I had never seen this (see attachment)... this is the govt. document on GTS/GTR's coming here and what was/is conformed.
Here is the link to all of the documents (insert "5507" and click "search" to find the documents) involved with the petition as well:http://dms.dot.gov/search/searchResultsSimple.cfm
What it takes to get one in? Here ya go...
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rbsileighty
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Eikon
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Re: (AZhitman)
If you are interested.. here is what I know about the topic...
I spent entirely too many hours researching this topic about a year ago.
Here is the short story on importing (legally) Skyline GTR-GT, etc...
In 2000, JK Motors of Baltimore, MD. (contracted through Motorex) completed a pettition to request legal import of Skyline's into the US. They contended that the Skyline is similar enough to a 300zx to qualify for import. The request was granted by the US DOT as long as all the proper steps and conversions and safety issues were completed as researched in the pettition.
That made it legal for Motorex to import Skylines. There are over 600 pages that detail the findings of JK and the steps needed to convert a skyline legally into the US. About 550 of those pages are published in the link that you provided above. One of the biggest parts of this research was in crash testing. They hired MGA Research Corporation to do those crash tests and to help them analyze what modifications are required to reach US crash test standards.
When filing these findings with their petition, JK and Moterex basically applied for copywrite protection on some of the details that are more vital or expensive to duplicate. In the gov't responses you will find "a pending request for confidentiality has been filed with NHTSA's Office of Cheif Council under 49 CFR part 5 12.
By obtaining this "copywrite", they basically are saying that if you want to import a Skyline legally, you need to perform the same crash testing and submit your own petition to import. Oh and by the way.. you have to be a RI (Registered Importer) already to be able to even begin that process.
This dude Adnan Mohsen, who obviously hasn't done a ton of research, filed a petition to the NHTSA stating,
"Recently registered to this site, and now am currently wondering what is the policy to importation of the nissan skyline into America. I am actually thinking about purchasing one but wish to first understand the legalities if there are any before trying to import it here. NHTSA-1999-5507-7. this is the web site I am preparing to purchase from, http://www.skylineamerica.net/...e.htm wish to know are they a legal vendor for these imports. "
Unfortunately even stupid questions have to be logged and filed if they are submitted properly to the Docket. Since the NHTSA didn't reply to him, clearly they agree that if he had read a little more he would know that he can't import a Sklyine simply because Motorex is allowed to.
Adnan clearly didn't get the picture when he submitted his first request in January of this year. So, he resubmitted in May.
Then again in June he submitted the following... "I am still waiting for responses to my question posed back in May of 2005, I would please like to know the open lagalities of importing a Nissan GTR/GT. RI (Registered Importers) have all given me the same answer every time i have question the exact legalities of importation and LEGAL operation on the open road in the United States (particularly Illinois). Are Nissan GTR's legal to drive on open road in America,or not?
If NOT question, i would like to know why, because docket 5507 has openly verified the findings of JK motors, that Skylines are Substantially Similar to U.S. manufactured vehicle from 1990-1999. If they have already been approved for importation, they must also be approved for open road driving use (atleast with a capped mileage restriction in a 12 month period of time). After the verdict for legaly importing Nissan GTR's/GT's given on year 2000, it has been five years since there has been any kind of verdict to whether open road usage is within the bare minimum of legal restrictions. I repeat again, do we still require Motorex of Industry California to actually legalize Nissan GTR's/GT's or can we bypass that and actually purchase a Nissan GTR/GT (converted through any of the RI's here in the United States, including unrestricted trade zones i.e. florida).
Thank You for any reply
Adnan Mohsen "
He still hasn't gotten any response because he isn't asking the right questions.
So, unless you spend big dollars to become a RI or contract with an RI to figure out how to use the crash test data to modify Skylines to meet US safety requirements, you will not be able to legally import a skyline.
Now give Adnan some credit for asking questions.. but he should have been digging more into the legality of this confidentiality... NHTSA's Office of Cheif Council under 49 CFR part 5 12. If you could put together a case to challange this confidentiality and require that this information is shared with the public, then you would be getting somewhere.
