New import laws in Vic?

[GMPX]

Hi All,

Is anyone up to speed on the rumour that you can no longer import cars with shaved door handles or air bag suspension? The rumour I heard is that a few cars have even been sent back!!

Cheers,
Ross

[Bruce Reynolds]

G'day Ross,

The new laws concern any vehicle that has been modified post 1989. (I think that is the correct date), and one has to prove that any modifications were performed prior to 1989, again, I cannot confirm the date.

No matter what the modifications are, and the year of the vehicle.

Someone with interests in either the standard vehicle industry, or the performance parts industry has lobbied the government and have enabled the laws to be passed.

In effect, they are saying that any modifications performed may have been done using parts that do not conform, or have not been passed to meet the Australian Design Rules, and don't have a current Australian Engineering Report, and therefore won't pass Roadworthy Certificates.

In the Hot Rodding Industry, a lot of parts that have been imported from USA have failed the ADR's certification, and what might be okay in USA, doesn't mean that it is automatically certified in Australia.

US DOT approved tyres, especially some of the Street Drag Tyres won't pass here, like their Seat Belts.

Bruce. >:D

[Doug Lemon]

I would say that that is rubbish...if its a 1959 Cadillac  with 1959 running gear  and some one shaved the door handles  its still a 1959 Cadillac.  Now if someone builds a replica of a 1965 Cobra  on a new chassis and a new motor ande gearbox  its a 2010 vehicle. It depends on   to what extent the modifications are. If you are changing it from one thing to another then be careful.

[GMPX]

Reason I ask is I was looking at a 64 in the US that had air bags & shaved door handles and probably many other 'non factory' modifications. I was telling someone about the car and they told me to forget it because you can't bring them in any more.

So what you are saying is even though this is a 64 and maybe the air bags were fitted in the US in 2007, the car cannot enter Australia?

[Bruce Reynolds]

Yes, unless they comply with the ADR's, which I would say would be pretty hard to do.

The critical wording is "Modified after 1989"

Even Air Bags here now any vehicle that has any part of the vehicle sitting lower than the bottom of the actual road wheel steel or aluminium construction is illegal.   Even whilst parked.

Each State has adopted these restrictive regulations re Air Bags.

Bruce. >:D

[60cdv]

The only way you can do it at the moment is to import a stock 64 and modify it once it is here.
Hopefully they will come to their senses (if they have any) and go back to the old system.
And yes, 1989 is the date. Also at the moment you will have the pleasure of waiting up to10 weeks (or more) after you buy the car to be granted import approval. So at best you have to find somewhere to Store it until the paperwork comes through(another unneccesary cost) - At worst some pinhead in Canberra decides that your car has been modified and does not grant import approval you end up with a very expensive paperweight stuck on the other side of the world!

[GMPX]

This sucks big time, but thanks for the replies.
I am hoping that there is some auto enthusiasts group are trying to reverse this?

Cheers,
Ross

[60cdv]

Yes, the Australian Street Rod federation and various importers have been meeting with the minister in Canberra over the last few months. So far all that has been done is to clear the backlog of cars that were on the water when the legistlation was changed (overnight, with no cosultataion).
There are pages of discussion about this on the Ozrodders website and probably more.
The official department to complain to is DOTTARS . (I don't know what it stands for).
I just missed getting caught up in this crap, but at least the Aussie dollar is heading back up!

[GMPX]

That's the killer, the dollar is up, the prices in the USA are down, now is the time to buy for sure.
As for what DOTTARS stands for, I'd guess "Useless Pen Pushing No Clue Department".

[V16 Dreaming]

DOTARS- Department of Tyrannical Assessment of Radical Shavings

[Dale]

The official department to complain to is DOTTARS . (I don't know what it stands for).

Department Of Transport And Regional Services (DOTARS).

Dale.

[Bruce Reynolds]

The biggest problem we have is that the Lobbyists who represent the forces we don't like, are more powerful, ands persuasive than us, plus they got in first, and now it will be difficult to change the Government's minds and way of thinking.

These Lobbyists will be talking things like Tax Breaks, Financial Incentives for exports and the like, and it is this that sways Governments.   Not the simple enthusiasts.   We have a passion, they have financial muscle and facts and figures.

Bruce. >:D

[Rick]

Such as Christian Lobyists and their flawed Internet Filter? But anyway....

If the car has been granted import approval, and it's here in Australia but with non-standard mods (such as a new 'old' engine) is it still possible to get it certified by an engineer before registration? My '60 was granted approval in March despite having a 350 V8 installed, I'm just assuming I'll be able to take it to an engineer before I get it blue-slipped.

[Bruce Reynolds]

If the Engine Number on the Import Approval matches the Chevrolet Engine Number, then you shouldn't have any problems.

The Inspector probably wouldn't even know that it wasn't original. ;)

Having the correct paperwork, especially the Import Approval is paramount and as long as you have the correct Headlights, you should breeze through.

You don't need Amber Indicators, and the red indicator lights combined with the red Stop Lights didn't stop being legal till 1972.

Bruce.  >:D

[Doug Lemon]

Only numbers on my import approvals are the VIN/Chassis number  That is all