Date: Tue, 30 May 2006 15:10:52 -0800
Reply-To: Mark Tuovinen <mst@AK.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Mark Tuovinen <mst@AK.NET>
Subject: Re: FRYDAY: RE-OPEN VANAGON ASSEMBLY
In-Reply-To: <CAEOIPKOOCKNBBDDDMBPAECKJNAA.jeff@vanagonparts.com>
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Actually Jeff I don't think you need to crash any of them. I read an article within the last two years that dealt with importing cars less then 25 years old that were never offered in the US and it was successfully done without a crash test if I recall. It did however take an act of Congress, literally. Legislation was passed to allow cars in but they have to be upgraded(if you can call it that) to US smog and crash standards. I don't recall how they avoided the crash tests but am pretty sure that they did as the cars in the article were Porsche 959's. The men wanting them imported were willing to purchase a car for crash testing but manged to avoid it I think. It was not cheap, but several companies were willing and able to do the job for prices starting around $90,000.00 per car. It just goes to show that you can still get anything you want in the US if you have enough money and influence.............. and your name is either Bill Gates or Paul Allen, the two men wit
h US legal 959's.
I do not have the article anymore but it was in one of the major automobile magazines from the last couple of years. While the article was specific to the cars involved it implied that other vehicles could be brought in under similar circumstances but was vague on the details. I think that they were able to skirt some of the normal requirements due to the limited number of vehicles involved. Do not trust my memory on all details this, but the article is out there somewhere and may lead someone in the correct direction if they have enough money to throw around.
Mark in AK -- with dreams of a US legal Toyota Hiace 4X4 diesel Westfalia
----- Original Message -----
From: Jeffrey Schwaia <jeff@VANAGONPARTS.COM>
Date: Tuesday, May 30, 2006 11:29 am
Subject: Re: FRYDAY: RE-OPEN VANAGON ASSEMBLY
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Ben,
>
> You better add a zero to that $25K number. First of all, you'll
> need to
> bring in about 5 or 6 of these that will be slammed into walls to
> satisfythe DOT crash worthiness tests. Secondly, you'll need to
> swap out the
> current drivetrain with one that meets the current EPA standards
> and is
> OBD-II compliant. Next, you'll have to add a DOT approved air-bag
> system.Start pony-ing up the dollars boys, we can probably get it
> done for about
> $500K (not including the price of the final cars that get imported).
>
> Cheers,
>
> Jeff
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM]On Behalf
> Of BenT Syncro
> Sent: Monday, May 29, 2006 3:29 AM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: FRYDAY: RE-OPEN VANAGON ASSEMBLY
>
>
> Well, if someone wants to spend about $25K USD, I'm sure a 2000-
> 2002 SA
> Caravelle can be brought to the US with moderate diffculties.
> Engine would
> need to be swapped out for something more palatable to EPA/DOT for US
> certification though.
>
> The most expensive segment is right at the start. Used Caravelles and
> Microbuses retain their value in SA due to the relative poverty in the
> country. According to one fellow I chatted with, used cars in
> general are in
> high demand dues to their lower (than new) cost. It's a "viscous"
> circle.
> Anyway, a proposal is being floated around in certain circles to
> bring one
> of these guys in. Kinda fancy for a 2wd newer Carat, ain't it?
> Anybody care
> to put their money where their mouth is?
>
> Another alternative is do what Nissan is doing to the 240Z cars.
> Buy an old
> car and build a new one inside it.
>
> BenT
>
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