I wish toyota would make one. Replace the 2AZ with a 3SGTE (the one used in the ST205 GT4 was making 244hp, and I'm sure they could safely make more from the factory), give it a 6 speed transmission, AWD, replace the glass top with a fixed one, and accomplish some form of weight reduction to offset the added weight from the AWD.

 

yea ...

-Dan

 

On a similar topic, my brother is planning on importing a 99 JDM GT4. Getting over to Japan and buying one will be easy, but he's not sure the best way to bring it into the US. Apparently some people have been able to bring them through Canada. I suggested shipping it into Mexico, and VIN Swapping it with his current Celica GT, but he wants to keep it as legal as possible and be able to insure it. Any suggestions?

 

if all this was done, it wouldnt b a tc anymore

 

Well, by that rationale, a Celica All Trac or Celica GT4 isn't really a Celica either.

 

I've driven a 96 Celica GT4 from Japan. All I can say is #*%#%^# that was pretty damn fast. I used the "oh ____" handle when the owner gunned it.

 

i thought that you were talking about the grand turismo game when i saw the title...and that the have the tC in it....lol

 

I did some research on importing Skylines for a friend. The most legal way I have found to do it is to have it tore apart over there. Take out engine, remove suspension, take the shell off the chassis and ship it over here in seperate boxes. Then, you can assemble the car here in the good ole' U.S. of A as a kit car and liscense it accordingly. There is a lot of talk about doing stuff like that and other tricks to importing JDM cars in Skyline forums. Good luck.

 

I agree that would be great! However, you will have taken an easy going, well-rounded, easy to drive sport coupe and turned it into an enthusiast type of ride. Can anyone say last generation Celica?????? It would be doomed from the start as far as sales are concerned.

But......it would be a HELL OF A LOT OF FUN!!!!!!

 

Is this, a joke?

You want to make our 17,000 econo sports coupe [Ironic already] into an AWD car, with 6 gears, and 244 HP? Scion is a Mono-Trim company, so good luck with that. They arent expanding the line up either, especially not for a car that would cost upwards of 24,000

 

it would be nice though.

 

With the importing of the cars. ANYONE can import any car they want. I am in the military and have lived overseas for 5 years . I have plenty of friends who have moved skylines, supras, Gto's, rx7's around the world.
It all depends on how you want it imported. You can go to japan, buy a skyline and pay $900 to have it shipped to the states, and pick it up at port with a flatbed trailer. You wont be able to license it or drive it on the streets, but it could be used as an auto cross car as long as its trucked to the locations. As far as being able to license it. To do it legal, it would have to be imported through a company or dealer and have the required items changed and a vin issued. This costs alot.
But, if the car is over 20 yrds old, ANY car can be imported as a classic. A friend just bough a mini back to the states and registered as a classic. So if your willing to go oldschool skyline, you can have one legally.
If your just looking to have a skyline in the gaurage, that is easy as well.
We are trying to move to Japan soon. IF i can do so, I am going to start a small Import business of JDM parts. I did this in europe with euro tailights, seats, badges, gauges, plates and all.

 

You are one slick fella.

 

its amazing the wanna be Euro lovers who will pay $100 for a set of clear side markers for a GTI, when at a junk yard they cost about $2.

 

I didn't think that importing a car as a classic worked in the US. I know in Canada, if the car is something like 10-15 years old, you can import it like that. But I thought the US wouldn't do that.

 

Yup the US does it. 20yrs is the cut off. All rules go out the window as far as safety and all. I should have done this if I had of known. The last guy I saw do it, imported an old school minincooper. He bought it for $1000. And was just offered $12000 for it.
http://www.buyclassiccars.com/import.asp

This website says 25 years, but I am almost positive its 20 years.

 

oh damn it...no video game wit our car yet!

 

It is 25 years old to be DOT & EPA exempt, I know because I just imported some Vespa's to the US from Thailand and had to do the research

 

I completely admit I know little no nothing about celicas..... I never even looked at a car forum till I bought my tC.
Anyhow, at work I hang out with some guys that all drive subi's, and one asked today if it was possible to take the parts from a gt4 and switch them out with a tC's to make it an all wheel drive car? I told him I had no idea nor have I heard anyone on ScionLife even bring it up. So I thought I'd ask if this would be a possibility or if it could never happen.

 

turbo awd 2 door compacts are so 1980s lol.
a tC GT4 would still be slower than a lancer evo and sti.