GT-4 Import to US Options

[cardshark525]

I searched the site for a while and didn't find a topic about it so... if I was interested in importing a GT-4 to the United States as opposed to simply swapping a 3sgte engine into a GT or ST what would I need to do (besides obviously buy the car and bring it here). I am aware of the cost to bring something like that overseas however I have a few questions.
#1 Would the car be street legal?
-With the car being right hand drive and probably from the UK would it be road legal?
#2 If not what would I need to do to make it road legal?
-Simple as emissions checks or complete conversion to LHD?

Obviously the money isn't there right now, however just a thought for the future...

[soulshadow]

Go to this link: Importing a 6GC
It will show you all you need.

[cardshark525]

Thank you for linking me to the search engine which I had already used and found nothing.

[Akimbo]

No.

[cheela]

LOL!

[Nyczroflz]

No.

hahahaha theres your answer, thread completed

[njccmd2002]

Thank you for linking me to the search engine which I had already used and found nothing.

wow it did work for me.

type +gt4 +importing +customs (type it with plus signs)

http://www.6gc.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=3216

http://www.6gc.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=35328

http://www.6gc.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=8389

the only reason many people here posted in a way like it seems not helpful is because you will have to wait another 10 years to be able to import it. So better start saving.

By that time, most people will lose interest, and cars will be older.

So to basically everybody has seen this thread come up so many times... you would not believe it.

The search engine has a feature that by putting the + by the word, it brings those specific words combinations

GL.

[cardshark525]

Thank you for linking me to the search engine which I had already used and found nothing.

wow it did work for me.

type +gt4 +importing +customs (type it with plus signs)

http://www.6gc.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=3216

http://www.6gc.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=35328

http://www.6gc.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=8389

the only reason many people here posted in a way like it seems not helpful is because you will have to wait another 10 years to be able to import it. So better start saving.

By that time, most people will lose interest, and cars will be older.

So to basically everybody has seen this thread come up so many times... you would not believe it.

The search engine has a feature that by putting the + by the word, it brings those specific words combinations

GL.

Thank you for actually giving me the specific and direct answer I was looking for. I had assumed the question had been asked before however didn't immediately find a thread for it.
I was asking because that is one of my two favorite cars (the other being a 1998 Royal Sapphire Pearl Supra), and the route that my career will take me in 10 years I will be able to afford both, however the restriction lies with the GT-4. I was unclear whether its simply because of RHD or because it simply suffers from the same syndrome the R-34 Skyline does.
Thank you for the answer and I appreciate it.

To the others, I'm sorry about this since you've seen it before, I'm new to the site, looked around, and figured that this would be the best place to ask the question.

[soulshadow]

I've been thinking, why not go over to japan. Find yourself a Nice GT-4 and take it apart jotting down where this and that goes untill all you have is a shell. Then once you have just the shell with nothing on it. Send it back to the US. When they check it, its pretty much just a heap of metal along with parts here and there. Im sure you can get away with it and then back to the states assemble it again. Then go to the local DMV and register a different celica such as your current one same color ect and bam Drive your GT-4 everyday. When the cops pull you over its a celica and you can tell people that you did a RHD conversion on it. Of course this only works if you have tons of money and the time to kill since I doubt anyone of you are willing to spend a month over seas taking a car apart and then shipping it back over. Might as well just ship yourself with the shell.

[cardshark525]

Sounds like your on to something. lol. It would also be a great way to get to know the car in detail inside and out and you could write the book on gt4's and their parts and repair.
A little ridiculous but still a valid solution to the problem of getting them here.

[yarik83]

anything improbable is always possible. We all talk about how impossible it is to import a gt4 to united states. Yes and no. No because probability of you successfully doing it is very very very low due to us customs. Yes because there are car import agencies who, for the right price will import it for you. Dont ask me how because I dont know. All I do know is that for the price of using such agency you can probably buy yourself 3 celicas and swap 3sgtes into each with lots of money to spend on body work etc. Last time I checked price for such imported beauty was something like 25K.

[GriffGirl]

I think that Lil Joe is actually in the process of doing this for when he's stationed back from Okinawa. He posted some good info on how to do this too... IIRC it involved chopping the car up and importing it in pieces as a kit, and reassembling it stateside. As to it's street legal-ness, I have no idea. Personally, as much as I love our cars, I don't think that the time and excessive expense is worth it. I know that's blasphemous, but it's true. For the same $$ or less you can get a faster AWD turbo car w/less miles on it. That's just my opinion though. If you're rolling in cash and have the determination, know-how and resources, why not?

