Importing chevrolet from the states..

[Chris1991]

Hi guys, in the very near future I'm looking to buy a 1971 Chevrolet Chevelle from the states. I was just wondering how I go about getting it shipped over here?
Also any complications I may have getting it registered, from my understanding if it's a classic car (30+ years old) it can be driven left handed? Any other info from anyone who has done the above would be appreciated.

Cheers guys.
Chris.

P.s. Not one hundred percent if I posted this in the right section, feel free to move it.

 

[Drawnnite]

ok im not 100% either but from talking to ari a fair bit has helped alot.

firstly. to my knowledge it is 30+ years it stays Left hand drive and doesnt need to be converted so youll be fine.
some companies you could get into contact with about shipping are
SHERMATT and USAtoAUS
also check out the USMuscle forum, as they do have an importing part that can help you out.


one thing you need to be careful of is modifications.
Ari pointed this out very quickly to me, as DOTARS may not allow it into the country with modifications, or it could potentially have to get re-registered as a 2012 vehicle, which means all the new ADR's would have to be followed.
i have read/heard stories of cars being parked on the docks and not allowed in even for a paintjob that looked to new, even though they had evidence it was done before a certain date.
so it just goes to show how far they will go with the modifications (so it could mean rims, engines, anything)

i know your not in VIC but i cannot find anything related to QLD so hopefully it may give you a basic idea to follow.
registering it. im not 100% sure. as it could depend on modifications aswell.
i believe you need to get a VASS certificate due to when it was made. so it would mean seeing an engineer.
you will still need to pass a roadworthy and everything else.
have a read here: Imported vehicle registration : VicRoads
and then go find the rulings for your state



would like to say goodluck with it

EDIT:
also get quotes about insurance and so forth.
i know that what i have been looking at not 1 single insurance company has it on their lists online so its a case of ring each one up and talk to them or go into one of their stores.

 

[acex1138]

Ok im just going to start of with my hatred for chevy people in australia, especially the ones who put them on commodores. WHY MATE WHY WOULD U WANT A CHEVY IN AUSTRALIA lol.

Ok thats out of the way.

The whole operation is going to be painful like he's said with the mods and changing the drivers seat etc, when I used to work in automotive engineering we had weekend warriors doing this all the time and DOTARS will try every move to stop you driving it here, pretty much you need one thats in factory stock condition, you can get them converted here but you will end up wasting a good 2-4 grand on it.

The other thing to worry about is the suspension as you can be sent pictures of all of it, get the car shipped over only to find the springs are rooted and if its still using leaf springs the material that was used to make it no longer exists.

Now I know what your thinking, yes I can just import replacement bits from the USA.

Yes you can... but (I cant remember the measurements specifically) take for instance the old valiant's leaf springs..... as of 2010 the springsteel for the leaf spring pack is no longer available..... now you can substitute it which is REALLY painful as all of the weekend warriors and 'experts' I've seen who have done it arent engineers and might make something that works (until it breaks) or fits and completely stuffs the characteristics of the car as it will have a much different springrate and camber.

I know you'l be looking at replacement parts and stuff but deffinately look into if any of the replacement parts for things you need are going to be identical to stock standard factory because regency here does go over things like this, I had this one guy who imported a camaro that was yank hand drive and he was going for an exemption registration so he didnt need to convert it, the first time he took it in it had a few performance mods and it had lowered springs put in it, so they tried to make him register it as a 2011 car and told him to convert it over.

Ripped out all the performance mods and came to us for springs..... so we ended up making him some springs which he kept telling us just had to be the same heigh as the factory, gave us the camber measurements, we got it all correct.

Regency then failed him again he reckoned they saw these shiny brand new springs in it with our sticker on it for a local part and failed him instantly and tried to make him register it as a 2011 vehicle.

So he goes online finds a rusty set of springs in the US saggy as hell that were factory original, gets them over here 6 weeks later, whacks them in and gets it approved.


They can be tools over this....


To make it more fun a long time after this we had two finks Mc'ers come in with an ancient looking studebaker looked like hell on the outside springs were bouncy as hell. Was still yankhand drive, the engine sounded really powerful too..... we asked them how they got away with rego-ing it..... especially with the engine, they laughed and said it had just come out of the shipping container and they had just put the engine in there a few hours ago..... and now wanted springs to match it up.

We joked and said how long til you get done by the cops for an illegal vehicle (they drove it there) and got told they had a mate at Regency who was going to pass it..... with the engine in there and a new spring kit and would be cruising down hindley st in it that night.

 

[Drawnnite]

here are a few bits to help you with it all.

Importing a Car from the USA! All you need to know! - US MUSCLE
USAtoAUS | Locating American Cars for import
High Performance Car and Muscle Car Locator - HOME

honestly. as said above find a bog stock car.
rego it here
then do whatever you want to it.
its wierd. you cant bring something in already done yet can do it here and its fine. never understood that part.
however if you ask some of the main importer groups, im sure they can help you out with what can and what cannot be imported due to modifications etc

also i cannot find the map but some places are good to buy from others arent due to the likelyhood of rust.

i would like to add.
no i havent imported a car Yet
but right now ive been planning to for the past i dont know how long.
so the advice im giving may not be 100% correct but it is the best to my knowledge

one thing personally id like to know. can you put an everyday rego on a LHD vehicle (so no club permit just a regular rego)
might have to go ask vicroads themselves i guess

 

[Jesterarts]

Talk to ari666, he will have the answers you seek.

 

[Chris1991]

Sweet thanks for the info guys. I'll also get in contact with ari, cheers jester.

 

[MikeCuzzy]

Talk to ari666, he will have the answers you seek.

He's like a Chevrolet Yoda...

 

[vxcustom]

Also even though you arent in victoria get a hold of rod hadfield as he imports quite a few cars every year for himself and customers and his information would be invaluable

 

[aaronevolution]

WHY MATE WHY WOULD U WANT A CHEVY IN AUSTRALIA lol.

You would not want to own a ZR1 Corvette or ZL1 Camaro?

 

[acex1138]

not really... working in automotive engineering for 2 years made me so damn sick of chevy fanatics..... just ruined the cars for me..... even worse makes me want to grab and AK and declare a holy war on anyone putting a chevy badge on a holden.

I'm really not into a lot of muscle cars..... I love commodores due to a few factors..... they are as australian as a car can get these days, very nicely mod-able.


Im not really into a v8's..... if I wanted 8 cylinders i'd by two cars...


One thing working with a lot of restoration projects and tons of idiots who buy old cars and do them up is.... dont do it, dont buy a car because of the dreams you have of it, because of the look, because of the street cred.

I remember someone saying cars have souls, and home is where you hang your hat.

When you think about it each of those sayings has some truths to it but I think people put too much value into the aesthetics and legend of a car..... and im saying this as someone who's managed to get into a few of these cars only to find them... not living up to their legends like how they say on top gear that a car should only stay in the dreams.

I got brought up to hate several cars in a place that was strictly holden or ford and fell in love with nissans and told to hate subarus.

I end up with a bunch of commodores I loved and when when buying an r34 I ended up with a WRX. Each car i've had like the old saying home is where you hang your hat.... the car has the soul it earns.

All this being said i've seen heaps of these kinds of cars come to my desk and a lot of them with the same kinda people into them..... the best two i've had across were of all things a Toyota and a Datsun.

Now its only opinion as you can tell i dont feel this whole chevy thing.... A first gen Toyota Crown and a Datsun 120Y.... you ever get your chance to get your hands on one of those in good condition with low k's...... Thats a car you wanna have here.