Considering saving my penny's and importing a whole engine from the UK, anyone had any experience with doing so?

Excess costs of transport and whatever are my main concern.

They seem pretty cheap over there, but I don't want to buy an engine and the pay 3 times the price to ship it.

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Nick.

1963 Morris 850... Shell.
1986 Alfa Romeo 33 Quadrifoglio

I bought in a Metro Turbo engine 7 years ago.
I called the place with an engine from a t-boned metro turbo(AU$450), frankly asked them who would they reccomend as a freighter, called them, paid money that end, paid money this end for all the beauracrats to have a look at the engine and then had it delivered full of pine bark and roaches anyway!

about 1500 all up and 8 weeks, but is 7 years ago now.

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

So nowadays they wash the roaches before they give them to you. mk.

Is it better to buy one of the 'New' engines from the UK or a partially used one/original one.

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Nick.

1963 Morris 850... Shell.
1986 Alfa Romeo 33 Quadrifoglio

The metro turbo was a specialised engine, so i went to an effort.

but with 1275's being locally available and also imported by specialists you can buy one reasonably cheap and get the parts to rebuild it cheap as well. All the machining can be done here for about the same price or cheaper. It's still worth looking to the UK for the rebuild parts however as they are cheap, reliable and available 24 hours a day to order 7 days a week and will be on your doorstep in 10 to 14 days.

You're going to pay better than 1500 dollars for freight and customs etcetera, so why would you go to the trouble for dead money. Those UK ads are very pretty to look at though, but you can spend the difference on your engine instead.

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

Buy an engine from a local importer (eg Brickworx or miniimports).
Since they buy in bulk, it works out cheaper all up, even after they get their take.

I'd be speaking to Brickworx as Steve brings over containers full of different items and if you're after something in particular he can keep an eye out for you. As he's doing it reguarly and in bulk his shipping and other costs are also a lot less and you won't have anywhere near the headaches doing it yourself!!

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Brilliant, thanks for the advice guys.

Now I play the money waiting game

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Nick.

1963 Morris 850... Shell.
1986 Alfa Romeo 33 Quadrifoglio

hi there importing costs are quite varied on engines from the uk or elsewhere.
Overseas you are looking at purchase price,cost of cleaning the motor for export,plastic or ispm compliant timber pallet(non compliance will mean goods reexported),packing charges,shipping costs or fob costs(at overseas end),insurance.
Aussie costs are, wharf costs($$$),quarantine fees,(maybe a steam clean if there not happy with the job from o/seas),gst,duty,broker fees,transport fees,and maybe even storage costs if you dont get goods cleared in time.
As you can see there are quite a few charges which if importing only a single engine,will make it an uneconomical exercise,and if second hand in any way shape or form you are taking the word of somebody overseas on its condition,which from experience is worth not much these days.
hope this gives others an idea of the work involved in getting these bits to australia as it quite full on and explains why these bits are so costly. The other reason of course is availiability, as supplies in both the uk and japan are drying up faster than many people realize,as cars havent been built for over 5 years now,and other countries minishops are willing to pay more for the good bits than us aussies.
we were only able to get 15 engines in the shipment that just arrived and even they took 4 months to find from regulars who normally have 20 engines in stock ready to go.