Hello from Australia!

[SolidSnake]

Hello guys

I'm Damo, I'm from the south east of Australia in a state called Victoria.

I came across these particular cars after watching a Top Gear USA episode where Adam had a Buick Regal "Grand National" and HOLY HELL these things were some pretty damn fast cars for their times when V8s were choked by emissions regulations across the world and putting out less than 200hp.

They've peaked my interest and in the near future I'd like to import a Buick Grand National (or the regular turbo variant) sometime in the next few years as they're unheard of here in Australia and it would make a good project car/weekender when I decide to ditch my current project (1997 Ford Falcon).

Some quick googling though shows that some "Grand National" variants are chasing very high figures (as in not far off $100K ), hopefully I could find one in good standard condition for under $20K in the near future.

The 3.8L Buick V6 is pretty close to our hearts down here as we had a variant of that particular engine in our Holden Commodore sedan, from the late 1980s through to early 2000s.

Nice to meet you all

 

[Instro84]

welcome aboard

 

[Jay J]

Trade you my GN for a modded Holden Ute!

 

[SPOOLFOOL2]

Damo,
Another bloke from Ferntree Gully posted up here a month ago looking for a Turbo Buick to ship down under. We told him that we wouldn't let him do it until he sent us some VB. Haven't heard back from him since. Here's the post. http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/threads/new-member-from-australia.414439/
Welcome to the site. I met my wife in Avalon NSW.

Note: Turbos may spin backwards below the equator. Let us know if you have any questions.

Mike Barnard

 

[SolidSnake]

Trade you my GN for a modded Holden Ute!

Haha my next door neighbour has a VE Holden Commodore SV6 ute, 6sp manual:

Another has the same thing but the SS variant which has your 6L V8 from GM.

And a mate of mine has a BA Ford Falcon XR6 ute:

Damo,
Another bloke from Ferntree Gully posted up here a month ago looking for a Turbo Buick to ship down under. We told him that we wouldn't let him do it until he sent us some VB. Haven't heard back from him since. Here's the post. http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/threads/new-member-from-australia.414439/
Welcome to the site. I met my wife in Avalon NSW.

Note: Turbos may spin backwards below the equator. Let us know if you have any questions.

Mike Barnard

VB? Man you can have the brewery that stuff is crap haha.

Thanks for the warm welcome, I'll certainly be hanging around, its interesting seeing the ol' Buick 3.8L turbo from the factory and back in the 1980s, we had a supercharged variant early 2000s but it wasn't very good.

These 3.8L V6s are a very common engine down here in Australia.

 

[OhioC5]

Welcome, I sold my 1969 Chevelle and it went to Australia. I can't remember how much he said it cost to import. I still keep in contact with him if you would like me to ask.

 

[Jay J]

Recently heard that all car manufacturing will be over and done with Down Under in the next couple of years. This is a damn sad bit of news for all of us...

 

[SPOOLFOOL2]

Damo,
The VB is for the wife. If I keep her happy, she keeps me happy. I always liked Powers Bitter myself.

 

[SPOOLFOOL2]

Recently heard that all car manufacturing will be over and done with Down Under in the next couple of years. This is a damn sad bit of news for all of us...

If things keep going the way they are here in the US, we'll be in the same boat.
I always drove and loved Holdens whenever I was in Australia. They used to have a 100% import tax on any car brought into the country. This gave a HUGE advantage to the cars that were built in Australia. That's what we should have done here. Unfortunately, the politicians here have lined their pockets with money to keep those import taxes low.

Off my soap box.
So how's Kevin Bloody Wilson doing these days?

 

[SolidSnake]

Welcome, I sold my 1969 Chevelle and it went to Australia. I can't remember how much he said it cost to import. I still keep in contact with him if you would like me to ask.

I think its about $5-$7K to get a car from the USA to Australia but its usually worth it, the price for the popular American muscle here is insane and you can usually get cars in much better condition from you guys.

Or in cases like a Buick Grand National, no one knows what it is or has seen one.

Recently heard that all car manufacturing will be over and done with Down Under in the next couple of years. This is a damn sad bit of news for all of us...

Yeah its over for us, Ford has killed off the Falcon and Holden killed off the Commodore and Toyota killed the Aurion. They all end production in 2016 because of a few factors:

• The new Liberal Government cut funding to the big 3 auto companies and they pretty much told us to GTFO and they're pulling out.
• 
  
• High Australian dollar making imports cheaper.
• 
  
• Only 5% import taxes on imported cars.
• 
  
• Thailand becoming a major automotive manufacturing hub in South East Asia, Ford has a massive new production facility there and same with many Japanese manufacturers. Unfortunately Ford's factories down here are from the 1960s.
• 
  
• High wage and entitlement cost here in Australia (stuff like 4 weeks company paid leave a year plus 13 paid sick leave days)

The rumour going around is that GM in the USA might take over production of the Commodore (I think its sold as the Chevrolet SS in the USA?) and we will probably see it back in Australia again lol.

Ford is keeping its R&D team down here and I think Holden is too but thats about it, we won't be manufacturing cars anymore.

Damo,
The VB is for the wife. If I keep her happy, she keeps me happy. I always liked Powers Bitter myself.

Haha, here is a VB ad for you:

If things keep going the way they are here in the US, we'll be in the same boat.
I always drove and loved Holdens whenever I was in Australia. They used to have a 100% import tax on any car brought into the country. This gave a HUGE advantage to the cars that were built in Australia. That's what we should have done here. Unfortunately, the politicians here have lined their pockets with money to keep those import taxes low.

Off my soap box.
So how's Kevin Bloody Wilson doing these days?

Haha he hasn't done anything new for a while, he does some pretty funny stuff :O