Thought some of you might be interested in this news. I just wish I had some cash available to have a go at this. Sounds almost too good to be true. All the parts without the shipping.

What does anybody else think?

> --- Trommeshauser.B@forces.gc.ca wrote:
> > From: Trommeshauser.B@forces.gc.ca
> > To: Removed by TrevorH
> > Subject: Land Rovers- Defenders
> > Date: Tue, 8 Jul 2003 14:40:10 -0400
> >
> > Hello, I am the Supply Officer for Canadian Forces Base
> > Suffield at Medicine
> > Hat Alberta Canada.
> > I am hopeful that you can assist me with the sale of
> > vehicle parts and
> > assemblies.
> >
> > We have been asked to dispose of 150 odd Land Rover
> > vehicles. Some of which
> > are younger than 15 years of age.
> > They are all British Military pattern vehicles. AS
> > Canadian law prohibits
> > us from selling Foreign vehicles younger than 15 years in
> > the Whole state,
> > we are seeking an agent interested in purchasing the
> > parts from these
> > vehicles, less the frame.
> > We are looking at two possible methods of selling the
> > components:
> > a. We disassemble the parts and sell them, or
> > b. We have the agent looking to buy the parts disassemble
> > the items in
> > location.
> >
> > If you know of any company that would be interested in
> > the purchase of these
> > spares plse advise the undersigned. Any assistance in
> > this matter would be
> > greatly appreciated.
> >
> >
> >
> > MWO Bernd Trommeshauser
> > G-4 SUPPLY
> > CFB SUFFIELD
> > 544-4044
> > Trommeshauser.B@forces.gc.ca


Trevorh

thats odd that they dont want the frames.

if someone does this ill take a 300Tdi :D

Pretty standard thing, part out the rigs, cut up the frames. That's better than the US military that cuts up or crushes whole hummers to keep them off the roads.

Sounds like an awesome deal for someone with the time and warehouse storage space!

-John

That sucks big time - why wreck a perfectly good wehicle.

Surely they could sell the chassis as well, just do the minimal amount of cutting, sell them as 'scrap' and anyone who wants to can weld one back together...

That way you could get a whole vehicle, just with a bit of welding and reassembly required...

I'm just trying to figure out how to man a crew to do the disassembly. I'll find storage space.

If it's for real, it could be very attractive.

You'll need to be in Canada though, as you'll be getting whole vehicles that are newer than 25 years.

Hopefully one of the shops in Canada will pick them up. It will be a nice fresh source of newer parts.

Originally posted by PTSchram
I'm just trying to figure out how to man a crew to do the disassembly.

Well, Im available.....

-Jeff

Originally posted by PTSchram
I'm just trying to figure out how to man a crew to do the disassembly. I'll find storage space.

If it's for real, it could be very attractive.

im available too :D

will work for parts :flipoff2:

and no you wouldnt need to be in canada, because if they are keeping the frames then they arent complete vehicles anymore....

Hmm.. I'm just about to be unemployed anyway... I'm thinking road trip to Canada might be just the thing to keep me going for a bit. Anybody know what we'd have to do to bring the parts into the US? Legalities, Taxes, etc?

We could make a bid, I bet they'd pay us to "dispose" of the trucks and the we'd have loads of vehicles and parts to sell.

-John

I would be interested in a Defender body. Everything from the doors forward to the grill.

I'd help with dissassembly too, just depends on when and where.

I haven't been to Canada for a while and am due for some time off...I'd be in...and I could probably get two other guys...

I also have many contacts in the Canadian/US trucking business and can probably arrange for the shipping and import paperwork.

Paul you looking to warehouse these in Indy? It would be a great central location to ship to both coasts from...

Someone should email this guy for more info...

Wonder if you could have someone fab a frame and build 150 kit-car Defenders....wonder what kind of licensing and insurance you would need to do that?

Dave

Originally posted by Rover Addiction
Hmm.. I'm just about to be unemployed anyway... I'm thinking road trip to Canada might be just the thing to keep me going for a bit. Anybody know what we'd have to do to bring the parts into the US? Legalities, Taxes, etc?

We could make a bid, I bet they'd pay us to "dispose" of the trucks and the we'd have loads of vehicles and parts to sell.

-John

I hate to rain on your parade, but:

- These trucks will be sold for profit. There are a few Land-Rover outfits in Canada that will be sending in bids on the lot. The CND govt would sell them for scrap (weight) and make decent money on them, so they are not going to pay to have them removed. Remember, it's a business, so any possible way to have them removed counts. Who says PA Blanchard won't buy them, ship them over and part them out? They should go for decent money.

