| buying a gmc to travel us and ship to australia [message #210550] |
Mon, 10 June 2013 05:45  |
cadelec
Messages: 303
Registered: September 2011
Location: Brisbane Australia
Karma: 1
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Hello to all
we are planning a trip to the US next year in may. we would like to purchase a GMC to travel around in for about 5 weeks and then ship this back to australia. we need to start looking and researching as to the best way to do this. we are leaning towards a coach with twin rear beds and side dry bath. Advice on what features to look for will be welcomed. this vehicle will need to be mechanically ok but the paint and interior does not necessarily matter. to get this registered in australia we will need to install a door on the left hand side of the vehicle and convert to right hand drive. so dash upgrades will not matter. i plan on cutting the door out of the right hand side and swapping to where the fridge is. as you guys know how these things go together any tips on problems that will come up with conversions will be appreciated. i will hand over to you now
thanks
Trevor
Trevor
Brisbane Australia
Siesta Koala 76 Edgemont (old Bobby Moores)
71 Cadillac Eldo Convert
58 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham Project
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| Re: buying a gmc to travel us and ship to australia [message #210552 is a reply to message #210550] |
Mon, 10 June 2013 06:12  |
kerry pinkerton
Messages: 2565
Registered: July 2012
Location: Harvest, Al
Karma: 15
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Welcome to the cult Trevor, you're in the right place. This is an amazing group and the level of knowledge about these coaches is mind boggling.
Rob will be chiming in shortly, he's a part time Aussie and has a GMC here and there going through similar processes.
Being new to the group and the GMC world, I'll offer some of my thoughts.
I purchased what I thought was a pretty nice coach from an unknown source...a driver. Good mechanicals and presentable. Since then (9 months), I've replaced (or am replacing)dang near all the mechanicals...brakes, motor, tranny. Some were necessary (brakes), some were upgrades, and some were preventative (Manny Trovao tranny while I have the engine out). I've done all the work myself with some invaluable help from some of my new GMC friends from the cult.
The choice facing you I think is whether to buy a really nice coach that is KNOWN by the members here or buying one and planning on replacing everything. I'd think shipping bits and pieces down under one at a time as you discover they need replacing would be a painful and expensive process. For that reason, I'd favor just planning on purchasing the major items and putting them all in the container with the coach to be replaced at home. In the scheme of things, it's not that much money.
If you don't want to go to that level of effort, I'd suggest getting with someone like Jim K at Applied GMC. They work on these babys and Jim can steer you to a coach that they have maintained and 'know'.
A lot depends on how much work you want to do yourself and if you enjoy the effort.
Kerry Pinkerton - North Alabama
Had 5 over the years. Currently have a '06 Fleetwood Discovery 39L
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| Re: [GMCnet] buying a gmc to travel us and ship to australia [message #210578 is a reply to message #210550] |
Mon, 10 June 2013 11:03 |
werewilfs
Messages: 329
Registered: July 2012
Location: Rappahannock County, VA
Karma: 0
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Welcome to the community Trevor! My wife and I love Brisbane. Been there a couple of times. Favorite Aussie Rules team is the Lions!
Good luck with finding a GMC. Definitely plan on attending one of the big GMCMI rallies if your schedule permits. They are typically held early spring and early fall every year.
Jared & Stefanie Kohl
Amissville, VA
73 Painted Desert
________________________________
From: Trevor Pordage <travel@cadelec.com.au>
To: gmclist@temp.gmcnet.org
Sent: Monday, June 10, 2013 6:45 AM
Subject: [GMCnet] buying a gmc to travel us and ship to australia
Hello to all
we are planning a trip to the US next year in may. we would like to purchase a GMC to travel around in for about 5 weeks and then ship this back to australia. we need to start looking and researching as to the best way to do this. we are leaning towards a coach with twin rear beds and side dry bath. Advice on what features to look for will be welcomed. this vehicle will need to be mechanically ok but the paint and interior does not necessarily matter. to get this registered in australia we will need to install a door on the left hand side of the vehicle and convert to right hand drive. so dash upgrades will not matter. i plan on cutting the door out of the right hand side and swapping to where the fridge is. as you guys know how these things go together any tips on problems that will come up with conversions will be appreciated. i will hand over to you now
thanks
Trevor
--
Trevor
Brisbane Australia
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Jared & Stefanie Kohl
Rappahannock County, VA
1973 Painted Desert "Onslow"
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| Re: buying a gmc to travel us and ship to australia [message #210599 is a reply to message #210568] |
Mon, 10 June 2013 16:04 |
cadelec
Messages: 303
Registered: September 2011
Location: Brisbane Australia
Karma: 1
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Senior Member |
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thanks peter
i have been researching this for the last 2 years so i hope i know what you are all talking about .
i have imported about 4 cadillacs to australia. it is because i have a 71 eldorado that i came to knpow about GMC's. i stumbled across someone putting a 500 caddy engine into a GMC once. Thanks for the tip on the door position .
i will pm you
Trevor
Brisbane Australia
Siesta Koala 76 Edgemont (old Bobby Moores)
71 Cadillac Eldo Convert
58 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham Project
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| Re: buying a gmc to travel us and ship to australia [message #210651 is a reply to message #210646] |
Tue, 11 June 2013 01:45 |
cadelec
Messages: 303
Registered: September 2011
Location: Brisbane Australia
Karma: 1
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Senior Member |
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thanks dan
i have come across some extended units but unfortunatly our rules here state that the rear overhang (the distance from the centre of the rear wheels to the rear of the coach ) can not be more than 60 percent of the wheel base ( the wheel base is measured from the centre of the front wheel to the centre between the two rear wheels ) on a standard coach i will have to remove the rear bumper to get it past inspection
Trevor
Brisbane Australia
Siesta Koala 76 Edgemont (old Bobby Moores)
71 Cadillac Eldo Convert
58 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham Project
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| Re: buying a gmc to travel us and ship to australia [message #210654 is a reply to message #210651] |
Tue, 11 June 2013 03:45 |
peter bailey
Messages: 367
Registered: March 2009
Location: Gawler, South Australia
Karma: 0
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Trevor,
The Federal Road Transport have become very strict with importing of motor vehicles for registered road use in Australia, the rules that have always applied but now they are being more serious in enforcing them and primarily a vehicle should be as original and not modified. I suspect if you tell the authorities more than you should by declaring some modifications then they would not allow it into the country, fortunately they don't know a lot about GMC motorhomes so 'Mums' the word. I am refering to 4 bag suspension, one ton front end,6 wheel discs, reaction arm and especially a cadillac motor replacement. They know what should and should not be on the obvious cars like mustangs, comaros etc.
Peter Bailey
from Ozy (Aussie)
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