I'm no authority, but it was discussed on the list not too long ago and as
I understand it if that vehicle (make/model) was not officially released in
this country, then you simply are not going to be able to bring one in from
outside for highway use.

Here's an example I found, looking back a bit.  It's not the one I was
looking for that talked about newly stiffened regs for bringing in
vehicles, but it does address the SA van directly:

>X-Mailer: AOL 4.0 for Windows 95 sub 15
>Message-ID:  <ddd28bd4.246d7574@aol.com>
>Date:         Fri, 14 May 1999 08:47:48 EDT
>Reply-To:     KENWILFY@AOL.COM
>Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
>From:         KENWILFY@AOL.COM
>Subject:      Re: Mexican buses
>Comments: To: mckayaa@oit.edu
>To:           vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>
>These were used vans around '95 models.  They were actually more than $10,000
>(like $12,000 to $15,000) and they were used.
>Also they are RHD and you won't be able to bring them into the US anyway
>because no crash test data is available.  If some eccentric Vanagon
>millionaire wants to foot the bill for importing a SA Vanagon only to have it
>crash tested by the DOT then please email me privately.  I heard that Bill
>Gates imported a rare Porsche several years ago that was worth around
>$500,000.  It is still sitting in customs because they have no crash test
>data on it and Bill couldn't bring himself to allow them to crash test a
>$500,000 car (of which few were made).
>Just FYI.
>Ken Wilford
>Van-Again
>John 3:16

At 10:44 PM 2/29/2000 , Benjamin Tan wrote:
>Why should it be any different from importing from Europe? US customs just
>wants you to pay duty. DOT just wants to put US safety equipment (shouldn't
>be too complicated since there are US spec Vanagons for parts), EPA well
>install the US emissions stuff or convert to a US engine until your
>certification is done.

David Beierl - Providence, RI
  http://pws.prserv.net/synergy/Vanagon/
'84 Westy "Dutiful Passage"
'85 GL "Poor Relation"