Potential study abroad student here, making friends.

[brennanriddle1]

Hello all,

My name is Brennan Riddle. I'm a Junior at California State University at Northridge. I'm thinking about studying abroad senior year and being the jeep enthusiast that i am, i thought there would be no better place to go than the infamous outback.

Here's a picture of my dads JK (black one) and my TJ (the green one):

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c74/brennanriddle1/jeeps3.jpg


Since I'm a huge jeep fan, I would have to have something to drive while i was there. It's probably too pricey to ship one of the rigs all the way over there. What are my other options?

[yetiboy01]

great looking rigs, You wouldn't be able to register your Jeep here in Aus as its left hand drive, under current Aus laws you can only register a left hand dive vehicle if it 30 years or older, so you would need an old CJ or buy something here

[brennanriddle1]

Thanks on the compliments guys.

And that's a very good piece of information. I'm glad i decided to say something first. So even if it's imported it can't be registered unless it's 30 yrs plus?

The other option was to buy. I can check out ebay for a fancy one but it may make more sense to just buy a cheap one and build it myself. Then sell it for what i can when I'm done using it for the year.


Now since I'd probably be in sydney area, are there a good amount of trails in that region? Do you know of any?

I can't wait to wheel in a RHD!

[Mur]

Better wheeling around Melbourne!

You can bring it over temporarily, even if its LHD.
Don't know much about it, yet its all here.
http://www.aaa.asn.au/touring/bringing.htm
Says you need a visitor visa, not sure if a student visa counts as one...


But your right, its probably easier and cheaper to buy a built tj over here and sell it when you leave.

[ausjeeper]

Hi Brennan,

Even a stock Jeep with good mud tyres and a D/L will get you almost everywhere in Australia. Try to get a winch, snorkel and a long range fuel tank as well.

Cheers

[Richo]

Brendan,
I'm reasonably confident in saying Victoria (ie Melbourne is the state capital) has a far greater number and area of trails for wheeling then New South Wales (Sydney). NSW/Sydney is overrun with rampant greenies and ferals who want nothing more than to lock up the national parks and exclude 4wd'ers from wheeling areas.

Nice trucks BTW

[itchy]

Nice Jeeps mate.

[yumpet]

Yeah but Coffs Harbour still carves it up as Jeep Mecca in Australia so suck it up VIC :D

But if you want a jeep when your over here get an old CJ7 or something throw some tyres on it and away ya go :)

[Sevone]

also remember the cost of building a Jeep over here compared to in the US will be huge...and I mean hugely more expensive! Most of the parts will come from your backyard so if you want to build one here see if you could squeeze a D60 in your suitcase!

[Miraz]

You can drive your Jeep over here on it's US registration for 12 months, provided it is imported on a temporary basis.

[itchy]

Yeah but Coffs Harbour still carves it up as Jeep Mecca in Australia so suck it up VIC :D

But if you want a jeep when your over here get an old CJ7 or something throw some tyres on it and away ya go :)

Dont see too many (read any) CJs wheelin the hard stuff (or any terrain) in Vic?
If ya wanna wheel, get a modded TJ, if ya wanna tour/maybe wheel get a JK,if ya wanna break down/wheel get a CJ;)
Bottom line as already posted, a Jeep will over here will rip you a new one, especially a modded one....you gotta rich dad?
You will love it here:)

[brennanriddle1]

You can drive your Jeep over here on it's US registration for 12 months, provided it is imported on a temporary basis.

This might be the ticket. Although it still isn't gunna be cheap.

Another idea might be to ship an entire pallet worth of parts down there and then build a local RHD once it all gets there.

Has anyone gotten their hands on 1 ton axles down there?

[Miraz]

Not as bad as you might think - Ro-Ro car shipping from the US is pretty inexpensive, even using a 20ft container to move it shouldn't be that pricey.

[Mopud]

G'day Brennan,

Sounds like one of those life adventures mate, come on over we're all waiting for you.

Don't mean to be a buzz kill here but if your Jeep needs to be assessed before a temporary license can be issued i'm quite sure you'll run into all sorts of issues with pit inspection, the law don't play too kindly with modified Jeeps in these parts.

We're mostly safe here unless our Jeeps look like wavy skyscapers with every possible bit of suspension anatomy showing and painted in bright 'i'm modified' colours. The ticket is to give it what the authorities are primarily confident and capable in looking for. That is, tyres that don't protrude past the flares/wheel arches and mudflaps front and rear to prevent spray on other vehicles.

The front of your front wheels must be covered by your bullbar or some other bumper. I guess the logic here is it's better if you fracture someone's skull or snap their spine with a bone jarring clash of hard steel rather than flatten them with 33"+ tyres. No pointy bits like stingers and protruding recovery hooks either (even fishing rod holders get you into trouble).

Failing that if you have the cash i have no doubt you can pick up a reasonably modified Jeep at a decent price here to wheel with.

Edit: the main concern for Jeepers here is the suspension restrictions. Here in WA and some other states you're legally allowed no more than 2" vehicle lift including any height difference with larger tyres... but for the most part we don't seem to be hit with this too often.

Good luck mate!!

Mopud

[Miraz]

None of this is an issue provided it stays on it's US registration....the local registration laws only apply to locally registered vehicles.

There is a UN convention on international road traffic that requires signatory countries to recognise the validity of registrations issued by other signatories - Australia and the US are both signatories so it's all good.

You will need a temporary import approval to get the vehicle through customs, and insurance cover that covers use in Australia. Most local insurers will insure foreign registered vehicles using a chassis number without issue.

[stroked]

if you could get that rig to aus it would be raddddd.

what are the specs on your TJ?

modding one here is VERY expesive compared to in the states

[stroked]

yeah well said shake, but dont come to qld if your after hardcore wheeling, all we have is sand and small rocks. there is some good stuff out there but its either closed or now impossible to get too.

[Aaronsjeep]

krawlin boy prefers shorts