Import into Australia - Asbestos Inspection

[4129R]

Could our connections "Downunder" please help me with this problem?

The place where I get all my interior trim done has a De Lorean owned by a pilot from Melbourne. He has had the car completely rebuilt in the UK, but now he says it is too much trouble to ship it to Melbourne as classic car imports now have to be stripped down and inspected for asbestos, and then left in bits for the owner to re-assemble at their expense.

Apparently this rule has just come in.

Rather ironic as the asbestos probably came from Wittenoom in W.A. !!!

I can only think of the following parts which may contain asbestos:-

Brake pads
Brake shoes
Exhaust gaskets
Heat shield over the rear silencer
The bakelite in the brown part of the ashtray.

1) Is this new import requirement true?

2) Can anyone think of any other part of the original car which could contain any asbestos?

3) Would a letter from Lotus listing the parts which contained asbestos limit an inspection to those parts only?

I was thinking they might want to see the head gasket.

All the original parts which contained asbestos were replaced or removed from a car I am taking to W.A. when I retire soon, but quarantine and customs officials in Australia are not to be messed with, rules are rules, and they enforce them rigidly. You cannot take any food into W.A. for fear of fruit fly contamination and other quarantine nightmares. 

Alex in Norfolk, (soon to retire and hopefully emigrate to Oz unless Brexit stops this.)

[Bainford]

Well, that could prove to be a significant for the entire classic car hobby in Oz. In addition to the parts you mentioned, clutch friction discs can contain asbestos, as can any gasket in the car. Also, some electrical components and wiring can contain asbestos insulation or heat resistant parts. And what is the make-up of the mat that forms the firewall on our cars?

I am curious as to how they do the search for asbestos in a classic car. Asbestos can show up almost anywhere, not just heat exposed items. Many paints (though not necessarily auto paints) have asbestos as a filler, as do some composites (fiberglass?), fabrics, cushions, carpets, and non-heat exposed gaskets, etc. These uses may not be common in classic cars, but it does happen and how do you check? A fully proper check for asbestos would be completely invasive and require a full tear-down. In the case of gaskets, the asbestos is perfectly harmless until the gasket is disturbed. In fact, that is true of most asbestos containing products. Paint containing asbestos is perfectly safe until one grinds or removes the paint, at which point the asbestos fibres are released to the air. The real harm comes not from the presence of asbestos, but from disturbing it.

[4129R]

The firewall appears to be fibreboard, fibreglassed in to the body, with some sort of black sheet material, looking a bit like linoleum, glued to the engine side.

The black sheet disappeared during my reconstruction of 4688R, but I know from a 3 day ACM course I did that both lino floor tiles, and the black bitumastic paint holding them down, has ACMs, so add that to the suspects list.

If they wanted to inspect the clutch plate, that would be "inconvenient". 

I cannot think of any electrical component in the Europa that could have ACMs. Normally heat shields for 240v fuses would be the suspects here.

This is what I have found so far:-

https://infrastructure.gov.au/vehicles/imports/asbestos.aspx

https://www.news.com.au/technology/innovation/motoring/australian-border-force-detects-asbestos-in-classic-cars-owners-risk-thousands-of-dollars-in-fines/news-story/558ae57b52f7e995237f6e3193ea62b1

Oh dear, on the list of busts a 1972 Lotus Europa, USA to Adelaide.

[4129R]

http://www.lotuselan.net/forums/lotus-chassis-f36/asbestos-the-fiberglass-body-t39583.html

I was right about the heat shield over he silencer, attached to the luggage box.

Quote from the Elan Forum:-

Thanks for everyone's help. Lotus Cars Limited have advised that:
"they are confident that whilst Asbestos was used in some applications for heat shielding purposes, these would have been separate components , mechanically secured and NOT incorporated into the lamination process for the body itself. To the best of our knowledge, Asbestos has never been used when laminating body shells for any Lotus models."
once again thanks to everyone that helped.

I have just thought of another suspect. What about the distributor cap? Is that bakelite with ACMs?

