Thread: Somebody stop me....

About a year and a half ago I discovered this forum and asked a question about my Akubra hat and introduced myself as a Yankee Jeep owner who likes Land Rovers, as rare as they are here in the States....

In my friendly back-and-forth with some of you, John had to plant this seed:

Originally Posted by JohnF

Hi, welcome to the forum. Suggest next time you visit Australia buy a cheap mecanically sound Range Rover for your trip and sell it again before going back to the States. You should be able to get one for $2000 and I think you would change your mind about Jeeps if you do experiance the Range Rover, except as an interest in milatry vechiles. Instead of the Range Rover you could try an old Series landrover, and you could pick up one of these cheap. Of course it means you have to find a buyer before departing Australia, and that might not be easy. Perhaps one person on this forum could hire you a Rover for your next trip. If you drove the Rovers I am sure you would think highly of them. You will find the milatry vechiles pictured on this forum interesting, and a numbw-er of members photograph milatry vechiles. And we do not mind that you drive a jeep. Also we do not mind that you normally drive on the wrong side of the road in America , John.

I've never fully gotten that idea out of my head.....

I really like the Defender, which aside from a couple of model years, are not available in the States due to failing to meet US DOT (Dept. of Transportation) safety requirements, courtesy of our nanny state. But don't get me started on that....

Looking into this, I've learned that I can import pretty much any vehicle so long as it is 25 years or older with very little paperwork involved. Since discovering this, I've had this burning idea developing....

How are the 1984 or so Defender 110 station wagons? Do they drive well? Reasonably comfortable? How are they reliability-wise? Are they available with a diesel engine?

Here's what I need help getting talked out of:

In a couple years, I'm thinking of visiting Australia with my wife (I've been there three times [to the Coleambally (Griffith), NSW, and Gatton, QLD, areas for work at some chook farms who bought some of my company's equipment], but my wife has never been there). Once there, hopefully with the help of an AULRO member, we could buy a 'Fender that would be importable to the States (i.e., 25+ years old), drive it around on a vacation for a couple/three weeks in the general area where I buy it, then arrange to ship it home before flying back.

I like odd-ball vehicles. Particularly 4x4s. And a mid-/late-80s Defender would be quite the odd-ball around here! Especially being right-hand drive. I've seen precious few Series Land Rovers, mostly from the 60s, but I can't say I've ever seen a station wagon here in the states.

Please, someone talk me out of this lunacy!

Go for it!!!! get a 109 Stage 1 or if you have more dough a County oil burner and then make the people of Expedition Portal jelous