Importing Spirit R idea if money was no problem...
 

If I had tons of money and did this, would it be legal?

Buy 93-95 USDM FD roller for cheap, strip it to just the chassis/frame.

Buy Spirit R in Japan or Australia or wherever

Ship the empty frame there and transfer all the Spirit R parts into it

Ship the completed car back to the US, register it as a 93-95.

? Well?

It would make more sense to just ship all of the Spirit R parts to you where you put the parts on. Why ship a USDM car then ship it back?

It seems foolish to ship a car twice.


If you just transfer the parts and make it RHD using the USDM chassis it should be "legal".

Oh god not another I WANT TO IMPORT thread...

Hypothetical or not, hasn't this been discussed enough?

Search...

No it has not!!!!:)

I guess not. :lol:

https://www.rx7club.com/attachment.p...1&d=1339772989

Hahaha ^

hahaha I've read them all, been here long enough. Besides, it's not a "I want to import" thread, it's a "would it be legal to do this" thread. And I just wanted to see new comments and entertaining posts so far it has been a success!

I rather ship the empty chassis (1 part) have it sit next to the donor Spirit R in the shop to have the parts swapped carefully and properly with no risk of them getting lost or damaged in transit. Then ship the completed car back.

It's much more convenient and safe than shipping all the parts including hood/doors/hatch, etc. even if it costs more. Remember, in this hypothesis money is no issue.

Pretty much a +1 on everything RenesisFD said. However, I do understand the shipping as a whole concept.

I don't really understand why you would do it though. Short of touting that you have a Spirit R, what is the real point. If you are looking for a mint car, a low mileage FD can be bought in the US. If you want power, you can easily build a 4-500whp single turbo FD on pump with no issues.

I absolutely don't understand the want for JDM cars....

Because if money was no issue then it doesn't need to have a point. Just because it can be done, or because newer car instead of older car or as a collectible in it's original form as the last RX-7 built or just to take it to shows, or whatever.

As far as it being legal, yes.... a USDM, RHD converted car is legal. That was outlined in one of the other 42 threads....

No point = lounge material......

Technically it's not a rhd conversion though, it's a new-car-in-old-chassis-so-it-can-be-registered conversion.

And if we never created new threads because someone already did then there wouldn't be new single turbo conversion threads, or engine swap threads, or in our forum basically no new threads at all because on RX-7's someone somewhere already did it anyway. :)

Why would you want a Spirit R? A LHD replica is terrible and a waste of time.

unless it's 3rd gen specific :nod:

??? who's talking LHD? it's a complete parts swap into an empty US chassis.

wait, you have a replica no? i'm confused with you comment, sarcasm? haha

Assuming you have to follow the rules of the US, short answer, it would not be legal. Could you get away with it? Maybe, depending on what type of inspections you have to go through.

To actually be legal you would have to keep the USDM long block with all emissions and stock ECU.
Lights (headlights, taillights, turn signals) would need US DOT markings.
Would need to keep all US crash structures (bumper, door crash beams, etc.)
Things like the hood, rear hatch, rear wing, wheels, interior should all be legal to swap, with the possible exceptions of seats/seatbelts.
Not sure about bumper covers; I think as long as the underlying crash beams are intact it should be okay.

Now realistically, the only thing that an inspector would notice would be the engine.

Step 1- cut Spirit R in half.

Step 2- legally import both halves.

Step 3- carefully transfer all the parts from your Spirit R front and rear cuts to USDM FD.

Step 4- realize that though it is still illegal to put DOT parts on USDM FD at least you have succeeded in destroying 1 Spirit R and 1 USDM FD and found a way to illegally register 1 modified car that is neither of the aforementioned cars.

:icon_tup:

+1

If anyone doubts this, feel free to call the NHTSA and ask for yourself.

NHTSA Import and Certification Division: (202) 366-5291

The whole "kit car" route doesn't work either:

The Federal EPA has also stated:

Unfortunately a 1996+ 13B-REW is not the same as a 1993-1995 13B-REW.

Is it legal to import a JDM motor? Of course. But it's not legal to use most JDM motors in a USDM chassis on public roads.

