So around the corner from me theres a stealthy shop with 6 or 7 Skyline GT-R's in various states of assembly, being built for a gray-market importer in Orlando. Sometimes you see em being test driven around here, first time I saw one I nearly crashed my xB

Anyway, if dudes can get crazy RHD cars from Japan over here like Skylines, how come no one has nabbed a minty Open Deck, taken the engine out and brought em over here to be reassembled? I think it needs to be done people. Who's gonna be the first?

 

im no expert on the costs of importing vehicles, but all said and done I wouldnt doubt an imported bb/opendeck would top out over 30 grand! that being said, there are plenty of people with too much money on their hands, I would love to see it happen. If I saw a GT-R on teh street I would involuntarily expel several bodily fluids!

 

There are a few around. Guess just not enough demand for them. I heard they sell at auction over there for under 5 grand. There is suppossed to be a place in FL that buys them and imports them and reassembles them for you.

 

Yep, the place that builds em around the corner from me

You'd think tho with all the interest in bB's and the whole JDM scene that there would be at least one Open Deck over here.

 

where in FL is this place? maybe they can import other shiz from japan

 

supposedly there is this guy in my city (louisville) who is in the process of importing one.

 

Because they're not worth importing.

 

i see an R33 usually cruising Orlando.

 

I saw a RHD 5th gen blue hatch driving North on John Young north of the 408. I'm ashamed to admit my boss noticed it and of course, I then had to check it out.

 

It gets very expensive to import cars from other markets. IIRC, it'll run you between 15-30,000 on top of buying and transporting the car here. Then there's also a lot of restrictions on what can be imported, especially if it's RHD. If there's a similar vehicle that is substantially the same already available, then it becomes even harder

In the long run, it'd probably be cheaper to modify an xB and then you'd be even more unique!

 

Are you sure about that?

It's my understanding that if you take the engine out and then import it to reassemble here it can be registered as a "kit car", which makes it way cheaper.

Also, RHD would give ya major JDM cred

 

Do a Google search on importing a Japanese car. If it were so easy, why don't we see RHD cars all over the place? Do you think this is the first time somebody's gotten the idea to bring some JDM only car over? Heck, it's not even the first time on this site and how many do you see? And I've seen people that have spent lots more than that kinda $$$$ on their Scions, so I don't think it's just a $$ problem.

IMO, your best bet is to join the Armed Services and get stationed in Japan...

 

i was going to bring a BB back from japan but its very complicated and expensive.
open decks just don't look that good in person to me, but if you want one it would probably be easier to just have the back cut off your xb.

 

Most of the RHD cars I've seen here in the states (other than the odd Rolls or other Brit car) are ex-USPS machines. I used to see a RHD Rambler with a big dog sitting in what *should* be the drivers seat running around Auburn in the '70's.

I suspect importing the rear body off a wrecked OD from Japan, and doing a cut and paste with a US Scion xB would be the simplest, easiest, least expensive way to get a "US Market OD."

Now THAT would be unique... :D

 

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/...LIG081905.html