BC former resident transplanted to Hawaii

[frank]

Aloha, all. Don't flame me...... since I was born in New Westminster RCH and grew up in Haney, (Maple Ridge). Anyway I am looking for a Delica and face the 3 options
1: try finding one in the US. (impossible)
2: Import from B.C
3: Import from Japan.

I have some time as I will be traveling Northern BC, and Yukon this coming spring and will need some time to outfit the van. BTW I will be installing a wheelchair lift to accomodate my wheelchair as well as possibly raising the roof.

Which way of importing would you go?

thanks
Frank

[BCDelica]

Cheers and Welcome Frank!

That's a tough question, because we all thought that a vehicle has to be over 25 years old to import to the USA.

If you can I would recommend looking at landed Delica's, some dealers now stock larger numbers of them throughout southern BC. If you imported it might not arrive to the late spring, 3 plus months delivery time is the norm.

I really believe that these imports just rock in certain applications; for work vans and wheelchair access, it's safe and easy to get in the vehicle from the curb side - not right out in oncoming traffic. And roof height on our high roof is higher then the old (actually newer) fullsized NA vans I've owned.

Need a house sitter well your touring around BC?

Kev

[Green1]

importing a Delica to the US will be VERY challenging, and it's point of origin will not matter. to import a vehicle less than 25 years old to the US you will need to have a registered importer do the work to prove that it complies to FMVSS, this is a very expensive process... best bet is to try to find a registered importer and talk to them...

[collector]

I have also heard that they (USA) will not allow a vehicle with RHD on the road. (I may be wrong.)
I was in Maui 2 years ago, and the only Delica I saw was a 2 wheel drive gas driven model. Still a cool looking van IMO.

[frank]

Aloha, y'all. Yes i am hearing lots of differing ideas on importing, but the most credible is that I would need to submit a second vehicle for crash testing because of the RHD. sure I will.
Anyway I think the best I can do is buy a 1997 Previa AWD with SC, raise it and tweak it a bit and install the 2.2 diesel that I can get easily from Japan. Delica sure is cool though...
frank

Update: I was told that a RHD would have to be crash tested, NOT that a RHD was not allowed on the road. Stupid anyway.

frank

[Green1]

I have also heard that they (USA) will not allow a vehicle with RHD on the road. (I may be wrong.)

You're wrong.
The us has many RHD vehicles, mainly postal vehicles, street-sweepers, garbage trucks, etc, but there is nothing wrong with RHD in the US, all of the big manufacturers in the US actually make RHD vehicles specifically for the US market (you can buy many SUVs in RHD (designed for the postal service))

[frank]

Aloha, in respect to importing. Is the problem that they will not allow an import to "land", --or-- that the import cannot be registered. The registration problem can be overcome by various means.
frank

[Green1]

I don't think anyone here is an expert on US law, so I really can't tell you... your best bet for information, and possibly a solution, is to talk to a registered importer in the US, they will be familiar with the procedures required to import and register a vehicle that is less than 25 years old, anything we can give you beyond what's already been said will just be speculation on our part.