Kirkhams in Australia

[Paintwerks]

Originally Posted by Towmaster

I think the issue is you can't import a whole car unless you have owned and registered / driven / used it overseas for 3 consecutive months....... but you can import car parts.

To bring in a vehicle of any age from a foreign country, you need to have owned the vehicle for a minimum of 12 consecutive months and also have lived abroad in the same country the vehicle is located in (at minimum) for the same period of time you've owned the car. You cannot buy the car, leave the country and then apply one year later to import it. And you still need to apply to DOTARS for import approval and this must be approved before you can import the car to Australia. This is called a 'Personal Import' and the registration/compliance standards are much lower.

I successfully bought a motorcycle over from America under this scheme.

You can also bring in a (classic) vehicle older than 25 years of age providing you have applied for, and received import approval from DOTARS. You do not need to have owned the car for a minimum period and you need never have even visited (let alone lived in) the country you are exporting it from. As with the personal import, you need DOTARS approval before you can import the vehicle. There's nothing stopping you from buying the car before applying, but in addition to having to store the car while you are waiting for import approval, IF the approval is denied, then you are left with the sale (or costs for disposal) of the car in the foreign country.

[spookypt]

Yep, to think once upon a time you could just say I want to bring in a 1965 Cobra and woopee....import approval granted.

The "loophole" got squashed when the AUD went to 90c + to the USD and DOTARS got smashed with a heap of IAD (import approval doc) applications and worked out what was happening.

Some got through...I know of one car that was in transit and likely to be sent back as the owner didn't seek approval prior to shipping and the rules changed mid shipping.. Luckily, it was actually pre 89 and he got through...but it was touch and go for quite a while!

[750hp]

Originally Posted by Paintwerks

There's nothing stopping you from buying the car before applying, but in addition to having to store the car while you are waiting for import approval, IF the approval is denied, then you are left with the sale (or costs for disposal) of the car in the foreign country.

The problem is that rather than "nothing stopping you from buying the car before applying", it's actually a requirement. When submitting your application for approval to import a car, you need to show proof of ownership. It makes it a bit of a risk for Cobras and hot rods because it can be very tough to prove that a car was registered pre-89 (and even more so to prove 30+ years old to allow LHD rego at least in Qld). If your application is knocked back, you're out of luck...
On the other hand it is very easy to prove for example that a 68 Chevelle is a 1968 model because it has come from a recognised manufacturer. The main risk with bringing in old Fords and Chevs is ensuring that they aren't sufficiently modified as to require ICV registration. They're cracking down hard on this, but that's another story.

[damage]

Sorry have to disagree with a lot of what's been said here. Even though I'm not an expert I'll add my 2 cents.

You can buy a foreign car and bring it in to the country PROVIDED you get Federal approval.

There is a fairly lengthy approval process to go through if the car isn't on an approved import list. Such as proving the car is a volume manufactured item which is just supply specs and marketing brochure etc etc.

There is one or two approved Cobra manufacturers on this Federal approved list.

I bought in an F150 Raptor in 2012 Ford F150's were already on the approved car list so importation stipulations were car had to be brand new. (Converted it compliance etc once here)

I bought my Kirkham as a complete vehicle WITH the cammer. I had already started going down the import route when I was introduced to AP (by Kirkham)

AP suggested I break the car into parts Kirkham built the car and fitted everything to it and then disassembled to send it to Australia ( no charge by Kirkham for disassembly)

If I had to do this again I would go the full construction imported into Australia because if the car is manufactured with the engine in it the compliance is a lot easier the as an ICV. (So I am told more recently by other people that have more experience then me)

The requirement to have owned the car driven lived there etc is for personal imports that's a totally different situation that I don't know a great deal about.

[Towmaster]

Originally Posted by damage

Sorry have to disagree with a lot of what's been said here. Even though I'm not an expert I'll add my 2 cents.

You can buy a foreign car and bring it in to the country PROVIDED you get Federal approval.

There is a fairly lengthy approval process to go through if the car isn't on an approved import list. Such as proving the car is a volume manufactured item which is just supply specs and marketing brochure etc etc.

There is one or two approved Cobra manufacturers on this Federal approved list.