Since I am rambling on...
What are some other ways of importing Skylines... I don't have the answers, but I will pose the questions for the sake of conversation. Many of these ideas have already been discussed in this forum.
1.) Get an RI to import (as detailed above)2.) Import from Canada? Canada has a law that states that after 15 years, vehicles are exempt from importation safety requirements. If they can get the car in Canada and get a title, can we then bring it into the US from Canada?3.) Take apart and put back together. There are a couple different theories on this one. One is companies that import to Florida... contract with a buyer, then send to the Bahamas, take apart the car, bring back to Florida import as parts, then reassemble in Florida and title as "remanufactured". Another is the more simple version of just getting all the parts and reassembling as "kit car". What are the milage and resale restrictions for "kit cars"?
Anyhow... I went through a phase where I thought I was smart enough to figure out how to import a Skyline. That day has passed. Now I am smart enough to know that I can't import a Skyline unless I pay big bucks for it.
Another topic.... Is Motorex still in business? I have heard rumblings and rumors they they are doing bad things and have law suits pending and/or might already be out of business.
OK.. I'm done.
I spent entirely too many hours researching this topic about a year ago.
Here is the short story on importing (legally) Skyline GTR-GT, etc...
In 2000, JK Motors of Baltimore, MD. (contracted through Motorex) completed a pettition to request legal import of Skyline's into the US. They contended that the Skyline is similar enough to a 300zx to qualify for import. The request was granted by the US DOT as long as all the proper steps and conversions and safety issues were completed as researched in the pettition.
That made it legal for Motorex to import Skylines. There are over 600 pages that detail the findings of JK and the steps needed to convert a skyline legally into the US. About 550 of those pages are published in the link that you provided above. One of the biggest parts of this research was in crash testing. They hired MGA Research Corporation to do those crash tests and to help them analyze what modifications are required to reach US crash test standards.
When filing these findings with their petition, JK and Moterex basically applied for copywrite protection on some of the details that are more vital or expensive to duplicate. In the gov't responses you will find "a pending request for confidentiality has been filed with NHTSA's Office of Cheif Council under 49 CFR part 5 12.
By obtaining this "copywrite", they basically are saying that if you want to import a Skyline legally, you need to perform the same crash testing and submit your own petition to import. Oh and by the way.. you have to be a RI (Registered Importer) already to be able to even begin that process.
This dude Adnan Mohsen, who obviously hasn't done a ton of research, filed a petition to the NHTSA stating,
"Recently registered to this site, and now am currently wondering what is the policy to importation of the nissan skyline into America. I am actually thinking about purchasing one but wish to first understand the legalities if there are any before trying to import it here. NHTSA-1999-5507-7. this is the web site I am preparing to purchase from, http://www.skylineamerica.net/...e.htm wish to know are they a legal vendor for these imports. "
Unfortunately even stupid questions have to be logged and filed if they are submitted properly to the Docket. Since the NHTSA didn't reply to him, clearly they agree that if he had read a little more he would know that he can't import a Sklyine simply because Motorex is allowed to.
Adnan clearly didn't get the picture when he submitted his first request in January of this year. So, he resubmitted in May.
Then again in June he submitted the following... "I am still waiting for responses to my question posed back in May of 2005, I would please like to know the open lagalities of importing a Nissan GTR/GT. RI (Registered Importers) have all given me the same answer every time i have question the exact legalities of importation and LEGAL operation on the open road in the United States (particularly Illinois). Are Nissan GTR's legal to drive on open road in America,or not?
