Date: Tue, 30 May 2006 16:43:39 -0400
Reply-To: Kim Brennan <kimbrennan@MAC.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Kim Brennan <kimbrennan@MAC.COM>
Subject: Re: FRYDAY: RE-OPEN VANAGON ASSEMBLY
In-Reply-To: <5c80974c0605301233i75207d96yc271c9355b515229@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed
I believe it is mechanically similar of the same year....there
weren't any Vanagons made elsewhere in 2002.
And you would STILL have to satisfy the air bag and OBD-II
requirements.
On May 30, 2006, at 3:33 PM, Sudhir Desai wrote:
But would it not be possible to argue that the new Caravelle is so
"mechanically similar" to our vanagons that it would be exempt from
the DOT crunching? (Or maybe swap vin numbers around so that it seems
to be your old van -- a little sideways, but it would work)
Sudhir
On 5/30/06, Jeffrey Schwaia <jeff@vanagonparts.com> wrote:
> 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
> satisfy
> the 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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