# Any truth to the things Ive heard?



## LethalAudio (Feb 12, 2003)

As most people, Ive dreamed of a chance of owning a Skyline. Everyone knows how much I love Nissan and lots of people tell me anytime they see one that stands out around here. Over a period of about 3 months, Ive heard from about 5 different people that there is a Skyline in a garage about 50miles away. I asked all of them that said they seen it if it was street legal and they all said that the guys said all they did was import it and stick a tag on it. That the SC laws didnt require them to do anything but register it as a vehicle. No mods or anything. Im wanting to belive it because I studied some of the SC laws about vehicles a while back and I was shocked at what you could get away with and as most people know, the South is very laid back. We get away with alot here. And another reason I want to believe it is that most every Skyline comes through Cali. Which has the most rediculous set of vehicle laws Ive ever seen. So many restrictions and requirements. 
But does anyone know if there is any validity to this? I doubt there is, but it doesnt hurt to ask, ya know.


----------



## SkaterRacer (Mar 10, 2003)

I've heard of at least one guy skiritng legalization with a pretty creative solution. He had his Skyline's shipped ot Mexico, bought two Maximas, put the VIN numbers of the Maxima on the Skyline, and scrapped the Maxima's. He said that the cars were Maxima's that were made to look like Skylines, and even had a full right hand drive conversion. He lived in the South east as I remember.


----------



## scourge (Feb 27, 2003)

Yes, you can import a Skyline and keep it without legalization. But, you'll have to import it as parts and never drive it. Hardly a fun thing to do...unless maybe you owned an audio shop and used the shell in the store as a demo.

To drive legally, you will HAVE to go through MotoRex. Period. Over. Finshed. End of story. RB Motoring is working on their RI license so Morris intends to be a competitor for them, but it takes time.

As for the Maxima, yeah you can do that. Its rather easy too....for a time. Skylines are becoming more well known and so when people try to skirt the law, word gets around. You do do the illegal VIN swap and drive your car around. I give you less than six months before you get caught though. In the end, the fines you will pay will more than what MotoRex will cost you.

If you insist on driving a JDM car, look into a Silvia, Chaser, hell anything other than a Skyline. You want to play, you are going to have to pay. Blame the US gub'mint for policies protecting domestic automakers.


----------



## niky (Jul 20, 2002)

domestic automakers... like Nissan?


----------



## 87 Stanza in Canada (Aug 5, 2003)

What about getting a Skyline engine here into Canada? I'd like to put it into my 87 Stanza


----------



## scourge (Feb 27, 2003)

An RB eninge in a FWD Stanza? Dude, I know no one...NO ONE ever wants to hear this, but.....just get another car. Its simply not worth it. You would do better to get a 240SX or an Infinit M30 and do the Skyline engine swap. No FWD configuration will work....enless you want to spend more meony that is reasonable of you will lose the streetability of the car.


----------



## Carlito (Aug 13, 2003)

I was under the impression that you could import Skylines older than 12 years or so into Canada legally. You should check it out - you could get yourself a nice R32 GTR!


----------



## scourge (Feb 27, 2003)

Its 15 years and this will start in August of 2004 if you can find an R32 made in August of 1989.


----------



## Carlito (Aug 13, 2003)

OK well that's only a year left to go, then. I still see a few GTR's on the web made in '89.


----------



## TuxedoCartman (May 3, 2003)

niky said:


> *domestic automakers... like Nissan?  *


Ah, yes, but to the government the Nissan corporation and Nissan of North America corporation are two entirely different companies. And Nissan of North America doesn't make Skylines. So your importation of a Skyline hurts the sales of a North American made Sentra, or Mustang, or something. Makes perfect sense.


----------



## niky (Jul 20, 2002)

hehe... every country protects domestic auto factories, even if they're foreign owned, because they provide domestic jobs...

Worst case scenario is Singapore... they have NO auto industry, and logically, their taxes are near 200%... (our country has moderate industry only, and taxes are at 100-150%)...

If you're importing old cars, don't you have to prove "historical value" or some other bullshit?


----------



## LethalAudio (Feb 12, 2003)

OK import guys...tell me this. Is the Skyline the only car that has to be updated to US specs. What if I wanted to import a JDM 180, Silvia, Fairlady, or whatever else there may be. Would I still have to go through the import companies and get them to bring the car up to US specs?
Id love to have a JDM right hand drive car.


----------



## 1990BNR32 (Aug 17, 2003)

LethalAudio said:


> *OK import guys...tell me this. Is the Skyline the only car that has to be updated to US specs. What if I wanted to import a JDM 180, Silvia, Fairlady, or whatever else there may be. Would I still have to go through the import companies and get them to bring the car up to US specs?
> Id love to have a JDM right hand drive car. *


Please do yourself a favor and do some research. You can start here:

www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/import/

And to answer your question, there is not a single RHD car that is legal in the US unless it is over 25 years old, or is a Skyline. NHTSA/DOT maintains a list of vehicles that are eligible for importation here:

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/import/ELIG0521-03.html


----------



## LethalAudio (Feb 12, 2003)

Ah, links...thats what I really wanted...thanks man.


----------



## tyndago (Dec 21, 2002)

I am glad I have educated enough people to answer all these questions for me.


Thank you,


----------



## Slade (Jul 25, 2003)

1990BNR32 said:


> *And to answer your question, there is not a single RHD car that is legal in the US unless it is over 25 years old, or is a Skyline.*


Our mailman drives a RHD Subaru.....


----------



## 1990BNR32 (Aug 17, 2003)

Slade said:


> *Our mailman drives a RHD Subaru..... *


heh, i should've said RHD car made for the Japanese market.


----------



## scourge (Feb 27, 2003)

Well, any car not made for the US market is not street legal in the US, RHD or LHD. Too bad all he Subarus are AT.


----------

