I would be kind of queasy driving around the US with the steering wheel
on the wrong side. A sliding door that opened into the traffic side
would be a minus for me as well.

Mark

Jeffrey Schwaia wrote:

>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
>
>
>
>