Past Haflinger owner checking in
Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2014 3:00 am
Hi all - I owned two Haflingers in the 1980s in Sydney Australia - both civvie ones and was a member of the owner's club. An orange one with a PTO and a light gray one that even had the folding rear seats. In fact they were my first cars in my early twenties and were my daily drives (though I didn't drive them every day they were my main means of getting around). I will try to track down some photos of them and scan them.
Sadly as I married and had a family they weren't practical to keep but now I'm in my fifties and my fond memories of my Haffies (and thirty-plus years of desiring a 6x6 Pinzgauer) are starting to eat away at me. I want to get back into a Haflinger or ideally a 6x6 Pinzgauer. I wish I had managed to keep at least one of my Haffies.
I have a few questions and am happy to contribute my foggy memories if they are any good.
Is it still possible to road register Haffies and Pinzgauers in NSW? Both mine were road registered, but most I have seen lately seem to have historic registrations. If I can obtain a Haflinger or Pinzgauer as a runner or project, is it a practical proposition to road-register?
I see some lovely looking Pinzgauers for sale in the UK - is shipping an RHD ex-mil Pinzgauer (say a 712M) to Australia a practical proposition (cost and ADR compliance)? I remember Pinnies were rare as hen's teeth in Australia when I owned my Haffies, so what is the best option for owning one these days? Are the 1970s and 1980s models still able to be obtained and kept running, or is it better to look at the newer models? Is conversion from LHD to RHD practical or even desirable these days?
Are there still mechanics experienced with them in NSW? When I had mine, I lived in the same street as a tall, lean bearded Austrian mechanic who owned a couple of Haffies and he was a major source of servicing, parts and repairs. I can't even recall his name at the moment but I recall there weren't many people who knew front from back with Haffies. Whom do people go to these days?
Thanks in advance all for any info!
smith
Sydney, Australia
Sadly as I married and had a family they weren't practical to keep but now I'm in my fifties and my fond memories of my Haffies (and thirty-plus years of desiring a 6x6 Pinzgauer) are starting to eat away at me. I want to get back into a Haflinger or ideally a 6x6 Pinzgauer. I wish I had managed to keep at least one of my Haffies.
I have a few questions and am happy to contribute my foggy memories if they are any good.
Is it still possible to road register Haffies and Pinzgauers in NSW? Both mine were road registered, but most I have seen lately seem to have historic registrations. If I can obtain a Haflinger or Pinzgauer as a runner or project, is it a practical proposition to road-register?
I see some lovely looking Pinzgauers for sale in the UK - is shipping an RHD ex-mil Pinzgauer (say a 712M) to Australia a practical proposition (cost and ADR compliance)? I remember Pinnies were rare as hen's teeth in Australia when I owned my Haffies, so what is the best option for owning one these days? Are the 1970s and 1980s models still able to be obtained and kept running, or is it better to look at the newer models? Is conversion from LHD to RHD practical or even desirable these days?
Are there still mechanics experienced with them in NSW? When I had mine, I lived in the same street as a tall, lean bearded Austrian mechanic who owned a couple of Haffies and he was a major source of servicing, parts and repairs. I can't even recall his name at the moment but I recall there weren't many people who knew front from back with Haffies. Whom do people go to these days?
Thanks in advance all for any info!
smith
Sydney, Australia