- The chassis have to be destroyed, most likely. Last time one of these sales came along I wanted to buy a few Iltis's (Iltii?). I backed out when I learned that they drive tanks over them to make sure they're fawked. I'm not sure if this is the case, last time I saw parts from Suffield, the gas tanks were shot full of holes, the frames were broken, and the blocks were de-militarized - with a sledge.

- You'll never get them across the border. US border guards are well aware of what sells for what in the USA. - Pulling in with a triaxle flatbed loaded with vehicles that can't be driven on the road is a recipe for disaster. If you get caught, the vehicles are siezed, and you're SOL - and over your head in debt. The only way would be to have someone in Canada part them out and ship the parts seperately. Shipping parts is no biggie, but half cuts and "incompletes", or vehicles missing engine, etc. is a gray area. I for one wouldn't want to get caught.

- I'd be really surprised if those trucks are bought by someone in the states and legally imported. It would be pretty difficult and a serious headache. If this was to go down, the best thing would be to have everything happen in Canada, then ship parts to the US.

- What needs to happen is someone who lives here, with some time and space, needs to find some investors looking to get excellent return on their investment, and buy all of these trucks, then strip them so the parts can be used to "rebuild" series trucks, etc. The problem is, if the 150 gets split up and there are a lot of vendors with these parts, the market wil be saturated and the prices will drop to shit, so no one will make any money.

Originally posted by HandBuilt
The problem is, if the 150 gets split up and there are a lot of vendors with these parts, the market wil be saturated and the prices will drop to shit, so no one will make any money.

im not in it to make money, i just want parts for me:D

150 vehicles would take a large amout of capital to deal with (shipping alone would be huge). Are these being sold as 1` lot, or are ther multiple lots of 10-20 vehicles. If there are multiple lots, there might be a chance for us, but as 1 lot, well, its a pipe dream. If the origional cerrespondence is valid, it sounds like these are not going through the traditional auction process. Has anyone contacted him? We should have a front man to deal with him, so he isn't alarmed by the interest being taken in is 'dilema'. Maybe Trevor, or Paul could ask him some questions.

-Jeff

IF (that's a big if) one were to put together the right proposal, funding would be easy. The difficult part would be insurance. With the right proposal, one could rent warehouse space in Canada, disassemble the vehicles into component parts (engines/trannies, tubs and seat boxes, wings and front ends) and ship these components into the US sans frames. Customs would be provided with sufficient documentation to support our intentions (funny how big $ loan paperwork and a business plan works for this) and then, we are in the US with a boat load of Defender parts for all of those who wish to build their own... Having an established business with something to lose could also go quite a ways toward ensuring the propriety of one's actions.

My bank will go for the project if I can get insurance, but if you have read my rant in General Chit-Chat you are aware of my problems there...

I'm working on it, but doubt I can put it together in time to meet anyone else's time table.

Depending upon what my bank says, I may try to contact Mr Trommeshauser to see what would be involved. The most difficult part of convincing the bank is placing a value and marketability profile together to support my arguments as to the value of 15 year-old former military British vehicles. Especially as they would almost certainly want to finance this on a 90-day note.

Damned business puts such a damper on a fun way to waste time and $...

Peace,
Paul

Yeah, I re-read the first post and I'm sure they'll at least want to make a profit on them. I also know that we would have to dissassemble them in order to bring them into the US as parts. Also, they'll keep the frames and crush them an then sell them as scrap or some such thing.

However, there's nothing saying we couldn't bring in a load of parts if we could get enough people and $$ together to do the physical disassembly, packaging, and shipping required. Just as Paul said, we could probably build a business around this without a whole lot of trouble. Customs isn't a problem for used vehicle components and the declared value would be quite low for old ex-military components.

As for flooding the market, sure, it'll flood the ex-military market in the US. But wait, there is hardly any market for these old used military parts here, so a few trucks would be enough to flood it. I don't think this stuff will sell that fast, but it would be enough to at least break even and get our parts on the side.

-John

I'll help out any way that I can. Depending on when the vehicles need to be disassembled I could find a way to get there and help with that- given I had a place to stay. I could bring my own tools, which I assume would be needed.

Paul- let me know.

Well, the bank is questioning my sanity over this one...

