Ok A lot of Questions came up about importing a car in the RHD thread i read. I was seriously into importing a car for a while and have a lot of info on it. One of the Best explainations on this topic are in the june issue of import tuner. So I have added it to a thread and information I have gotten on my own. Basically the cost and laws of importing. THIS IS NOT AS CHEAP AS THEY MAKE IT SOUND. Please read this before you ask alot of Questions about impoorting.

Umm correcty me if i am wrong. Most of you live on the West Coast right. Well Outside of the world know as California the laws are different. Such as where I live you do not have to run a catalytic converter on a street vehicle although it is stongly recomended. I live in West Viginia (hick ville USA) and when we modify a vehicle that changes its power 30% over stock we must have a modified sticker that is a federal law. And this law does not prohibit the amount of driving you can do in your vehicle. I have been reading up alot on converting a vehicle to Rhd it think it is interesting. We dont have a single RHD car around here. If you would pick up the latest issue of import tuner June 2005. You can import a JGTC spec race car and it is totaly legal. AS long as you have a letter from the manufacturer stating that the car was originally built for RACE USE ONLY. But the story is different for a street car. First you must speak with a registered impoter (RI) and make sure this person is on the list of recognized RI's.Then you must check and see if your car is on the NHTSA list. These are the models of cars that can modified to meet the reqiurements To bring into the states (these include all emissions, and safty laws in Cali becuse they are the most strict. Youo ruined it for the rest of us JK). Performing theese modification must meet the Dot and EPA requirments. This often means Headlights, airbags, seatbelts, door bars, and tires.

If the car is not on the list then the car must go though a crash test, a emissions test and a spare just in case. Thats two for crash test, 1 for the emissions testing, and one for yourself plus the spare just in case. But if it not on the list and has an American counterpart, you must prove that the two cars are identical. This is a long process which entails dismantling the car and photographing the differences and submitting a petition to the DOT.

On the downside these conversion processes can cost in excess of $10,000. That would make the Idea of a RHD conversion more appealing now dosnt it. This is the true purpose in the RHD conversion so you dont have to go through all the hassle with the DOT and THe Government. Performing these actions on your car is not illegal where I live. But could be in other states, because of the car having a diferent drivers postion than approved by the goverment. Thus not being able to pass a crash test. Thus making the car illegal and for show use only. But keep this in mind this may only apply to certain states talk to your local police and the DOT for such laws.

 

Duh.

Have you ever shifted with your left hand? Conversions can cost a hell of a lot more than $10,000 dollars. You have to have the front clip including all of the parts. You have to have them installed by someone with good wrenching skills and then the bodywork to make it look good. I easily see this costing mote than 10 grand.
Why do you think the Motorex R34 GTRs are upwards of $90,000? Let the importing kick and the RHD go and buy a car you can afford.

 

ok first the conversion for RHD is not $10000. I have seen front clips on here for sell with all you need for $700. I have asked body shops how much it would cost to do a complete front end swap. Form the firewall forward. They said the process would take 4 weeks and cost aobut $2500. Second Motorex is a rip off. Go to www.j-garage.com talk to yoshi hes a great guy and can tell you all you need to know. If I paid $90,000 for a skyline it better make my coffe and have a supermodel in the passenger seat. Oh by the way I have shifted with my left hand its easier and more fluid. Two words Mini Cooper. If you have looked at conversions costing more than $10,000 dont use the words I wanna make this thing RHD just tell them the frame is bent and you have a front clip that needs put on. Its like if you say modification lets tac on 5gs cause hed never know the difference

 

I stopped reading here because that is bullshit. It is FEDERAL law to run a cat converter on a car, no State can pass a lesser law, although they may pass more restrictive laws, ala California.

Whether or not your state checks or enforces Federal law is one thing, but to say running no cats is legal is just dead wrong, and pretty much shoots any credibility you may have had to ****.

 

Ok, heres the deal go to any mechanic in West Virginia that inspects cars and gives you an inspection sticker. At the bottom of the check list there is an asterisk that clearly That if a car passes an emissions test without a catalytic converter installed that car can be driven daily without a cat. This is a fact in West Virginia cause I am a mechanic in West Virginia. That is why when you go to buy parts out of Summit some of them say may not be legal in california. The Rules are different trust. ALso did you know in Cali a car that is 77 or earlier does not have to run a cat or pass emissions. And is still legal. Besides who cares if I was wrong you didnt read the rest of the thread. It was just a fricken example just cause i can get away with and you cant dont cry.

 

Go get the current Import Tuner magazine. It tells you how to import a car. In the end though, it says you have to end up buying around 5 of the same cars, 1 to import, 2 for crash testing, 1 for stripping apart, and 1 for spare (incase another crash test is required). And they said it would take almost a year, if not more, to finally be able to get it. It's going to be very costly.

 

You will be the one crying when you buy a car, pay to have it imported, get it through customs, start driving it, get pulled over, get the car crushed and receive no money (or sympathy from us) from insurance or the govt....dumbass.

 

Section 203 (a)(3)(A) of the Clean Air Act prohibits removing or disabling any emission control device or element of design installed in a motor vehicle designed to meet federal emissions standards. A repair shop that violates section 203 (a)(3)(A) is subject to a civil penalty of not more than $2,750 with respect to each motor vehicle.

From a letter between the EPA and a customer complaining about an exhaust shop:

"However, we can tell you that it is against Federal law for anyone to remove or tamper with emission control equipment installed by the manufacturer.

It is likely that this is not against Mississippi law, because states generally
do not pass redundant laws when the Federal government has jurisdiction, as EPA does for automotive emission controls outside of California."

 

Thats what is staed in my thead

 

Your helping.. Im dissapointed. I swear iv'e seen about 3 RHD threads in the past month. RHD is hella tight **** yo!

 

i just read that import tuner at work the other day (work at CVS/Pharmacy) informative article, well with that info and batfa.com i could get a 7 over here, eventually

 

I'm thinking 5 more years before the Rx-7 is the new Civic at this rate. Look at the 240sx. NEW DORIFTO CIVIC!

 

The Easy way to import a RX-7 move to canada!!!! we can import any car as long as it's 15 years or older.

 

HELLO....besides the 93-95 models that you already have, you still have to wait another several years before you can even get a JDM RX-7 over here without any problems.

 

isn't the only difference between the JDM FD and the US FD the abscence of a door brace? Seems to me that as long as you can get it to pass emmisions, and can modify the door, that a JDM 7 wouldn't be too hard to modify and submit to the DOT.

you'd be out the cost of a jdm FD, and the time to take it apart along with a US FD, considering the DOT accepts the pettition. what do you think?

 

the way people price american FD id pay for a J spec Fd and the conversions, seeing that the car has an american counter part itd be far less expensive than importing say, a Skyline

 

DP ugh i hate when that happens