Importing a project car to Australia
Discussion
I have been offered a job in Australia and I am hoping to move over shortly. I am currently in the process of rebuilding a TVR Cerbera that has been a long term project. It is unlikely to be anywhere near roadworthy before I move. I have the logbook in my name and have owned the car for over 10 years. I bought it crash damaged and have been completely restoring it. Is there a way I can import it to Australia and finish the restoration over there before I register it?
Does anybody know the process or anybody that can help with the shipping?
Does anybody know the process or anybody that can help with the shipping?
What is the build year of the Cerbera? I suspect it will be close to being 25 yr old now.
Also, is it currently registered? from what you have said then its unlikely to be atm. This will likely stop you from bringing it in as a personal import which is the other option.
Try this gov web page for import of over 25 years old cars. this should give you all the details you need to know. But reading the information, if the car has been modified then it won't count and unlikely to get approval from my reading of it. But one way around it is return it to original spec and import it then once registered here, re-do the modification taken off (which you would had imported separately as auto parts and no permission is required for parts import). That is how a lot of the Japanese modified cars are imported here.
if you are doing a restoration to original then you might be ok.
https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/department/media...
As to shipping it unfinished and un-registered then the only option you have will be via a sole container. Used to be OK price wise before the pandemic but now its absolutely stupid prices to ship container if you can find one to do it.
With a 25yr import, you could wait a while if you're not in a hurry to get it over here for things to settle down. you can import 25yr + cars anytime while you are here, just need approval. Unlike a personal import.
Also, is it currently registered? from what you have said then its unlikely to be atm. This will likely stop you from bringing it in as a personal import which is the other option.
Try this gov web page for import of over 25 years old cars. this should give you all the details you need to know. But reading the information, if the car has been modified then it won't count and unlikely to get approval from my reading of it. But one way around it is return it to original spec and import it then once registered here, re-do the modification taken off (which you would had imported separately as auto parts and no permission is required for parts import). That is how a lot of the Japanese modified cars are imported here.
if you are doing a restoration to original then you might be ok.
https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/department/media...
As to shipping it unfinished and un-registered then the only option you have will be via a sole container. Used to be OK price wise before the pandemic but now its absolutely stupid prices to ship container if you can find one to do it.
With a 25yr import, you could wait a while if you're not in a hurry to get it over here for things to settle down. you can import 25yr + cars anytime while you are here, just need approval. Unlike a personal import.
Edited by onny on Sunday 16th January 23:41
MulticolouredTVR said:
It is a late model Cerbera on a 2002 plate so is not yet 25 years old. It is registered in the uk, I have the log book in my name, but it hasn’t been on the road for 10+ years.
If its registered currently in the UK then you can go the personal import route. Not being driven is not a problem, just need to have proof of registration and ownership for import application. (check on that same government site l linked for more info on that but from what you have said then i think you should be ok for personal import)What else needs to be done on it to get it back on the road? You can imported here and work on it before getting it registered. I don't think there is a time limit for it to be road worthy and be registered after import.
I still see shipping it here a problem. You probably won't be able to go the RORO option because the shipper will need to drive the cerbera on and off the ship. Sole container will be only option still. Once again, if you have the import approval done then you can wait a while before shipping it.
RoRo will definitely only take driveable cars.
I had a slight nightmare once with a brand new one that wouldn’t start (at Brisbane) which resulted in us having to get on at Melbourne and fix it. If we hadn’t got it going we would have been put off and they’d have sailed to Perth and then who knows where!
Any concerns about it starting and driving then put it in a container.
I had a slight nightmare once with a brand new one that wouldn’t start (at Brisbane) which resulted in us having to get on at Melbourne and fix it. If we hadn’t got it going we would have been put off and they’d have sailed to Perth and then who knows where!
Any concerns about it starting and driving then put it in a container.
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