crickhollow
Member
I am unsure if I have posted this before.
I imported the car to Australia in early 2000's. It came from Youngstown, Ohio, but I first saw it in Phoenix.
The beginning (for me)
I first saw the car advertised for sale in Phoenix Arizona in an American motoring journal in early 2002. At that time, I was the Secretary of the R & S Series Chrysler Valiant Car Club of Victoria, and I found the motoring journal in the mail that I cleared from the car club’s post office box.
The picture of the advertised car was very “grainy” and I thought it was a 2-door sedan. As I was after a 2-door hardtop/coupe so I let it go. At about the same time I left a post on Slantsix.com that I was after a 1961 Plymouth Valiant 2 door hardtop/coupe and about 12 months later I received an email from Benny Franklin saying he had seen my post and had a 1961 Plymouth Valiant 2 door hardtop for sale. I asked for a few pictures to be emailed and low and behold it was the same car I had seen advertised for sale in Phoenix Arizona.
OH, and the seller said his name was Benjamin Franklin!
On further enquiry and after receiving more pictures I realised that is was indeed a 1961 Plymouth Valiant 2 door hardtop, so I bought the car for US$1,900.
Benny Franklin lived in Youngstown, Ohio, and he bought the car from the previous owner in Phoenix about 10 months earlier. Due to his business commitments he said he was unable to restore the car and it sat in his garage untouched and not driven. So, my understanding is the car was transported from Phoenix to Youngstown, Youngstown to California for shipment to Melbourne, Australia. Unfortunately, I have no knowledge of ownership history prior to it’s time in Phoenix, Arizona.
Purchase and shipping costs
I paid US$1,900 for the car, about US$400 for transport from Youngstown to the shipping point in California, and about AUS$3,000 for the shipping and import approvals, etc. I used an Australian shipping agent to organise the shipping. All up about AUS$5,000 which I thought was a reasonable price for the car.
Arrival in Australia
The car arrived in Melbourne on 1 December, 2003.
I was present when the car was unloaded from the shipping container. My car was located on the floor in the container with another car above and two cars beside – 4 cars in the shipping container, very closely and tightly packed. The cars on top sat on a timber frame about 6” above the cars below. My car was covered in oil, presumably it had leaked from the car above during the voyage.
Before I could collect my car it had to go through customs and quarantine inspection to have a steam clean to kill any bugs; although I did find mice living in the car when I got it home; presumably USA mice.
It took me about 5 years to do the restoration; a bare metal respray, and I bought many NOS parts on Ebay (when prices and postage was low).
The 1st photo is the car today, the second photo is how it looked when I bought it, and first saw it in Phoenix - minimal rust but a great body for a resto.
Cheers, Peter
I imported the car to Australia in early 2000's. It came from Youngstown, Ohio, but I first saw it in Phoenix.
The beginning (for me)
I first saw the car advertised for sale in Phoenix Arizona in an American motoring journal in early 2002. At that time, I was the Secretary of the R & S Series Chrysler Valiant Car Club of Victoria, and I found the motoring journal in the mail that I cleared from the car club’s post office box.
The picture of the advertised car was very “grainy” and I thought it was a 2-door sedan. As I was after a 2-door hardtop/coupe so I let it go. At about the same time I left a post on Slantsix.com that I was after a 1961 Plymouth Valiant 2 door hardtop/coupe and about 12 months later I received an email from Benny Franklin saying he had seen my post and had a 1961 Plymouth Valiant 2 door hardtop for sale. I asked for a few pictures to be emailed and low and behold it was the same car I had seen advertised for sale in Phoenix Arizona.
OH, and the seller said his name was Benjamin Franklin!
On further enquiry and after receiving more pictures I realised that is was indeed a 1961 Plymouth Valiant 2 door hardtop, so I bought the car for US$1,900.
Benny Franklin lived in Youngstown, Ohio, and he bought the car from the previous owner in Phoenix about 10 months earlier. Due to his business commitments he said he was unable to restore the car and it sat in his garage untouched and not driven. So, my understanding is the car was transported from Phoenix to Youngstown, Youngstown to California for shipment to Melbourne, Australia. Unfortunately, I have no knowledge of ownership history prior to it’s time in Phoenix, Arizona.
Purchase and shipping costs
I paid US$1,900 for the car, about US$400 for transport from Youngstown to the shipping point in California, and about AUS$3,000 for the shipping and import approvals, etc. I used an Australian shipping agent to organise the shipping. All up about AUS$5,000 which I thought was a reasonable price for the car.
Arrival in Australia
The car arrived in Melbourne on 1 December, 2003.
I was present when the car was unloaded from the shipping container. My car was located on the floor in the container with another car above and two cars beside – 4 cars in the shipping container, very closely and tightly packed. The cars on top sat on a timber frame about 6” above the cars below. My car was covered in oil, presumably it had leaked from the car above during the voyage.
Before I could collect my car it had to go through customs and quarantine inspection to have a steam clean to kill any bugs; although I did find mice living in the car when I got it home; presumably USA mice.
It took me about 5 years to do the restoration; a bare metal respray, and I bought many NOS parts on Ebay (when prices and postage was low).
The 1st photo is the car today, the second photo is how it looked when I bought it, and first saw it in Phoenix - minimal rust but a great body for a resto.
Cheers, Peter
