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Published on 17 January 2021

I just brought in my 1971 F100 from Oregon. It arrived mid November and just got registered here yesterday. Things took a bit longer because the compliance plate manufacturers were closed over Christmas until January 11th. Prior to that I had the headlights, indicators and tow wiring changed to Australia standards, changed the seatbelts from lap to lap/sash, got a roadworthy and had a few things fixed for that, then the VASS engineer inspected it, signed the necessary paperwork and I sent that all off to the compliance plate issuer. Then waited... I applied for the import permit myself first before engaging a shipping agent. As it had been my vehicle while I had been living in the states, they granted me permission to import it under the “personal import” option, but as a 1971 it could have also come in as a “pre-89” option. I just ticked both boxes! I used CFR shipping in America as I’d had a good experience with that company when I brought my car in from New Zealand years ago. My experience with CFR LA was not so good. Since the boss in LA that I had started the process with moved to Spain and left some total d******* in charge, things went rapidly pear shaped. Zero communication and responses to my many email requests for quotes for asbestos checks and cleaning - very frustrating! But the guys I dealt with at the Aussie end were GREAT! Darren Chaney at HTX in Melbourne sorted the mess out for me including organizing a box that was supposed to have to been shipped in the back of my truck but somehow got “left behind” sent over on another ship. I’d recommend contacting him for all imports from USA. Bloody legend! As far as the asbestos goes, I just had the brake pads replaced in America before it got put on the ship and had my mechanic specify on the invoice that they used organic non-asbestos parts. Apparently that’s pretty much all they do at an “asbestos inspection” at the USA end according to what I was told, but I’d still pay the extra $350US to get that inspection done before it boards so you’ve at least got that paperwork to show Aussie customs. I had asked for it but, as I said, the incompetent CFR dude at the LA end was impossible to deal with and never got back to me until he emailed that my vehicle was on a boat! And that was after it sat at their site for over a month when the initial quote had said 10-days from pick up to boarding! Anyway, Darren had it all pre-approved before it landed and it only took about a week for fumigation and quarantine and biosecurity checks and I was able to pick it up. Darren said it would be right to drive it home (about an hour and a half away) but I chose to have it brought to me on a tow truck as I wasn’t sure how I’d go driving LH drive on the left side of the of the road for the first time through Melbourne traffic. Glad I chose the tow truck because nobody had told me that they completely drain all the fluids and oil out of the engine before they ship it and she was bone dry! Thankfully my first drive was to the local mechanic who topped me back up but my rookie mistake could have killed my beautiful 390 had I driven it from Melbourne! Registration involved a special “High risk vehicle” inspection appointment and the lady I dealt with at Vic Roads argued with me over every detail and kept telling me she needed paperwork I didn’t have, but I had done my homework and had been planning for this moment for over a year, so I stood my ground, made a call for reassurance and back-up to my VASS inspector and eventually they had me all registered and grinning from ear to ear. Was altogether a pretty stressful experience (especially if I add in that Im actually from QLD and the truck was initially meant to go to Brisbane, but my visit to my son in Melbourne saw me stuck in a 5-month lockdown and have to change the shipping destination accordingly!) Thats my (albeit long-winded) story of my recent experience importing my car from America! Hope it helps!