US export to Australia

Ken-G · #1 (**permalink**) 11-22-2009, 03:11 PM

Hi,

I am a newbe here and are an Australian presently working in the United States. I would love to build a kit car here but am concerned about taking it back to Australia in a few years time when my job finishes.

I have done a search on this forum and found a lot of good information, but am still confused on a few items.

Is RHD conversion required? Should not be a big deal - it is a kit car after all.

Chassis torsion test. My guess is that most US kits may not pass this - the original wouldn't. How big a deal is this?

Engine emissions. Kit cars in the US are exempt but it seems Australians are being forced into Chevy engines as the modern Fords are too big. Americans are much more particular than Australians when it comes to authenticity and expect Ford engines in a Ford replica. Is there any chance a pushrod Ford engine would be accepted. I will be returning to Western Australia.

mrmustang · #2 (**permalink**) 11-22-2009, 03:18 PM

Ken,

Difficult to say the least in regards to purchasing a finished Cobra replica here in the states and exporting it successfully into Australia. I'm not saying it cannot be accomplished, I'm just saying you have an awful lot of hoops to jump through before you'll ever be able to put the car on the road where you live.

Bill S.

boxhead · #3 (**permalink**) 11-22-2009, 04:23 PM

From what I know alot will depend on what the car is "titled" as.

*Cobber* · #4 (**permalink**) 11-22-2009, 04:32 PM

Own it for more than a year (registered in your name) and it will become a personal import. You get to miss most of the hoops that we need to jump through. Contact Transport WA for all the details.

http://www.transport.wa.gov.au/licensing/566.asp

http://www.transport.wa.gov.au/licen...hicle/1383.asp

Welcome back to WA when you get here.......

750hp · #5 (**permalink**) 11-23-2009, 12:17 AM

Hi Ken - welcome aboard! One of your problems is that there's a fair chance the regulations (even those relating to the personal import that Cobber mentioned) might change over the coming few years...

If you knew you were bringing one back for sure, build it as RHD to start with! Much easier to build it to Aussie specs from the outset. If you're buying used, you have a lot of great cars to choose from. (I bet you couldn't have bought an ERA like MrMustang's, three posts up, a couple of years back for anywhere near his asking price!)
ERA = best f/glass Cobra manufacturer in my opinion
427 S/O with 2x4s
$50K! Where's the buy it now button?!?

If only we could import and register Cobras like the hot rod guys do through ASRF...