Ben,

You better add a zero to that $25K number.  First of all, you'll need to
bring in about 5 or 6 of these that will be slammed into walls to satisfy
the DOT crash worthiness tests.  Secondly, you'll need to swap out the
current drivetrain with one that meets the current EPA standards and is
OBD-II compliant.  Next, you'll have to add a DOT approved air-bag system.
Start pony-ing up the dollars boys, we can probably get it done for about
$500K (not including the price of the final cars that get imported).

Cheers,

Jeff

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM]On Behalf
Of BenT Syncro
Sent: Monday, May 29, 2006 3:29 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: FRYDAY: RE-OPEN VANAGON ASSEMBLY

 Well, if someone wants to spend about $25K USD, I'm sure a 2000-2002 SA
Caravelle can be brought to the US with moderate diffculties. Engine would
need to be swapped out for something more palatable to EPA/DOT for US
certification though.

The most expensive segment is right at the start. Used Caravelles and
Microbuses retain their value in SA due to the relative poverty in the
country. According to one fellow I chatted with, used cars in general are in
high demand dues to their lower (than new) cost. It's a "viscous" circle.

Anyway, a proposal is being floated around in certain circles to bring one
of these guys in. Kinda fancy for a 2wd newer Carat, ain't it? Anybody care
to put their money where their mouth is?

Another alternative is do what Nissan is doing to the 240Z cars. Buy an old
car and build a new one inside it.

BenT