[GORDON ROSE]

Not nice whats happening in the states

Nissan Skyline GT-R s in the USA Blog: The Kaizo Drama Thus Far

 

[*Shane*]

sorry for been stupid but what exactly does kaizo mean ?

 

[MartyV]

@ Shane.
Quick Google comes back at Kaizo is a kit car manufacturer and a way owners thought they could get round the fact the R34 is an illegal import.
I might be getting the wrong end of the stick, but the owners thought they would be smart arses disasembling an R34 GTR for instance out of the country, bringing it over in parts, so it's not registered as a car, but an automotive component, build it back up and register it as a Kaizo Skyline, when infact it's exactly the same as any other R34 GTR in the world. Now they're crying that they got caught and it's unfair, wrong etc etc.

What sort of dumb ass thinks that if they call their car a Kaizo Skyline, not Nissan Skyline and run exactly the same drivetrain/engine etc, means they are not driving an illegal car?

 

[Boosted]

MartyV..........spot on :thumbsup: Serves them right for trying to make a federally banned car, legal. I have no sympathy. They thought they were being clever and would get away with it, but those with the power came and bit them on the arse. :chuckle:

 

[tyndago]

The government hasn't crushed any cars yet that I know of.

The story is fairly long and involved, but the laws are written a certain way, and people are just trying to get something that they want to have.

Even if they actually did wrong, its not much of a crime.

Here in the US once its 25 years old, its exempt from any regulation and can be imported with no issues.

 

[RamRod]

Why is the skyline banned? Surely they can't use the clean air act as an excuse considering the number of big V8's over there? Is this another instance of US restricting any imports to try to protect US industry? Bit like they have done or proposing to do with cheaper imported Chinese tyres?

 

[tyndago]

Why is the skyline banned? Surely they can't use the clean air act as an excuse considering the number of big V8's over there? Is this another instance of US restricting any imports to try to protect US industry? Bit like they have done or proposing to do with cheaper imported Chinese tyres?

First off , its not banned. Its just not allowed. They are not specifically keeping the Nissan Skyline off the road.

The US has Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, and no provisions to bypass them even on a low volume basis.

There are provisions to import cars though a Registered Importer and bring them into standards, but most of the regulations are for vehicles that are substantially similar to a US sold model. Aka Ferraris and Mercedes, etc.

There were Nissan Skylines on the list of approved vehicles, and you can look up Motorex to find an interesting story about them. 0-60 Magazine did a fairly big article on it.

Nissan Skyline GT-R s in the USA Blog: 0-60 Magazine article on the GT-R Scandal

 

[LiamGTR]

Here is hoping they have sold them within 60 days then! Although i'd imagine they won't get half as much with it being a Kaizo ?

Shame they have banned such a nice car for what reasons...

 

[tyndago]

The 60 days is up, and most of the guys that got letters still have their cars.

I am very in the middle of all this, but not much going on with it right now.

And like I said - not banned. They just don't allow it unless you bring it into compliance with FMVSS.

 

[LiamGTR]

and i'm guessing to get it into complaince with the FMVSS is near impossible or else there would be a lot more R34's in the states? Although i'm sre that there is a topic about this so...

Why do they still have their cars if they know they are going to get crushed ?

 

[tyndago]

and i'm guessing to get it into complaince with the FMVSS is near impossible or else there would be a lot more R34's in the states? Although i'm sre that there is a topic about this so...

Why do they still have their cars if they know they are going to get crushed ?

I did compliance with FMVSS when I was at Motorex back in 1999. We got approval VCP-17. Long story short, in 2005 the DOT decided to revoke VCP-17 and only allow 1996 R33. They still allow 1996 R33, so its not all finished, however for 1996 the problem is emissions requirements.

So, as far as getting crushed, nothing is set in stone yet. The feds don't generally crush them, they sell them for EXPORT ONLY.

There is about 50 cars affected by this, some very nice, very expensive R34's. A few R33's, R32's, and some other stuff.

 

[ebola]

... so it time to start shipping gtr's in from the states then? assuming they are still rhd, that is.

 

[tyndago]

Theres only one left hand drive one I know of in the US.

Every other car is right hand drive.

 

[Sub Boy]

Can they just turn them into race cars to save them being crushed?

 

[tyndago]

Can they just turn them into race cars to save them being crushed?

No.

A race car is a purpose built race car in the federal governments eyes. It can not be a converted road car.

We did import two R34 N1 - ex Super Taikyu cars, and got approval for them, but they were built as race cars, and were always race cars.

 

[Multics]

Ahhh the land of the free again, where you can buy shutguns legally but cannot drive an imported car, oh no sir!

 

[*Shane*]

@ Shane.
Quick Google comes back at Kaizo is a kit car manufacturer and a way owners thought they could get round the fact the R34 is an illegal import.
I might be getting the wrong end of the stick, but the owners thought they would be smart arses disasembling an R34 GTR for instance out of the country, bringing it over in parts, so it's not registered as a car, but an automotive component, build it back up and register it as a Kaizo Skyline, when infact it's exactly the same as any other R34 GTR in the world. Now they're crying that they got caught and it's unfair, wrong etc etc.

Thanks for this mate :thumbsup:

 

[Sub Boy]

No.

A race car is a purpose built race car in the federal governments eyes. It can not be a converted road car.

We did import two R34 N1 - ex Super Taikyu cars, and got approval for them, but they were built as race cars, and were always race cars.

Export them to NZ, I'll slap some race car numbers on the side, Ship um back....Job done!:clap::nervous:

....Some of the laws in the US are nutbar, However what these guys were doing was being dodgy....And they've been busted for it:thumbsup:

 

[kismetcapitan]

Ahhh the land of the free again, where you can buy shutguns legally but cannot drive an imported car, oh no sir!

no kidding. While I'm quite proud of being American, after living in a more free society for seven years, I realize that the "freedoms" I enjoy as an American are largely idealistic in nature, or cater to some crazy-ass groups, like freely owning and carrying handguns, or assault rifles.

Since when is an R34 a greater menace to society than semi-automatic weapons?

If only the car enthusiast lobby had the power as the gun enthusiast lobby (National Rifle Association).

 

[tyndago]

Export them to NZ, I'll slap some race car numbers on the side, Ship um back....Job done!:clap::nervous:

....Some of the laws in the US are nutbar, However what these guys were doing was being dodgy....And they've been busted for it:thumbsup:

Not that easy man. I have imported race cars, and you have to prove to real people that they are race cars.

Not something you "call" a race car. You need to take the info, and pictures, and put it in front of a real life person, and explain why this is a race car. They want to see a racing license, information on the series you are racing in. They want to know why it can't be converted to be a street car again.

Vehicle Import: How to Import a race car permanently to the USA