Friday, October 22, 2010 - 11:42 am, by: Michael Lucas(Mickoin)
Come someone help me clear this up
Regarding importing a left hand drive; One friend told me that in Victoria you have to convert any imported LHD to RHD if it is to be your daily drive for vicroads to register it. Is this true? And is a conversion kit/ process an extremely expensive process?
Another friend told me that you dont have to convert rather you obtain a special permit from the authorities so you can leave the car in the LHD format. Can you get such permits? And if you can why would anyone want to convert to RHD if it costs x amount of dollars?
If you do have to convert to RHD is there any way around this? Another state perhaps? Anyone know how to go about this?
Friday, October 22, 2010 - 12:25 pm, by: Damian Ware(Frozenpod)
There are special permits, I believe they come under club permits/classi permits but the use of the vehicles have extremely tough restricions such as only during daylight hrs only to and from mechanics and club functions.
It is totally impracticle for 99.99% of people.
LHD to RHD conversion can be very expensive. Consider the engine and interior has to be removed, firewall modified potentially completely replace and many cars require custom components to be manufactured such as brake components power steering rack.
Cars need to be engineered and complianced for registation.
Conversion price for Z06 vett was I think around 30k-40k.
Saturday, October 23, 2010 - 11:55 am, by: Michael Lucas(Mickoin)
yeh think it's 30 + years and you can leave as is, but the fact of the matter is, as cool as oldskool big blocks are I don't want a vintage beast. I want a present beast. Bloody cheap as chips here - I'd cover the duty and other taxes on importing no worries if only I didn't have to splurge on a conversion. Apparently Holden almost had the license to produce right hand drive Camaro's. Wonder if ford aus. could get the mustang...
It's all about Camaro's and Mustang's here in north america. Back home it's commodores and falcons.
Saturday, October 23, 2010 - 05:24 pm, by: Damian Ware(Frozenpod)
Mike, yes for normal use they must be converted to RHD.
I don't know what they are selling for once they are converted but I know the cost of conversion is considerable. As per the prices above for a Z06 I would think the conversion cost would be similar for a Mustang.
There are a couple of places in Melb selling Mustangs. Perhaps contact them regarding pricing.
Sunday, October 24, 2010 - 12:14 pm, by: Damian Ware(Frozenpod)
40-50k you are dreaming, ZR1 corvett is well over 100k in the US.
RRP price was I think 112k with (I don't know why in the US sales price is higher than RRP) actual sales prices of over 170k.
The first ZR1 vett that was available in Australia coverted to RHD ready to drive away had a price of $450k. The cost of the car new in the US was 200k USD purchased in 2009.
A guy I know through work has recently returned from the US for a holiday. He was upgraded from the Z06 to ZR1 vett at the start of this year his car was purchased a little later on ie at the start of 2010. His zr1 was 170k.
I would think on the basic math of the cost of other cars that ａ GT500 would be over 200k drive away.
Monday, October 25, 2010 - 10:18 am, by: Steven Anderson(Cusscuss)
Fairly easy guide with corvettes is to triple the price in US$ and you get the approximate amount in AU$.
e.g. you can get a new base model vette for around $150k, you can get a C5 for around 70k, A ZR1 would probably be around $300k now that they are selling at RRP or less.
Conversion costs between makes can vary a fair bit as well. A conversion for a C6 or a new viper would be ~$50k or so, a mustang would be nowhere near that and a used mustang like a nice 04 cobra (4.6L supercharged) would be even less. C5 corvette is ~$37k.
And the last thing you have to remember is that they have or are about to completely arse •••• the import regs for 30+ year old cars, so you can still keep them LHD, but there is all weird •••• about modifications and when they were performed. e.g. stories about a 32 rod having 34 brakes on it and being rejected because they couldnt prove when the mods were done.
Monday, October 25, 2010 - 12:24 pm, by: Gary Redman(Gary)
If you are serious about buying a good Mustang, you would be crazy not to check out classic speed
They were given some good reports on the Ford forums
Why buy some clapped out L/H drive clunker from the States and then pay to get it here and then pay through the nose for the conversion and parts in Australia, when the guys in the Phillipines can do all the work at the right price. I think they get some sort of tax dispensation where they are which helps with pricing, and they are Aussie as well
Wednesday, October 27, 2010 - 08:46 am, by: Gary Redman(Gary)
I have a mate that imports cars from the states, but mainly for conversion to hotrods, and he said driving an earlier model Mustang is just like driving an old XW Falcon and not very inspiring eg poor handling, ride and brakes.
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