On a recent trip to Danmark my SWIMBO spent some time with her Uncle, who is a Fiat dealer. Fiats are very popular there as most Danes don't want to drive a Swedish car, because... ew. Anyhoo... she spent much of the trip teasing me with photos of cars I couldn't have. Very fun, we get along.
I notice in the background of one of the pics a Fiat Dobló with a tray.
Want. Very much want.
Now the Dobló is available in the states, as the RAM Promaster City, but only as a Van.
When I was in college I worked as a delivery driver for an auto parts store and I had one of these as a delivery vehicle. I loved it. It did everything that was asked of it without compaint. I want one, but I want that tray.
So the question is, since the vehicle is available here under a different name is it possible to import one that is less than 25 years old?
Its RHD because Danmark has their E36 M3 together, it's the same cab so the crash test should be the same, if I can get the same drivetrain then the emissions should be the same. It should be ok, right?
I know there is a company that sneaks Monaro utes in using the titles from wrecked GTOs so I know it is possible.
You can do it easy enough but you would always be at risk of it getting crushed.
Legalest way to do it would be to get a back cut shipped to you and have a competant body shop merge them together, keep the USA engine, VIN, dash, Vin tag on B pillar, etc.
For some reason it won't let me go back and edit the post, i miss typed. It is Left Hand Drive.
As for ordering a cut and grafting it onto a promaster, yeah, I could do that but I specifically want to avoid doing that.
I recently fell down this rabbit hole as well.
Chevy Tornado
In for a solution, but not holding my breath.
In reply to AClockworkGarage :
are you talking about the company that builds utes and stuff out of pontiac g8s?
In reply to camopaint0707 :
Who was later found to not be legal at all and was basically vin swapping them with legal G8s. Yeah shady as a magnolia tree.
I don't think it's worth the chance. Even though they may look the same, there may be any number of components on the Doblo that are different than what is used on the RAM, that haven't been approved by the US EPA or DOT. Also, when you go to register it at your local DMV, they'll type in the VIN and their computer will spit it back out as 'not found' or something similar.
If you were ambitious and have the skills, you could maybe source a partial body clip from a Danish salvage yard and then merge that with a US Spec Ram, but that would be a ton of work.
In this video the guy says to change his Pontiac G8 to a Holden Ute required a State of Indiana Body Transfer Affidavid which is an RV designation for hanging a new box out back an then renaming the new creation. As an example, a Ford Econoline gets a new box out back and is then relabeled and retitled as a Travelco Windjammer.
I would suspect you start with a US Promaster City. You get a Fiat Truck version shipped to the US or at least the rear half. You keep the firewall and thereby the VIN of the Promaster but you change what is out back.
This is still an Astro Van, although customized. Yours would still be a Promaster City, just customized.
But, to have one here, I think youre going to have to build one here from a US model base. Just having driver brought in from Denmark will not be registerable.
This one of the few pictures I could find that shows the rear wall bulkhead and some of the bed.
Good vidoe in this euro sale ad https://www.poultonvans.co.uk/usedvan/drp6042/fiat-2021-doblo-16v-ss-euro-6-105bhp-6-speed-work-up-78-dropside-pick-up-only-24105-miles-very-rare-model-ulez-compliant-/
A cute sort of stepside thing going on:
Is it 15 years old? Import it to Canada and wait? Or insure it in Canada and drive it to the states? Tho Dustin Worles did that with a Ford Mondeo and had some issues with border crossing so YMMV.
Or in true shady tacompton fashion you import the Doblo, buy a promaster and swap VIN plates.
The 3500 is available both as a cutaway and a cab chassis.
Isn't there some kind of military exemption where an overseas service member is allowed to bring one car?
reaching here.... short of sketchy vin tags or cutting one in half, not sure what else would be legal.
I think it would be easier to convince our government to get rid of that ridiculous 25 year rule - and so far that's been impossible!
