280Z350Z

Regarding exporting cars from the US to Australia I persume it might be a money maker. We've begun pricing shipping our personal effects and a 40' container from the east coast of the US to Sydney runs around $3500.00. Finding the cars here is fairly easy... I've just begun looking at the cost of importing the car so I'll have more on that later. What about the RHD part of the equation? Obviously virtually everything over here is backwards. The timing is almost perfect from an exchange rate standpoint. However, about 5-6 years ago collector car auctions became a big deal over here. There are several TV shows from auctions like the Barrett Jackson etc. This has inflated the collector/old car market a bit because everyone now thinks their car is worth $680,000.00. Hit Ebay US and see what you find as a price guide against Australian prices. Here's another question. I see a lot of stuff about rust on Z's in Australia. I would have thought that as dry as most of Australia is, rust would hardly be a problem. California has a simular climate to much of Australia and rust is rarely a big issue. Thanks for all of the good info!

Thank you all very much for the replies. I've hit the CAMs site and am printing the info now. I've done some searching for 1st generation Z's for sale over there and the prices are 2.5 to 3 times as high as here... weird. In America, all of the Japanese sports cars are still sort of 2nd class citizens in terms of price appreaciation and in the eyes of various vintage groups. In fact, it wasn't until about 8-10 years ago that the fancier groups would let non-historied cars in. I've always found that strange, because they love the British stuff and most of those cars won't even start. At least none of the Triumphs I've owned would. Very good examples of say, TR6s can fetch as much as $35000.00 while the 240s never make it past $15000.00 even for outstanding examples. Bummer about the 350Z. It is a fantastic car! It is very easy to drive very fast! And, as with the older Zs, the prices I've seen on those for sale in Australia are massive compaired to here. My 280Z is mainly stock with the exception of the 3 twin choke Mikunis, a mild cam, forged pistons, Toyota 4x4 front calipers, DOT racing tires and safety gear. I'm sort of a purist and as a result, tend to run at the back of the middle of the pack. I know I don't run back there as a result of my driving skills so it has to be the car! At any rate it is streetable and if it wouldn't have to be RHD then I'll plan on bringing it. That is if the wife says okay. Seriously, about the period correctness of of the cars in some vintage circles over here you wouldn't believe how heavily modified some of the cars are! But, that's racing anywhere. To win you must spend money and engineering time. I got into the vintage stuff largely because I didn't want to spend a ton of money chasing wins, I like period corrrectness and I liked the idea of more gentlemanly driving. I haven't spent all of this time and money on my car so some pinhead can shove me out of the way just because he's faster than me! I can good shooting off into the weeds all by my self, thanks! Speaking of RHD, why haven't you guys switched over?! Everytime I'm in Australia or in England it takes me a little while to stop running over curbs with the left side of the car! Plus, I look like a complete knob getting in on the passenger side looking for the damn wheel! Of course I dig through the glove box as though I'm looking for a map or something, but I'm pretty sure I'm not fooling anyone. As far as where we will settle, I feel that NSW will be the final stop however, initially we'll be up in Cairns. We are really looking forward to the move. I don't know if you guys realize it, but Australians are some of the best people on the planet and Australia has got to be in the top 10 of beautiful countries. Looking forward to getting there.

I'm a yank for whatever that's worth and will likely be emigrating to Australia at some point next year. (It's still 2010 over here but I think you guys are a year a ahead or something.) I've been a Z (zed?) driver for a long time now and don't know that I can live without one. I've currently got a 2003 Brickyard red 350z and a '75 280Z with triple mikunis that is passed off as a '72 for vintage racing sacntioning bodies. Is there any point in my shipping either of the cars over when we move? What's the vintage racing scene like in Australia by the way? Thanks! Dave in North Carolina