Cars going overseas

I'm in the process of collecting parts for my next project, I search high 'n low for the parts here in France, you just don't find them especially with the price of scrap iron going up and the laws against old type junkyards, so I buy stuff off of ebay and the Hamb.
American cars were never a big part of the cars on the road either over here so if we want one it's often time easier to just buy one from where they originated.
As for US imports here, I'm at the other end of the spectrum restoring cars for customers and I see a huge amount of cars that even if they were given to me for free I wouldn't want, then again people who contact our shop are not the ones who did buy a sound car, I see only the worst.
Maybe some day all those french cars (Delahaye, Delage, Bugatti, Voisin, Bucially ...) that are in the US will come back here.

 

For the guys who hate to see US cars leave the country there is also good news.
In the last year plenty old Corvettes went back to the US because prices here
are lower than in the US at the moment.

Hennie

 

I have it on good authority that ver 26,000 Import Approvals were issued in Oz last year. Of those, Im betting the bulk of them would have been for Stateside vehicles.

Thats a shitload of cars coming in.

One things for sure, the Feds, shippers and the Banks are making a killing from all this as well.

The last ride I bought was a steel Deuce roadster from a fellow Hamber and I can tell you that even with import costs/bank charges and all that crap, it was a still very good price, for BOTH parties.

 

When I watch YouTube videos of the hot rod scene in England, Sweden, Australia and especially JAPAN, it seems like they have more appreciation for the US hot rod culture than than we Americans do. We dabble in it; they LIVE it. We sit in lawn chairs; they drive 'em.

Check out this hemi roadster tearing up the roads in Sweden (I'm hoping that the 205 on the speedo is KPH!):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KARGKCYmUvQ

 

I sold my 65 Impala SS convertible 396 number matching car to someone in Norway<ST1</ST1 backin 09 for close to 50K plus shipping I would be lucky if i was able to get half of that now in todays market

 

I sold my 46 ford pickup to a guy on germany. It took us about 6 weeks to get a deal struck, then another 6 weeks for him to get the truck. I don't know how much he paid to ship it. My hat is off to those that ship their cars over.

 

Sold my 65 Coronet Hemi off e bay earlier this year in order to retire. Deal went off well, guy from New Zealand sent bank transfer for payment, and a couple weeks later shipping service picked it up and off it went.

 

I got a really nice buford convert I can not give it away here there was a time when I thought shippin over the pond was not cool but hey no body seems to want a drivin car anymore in the u.s. so why not

 

Is there anything different (other than the fact I can't afford it) of me buying a Bugatti form someone overseas? Do we have the same import costs? Bob

 

Never really thought I needed to import a car back here to Australia as there are more for sale here than ever,but while browsing the HAMB classifieds about a month ago I came across a car that I liked and thought was reasonably priced.its now in a warehouse in Longbeach waiting to be shipped over.
We have to get permission from government before we're allowed to import,but you need a bill of sale, vin numbers of the vehicle,photos of the car, and in writing list any modifications made to the car for the application, so you need to buy the car before you know whether your allowed to bring in or not.They do provide guidelines for importing a vehicle but if your outside those guidelines imagine the hassle trying to resell the car from half way around the world, it would just be a nightmare.
The cost of the car was about 6k and shipping will be about 4k.So for a total of 10k I will HOPEFULLY get a car that I couldn't replicate for the same price here in Australia.
Before buying the car I had organized for the previous owner get some upholstery work done to the car which also helps the local economy.
Now I just have to wait to see if the car arrives as described by the seller and that I haven't blown my money.

 

Keep AMERICAN metal on AMERICAN soil.
I wonder about that.
I bought my '49 Lincoln coupe out of Florida.
It had been on Epay for quite a while and no-one wanted it.
It cost me nearly as much to get it from Florida to La as it did from LA to NZ.
During that time the Kiwi dollar crashed and it cost me plenty more.
If I had to do it over again, I would not even hesitate.
Question is:: Why did no-one from the states want it?

ps. It is the only '49 Lincoln coupe in this country so I'm happy.

 

Ii have sold a 59 and 60 El Camino that both went overseas. 59 to Sweden and the 60 to New Zealand.

But I also have two Australia imports. My 37 Chevy Ute I imported, and my 37 Ford Ute was already in USA when I bought it. So it is kind of a 2-way street, right now the soft USA dollar is making it easier for US cars to go out.

I also sell many of my made in USA bear claw latches to customers all over the world, although that is small money compared to a complete car.

 

We have a certian broker that we put together over 50 cars for last year alone that ended up going over seas. We get in alot of 50s Cad convertibles, 50s/60s Porsche, Jags, Rolls, 70 Mercedes 280 Sl's, Vettes, Little t-birds and muscle cars. All going across the pond. With the US Dollar being soft, he can ask US$100k+ for a 50s Cad vert and the buyer (depending where he is from) can get a deal (after exchange rate) equivilant to a US$70k car + shipping. Win-Win...Lately, almost all of our shop's work is going overseas. We are all for it!

