Classic cars in Vietnam

THIGV wrote:

Getting back to Paulanderton's original question, I wonder if you are thinking of the program that lets Viet Kieu import a car duty-free once in a lifetime.  I don't remember the time but there is a limit on age for those vehicles.  It might be around 3-5 years.  I would guess that you could import a true classic car if you were willing to pay the duties, but I guess nobody reading here has done that as we have no firsthand responses.  Too bad.

My wife and I were discussing this ten or more years ago, because before her health went bad, she liked automatic transmissions and hated stick shift. While, I much prefer a stick shift. Anyway, I believe that you are correct that the car had to be less than 4 or 5 years old. To me the big issue would have been maintenance. 

Last time I was in Phan Thiet, they had a really nice Ford Model "T" in a department store window.

70 years old wrote:

Anyway, I believe that you are correct that the car had to be less than 4 or 5 years old. To me the big issue would have been maintenance.

Good point on maintenance.  If you do import a late model car, best to pick both a brand and model that you see on the streets.  That way you can be reasonably assured, as the car gets older, of parts availability and even mechanics' knowledge at dealerships.  So Ford Escape OK, Mustang maybe not, Chevrolet maybe not.  No Saab, Audi, or other of the smaller European brands.  Mercedes OK if comparable to local models, Toyota Camry OK, Sienna van no.

eodmatt wrote:

The Vietnamese don't see to hold grudges though.

I knew two Vietnamese with restored 151's.  One was a young luxury furniture store owner who spent extensive time in the US every year, probably on exports.  I did meet him at his mothers home which was deep in the countryside on a back road in Ben Tre Province which was 100% VC territory.    His had full canvas top and US markings, from the white star to the TP markings over the wheels. The exception was the modern electric winch in front.  He told me that he went off-roading with a club.  The other had been a mechanic for the US Army during the war and lived in my neighborhood which could definitely be described as pro-American both then and now.  His was plain OD and while functional, I think was mostly kept for the memories.

I am sure that if one had a restored Jeep, they could join the club and meet a lot of good local friends.

THIGV wrote:

eodmatt wrote:

The Vietnamese don't see to hold grudges though.

I knew two Vietnamese with restored 151's.  One was a young luxury furniture store owner who spent extensive time in the US every year, probably on exports.  I did meet him at his mothers home which was deep in the countryside on a back road in Ben Tre Province which was 100% VC territory.    His had full canvas top and US markings, from the white star to the TP markings over the wheels. The exception was the modern electric winch in front.  He told me that he went off-roading with a club.  The other had been a mechanic for the US Army during the war and lived in my neighborhood which could definitely be described as pro-American both then and now.  His was plain OD and while functional, I think was mostly kept for the memories.

I am sure that if one had a restored Jeep, they could join the club and meet a lot of good local friends.

As a Jeep owner until yesterday, you are absolutely correct. I sold my jeep that I have owned for many years because of my wife's health. She is bed-ridden and I've almost never driven the jeep over the last few years. We originally bought the jeep because it was useful on our farm.

vndreamer wrote:

so i guess importing a classic ferrari would be out of the question, under normal circumstances? 

If you can afford a classic Ferrari, you can probably afford a team of local lawyers to work out the import details.   

paulanderton wrote:

Is it possible to own and drive a classic car, over 25 years old, in Vietnam.

I believe it is. 

Last July, at the 6th anniversary of Saigon Classic Car Club, a Citroën Traction '53 and quite a number of VW Beetle were among the participants.  Now, I don't know much (or actually, anything) about cars in general, but I do know quite a bit about old VW Beetle (between spouse and me, we owned 5 in our separate pasts, all of them pre- or very early '60s).  I was also acquainted with Citroën, though not the flashy ones at the SCCC, being that my older brothers owned Citroën 2CV when I grew up here. 

Every now and then, I still saw old 2CV (late '50s to early '60s models) in smaller cities across VN.  There are also quite a few Citroën DS 2-door ragtop and 4-door sedan left behind from the diplomatic corp of the late '60s.  These DS in particular, I was fascinated by them and had a notebook in which I jotted down the details of every one I came across.

ETA:  Spouse just reminded me that we saw a convertible Thunderbird '58 the day we visited my  primary school Trần Hưng Đạo.  So, the answer to the OP question is: Definitely yes to own and drive.  To import, I have no idea.

70 years old wrote:

From the standpoint of maintaining a vehicle in Vietnam, I VERY strongly suggest buying a vehicle that is reasonably common in Vietnam. Parts can be very difficult and expensive to obtain and mechanics to maintain your vehicle may be impossible to find if you buy a vehicle that isn't common in Vietnam.

My 2 Xu

Those are the reasons that bringing an exotic would be very difficult.  It could possibly go 10 years before getting a major done, but there is the possibility of getting service in Hong Kong or Singapore.  Just imagine that road trip

bexaminer wrote:

While there may be some truth to your explanation about the surplus Jeeps from the Dept of Defense it's not entirely accurate.  The simple explanation is that the car manufacturers here told the government that selling off surplus vehicles would reduce the number of cars that they would sell thus hurting the auto industry and the economy by extension.   This policy originated right after WWII when there was a huge excess of all types of jeeps and trucks to be gotten rid of.

I have participated in DoD auctions that included 151 jeeps and there was a clear caveat in the sale listing about making them inoperable.  It was generally understood that it was a safety issue.  They were also sold in very large lots and only to certified buyers who could guarantee the destruction.  I was at the auction to buy a CUCV which was basically a Chevy one-ton C-30 single rear tire four wheel drive diesel pickup, and a stopgap before the HUMVEE came out.  There was also a Chevy Blazer unit but I have forgotten the designation.  Unlike prior contracts, the HUMVEE contract with GM definitely included a clause that required destruction.  This was surely an anti-competitive action.  GM came out with the civilian Hummer soon after the military version was introduced.  They sold an identical version for a very short time then moved on to the H1.  I am unaware of any restrictions on selling WWII jeeps (although of course I was an infant at the time.  )   It certainly wasn't applied in Hawaii as the territory was loaded with them for a long time.  I think the economy of the 50's was such that the car companies didn't have to worry.

THIGV wrote:

I was at the auction to buy a CUCV which was basically a Chevy one-ton C-30 single rear tire four wheel drive diesel pickup, and a stopgap before the HUMVEE came out.  There was also a Chevy Blazer unit but I have forgotten the designation.

I have one of these now, extensively modified for off-roading.  Sadly it will stay in the US when I move next week.

SteinNebraska wrote:

THIGV wrote:

I was at the auction to buy a CUCV which was basically a Chevy one-ton C-30 single rear tire four wheel drive diesel pickup, and a stopgap before the HUMVEE came out.  There was also a Chevy Blazer unit but I have forgotten the designation.

I have one of these now, extensively modified for off-roading.  Sadly it will stay in the US when I move next week.

I know how you feel but it really would not be too useful to you in Vietnam.  I am not usually a Chevy fan (Boo to Manchester United  ) but my CUCV had the best off road performance I have ever experienced.  My need was not sporting but farm related.  It had a hand throttle and you could put it in 4 wheel first gear low range and walk your way out of most any bad situation at crawl speed.  Using the throttle instead of the foot pedal meant there were no small power surges that would break traction.  The diesel engine also has much more torque at low RPM than gas.  The Chevy  rear axle limited slip differential is also superior to other manufacturers' so 4 wheel drive was seldom needed while others might be stuck already.