DHSE - Very cheap but how to import?

[Keithy P38]

Has anyone been on eBay UK lately? DHSE Rangie's are very cheap! Around £9,000 is THE most expensive one I've found (and its a stunner).

Anyone imported one before or had any experience importing? I rekon a DHSE would go nicely in my driveway!

Cheers
Keithy

[justinc]

Have had a few imports appear here, 1 Vogue SE (1993 hard dash) was a rust bucket, all the brake lines, fuel lines and EAS hardware was corroded badly, recently had a L322 Td6 Vogue that had only experienced 2 winters OUT of the weather, and even that had surface corrosion on numerous bolts and chassis fittings etc.

I'm just sayin' be very watchful and ask for LOTS of close up pics !

JC

[Keithy P38]

Yeah I figured as much - a few with snow pics so no doubt there would be salted roads everywhere over there.

How much you think it would cost to get the thing over here?

[justinc]

not sure, i would start with customs to see what they would slug you then check freighters quotes.

jc

[Bigbjorn]

private imports are very difficult unless the vehicle is pre 1989. Look at Importing Vehicles into Australia (http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/vehicles/imports) and at Australian Customs Service.

Do not even think about trying to ship a vehicle here until after you have a "vehicle import approval".

[101RRS]

Don't you have to live there, owned and used the vehicle for at least 12 months immediately prior to importation for vehicles later than 89 or you pay so much taxes that it makes importation uneconomical.

[Hoges]

The "easier" way is to buy one, get it cut in half, put all the bits in a container and import it that way as parts. A lot cheaper and easier to manage.

[wayneg]

The only way you can get a personal import here without impossible red tape and costs is to move to the country for a year and be able to prove ownership and use during that period.
I have imported a car that way and there still are substantial costs. Only worth it for a rare exotic that has not spent 10+ winters outside converting to rust

[Bigbjorn]

The "easier" way is to buy one, get it cut in half, put all the bits in a container and import it that way as parts. A lot cheaper and easier to manage.

Doesn't work. When you go to register it, the VIN will be checked and they will ask for a vehicle import approval. VIN's of vehicle imported for parts are recorded. Only way around this is to get a local repairable write-off and use its numbers but the snag here is it has to be inspected before registration to get it off the write-off register and you have to show invoices for parts bought and used in the repairs.

[Keithy P38]

So in summing up, it'll likely cost twice what the Rangie is worth just to get it here!

Yeah, I'll pass!

[Dougal]

Doesn't work. When you go to register it, the VIN will be checked and they will ask for a vehicle import approval. VIN's of vehicle imported for parts are recorded. Only way around this is to get a local repairable write-off and use its numbers but the snag here is it has to be inspected before registration to get it off the write-off register and you have to show invoices for parts bought and used in the repairs.

I think he meant use the imported parts to convert an existing, registered, vehicle.
Which is how I'd do it. In fact I've already done it, imported an engine and gearbox complete from the UK for my work car last year.

[Keithy P38]

Set you back much?

[Dougal]

Set you back much?

Me?

It was most of a grand for pickup from a private breaker near York, delivery to the docks, paperwork and shipping to my nearest port for the whole lot. I had parts coming from 3 or 4 different places so paperwork charges can mount up. It cost more for the FOB paperwork for one piece than it cost to freight an engine and transaxle from York to the London docks.

Very doable and financially worthwhile. I'll use a different freight broker next time, they were a bit incompetent, and likely get a cubic metre of two of UK landrover bits. Window frames, ashcroft ATB's etc.
Took about 8 weeks.

[Hoges]

Doesn't work. When you go to register it, the VIN will be checked and they will ask for a vehicle import approval. VIN's of vehicle imported for parts are recorded. Only way around this is to get a local repairable write-off and use its numbers but the snag here is it has to be inspected before registration to get it off the write-off register and you have to show invoices for parts bought and used in the repairs.

Sorry, meant to be more specific. Use a local P38 as the prime, and transfer the bits and pieces across from the half cut... Was just remembering how the chap at Jag and Triumph spares gets a lot of his bits and pieces ... he imports "half cuts" from HK, Japan and other places and parts them out. ...

[Keithy P38]

Might be worth getting engine and ecu, etc then? I wonder if it'd work out better just to chuck a nice big mechanically injected diesel in there instead... A 2.5L turbo diesel with 270Nm doesn't seem worthwhile for all the mucking around...

Are there stroker kits getting around for them? If we could bump the bottom end up to say 3.0 or 3.5L them we're talking a nice torquey turbo diesel that'll do what I want!

[juddy]

Forget anything manufactured after 1989. Unless of course it was never available in Australia, you can bring it in with alot of paper work

Engines, etc are fairly simple to bring in, we have space for a few if you are Interested in our next container...

[Dougal]

Might be worth getting engine and ecu, etc then? I wonder if it'd work out better just to chuck a nice big mechanically injected diesel in there instead... A 2.5L turbo diesel with 270Nm doesn't seem worthwhile for all the mucking around...

Are there stroker kits getting around for them? If we could bump the bottom end up to say 3.0 or 3.5L them we're talking a nice torquey turbo diesel that'll do what I want!

Don't BMW have 3.0 direct injection engines in the same family? I'm not sure how BMW interchange is, but their current 3.0 tdi's top out around 750Nm.

