Importing a R33 or R34 from Japan?
06-11-2008, 10:57 AM
#1
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Importing a R33 or R34 from Japan?
I've searched some, but the info conflicts with each other, some say the R34 and R33 importation is illegal, and some say it's perfectly fine.
So could someone please provide me with info on what kind of things I would have to do to import either a R33 or R34 skyline and legalize it to use on the streets??
( And how much it would cost, if this is common import, etc )
Also what 'bout this site for the cars: http://www.tradecarview.com/
It says it's about $2000 to import a R33 skyline to the US.
Any info would be appreciated!!!!
So could someone please provide me with info on what kind of things I would have to do to import either a R33 or R34 skyline and legalize it to use on the streets??
( And how much it would cost, if this is common import, etc )
Also what 'bout this site for the cars: http://www.tradecarview.com/
It says it's about $2000 to import a R33 skyline to the US.
Any info would be appreciated!!!!
06-11-2008, 11:39 AM
#3
goddammit.
it doesn't matter what forum i'm on there is always someone who asks one of two questions?
"how do i import a rhd something or other"
or
"i'm planning on building some ridiculous custom car and i swear on a stack of bibles that I am totally qualified but i just have one question that completely reveals that I am in no way capable of doing this. what's worse is I think this is a totally original idea."
anyway you seem like a nice guy so here goes...
no. you can't import an r34 or r33 for legal road use in America.
"but i saw some guy driving one/ i heard you can register them as a kit car/ etc etc"
well, the simple fact of the matter is that you can not have either of those cars in America for legal use on the road. period. unless you go through the long process to make it legal.
every car that gets sold in America has to be approved for safety and emissions. the emissions part is self explanatory but the safety part is a bit more complicated. you have to satisfy safety requirements and certain safety tests.
America has different requirements for glass thickness, headlight position, bumper size, etc etc etc. so even if you could bring an r34 over here and it would pass all of the crash tests and they could determine beyond a reasonable doubt that the occupants in the car would be just as safe as an American car, it does not mean that it lives up to the safety requirements. you see what i mean? if they say you need glass that is x thick, then that is what you have to have. maybe the skyline meets those requirements already but it is very unlikely.
so then after you get all of the emissions and safety equipment required, they then have to crash test close to a dozen cars. so you have to volunteer all of the cars needed to do that.
if you can meet all of these requirements you will be able to import the vehicle and drive it around with no problem. that should only cost you about a millions bucks.
a small price to pay for god's own chariot, the skyline GTR.
now, this is the part where you say "what about motorex, the company that got skylines legalized for importation"?
well, the problem is that they didn't. lol. they paid all of the money to get r32 skylines legalized. now anyone who is willing to go through the conversion process to meet the safety and emissions requirements (but they dont have to do the crash testing and so forth) will be bale to drive around in an r32.
but since the r33 and r34's are totally different cars they do not apply. this didnt stop motorex. they illegally brought r34's into america and claimed they were r32's. they got busted. the owner went to prison.
the only exception to these rules is for cars of historical significance and other such technicalities. So if you bought Hitler's car, or the f1 car that won x race in 1988 and you made them street legal in the sense that they have lights and blinkers and such, then you can drive them around and are exempted from having to get them crash tested.
now, if you amend your question to say "how do i illegally import an r34 and not get caught" that's a horse of a different color. ;-)
it doesn't matter what forum i'm on there is always someone who asks one of two questions?
"how do i import a rhd something or other"
or
"i'm planning on building some ridiculous custom car and i swear on a stack of bibles that I am totally qualified but i just have one question that completely reveals that I am in no way capable of doing this. what's worse is I think this is a totally original idea."
anyway you seem like a nice guy so here goes...
no. you can't import an r34 or r33 for legal road use in America.
"but i saw some guy driving one/ i heard you can register them as a kit car/ etc etc"
well, the simple fact of the matter is that you can not have either of those cars in America for legal use on the road. period. unless you go through the long process to make it legal.
every car that gets sold in America has to be approved for safety and emissions. the emissions part is self explanatory but the safety part is a bit more complicated. you have to satisfy safety requirements and certain safety tests.