[soulshadow]

Subaru = end of story.

[blu94gt]

Subaru = end of story.

I hate to say it but as a former WRX owner this statement is true. For the money you'd spend getting a GT4 stateside you could buy yourself an STi or Evo with plenty of goodies that will outperform the Celica by a longshot. I'd love a GT4 as well, but it's just not going to happen. If you really want the speed and look then either turbocharge your 5sfe, swap a 3sgte, get the GT4 front end, and just run FWD and possibly get a limited slip setup to manage the power. There's plenty of turbo FWD cars out there and they're plenty of fun to drive.

Or just buy a ST165 or ST185 and call it good, plenty of those around.

[GriffGirl]

I'd take a WRX any old day. But then lately I'm just feeling disenchanted by my Celica

[Jeunesse]

go to Canada and import it here, register it here and drive it to the US with a canadian plate and registration. That I guess is the simplest solution to all.

[block]

couldn't you take a registered car from canada and make change it to US registration? i was thinking about moving up there for a year and buying a gtfour and taking it down with me to the states. i've been talking to an importer and they told me they could ship the shell and motor separately but i'd have to reinstall everything for about 12k or so. but there are so many things from it. and i certainly dont want to pay any frickin' penalties.

[Jeunesse]

come on... a trip to the north once a year to renew registration is worth it for driving a gt4.

[block]

i dont know. just looking for possibilities

This post has been edited by block: Jan 22, 2009 - 8:30 AM

[TRD-Corolla]

you guys know doc.tweak can convert your 6gc to awd for like 10k or something, he posted it in here a long time ago.

This post has been edited by TRD-Corolla: Jan 22, 2009 - 9:16 AM

[Jeunesse]

yea but that's totally different from a GT4

[bccentaur3]

go to alltrac.net theres one for sale in Canada for 12,000. The guy is willing to drop it off at the border. But I heard that as long as the car has been owned by a canadian you can bring it into the US. Lets say a gt-four was a fresh import and you wanted to pick it up and bring it across the borders. You wouldn't be able to, because it isn't used by a canadian. But lets say someone in Canada buys it and decided to sell it, you can bring it over since it was already used.

[block]

will you liar!

This post has been edited by block: Jan 22, 2009 - 10:58 PM

[Celicia]

Just come to the UK.. not too many restrictions here.. you will be able to purchase and drive a GT4 anytime you want US is very inferior to other countries when it comes to import cars.. they strip the cars down of performance.. so they can make their mustangs look better than they really are. pretty lame if you ask me

[ZenAutoworks]

go to alltrac.net theres one for sale in Canada for 12,000. The guy is willing to drop it off at the border. But I heard that as long as the car has been owned by a canadian you can bring it into the US. Lets say a gt-four was a fresh import and you wanted to pick it up and bring it across the borders. You wouldn't be able to, because it isn't used by a canadian. But lets say someone in Canada buys it and decided to sell it, you can bring it over since it was already used.

The caution point is the history of the car is well documented. Canadian and US VINs are longer than the Japanese Chassis Codes. To register a Japanese import in Canada, the Japanese Chassis Code is entered in place of the VIN with the governement. This will be an obvious tip-off to the American customs agent and they WILL decline entry of the vehicle.

Any individual vehicle younger than 25 years can legally be imported into the US from Canada only if that exact vehicle was originally manufactured for Canada.

The option is always open to move up here .... we have a lot of room

This post has been edited by ZenAutoworks: Jan 28, 2009 - 4:10 PM

[KAOS]

I've been thinking, why not go over to japan. Find yourself a Nice GT-4 and take it apart jotting down where this and that goes untill all you have is a shell. Then once you have just the shell with nothing on it. Send it back to the US. When they check it, its pretty much just a heap of metal along with parts here and there. Im sure you can get away with it and then back to the states assemble it again. Then go to the local DMV and register a different celica such as your current one same color ect and bam Drive your GT-4 everyday. When the cops pull you over its a celica and you can tell people that you did a RHD conversion on it. Of course this only works if you have tons of money and the time to kill since I doubt anyone of you are willing to spend a month over seas taking a car apart and then shipping it back over. Might as well just ship yourself with the shell.

