Kiwi432

Hi Razor, sorry not to have replied sooner. I had the 432 and GPA out at MOTATs live weekend. What a great couple of days, well organised and run. We did APC rides with the 432 and their M113 from 10.00am til 4.00pm both days nonstop. People were queueing all day. Its great to share the toys with the public. The re-enactors were there and they put on a couple of good shows. Cheers Johnny

Hi Razor, we are located in Auckland. I saw your friends 432 at tank day last year. There were 2 of them there. Im not sure which one made a big impression on the crowd. I havent met either owner yet but hope to in the not to distant future. Cheers Johnny

Hi Doug, Your not bad on picking the location, just a little to far south. We are at Helensville, north west of Auck. Cheers.

That must be nice. To restore a GMC and have it Vined (have a Vin number assigned to it) requires alot of red tape and about NZ$ 1000. It has to be chained down and brakes tested on a modern brake test machine. Certificate of Fitness is required 6 monthly whether it has done any mileage or not. Im not sure what a COF costs but a Jeep costs NZ$40 and I think a truck costs double that. COFs cant be done by your local "tame" garage that may be a bit lenient but by a commercial testing agent who are very tough.

You are right. There are no exceptions made for vintage vehicles. Light vehicles (jeeps etc.) arent so bad but anything heavier has to comply with the rules as though it was a modern commercial vehicle. This is a real issue with trucks as they expect a 60 year old brake systems to perform like a 21st century system. The APC is easier as it doesnt exceed 30 mph and is classed as though it were an earthmoving machine such as a digger etc. working on a road (yes they have to be registered over here).

Hi Adrian, Vehicle registration and a warrant of fitness is required over here. Im about to go through the process. I dont expect to many hassles as all the lights, indicators work on the 432 (thanks again Mark). Cheers Johnny

Thanks for all the posts guys. We are having a blast. In answer to your question Robin, I was looking for a Scorpion or Sabre but was having trouble finding a good one and even with the best exchange rate we have had against the Pound for years it was just going to be too pricey. The 432 had lots of things going for it as an alternative. First it was half the price of a CVRT. Second it was diesel which meant a second mortgage wasnt required to run it. The FV432 seemed to be pretty reliable and not that hard to maintain and best of all I was lucky enough to find a real good one (with spares) that had been owned and maintained by someone who knew what they were doing. More people can ride in and enjoy an APC at any one time so that was a bonus too. Getting the APC here was relatively easy. The vendor had to get an export license your end, which didnt seem too bad apart from the time it took and after that the shipping agent did the rest. The hardest part was handing over the shipping cost (including the 12.5% tax) which was about half the price of the vehicle. Customs and Agriculture cleared it on christmas eve then it was on a truck and home as fast as we could to have a drive. Cheers Johnny

Hi Everyone, The 432 arrived safe and sound in New Zealand on christmas eve. Mark did an awesome job preparing for shipment, everything went like clockwork. We have had a blast getting to know the APC and charging around the farm. The neighbours think Im nuts! Ive got heaps to learn but its going to be alot of fun.

Hi Everyone, thought I would introduce myself. Im the proud owner of a FV432 courtesy of markheliops. Its on the water as we speak. Transport cost was considerable at 1/3 price of the APC. However thats the price we have to pay for living at the other side of the world., There are 3 other 432's down here. The NZ govt. is considering clamping down on military imports so shortly it will be impossible to bring in armour. We had a considerable number of M113's (ex nz army) but they were cut up for scrap and no amount of arguing would change the govts mind. Anyway the excitement is building at the thought of a new toy arriving for christmas. I will post some photos when it arrives. I look forward to talking to you all. Cheers Johnny