 

look at it from a different view:
if the car goes to enthusiasts over the pond it is still around, the possibility of reimporting it lives on. what happens to american iron especially projects, that no american can (or wants to) buy? it goes to the scrapyard and with todays scrap iron value it is lost forever

 

I've sold about half a dozen to overseas buyers. Some of them were rough enough no American had the balls to try to save them. One, the guy never even did anything to pick up and two years later it got re-sold local. The others, as far as I know they were happy, one sent a few pix after it arrived and I was happy to see all the bracing and stuff I did held up across the ocean.

As long as the money's green when it gets here I don't care, I deal with enough a-holes who have no business calling themselves car guys that I don't lose any sleep if there's one less here for them to whine about. Much better to have a buyer who pays and doesn't complain.

 

I think that is not so easy to answer, depends on the country.
it might be better to start an own thread for this, I guess this could be interesting for a lot of members

 

so is there a site that a guy here in the states that is more than willing to work with the buyer and shippers,ect ect can post a car on over there?
whitey

 

I just sold my 1959 Desoto firedome sportsman to guy from Sweden. He was great to deal with and really happy to get it. Plus he gave me what I wanted for it. I really hate seeing it go, but feel it when to a great home where it will receive the care the old girl deserves.

 

If we wanted a clone of every other car on the road it would be easy but its the very act of buying something different to all the other plastic and tin shite on the road that is the appeal... "I want something different"
Maybe you guys in the US don't realise how little of your automotive history was exported when new... virtually non to the UK I can tell you...
which is why we A: Pay through the nose for cars you guys wouldn't look twice at and B: Have very little spares backup in the UK so even the smallest parts have to be sourced internationally. I guess the US is such a big country that the domestic market could support the whole industry without the need to rely on exports. Take a look at american cars on eBay UK... rotboxes start at about three thousand quid ($4,800)... and for that you'll get missing glass, no motor and serious tinworm... oh and no spares backup for a couple of thousand miles accross a big puddle!
I'm into WWII vehicles as well and there are a great number of european Willys and Ford Jeeps, Dodge WCs and GMCs making their way back to the US as they were nearly all exported (many to europe) during WW2. US collectors are paying 'restored' money for basket case trucks... horses for courses!!

But it's FUN

 

Just filled a 40ft container with a 36 Coupe, 51 Pickup and 68 Camaro plus 5 harleys of my own and 2 for another guy. Cost of the container was $7500 to Brisbane, plus 10% value of the vehicles and freight. Over that many items the freight works out OK. There are compliance costs on top of those mentioned. Most if not all will be resold at some stage to other enthusiasts who will love and care for these. I always ask the sellers if they care if their vehicle leaves the US. This sort of $ involves a LOT of trust and I have learnt my lessons the HARD way - search "Paul Webster" on here and you'll see that it can go wrong too. All in all its one world and the love we all share for all these is universal.

 

Yes the classifieds here and state you are happy to help. Reality is the buyer should be able to set it all up, with a shipper just collecting the car just like someone in the US.

 

If you want to ship to NZ or OZ then talk to these guys.
Steve Curl is hugely experienced.

http://www.kiwishipping.co.nz

 

I've bought six HAMB friendly and OT vehicles out of the US over the years, and imported them to Perth. Some arrived sight unseen (60 Cad Coupe from Florida) and a few I picked up in mid-America and drove one to NY, the other two to LA.
Shipping from either side of the US to Aus is about the same price for the container and shipping, so no particular benefit to ship across from E to W just 'cause it seems shorter.
I've still got each of my cars, but I reckon I could probably break even or even make a dollar on top of what I paid plus shipping plus taxes and charges.
The costs being quoted on here are about right - around $3,000 - $4,000 depending on how many you fit into a container, etc.
It's not difficult, but it takes an accommodating seller and buyer to make it happen smoothly.
The shippers are easy to deal with, and know their business - they are the easiest part.
Clearing customs and quarantine upon arrival is a bit of a chore, but not too bad.
Then you've got your new toy.
Woohooooo.

 

I have to wonder if it is cheaper to ship a car to the US compared to shipping one out of the US. the reason being is that the biggest import to the port of Oakland here is empty shipping containers from around the world.

 

Shipping a car from the UK to the US is dearer than shipping US to UK

 

I guess im on my own here...
This whole thread makes me sick. wont be long before there all gone.
I guess alot of people would sell their soul for the right price.
This is America and thats their right.

 

Are you dumb? You know how many cars in North America are just sitting in some ass holes yard and rotting away? If someone from overseas wants to take on that project and make a badass kustom or hot rod out of it then Fuck Yeah! There are some bitchin cars being built overseas!

 

Find hot rod hayride on you tube

 

Im getting stationed in germany in jan was looking at shipping our 54 cadillac hearse over def not worth it because I dont plan on leaving it in germany. anyone have any experience shipping cars from over seas to the states? been looking at UK auto trader an think it would be cool to bring some old euro iorn back.