Skyline Importing

[TxSamurai]

Does anyone know how to make a Skyline street legal for America, what is it that MOTOREX does excactly? I know they did crash tests, but so what, doesn`t someone in Japan have crash test data? O.K. so they put more foam in the bumper and translate warning labels, big deal. Brownie points for coolness who ever finds out how to make a Skyline U.S. legal for Texas.

[GRiDRaceTech]

First, we need to know what state you want to import to.

[TxSamurai]

Texas

[GRiDRaceTech]

Texas only requires that the paperwork be done, I'm guessing. You would have to request a new United States title.

As far as I know, California is the only state in the Union to require that an imported car both pass stringent smog tests and crash tests.

[DONKEY_WEAR]

i noe that in cali they have to reinforce the doors and they have to be made to pass smog sooo a few cats will go on there! ummmm there is a rumor goin around that motorex is gonna go outta business cuz the government crackeddown on them cuz they werent reinforcing the doors or putting cats on it...but that what i heard

[ChokudoriS13]

First of all, they're not going to let you know what they did. That would be foolish, since they spent lots of money to figure out exactly what needs to be done. Among those things are:

1. DOT-approved window glass
2. headlight dip converted from LHD to RHD
3. side impact beams
4. 5-mph bumpers
5. MPH gauge cluster conversion

The cars had to go through federal crash tests to be approved under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) code. EPA lab time (not cheap) was needed for federal EPA pollution guideline tests (as well as addition of smog equipment). If you think its easy, go try to figure out how to wire a car for OBD II that never had it in the first place.

The standards these cars have been converted to are not California standards, but are mandated by the NHTSA and the DOT, both Federal agencies. Motorex is the only RI for the Skyline. Even if you had all the paperwork for converting the car, you would not be able to do it... Only a licensed Registered Importer can convert a gray market vehicle to US specs and receive a US replacement VIN. You can't do it in your own garage.

You have two options... Either find some way to buy a Skyline from Motorex (job, lottery, bank robbery, crack dealing, etc.) or move somewhere where they are cheap and plentiful, i.e. Japan (where someone I know just picked up an R32 GTS Type M for $900 at auction).

The choice is yours.

[Feint]

Work visa about to expire? Stationed? Or the company is sending you back home? If you want a Skyline,your better off staying in Japan.

[TxSamurai]

Originally posted by Feint
Work visa about to expire? Stationed? Or the company is sending you back home? If you want a Skyline,your better off staying in Japan.

No, a friend of mine here in Japan is the part of the custom car project and development team here at Autobacs and we are starting a business

[TxSamurai]

OH *Censored**Censored**Censored**Censored* I just remembered. My old neighbor backhome who collects z cars was also the Texas State Representative and his wife is the County Clerk. Thanks guys. Still keep the info coming if you find out anything.

[TxSamurai]

Originally posted by ChokudoriS13
First of all, they're not going to let you know what they did. That would be foolish, since they spent lots of money to figure out exactly what needs to be done. Among those things are:

1. DOT-approved window glass
2. headlight dip converted from LHD to RHD
3. side impact beams
4. 5-mph bumpers
5. MPH gauge cluster conversion

The cars had to go through federal crash tests to be approved under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) code. EPA lab time (not cheap) was needed for federal EPA pollution guideline tests (as well as addition of smog equipment). If you think its easy, go try to figure out how to wire a car for OBD II that never had it in the first place.

The standards these cars have been converted to are not California standards, but are mandated by the NHTSA and the DOT, both Federal agencies. Motorex is the only RI for the Skyline. Even if you had all the paperwork for converting the car, you would not be able to do it... Only a licensed Registered Importer can convert a gray market vehicle to US specs and receive a US replacement VIN. You can't do it in your own garage.

You have two options... Either find some way to buy a Skyline from Motorex (job, lottery, bank robbery, crack dealing, etc.) or move somewhere where they are cheap and plentiful, i.e. Japan (where someone I know just picked up an R32 GTS Type M for $900 at auction).

The choice is yours.

Well yes honey of course they are not going to tell me that is their only sustainable competitive advantage. Hey nice website by the way I have a shop here ( In Japan) that can do it. So far Chokudori is winning the coolness game.

[NismomanR34]

actually i know some of u all think its great getting a skyline from Japan which is great but in the long run it can run u bout $60,000 to about $80,000 which is better than the motorex price of about $95,000 cuz if u wanna import one from japan the legalization process runs about $30,000 for the R34. But a guy I kno his homeboy bought an R34 with about 60-70,000 miles on it for the low, low price of $18,000 in AUSTRAILIA! Even with the full import prce it would only cost 48-50,000 max.

[ChokudoriS13]

Originally posted by TxSamurai
Well yes honey of course they are not going to tell me that is their only sustainable competitive advantage. Hey nice website by the way I have a shop here ( In Japan) that can do it. So far Chokudori is winning the coolness game.

Was that sarcasm? Because I really do want to win a game, whatever it may be... The coolness game sounds good ...

Yeah, the site is non-functional at the moment. All the content is there, just inaccessible from the front page... Try http://www.youatemybreakfast.com/images .

[Ghost of Duluth]

It also depends an where you live. I'll bet money, I could take an R-34 and get it registered here in Knoxville. It's really not that hard. I have seen cars registered from Japan down here and all they did was apply for a title, have the sheriff come and inspect the vehicle and voila, Legal for the road. Saw that done with a Soarer. So it can be done. That car did not have door re-inforcements, smog or anything else done to it. And all of this was done in a town no more than 15 miles from Atlanta. Like I said, it all depends on where you live. If you live in the land of the free, like I do, where we are free from the Smog Nazis and their emissions tests, it’s a lot easier to do. If you live in the land of the EPA oppressed, where the emissions stranglehold is choking the very life out of performance modifications, then odds are you might have better luck pooping out a million bucks. Plus it also depends on what year Skyline you want. The old school ones can be brought in with no mods whatsoever. Simply say “red Rover, Red Rover, send Skyline right over”```

[tyndago]

Misinformation - and lots of it in here.

Importation of vehicles is governed by the federal government. The federal government first , and then your local state , and other agencies have juristriction.

The vehicles when imported must meet Customs , DOT , and EPA standards.

A little bit of information -

http://www.mirageautosports.com/GTR/Importation.html

[tyndago]

Re: Skyline Importing

Originally posted by TxSamurai
Does anyone know how to make a Skyline street legal for America, what is it that MOTOREX does excactly? I know they did crash tests, but so what, doesn`t someone in Japan have crash test data?

The vehicles were modified in order to meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.

The vehicles must be modified to be exactly the same as the Motorex modified vehicles in order to be able to be DOT approved.

The Japanese crash test data is of little importance.