Australia shuts its doors to Classic American Car imports?

Discussion in 'News and Announcements' started by BuickGSX455, Aug 10, 2017.

  1. BuickGSX455

    BuickGSX455 Well-Known Member

    Australia's importation police, Customs and Borderforce have recently decided to target auto imports from the USA seeking unauthorised importation of Asbestos.
    Following trouble with cheap Chinese Plasterboard (Rockwall to you guys) which contained the deadly fibers, laws were passed a few years ago preventing the importation of any item containing even trace amounts.
    A few months ago a Mustang was targeted and was not surprisingly, found to contain asbestos in various gaskets, brake and clutch linings. The testing and destructive sample taking cost the owner tens of thousands of dollars and has caused panic amongst private collectors, importers and agents alike.

    Many on this side of the world believe it will seriously impact all future classic imports into Australia, perhaps terminally.
    Some of you might think this is a good thing with a huge proportion of the best classics already having been sent out of their country of origin. Australia boasts the highest number of classic American cars outside the US with many of them being the very best examples in the world. We have many rare examples no longer in existence in the US.
    This has the potential to hurt the value of such classics in the US by removing a major customer while forcing the price of those already in Australia rapidly upward.
    Interesting times.

    https://www.hemmings.com/r/ct/NjQ4M...ollector-car-exports-to-australia/?refer=news
     
  2. wovenweb

    wovenweb Platinum Level Contributor

    I'm curious how much asbestos they found on that vehicle, in it's gaskets and brake pads, etc. Maybe a couple pounds US? It won't grow/reproduce/increase, so I'm wondering the true harm here. Yes, it does cause those diaeases listed, but it also took years of exposure to large amounts of it to cause those things. This seems like getting woried about lung cancer because someone with a lit cigarette went walking by while outside.
     
  3. BuickGSX455

    BuickGSX455 Well-Known Member

    They did not and in all likelihood could not quantify the asbestos found but it would be ounces, not pounds.
     
  4. 1972Mach1

    1972Mach1 Just some M.M.O.G. guy.....

    I'm all for you guys getting some of our cars there.....just send me a Falcon XB...... That's basically a 70-71 Torino fastback with a 71-73 Mach 1 front end for all the guys that don't know. It's what the Mad Max car is (but that one has modified bodywork). And, yes, I'm sure it's only ounces, ridiculous to worry about. falcon.jpg
     
    Smokey15 likes this.
  5. kiwidave

    kiwidave Well-Known Member

    I don't notice any lack of ''we can source your classic from the USA to your door!'' advert in the Unique Cars magazine....well, not yet anyway.

    The stories being highlighted in club magazines and on the internet such as the Hemmings link make grim reading.

    Darn glad I have my car and am happy with it.

    Luckily, I'm not rich enough to be in the marketagain anytime soon. And if i was, I would buy locally (again).
     
  6. Premier 350

    Premier 350 Chris (aka Webby)

    I'm not surprised. The near panic when asbestos fragments were found in a playground not long ago demonstrates the over reaction here.
    I don't deny the stuff can be hazardous, but given the minute amounts in our old cars, this is crazy.
    It's highly likely my 'lark has some asbestos in it, not that I'm worried about it.
    On the plus side, perhaps it will drive the value of mine up.
     
  7. gstewart

    gstewart Well-Known Member

    I think the worst offender asbestos offender would be the old brake shoes & brake pads. Up to a few years ago, u could purchase the old style parts.
     
  8. Mister T

    Mister T Just truckin' around

    Many years ago when I was still a schoolkid, I wrote to many mines asking for ore samples. One of them was the asbestos mine in Cassiar, BC. After waiting a few months, this package from them arrived with my name on it. Inside was a plastic container with about 20 compartments of samples of asbestos in various stages of refinement. They ranged from raw ore right up to very fine strands.

    Yes, I used to touch and handle each and every sample in my hands. :D Still alive to tell the tale. o_O Unfortunately I no longer have any of those samples I collected from all those mines. I even had some Pennsylvania anthracite coal!
     
  9. flynbuick

    flynbuick Guest

    About 20 years ago I successfully handled an asbestosis case for a longtime auto mechanic. His only known exposure to asbestos was in the form of brake component dust.
     

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