring into Aussie from the US (no Kirkham and no CSX $$$$). Would it be A big block or Coyote motor or strocked 351 or 302. ERA, Superformance, BDR, Shell Valley, Contempory, etc (probably not a FFR because similar to what we got maybe). Slab side or 427.
Forget the LHD or side impact bar issues.

What would be your choice of cobra import?

Cheers
Bruce

A pre-Jan 1989 ERA 427
Cheers,
Glen

[spookypt]

Originally Posted by xb-60

A pre-Jan 1989 ERA 427
Cheers,
Glen

Seems everyone now is exploring this option especially with the high AUD. Having seen 2 of the cars brought in under this rule I can't blame people for considering it. That said, there is an opportunity for a well known and savvy USA based car salesman (no names mentioned) to seek and source the right year cars with the right credentials for AUD buyers and then market the balance of cars found to potential AUS buyers.

Being a skeptic, I'd suggest it would be a limited period as no doubt the Import Approval rules would change if a surge in cars being shipped and meeting the criteria occured. Could be wrong often am!

My other point is, without offending our USA friends......sometimes the overseas sellers approach to a sale and subsequent handover (N.B Generalisation) can lead to a different resulting expectation than what we'd thought! Can be the same in Oz too but timezones and distance can play a huge part in the smooth and smiley faced transaction.

Spookypt

[xb-60]

Originally Posted by spookypt

Seems everyone now is exploring this option especially with the high AUD. Having seen 2 of the cars brought in under this rule I can't blame people for considering it. That said, there is an opportunity for a well known and savvy USA based car salesman (no names mentioned) to seek and source the right year cars with the right credentials for AUD buyers and then market the balance of cars found to potential AUS buyers.

Being a skeptic, I'd suggest it would be a limited period as no doubt the Import Approval rules would change if a surge in cars being shipped and meeting the criteria occured. Could be wrong often am!

Shhhh! Don't tell everybody!

And yes, definitely due diligence required.

[xb-60]

Originally Posted by spookypt

Seems everyone now is exploring this option especially with the high AUD. Having seen 2 of the cars brought in under this rule I can't blame people for considering it. That said, there is an opportunity for a well known and savvy USA based car salesman (no names mentioned) to seek and source the right year cars with the right credentials for AUD buyers and then market the balance of cars found to potential AUS buyers.
Spookypt

I have an update...
I very well priced ERA 427 came up recently. I checked with ERA about the amount of work required for a RHD conversion, and here is the response :
"New footboxes and tunnel.
Shift the pedal assembly to the right frame rail. Includes drilling and
welding on the frame rail, new pedals and throttle linkage.
Shift the engine 1" to the left with new engine and transmission mounts.
New dashboard.
New steering gear and mounts (welding required).
Probably more stuff that I haven't remembered.

If we were to do it here, the process might cost $10K+.

IMHO, not practical."

So....not pursuing that angle any further.
If anybody else wants to though, Ernie (Excaliber) has a nice and very well priced ERA 427, built in 1986-87

Cheers,
Glen

[boxhead]

$10k seems pretty cheap to me for the work involved, but you will still have a whole heap of other ADR's to meet (least of which is non compliant engine)
But if your looking at an older car to get through on the 30 year thgingy, then I dont think it will need to be converted to R/H drive.

[Donunder]

Hey Glen, not to be pedantic or anything you understand, but when replying to a previous post, you don't have to hit the "Quote" key all the time. Usually the "Post Reply" key does the trick. Doesn't use up as much space and makes for easier reading for those following the thread.

I'm on a couple of other forums and the over-use of the "Quote" function is frowned upon by the Moderators. The Mods here must be more laid back.

Just a thought ....

[Dimis]

Glen, I see the glass half full in this case.

Ernie's car at $35k, plus $15k to land, plus $15 to bring up to spec equals about $65k. (Rough numbers of course!)

For mine that's reasonable for a cobra, & cheap for a registered big block 427 sideoiler in Aus.

...Or am I missing something?

Cheers,

[400TT]

You will need to convert it to RHD and because of the tunnel & engine offset this is a bit more involved.

Then you will need to update it to meet the 1986-1987 ADR's and prove compliance for all fabricated parts. No chance of running a side oiler without emissions testing and it would be a big ask for a 427 to meet ADR 37/00, cats are also mandatory for those years.

Just think of it as an ICV that needs to meet 1986-1987 ADR's.

You will also need to take the risk of buying it and then seeing if it will be allowed to be imported.

[xb-60]

Hi Don,
Understood
Cheers,
Glen

[xb-60]

Hi boxhead, Dimis, Craig,
Yes 10k is OK and they are quite major changes too. There are other things to consider as well.
ERA are the best guys to be doing something like that, however ERA have plenty of other 'stuff' to keep them busy.
Further, that car is on the other side of continental USA to ERA.
Side pipes would need to be replaced with undercar exhaust with cats.
Craig's comments about emissions compliance are correct. 1987 emissions requirements would need to be adhered to.
So it's not just the cost totalled, there is quite a degree of risk there too. What do you do with a car that you have a lot invested in that you find you can't register?
And that cost, while not excessive, could be better applied elsewhere....
Cheers!
Glen