Potential Car Project?
Discussion
After this thread: http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a... has highlighted the pain in the rs of importing something nice to fulfil the nice car thing, is there an alternative view to take.
For this i mean, imagine if you did have a Lotus Elise or M3 or something fast, there arent many places you could use it, and it would become slightly pointless on these roads.
As such is it worth trying to get something like an R32 bought here, but take some time and effort taking it back to standard and make it basically manufacturer spec? There are so many modded jap cars that a straight, non modded one is as rare as rocking horse s**t on something like a supra, R32, 300zx and a clean one is highly regarded.
So how would that be for a project - Un-modify a car?
For this i mean, imagine if you did have a Lotus Elise or M3 or something fast, there arent many places you could use it, and it would become slightly pointless on these roads.
As such is it worth trying to get something like an R32 bought here, but take some time and effort taking it back to standard and make it basically manufacturer spec? There are so many modded jap cars that a straight, non modded one is as rare as rocking horse s**t on something like a supra, R32, 300zx and a clean one is highly regarded.
So how would that be for a project - Un-modify a car?
The vast majority of imports coming in to Aus are from Japan...they are nearly always the turbo rockets, so Skylines, Silvias, Evos, Supras etc.
When they come in they all have to be complied to SEVS standard. The SEVS standard dictates they have to be returned to absolute stock standard (though most times you will get away with the odd change..like rims or a aesthetic tweaks)...standard practise is to refit the modified parts once the car is registered because thats what most owners want from the car in the first place.
I'm sure the compliance workshop could let you keep the standard parts on your car and you can then sell off the aftermarket parts.
The only problem I can see is that most workshops would want you to buy the stock parts off of them..they normally have 1 set of bits that move from car to car as they are complianced.
I have no affiliation with this company but I did use them to bring in my first MR2. The guys there know their stuff about the import process and also the cars they bring in. The turn around time on getting ym car could have been much quicker and they dont always get to answering emails so its best to call or drop in...they have a stock list online
www.imports101.com.au
If you want to go and have a drive of some cars try dropping by
www.autowholesale.com.au (rumoured to have an R35 for the targa rally series)
www.evolutionimports.com.au
There are always cars at the smaller dealerships to try to...there is one place at the intersection of welshpool road and albany highway that always has skylines and silvias. Cant comment on the quality of them though because the place has suddenly shrunk in size and some of the cars have been there a while. Keep heading in to vic park and you will find heaps around there.
Personally if you want a stupidly quick car in stock form I would be looking towards a Skyline R32/33 GTR or an Evo 6...watch those running costs though
When they come in they all have to be complied to SEVS standard. The SEVS standard dictates they have to be returned to absolute stock standard (though most times you will get away with the odd change..like rims or a aesthetic tweaks)...standard practise is to refit the modified parts once the car is registered because thats what most owners want from the car in the first place.
I'm sure the compliance workshop could let you keep the standard parts on your car and you can then sell off the aftermarket parts.
The only problem I can see is that most workshops would want you to buy the stock parts off of them..they normally have 1 set of bits that move from car to car as they are complianced.
I have no affiliation with this company but I did use them to bring in my first MR2. The guys there know their stuff about the import process and also the cars they bring in. The turn around time on getting ym car could have been much quicker and they dont always get to answering emails so its best to call or drop in...they have a stock list online
www.imports101.com.au
If you want to go and have a drive of some cars try dropping by
www.autowholesale.com.au (rumoured to have an R35 for the targa rally series)
www.evolutionimports.com.au
There are always cars at the smaller dealerships to try to...there is one place at the intersection of welshpool road and albany highway that always has skylines and silvias. Cant comment on the quality of them though because the place has suddenly shrunk in size and some of the cars have been there a while. Keep heading in to vic park and you will find heaps around there.
Personally if you want a stupidly quick car in stock form I would be looking towards a Skyline R32/33 GTR or an Evo 6...watch those running costs though
Oh I also meant to add...
When you buy a car to bring in as a SEV's import it is not allowed to have accident history, has to be mechanically/structurally sound and I believe it can not be a stolen/recovered vehicle. This also ties in with the 'stock standard' thing..
These guidelines were brought in because there were to many cases cars being brought in and sold off mega cheap to ususpecting idiots only to find a few weeks later there is 123983PSI of boost being pushed in to their motor and the sills are made of old newspapers..
In the event that a car is brought in and is found to have an accident repair it has to be destroyed..
When you buy a car to bring in as a SEV's import it is not allowed to have accident history, has to be mechanically/structurally sound and I believe it can not be a stolen/recovered vehicle. This also ties in with the 'stock standard' thing..
These guidelines were brought in because there were to many cases cars being brought in and sold off mega cheap to ususpecting idiots only to find a few weeks later there is 123983PSI of boost being pushed in to their motor and the sills are made of old newspapers..
In the event that a car is brought in and is found to have an accident repair it has to be destroyed..
No reason why it couldnt be done...But if the car has to be stock standard when its imported and with a promise of no accident history then I would be more tempted to go that route.
You can always sepcifiy to your importer that you want a clean, stock standard example...would probably cost you though.
If you did it here I think the parts supply to do it should be no problem. There are a few jap wreckers around and if you look on the owners forums people are always selling off stock bits when they upgrade.
A clean and stock GTR is always going to be desireable to an enthusiast...though most people expect there to be 450BHP under the bonnet so the sleeper look with neat and proffesional mods will always go down well.
Stock and clean Evo's are alway desireable...its getting hard to find them with genuine KMS and no track time.
I wouldnt bother with a normal Skyline GTS or Silvia...way to common and kids dont want a stock one so wont pay for it. They are not all that impressive in stock form either.
Supras are the same but at least they are bloody fast in stock form!
300ZX are not that popular really...to many crap examples around so people are wary of them.
The grown ups who own imports tend to have something very suttle but stupidly fast...just a slight lowering, nice rims, subtle carbon fibre add ons and 500BHP
You can always sepcifiy to your importer that you want a clean, stock standard example...would probably cost you though.
If you did it here I think the parts supply to do it should be no problem. There are a few jap wreckers around and if you look on the owners forums people are always selling off stock bits when they upgrade.
A clean and stock GTR is always going to be desireable to an enthusiast...though most people expect there to be 450BHP under the bonnet so the sleeper look with neat and proffesional mods will always go down well.
Stock and clean Evo's are alway desireable...its getting hard to find them with genuine KMS and no track time.
I wouldnt bother with a normal Skyline GTS or Silvia...way to common and kids dont want a stock one so wont pay for it. They are not all that impressive in stock form either.
Supras are the same but at least they are bloody fast in stock form!
300ZX are not that popular really...to many crap examples around so people are wary of them.
The grown ups who own imports tend to have something very suttle but stupidly fast...just a slight lowering, nice rims, subtle carbon fibre add ons and 500BHP
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