I bought in an F150 Raptor in 2012 Ford F150's were already on the approved car list so importation stipulations were car had to be brand new. (Converted it compliance etc once here)

I bought my Kirkham as a complete vehicle WITH the cammer. I had already started going down the import route when I was introduced to AP (by Kirkham)

AP suggested I break the car into parts Kirkham built the car and fitted everything to it and then disassembled to send it to Australia ( no charge by Kirkham for disassembly)

If I had to do this again I would go the full construction imported into Australia because if the car is manufactured with the engine in it the compliance is a lot easier the as an ICV. (So I am told more recently by other people that have more experience then me)

The requirement to have owned the car driven lived there etc is for personal imports that's a totally different situation that I don't know a great deal about.

The Ford Raptor is a mass produced production vehicle and as such has approved airbags, crash pads, collapsible steering column etc etc etc. Also there have been hundreds of Raptors imported and converted and registered legally here.

The Kirkham is not a production vehicle and as such does not have airbags etc. All new production vehicles registered in Australia must be fitted with a driver airbag minimum.

The exception to this (new vehicle registration) is ICV's and hot rods. They do not require airbags or a lot of other things that production cars require for registration.

[damage]

Read the list I think it would surprise you what's approved.

Not so sure about hundreds of raptors. But then again I know f$&?all

[zoltrix77]

Originally Posted by Towmaster

The Ford Raptor is a mass produced production vehicle and as such has approved airbags, crash pads, collapsible steering column etc etc etc. Also there have been hundreds of Raptors imported and converted and registered legally here.

The Kirkham is not a production vehicle and as such does not have airbags etc. All new production vehicles registered in Australia must be fitted with a driver airbag minimum.

The exception to this (new vehicle registration) is ICV's and hot rods. They do not require airbags or a lot of other things that production cars require for registration.

That's not entirely true, you can buy a brand new Morgan or Caterham that are under the Low Volume Compliance scheme. No safety features on those cars..

The LVC allows either 25 or 100 vehicles to be supplied to the market each year.
Still has to meet most ADRs however, like an ICV, but has the massive advantage of having a compliance plate, can be registered in any state or territory with ease.

Adam.

[damage]

I think towmaster is confusing 2 subjects together, adr compliance for rego is totally separate to getting import approval for a complete car.

The whole getting import approval under SEVS is about the federal government making sure that cars being imported aren't competing with Australian manufactured vehicles.

Backdraft and Robnell are on the approved list for import so the whole need airbags etc doesn't have anything to do with import approval.

But once again I know f.,? All

[Towmaster]

Originally Posted by damage

I think towmaster is confusing 2 subjects together, adr compliance for rego is totally separate to getting import approval for a complete car.

The whole getting import approval under SEVS is about the federal government making sure that cars being imported aren't competing with Australian manufactured vehicles.

Backdraft and Robnell are on the approved list for import so the whole need airbags etc doesn't have anything to do with import approval.

But once again I know f.,? All

So the Australian manufactured Robnell is on the approved import list?

Interesting.....

[Zedn]

Originally Posted by Towmaster

The Ford Raptor is a mass produced production vehicle and as such has approved airbags, crash pads, collapsible steering column etc etc etc. Also there have been hundreds of Raptors imported and converted and registered legally here.

The Kirkham is not a production vehicle and as such does not have airbags etc. All new production vehicles registered in Australia must be fitted with a driver airbag minimum.

The exception to this (new vehicle registration) is ICV's and hot rods. They do not require airbags or a lot of other things that production cars require for registration.

Im not sure this is correct. To my knowledge there are 3 ADRs that apply to the steering wheel, ADR 10, ADR 69 and ADR 73. I tried to find it in the ADRs, but i think you can still comply with ADR 10/02 and not have airbags. The reason i think this is because it says in ADR 10 that if you comply with ADR 69 with airbags you are deemed to comply with 10. When all the issues were going on in NSW, I'm pretty sure that i found out you can comply with either of the ADRs but most/all manufacturers are appealing to buyers as well, not just ADRs. People want safe cars with ANCAP ratings.

Perhaps Treeve can confirm or dispute this if he is around?

[Dimis]

Originally Posted by Zedn

People want safe cars with ANCAP ratings.

I don't buy the ANCAP BS... I mean you can't get 5 star rating unless the stupid car "dings" at you if haven't got your seat belt on. WTF???

It's distracting and annoys me to tears when I put the kids nappy bag on the passengers seat and it dings all the way home...
I'm not safer just cos its dining away am I? PUH-LEEZE

Goodness gracious... Venting done!

[damage]

ADR 10/02 simply says that if you have an air bag your deemed to comply it doesnt specifically stipulate compliance with other ADR's.

Seems like a whole bunch of testing is required to meet ADR 10/02 though it could be as simple as computer design engineer sign off etc etc