If NOT question, i would like to know why, because docket 5507 has openly verified the findings of JK motors, that Skylines are Substantially Similar to U.S. manufactured vehicle from 1990-1999. If they have already been approved for importation, they must also be approved for open road driving use (atleast with a capped mileage restriction in a 12 month period of time). After the verdict for legaly importing Nissan GTR's/GT's given on year 2000, it has been five years since there has been any kind of verdict to whether open road usage is within the bare minimum of legal restrictions. I repeat again, do we still require Motorex of Industry California to actually legalize Nissan GTR's/GT's or can we bypass that and actually purchase a Nissan GTR/GT (converted through any of the RI's here in the United States, including unrestricted trade zones i.e. florida).
Thank You for any reply
Adnan Mohsen "
He still hasn't gotten any response because he isn't asking the right questions.
So, unless you spend big dollars to become a RI or contract with an RI to figure out how to use the crash test data to modify Skylines to meet US safety requirements, you will not be able to legally import a skyline.
Now give Adnan some credit for asking questions.. but he should have been digging more into the legality of this confidentiality... NHTSA's Office of Cheif Council under 49 CFR part 5 12. If you could put together a case to challange this confidentiality and require that this information is shared with the public, then you would be getting somewhere.
Since I am rambling on...
What are some other ways of importing Skylines... I don't have the answers, but I will pose the questions for the sake of conversation. Many of these ideas have already been discussed in this forum.
1.) Get an RI to import (as detailed above)2.) Import from Canada? Canada has a law that states that after 15 years, vehicles are exempt from importation safety requirements. If they can get the car in Canada and get a title, can we then bring it into the US from Canada?3.) Take apart and put back together. There are a couple different theories on this one. One is companies that import to Florida... contract with a buyer, then send to the Bahamas, take apart the car, bring back to Florida import as parts, then reassemble in Florida and title as "remanufactured". Another is the more simple version of just getting all the parts and reassembling as "kit car". What are the milage and resale restrictions for "kit cars"?
Anyhow... I went through a phase where I thought I was smart enough to figure out how to import a Skyline. That day has passed. Now I am smart enough to know that I can't import a Skyline unless I pay big bucks for it.
Another topic.... Is Motorex still in business? I have heard rumblings and rumors they they are doing bad things and have law suits pending and/or might already be out of business.
OK.. I'm done.
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AZhitman
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Re: (Eikon)
Well-said. That's it, in a nutshell.Eikon wrote:Anyhow... I went through a phase where I thought I was smart enough to figure out how to import a Skyline. That day has passed. Now I am smart enough to know that I can't import a Skyline unless I pay big bucks for it.
Some folks are still circumventing the law and pulling the "disassemble/reassemble" thing, which is problematic - if the intent of bringing parts over is to reassemble into a functional vehicle, it's prohibited. If the reassembled car is registered as a "kit car", it must not have been manufactured ANYWHERE in the world for sale to the general public in reasonable quantities, so that's out too.
Regardless, it still happens.
Bottom line is, it ain't legal. Argue all you want, email me, call me names, tell me I'm wrong.... but it ani't legal. Period.
That "uber-JDM" Skyline will cause you to have an ulcer - You'll always be looking over your shoulder (as it can be impounded and crushed without compensation or warning at any time). It will never be fully insurable (unless you lie to your insurance company), so you gotta worry about wrecking it. Lastly, if you hit someone with it, OR if you are injured in an accident in it, you can count on an attorney picking you to pieces, your health insurance company can deny your claims, etc....
Just not worth it.
Re: (AZhitman)
Not entirely true. It can be impounded and crushed at your expense!AZhitman wrote:You'll always be looking over your shoulder (as it can be impounded and crushed without compensation or warning at any time).
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HashiriyaS14
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Re: (AZhitman)
Only if you're set on one of those fancy-schmancy new ones, and who wants one of those anyway?AZhitman wrote:Just not worth it.
These are perfectly legal, if they're registered as a historic:
Sure, the S20-equipped GT-R's are like $60k++, but the L28b-equipped versions are only about $10,000 in excellent condition. There's also the bonus that the L28 was an engine sold in the US with a big backing here, which can't be said for any other engine in the Skyline lineup until the modern-day VQ35.
Viva Hakosuka!