America has different requirements for glass thickness, headlight position, bumper size, etc etc etc. so even if you could bring an r34 over here and it would pass all of the crash tests and they could determine beyond a reasonable doubt that the occupants in the car would be just as safe as an American car, it does not mean that it lives up to the safety requirements. you see what i mean? if they say you need glass that is x thick, then that is what you have to have. maybe the skyline meets those requirements already but it is very unlikely.
so then after you get all of the emissions and safety equipment required, they then have to crash test close to a dozen cars. so you have to volunteer all of the cars needed to do that.
if you can meet all of these requirements you will be able to import the vehicle and drive it around with no problem. that should only cost you about a millions bucks.
a small price to pay for god's own chariot, the skyline GTR.
now, this is the part where you say "what about motorex, the company that got skylines legalized for importation"?
well, the problem is that they didn't. lol. they paid all of the money to get r32 skylines legalized. now anyone who is willing to go through the conversion process to meet the safety and emissions requirements (but they dont have to do the crash testing and so forth) will be bale to drive around in an r32.
but since the r33 and r34's are totally different cars they do not apply. this didnt stop motorex. they illegally brought r34's into america and claimed they were r32's. they got busted. the owner went to prison.
the only exception to these rules is for cars of historical significance and other such technicalities. So if you bought Hitler's car, or the f1 car that won x race in 1988 and you made them street legal in the sense that they have lights and blinkers and such, then you can drive them around and are exempted from having to get them crash tested.
now, if you amend your question to say "how do i illegally import an r34 and not get caught" that's a horse of a different color. ;-)
06-11-2008, 11:41 AM
#4
Originally Posted by medicalstudent,Jun 11 2008, 11:12 AM
it's all up to customs, what their mood is that day, and who you know 
just because the 50 year old lady sitting behind the desk hands you a license plate and a registration sticker doesn't mean that it is legally registered.
06-11-2008, 01:15 PM
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Hmm. Thanks for the info. Now, I'm sorry if I'm badly mistaken, but I thought Motorex legalized the R33 Skyline NOT the R32? That's what I've been reading.
Also, what about a car that has been produced and sold here in the US, and to be more specific the FD3S RX7?? Or the Supra?
Also, what about a car that has been produced and sold here in the US, and to be more specific the FD3S RX7?? Or the Supra?
06-11-2008, 02:16 PM
#7
i may have goofed the details. it may have been the r33, but either way they got one cleared but not the other and tried pulling a fast one.
now, if you want to start discussing the best ways to illegally do this i can point you in the right direction.
the main thing you have to consider is that you could likely drive a rocket powered skateboard around and if a cop was ever curious enough to pull you over and you flash him a "valid" registration sticker, he probably wouldn't know better and assume you knew something he didn't.
this is very similar to driving around without a catalytic converter. the law clearly states that your car must have a cat and pass emissions to be road legal but even in the places where the have emissions inspection requirements (other than cali as their cops seem to be more educated on how to spot illegal mods) the cop won't go any further than checking for a valid inspection sticker. If you have one of those then you he won't think anything of it. meanwhile you are shitting lung cancer out the back of your tail pipe.
they clearly state that you can't drive such a car but they don't really have much in place to deal with it. lol.
the trick is getting around the few people that can stop you and it's not that tricky.
to answer your questions about cars that are sold in both countries, it makes the scam easier to pull but they are subject to the same rules. even if they look identical there is a good chance that they use different glass, headlights, etc.
most of it is pretty lame and i am sure that there are issues beyond safety and emissions involved such as protecting us businesses from us importing cars rather than buying here but i'm only speculating.
now, if you want to start discussing the best ways to illegally do this i can point you in the right direction.
the main thing you have to consider is that you could likely drive a rocket powered skateboard around and if a cop was ever curious enough to pull you over and you flash him a "valid" registration sticker, he probably wouldn't know better and assume you knew something he didn't.
this is very similar to driving around without a catalytic converter. the law clearly states that your car must have a cat and pass emissions to be road legal but even in the places where the have emissions inspection requirements (other than cali as their cops seem to be more educated on how to spot illegal mods) the cop won't go any further than checking for a valid inspection sticker. If you have one of those then you he won't think anything of it. meanwhile you are shitting lung cancer out the back of your tail pipe.
they clearly state that you can't drive such a car but they don't really have much in place to deal with it. lol.
the trick is getting around the few people that can stop you and it's not that tricky.
to answer your questions about cars that are sold in both countries, it makes the scam easier to pull but they are subject to the same rules. even if they look identical there is a good chance that they use different glass, headlights, etc.
most of it is pretty lame and i am sure that there are issues beyond safety and emissions involved such as protecting us businesses from us importing cars rather than buying here but i'm only speculating.
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06-11-2008, 04:05 PM
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ok guys here is the only legal way to do it atm. I live in Japan and hear this question every day.Its not cheap or easy but it is legal.
http://www.kaizoindustries.com/uni/
http://www.kaizoindustries.com/uni/
06-11-2008, 05:06 PM
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It was the R33 that Motorex legalized. The R32's and R34's that motorex had for customers were "Grandfathered" after the scandal that caused Motorex to go under. There are only a handful of federally legal skylines in the US and are way overpriced. As someone said earlier, the only skyline you can "legally" import is the R33. I researched this when I was in Japan. It isn't worth the headache and money......... (unless you have money burning holes in your pockets.)