Dude - it would be easier to move to Canada and import the car, as it is LEGAL in Canada this year to import 1994 vehicles.

(PS YAY FOR US)

[bccentaur3]

I can't speak French. I'm screwed. I have a cousin in Toronto. Lets say I pay him to buy the car. Would he be able to drive the car across the borders?

[Jeunesse]

I don't speak french either and I'm in Toronto. He should be able to drive the car to the border no problem. Will the car be under his name or yours? coz if your's then there might be a problem registering it. I think Canadian law states that you should be a resident before you can register your car here. not sure...

[ZenAutoworks]

Yes, you have to be a resident to register a vehicle in Canada.

Our border crossings log each and every vehicle that cross the border in both directions. You will have no issues crossing the border but they will flag the car after it has not crossed back into Canada. This is one reason they always ask you how long you will be in the US.

Risky venture as you don't want a nice 205 seized.

[azian_advanced]

it makes you wonder how there are several gt-fours in the US...

[ZenAutoworks]

chop chop?

[Smaay]

i have been think about this for a while. why cant we bering in a GT4 as an off road use only car? it doesent have to be registered if its a off road use only!

[ZenAutoworks]

If you declare the vehicle as "Off Road / Track Use" only, you can legally import any vehicle into the US.

I believe the VIN is then recorded as such and will never be eligible for road use?

[chacha]

what about transporting the vehicle in a freight by train...instead of driving it...i know paper work will be involve as to what is being transported...but can canadians sell cars to US people? I really want a gt-four not chop up or dismantled...

[95st-celica]

theres defentially a way to do it...theres a guy that lives not to far from me who has an imported RHD GT-4...i am supposed to go down and talk to him so when i do i'll ask him how he went about doing it....i would just find someone up in canada that i can trust...hand them 12k and tell them to buy a gt-4 and then transfer everything over to me and drive it down...that seems to be the easiest way. Say you live in canada and you own a GT-4, you now want to move into the states and bring your car with you...im sure you can, and im sure you can register it here as well. theres ways of doing it, its just a matter of who you know.

[lagos]

I love how these threads pop up all the time, and yet there have been awd 6th gens for sale on this forum in the past and no one was quick to buy them.

[azian_advanced]

for anyone who is desperate to get one (or any JDM RHD car for that matter), JapanPartner.com offers:

1. DIRECT ACCESS TO ALL AUCTIONS IN JAPAN
2. RO/RO AND CONTAINER SHIPPING SERVICE TO OVER 67 countries on all continents
3. FULL CONTAINER LOADING SERVICE ( 4 x 40 FT HC container per day )
4. FULL DISMANTLING SERVIVE ( DISMANTLING FOR RE-ASSAMBLE )
5. FULL PAINTING AND TUNNING SERVICE
6. FULL STEERING CONVERSION SERVICE FROM RIGHT TO LEFT HAND SIDE
7. FULL SUPPORT WITH PARTS FOR EVERY CUSTOMER WHO BOUGHT A CAR FROM US.
8. FULL FLEXIBILITY : WE ARE HAPPY TO HEAR WHAT YOU REQUIRE, HOW CAN WE ADJUST
TO MEET YOUR NEEDS, WE ARE OPEN FOR NEGOTIATION.

^copy & pasted from an e-mail i got from them



so it's possible to at least own one... just not legally drive one..

[block]

I love how these threads pop up all the time, and yet there have been awd 6th gens for sale on this forum in the past and no one was quick to buy them.

well...the problem is that they want 16-18k, which is out of anyones range unless you're rich and money isn't a problem. money wasn't the problem for me. it was more about securing, finding parts, and insuring it. i was super interested in that red one that was selling a while back but backed out because i had no place to put it. i would have to fix my garage and other misc crap. if it does pop up for sale again, it's mine

[99GT]

They'll end up being 13-15k after everything said and done anyways haha.

[m0dd3d1]

Here's what I've found so far with just a simple Google search. Also, you can check out the NHTSA site for their RI regulations and whatnot...I can't seem to pull up the PDF at work. Keep this thread going...if you find any info, please update!

[blu94gt]

They'll end up being 13-15k after everything said and done anyways haha.

If you get off lucky. The ones for $16-18k have been deals. pretty much what you would spend importing one by any of these methods. When you see these cars for sale outside of the country for $6k you aren't going to get it here for that lol