Does anyone out there know how much it would cost to import a split van from the states as there prices are more realistic.

Are you talking about a fully restored one or a project? I am surprised that you can buy a splitty in the US and ship it here for less than you can buy one here. I know I've seen a couple for sale locally for $2,000 or less

Keep in mind that US splitties will probably be LHD so either you live with it, or add the expense of converting to RHD.

well look at thesamba.com
there is loads of panels on there people just want to much in Australia and think that anything vw is rare.

more projects jonny!? your missus is gonna forget what you look like mate! hahaha... how is the baja shaping up matey!? did you get a replacement engine!? and done any more work on the trike!? i havent been able to touch the kombis, too busy and i just bought a motorbike also so spending some time on that when i can...

It was gonna cost the guy who was meant to by my '54 beetle $5500 to ship it to the states.
I guess the price would be similar either way?

I know of 3 odd split panels for sale.
All need love of some sort but they are still panels in OZ.

you have u2u jonny..

Andy

I have an early panel forsale, its already blasted and primed, ready to repair the rust...its in brisbane

go for bruces

Jonny, I wouldn't bother. I brought a 57 van back from the states to the UK and looked at shipping back to OZ, after speaking to the people in Canberra, its not worth the effort. If it was an OZ 57, I wouldnt have to change anything, but because it's an import, you have to change loads. If it's post 60, it has to be converted to RHD.

too bloody much. buy in oz and spend the import costs on doin it up. yank ones are full of rust and LHD. fish

yeah, for a project buy in oz. just take a look on the forum; Byron busses 57 panel is a great price as is my highroof, and i think you will find both oprices comparable with American prices.

Just ring a shipping company and find out
Tariffs are going down next year FTA
In Qld if its 30 years old it can stay LHD
It helps if you know someone overthere to check things out and organise stuff

I say go for it.

thanks i'll do that.
if i could find one in oz that hasnt been stripped down to nothing and then bits sold off ii would buy here.
Why do people get buses then strip it sell the engine and other bits then decide to sell the bus for way over the odds because they see the prices in the uk. why not just sell the thing whole and give someone a real chance to restore it with its origanal parts.

Mine was stripped ready to restore, I have most of the bits needed, except the rear bar...its there ready to repair, all the 1st stage work is done, ready to weld

body looks nice but like i said i would rather see what i'm buying not a load of boxes full of bits

jonnyjb, mine hasnt been stripped to nothing, certainly it needs some serious bodywork, but it has everything original in the front cab, and all the original bits outside too except for the microbus side doors

look in the boxes at the bits ,you are dreamin if you think you can get a better deal than this , you cant see a bus any better than when its been blasted,its at least $5000 to land a bus here , and unless you go spend another $2-3000 to go look at it yourself you may just get burned and that goes a fair way to resto ,not to mention american cars are left hookers ,so theres another bundle of cash

Exactly, another forum member got burned spending 4k on a bus, how do you know what rot is there til you blast it, no rust hiding in mine, its all there honest and ready to see...

as for seeing what you get, its mostly there, and for 2k, what do you expect? There are some other buses on here for more, you pay for what you get...I can source a rear bar, and other harder to find bits, but they are extra

Here I go.

There have been a few people on here who have been burnt buying busses that they havent inspected,

All I will say,is that paint is VERY good at hiding things.

Now the hard word. You must be fu#king mad to import a bus from overseas with out looking at it first.
Get ral and buy the blasted 57, any bus you buy will need this if it hasnt been restored properly.

Cheers
Dave

Buy the `57 and get yourself a workshop manual and a copy of Alan Schofield`s catalogue.
You`ll soon find out where all the bits go.
Split`s are one of the most basic vehicles in existence, it`s not rocket science. It`s just a giant mechano set.
Graham.

well said

It will cost you double of what byronbusses is initially to just ship over a bus from the states, then look at the price of the bus in US$, then look at trying to find a right handdriver, then how dissapointed you will be when it's not exactly as they said it was...

really guys if he cant see the value, then it will be he will learn his own lessons. johnyjb it could be you could get a bargain htat is solid and be happy, but it could be that you get a nice painted rust bucket, or worse a straight out dud. i can tell from my experiences that the 57panel from what i read is a bargain. sure it might be in boxes, but he says the bits are there, and besides you wouldve needed to remove em anywya. so really before you make the final decision go and have a look.

johny b are you still looking or gunna, or are you in the states. seems this panel will be a nice shed ,
come on johnyb good deal this is. you said want a panel