[4129R]

The reply from Andy Graham at Lotus:-

In response to Asbestos, it was only recently when Australia changed their legislation that people have started asking this question, to which I am sorry to report we do not have the answer.

The engineering drawings were lost, along with the supplier details to be able to contact them to ask them the question (if still trading of course) and people from this era have moved on.

This means that we just do not have any reference material left to call upon to state if any components had Asbestos or not. I am sorry this is not the answer you are hoping for.

I will just have to rely on my instinct, and show receipts for everything that did contain asbestos has been changed.

[StephenH]

Yep, this process and the risks involved are causing a lot of grief in Australia.
Not only for permanent import of cars and components, but also for temporary entry of old racing, rally or otherwise significant cars for events.

You can have the vehicle inspected at origin, but the local authorities don't have to accept that inspection report.
Imagine what the owners of an old Bugatti might think when Import Bob starts drilling holes into various parts so he can check for traces.

My boss was planning on bring two of his 30's era cars out next year for a tour, now he won't accept the risk involved.
Others have already run into exactly what he fears.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-23/vintage-maserati-cars-denied-entry-over-asbestos-testing/9579142
https://www.ferraris-online.com/pages/article.php?reqart=FOC_201707_SS2

[4129R]

Yep, this process and the risks involved are causing a lot of grief in Australia.
Not only for permanent import of cars and components, but also for temporary entry of old racing, rally or otherwise significant cars for events.

You can have the vehicle inspected at origin, but the local authorities don't have to accept that inspection report.
Imagine what the owners of an old Bugatti might think when Import Bob starts drilling holes into various parts so he can check for traces.

My boss was planning on bring two of his 30's era cars out next year for a tour, now he won't accept the risk involved.
Others have already run into exactly what he fears.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-23/vintage-maserati-cars-denied-entry-over-asbestos-testing/9579142
https://www.ferraris-online.com/pages/article.php?reqart=FOC_201707_SS2

Ironic that the asbestos may have come from Wittenoon W.A. It seems they don't want it back !

[4129R]

I will have receipts for every ACM component that has been changed.

That might stop them from trashing the car.

[StephenH]

Unfortunately no certainty on acceptance of documentation.

I have also heard of another case earlier this year with a car coming out for a classic event, the car arrived and was selected for inspection, the owner declined destructive testing and elected to export the car back to origin.
Our local authority initially blocked that as Australia also won't allow export of asbestos, so an inspection and report would be required regardless....
Eventually the car was returned to origin without inspection but after missing the event, incurring storage fees and general grief from officialdom.

[Ian Mat]

Hi Alex, Ive just seen your post and hopefully you've got it sorted by now. For what its worth , I had just purchased a TR 250 from the US when this Asbestos ruling ( which has always been in force ) became highlighted due to I believe , the building of a new hospital in Perth where the builders imported and installed asbestos products through out certain areas. The Government jumped onto this and got the customs to enforce this rule. In my instance the import of the TR was delayed until I could gather enough info to be confident of a way to import the car with surety. I had the car delivered to a mechanic in the US who removed all potential asbestos containing items Clutch , Brakes , Engine and Exhaust gaskets and provided a written report stating this. This went OK and I then imported a Sunbeam Tiger using the same method. All went well , no problems. I am also now informed that it is OK to have a mechanic fit new replacement items as listed , and with a written letter provided which states that all replacement items are asbestos free ,  , that this also will be accepted. As with all things of this nature keep up to speed on the AU Gov web site as things can change.
 Best of luck Ian M.. PS I also have a 74 JPS and I was just scouring the forum for info on the 365 gearbox when I noticed your post.

[4129R]

My son helped put the pipework in the new Perth hospital, and I will be importing the car to Perth when I retire and Brexit is sorted finally.

I will let you know how I get on.

I have changed all the gaskets, the brakes and the clutch lining, and the heat shield over the silencer has been changed for aluminium sheet material or ACM.

Thanks for your help.