[Keithy P38]

Forget anything manufactured after 1989. Unless of course it was never available in Australia, you can bring it in with alot of paper work

Engines, etc are fairly simple to bring in, we have space for a few if you are Interested in our next container...

What kind of costs would be involved bringing in a motor and ECU? I'm assuming the HP24 in my P38 would bolt straight up to it.

Do you have people over there to scout for the right bits?

I'd have to do some research to see how it all fits too, would hate to get it here and realise I've forgotten something.

It's all very new to me! If I could get a diesel and ecu landed for only a few grand I would do it in a heartbeat.

[Keithy P38]

Don't BMW have 3.0 direct injection engines in the same family? I'm not sure how BMW interchange is, but their current 3.0 tdi's top out around 750Nm.

If it all bolts up the same it'd be a simple ECU swap. Very nice!

[goanna_shire]

Kieth,

Do you want something reliable and relatively cheap, Diesel, faithful as a dog, and has a load of potentiel torque? There are a few interesting vehicles for sale down in Minto in Sydney. Follow the link:D

http://www.graysonline.com/sale/5006043/transport-trucks-and-trailers/unreserved-ex-military-land-rovers-unimogs-motorcycles-atv-s-trailers'spr=true

Cheers,
Brian.

[Keithy P38]

Cheers Brian, will check it out!

Essentially I'm after a Diesel P38! Love the thing to bits but would rather diesel!

Want to swap? Your Isuzu donk for my 4.6?

When are you converting to airbags and leather :-)

[Hoges]

Don't BMW have 3.0 direct injection engines in the same family? I'm not sure how BMW interchange is, but their current 3.0 tdi's top out around 750Nm.

There was a series of posts on RR.net 2-3 yrs ago from a bloke in the UK who supposedly operated a motor wrecking business and had come by a 3 L BMW diesel, which IIRC was a successor to the 2.5L M51 engine used in the P38. The saga of the engine swap went on for quite some time and then all was quiet. Apparently the integration issues... mechanical and electronic, were beyond him and nothing more was heard... doesn't mean it can't be done!:twisted:

EDIT: presume you've seen http://www.bodylogicuk.com/90265/info.php?p=11&cat=327170

[Keithy P38]

That I have - was the one to post it up when it first came out!

Too $$$ to be worthwhile though!

I'd be better off buying a Perentie and using the motor! There are 3 wrecked ones on the grays website going for about a grand!

Cheap!

[Rupert Prior]

TR Spares in Padstow have the 3ltr BMW engine that used to be in the Rover school. it was band new, but would need to be checked over just in case some one had messed with it.

[PaulP38a]

Keithy - I read about little other than problems with the P38 DSE and DHSE on the Sookbook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/RRP38/

If you are really dead-set on a diesel and don't want to spend a fortune, maybe it is time to consider a late model, fully spec's Disco 2 HSE TD5 :o

[Keithy P38]

As tempting as it sounds, I don't think I could drive anything as enjoyable as my P38 right now. I really want to diesel it! There are no issues with my current motor, it's not bad on fuel at all. It really isn't a simple enough motor for the kind of touring I am planning on doing.

I'd rather see a nice mechanically injected or early efi diesel in there. Bring the revs down in top gear and let it cruise!

[Bigbjorn]

I think he meant use the imported parts to convert an existing, registered, vehicle.
Which is how I'd do it. In fact I've already done it, imported an engine and gearbox complete from the UK for my work car last year.

I assumed he was thinking of trying to import it cut in half and then getting a couple of reels of electric glue and putting it back together. Doesn't work. The relevant authorities are wide awake to this lurk and to using the numbers of a repairable write-off to legitimise a parts import. Correctly so, as not doing these checks would be a gift to thieves and re-birthers. To import a late model, one has to live, own, and use overseas for the set period of time, or import one through a RAWS shop who will do the necessary to make the car comply with the ADR's.

As to fitting a late model with an old engine, bounce this off your state registration authority first. You may well find they are not at all happy about this. I know kit cars are to use a complying engine up to to five years old.

[juddy]

What kind of costs would be involved bringing in a motor and ECU? I'm assuming the HP24 in my P38 would bolt straight up to it.

Do you have people over there to scout for the right bits?

I'd have to do some research to see how it all fits too, would hate to get it here and realise I've forgotten something.

It's all very new to me! If I could get a diesel and ecu landed for only a few grand I would do it in a heartbeat.

We have a team we work with in the UK, they can get most things we require, better to PM if you are Interested.

[Dougal]

I assumed he was thinking of trying to import it cut in half and then getting a couple of reels of electric glue and putting it back together. Doesn't work. The relevant authorities are wide awake to this lurk and to using the numbers of a repairable write-off to legitimise a parts import. Correctly so, as not doing these checks would be a gift to thieves and re-birthers. To import a late model, one has to live, own, and use overseas for the set period of time, or import one through a RAWS shop who will do the necessary to make the car comply with the ADR's.

As to fitting a late model with an old engine, bounce this off your state registration authority first. You may well find they are not at all happy about this. I know kit cars are to use a complying engine up to to five years old.

Given the exterior state of the engine I imported, I'd not import any vehicle body parts from the UK more than 2 years old. The engine I got was mechanically excellent, but externally "furry" with rust and corrosion on anything that faced forward.