Cost of transporting to the US.

Cost of housing and feeding a crew to do the disassembly

Paying said crew to do the job

Obtaining insurance for the crew, transportation, storage and liability after sale of said parts (keep in mind I have been having a very difficult time obtaining garagekeeper's insurance due to "Assembly" of vehicles for off-road use)

Cost of warehousing parts until they sell

Cost of advertising parts for sale

And, this is coming from the bank that has bankrolled every one of my other ventures and is funding my current venture.

Many have PMd me expressing interest (thank you). If I can swing it with the bank (I will have to be able to quit my day job to make it work so the benefits have to be there), I'll be contacting all of you. Upon successful shipment to the US and Indiana in particular, you can bet I'll be buying a yellow star-if the bank can be convinced...

If I can swing it, tools, etc. will be provided, along with room and board. You can see how it will be expensive any way it is done.

Damned business degree, I should have stuck with Chemistry.

Still thinking,
Paul

When you make contact with Bernd Trommeshauser, I would discuss the possibility of room and board for your crew (Adam, John , & I). There is a real possibility that they have a rate they charge contractors while doing work on the base. I would also clarify which location(s) these vehicles are at. New Foundland or NW Territories could send costs through the roof.

That being said, imagine what you could do with 150 leaking power steering boxes!:flipoff2:

-Jeff

Thinking about it logistically, I would estimate that with proper air tools and total disregard for things like wiring and hoses, a two-man team could disassemble a Defender into its major components in roughly 5 hours. Or, one man could disassemble one Defender in one workday.

With 150 trucks, that would take one man 150 days, but if there were tentatively four of us working, it would take 38 days. That is still a long period of time.

To make the operation as efficient and profitable as possible, I would think that a team of roughly 10 men would be ideal, as then all work could be completed in roughly two weeks, give or take a few days.

I, personally, would not want much in the way of compensation to complete the work so long as I was given a selection of parts to take home with me when work was completed. Depending on the cost of the vehicles to purchase, this could work out favorably or infavorably for the major investor (in this instance Paul I assume).

As far as lodging and meals go, a tent and Ramen Noodles/Dinty Moore would be sufficient given that the compensation (with parts as the currency) was adequate.

OK fellas. I finished a proposal with somewhat similar attributes last night and we crunched some numbers and it really does not look good for our heroes, but I'm not out yet.

Has anyone contacted the gentleman indicated in the original e-mail to determine the genuine nature of the offer?

I will be e-mailing today and will try to contact by telephone (most likely on Monday) to discuss further if it does in fact turn out to be genuine.

It's a big job with limited chances for real economic success.

Back up top.

Does anyone know if these ever got sold this way. I know they sold a bunch off in September from CFB Suffield.

Another 50 on the block tomorrow:

Auction of ex-MOD Defenders (http://www.publicauctionservices.com/members/publicSalePreview.jsp;jsessionid=aMWd_itWQBQa?even tid=3853)

Originally posted by JSBriggs
When you make contact with Bernd Trommeshauser, I would discuss the possibility of room and board for your crew (Adam, John , & I). There is a real possibility that they have a rate they charge contractors while doing work on the base. I would also clarify which location(s) these vehicles are at. New Foundland or NW Territories could send costs through the roof.



I live 3 hours from Medicine Hat. It's one of the bigger cities in Alberta. There should be absolutely no problem finding cheapo accomodations, temporary storage place or trucking services there. Medicine Hat is only 2 hours from the Montana border and the highways are good.

When I inquired, I was informed the auction company would be doing the disassembly and palletizing. I lost interest at that point, in spite of having the finaning arranged.

Anybody want to go to Sodbury with the Hoosier bunch in April? Four of us are planning to go.

How much do trucks such as these typically sell for at an auction like this one?

I'd be interested in going if the prices are right.

Went to the auction today to have a looksy. There were around 30 vehicles. Surprisingly mostly LHD. About 1/2 were is quite good condition. Didn't have time to see what they went for. From what I heard in the past around $3000 to $6000 Canadian.

See this one in the parking lot. Nobody I know. More money than I've got...
http://members.shaw.ca/red90/adessa1.JPG

New Engine??:
http://members.shaw.ca/red90/adessa2.JPG

Some shots of the ones for sale:
http://members.shaw.ca/red90/adessa3.JPG

http://members.shaw.ca/red90/adessa4.JPG

Oh yah, sorry no TDIs all 1986 to 1988 model years.