Read up: http://www.epa.gov/oms/imports/documents/420b11015.pdf

Here's the EPA form you have to fill out when importing a motor http://www.epa.gov/oms/imports/documents/3520-1.pdf

The only way you can import a car/motor from another country & install it in a USDM chasis is if:
1) code B - U.S. certified - unmodified vehicle bearing a U.S. EPA emission control label in the engine compartment
2) code EE - identical in all material respects to a U.S. certified version, with proof (e.g. a letter from manufacturer's U.S. representative on letterhead stating that the vehicle is identical to a U.S. EPA certified version with respect to emissions.
3) code E - vehicle is at least 21 years old and in original unmodified configuration
4) code L - racing vehicle as determined by the EPA and may not be registered or licensed for use on or operated on public roads or highways.

Anyone running a JDM motor (whether it be a 13B, or 20B) got their motor because they (or someone else) filled out this form when importing the motor. There is nothing illegal about importing the motor - however they do break the law the minute they install the motor into a USDM chassis that is registered and driven on the street.

Whether or not they get caught is another story...but most people assume they'll never get caught or they don't know what they're doing is illegal in the first place.

I've heard some guys try to claim that their JDM swap is legal...they've convinced themselves of that, but to date I have yet to see anyone post any sort of documents or letters from the NHTSA or EPA saying it's a-okay. :lol:


ALL THAT BEING SAID... Can you do as you described in post #1? Yes of course. Will it be legal on state & federal levels? Not likely. Will you ever get caught? That's for you to decide.

As I read through the OP's initial post these were my thoughts.....^

if the usdm chassis to be used is currently registered then after all the spirit r parts are swapped it doesn't need to go through inspection does it?

now, from theorie's post above then all 13B cosmo and 20B swaps and replacement jdm motor swaps are illegal? what about LSx or 1jz, 2jz swaps, illegal as well? Reman motors other than factory remans? 4-rotors? PFC or any other non factory ECU?

single turbo conversions and emission elimination illegal?

so basically most of us are driving illegally registered cars?

as I understand, the only way to be fully legal is to be 100% stock or modded only with carb approved parts, right?

If money was no object, you'd have to pay well over $100k because the DOT, NHTSA, or US Customs will want to wreck 3 or 4 cars.

One for head on, one for side impact, and one for rear impact and maybe one for an angled collision.

Then they'll have to analyze the data collected and have you make the modifications of what they want done to make the car safe and legal.

Not to mention they might have to make you have the car meet certain emissions regulations.

Oh and all the changes need to be performed by a Registered Importer, NOT you.

Thats the general gyst of what needs to be done as far as what I can remember

If you have tons of money, anything is legal.

Depends on your local regulations. Here in California we don't have any regular safety inspections, but we do have smog checks that perform a visual inspection and verify the function of the emissions equipment. Other places have annual safety inspections (to verify that all lights work, etc.) but no smog checks.

Any engine (US or JDM) that is exactly the same as one that was certified to USDM specs is okay. An engine that was never imported to the US is not certified for operation here, and is illegal. This is year dependent, but there were often differences between USDM and JDM engines (for example the presence of EGR) that would technically make a JDM engine illegal. For rotaries I believe the short blocks were always the same, so using a JDM shortblock with USDM manifolds, emissions controls, and ECU should be fine. 20Bs, 4-rotors, and non-factory ECUs are all illegal. Remans of USDM engines are fine. LSx, 1jz, 2jz etc. are all fine as long as they are USDM engines and all original emissions equipment from the engine is maintained. One additional caveat: the engine must be the same year or newer than the chassis.

Basically yes. Federal regulations are not quite as strict as California, but any removal or tampering of any emissions components is illegal.

Yup.

http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42/7522

"Federal law makes it illegal for ANYONE to tamper with, disconnect, remove or otherwise render inoperative ANY emissions-related control device. The Environmental Protection Agency and most states have actually been rather lax about enforcing this rule on motorists, but they haven't hesitated to nail professional service facilities that have been guilty of tampering. Even so, the fines can be hefty. A violation may make you liable for up to a $2,500 fine."

Remove the air-pump? Illegal. Even installing a downpipe is illegal. According to the EPA:

Yep.

Yep.

Like I said before, just because you don't get caught, doesn't mean it's not illegal. The question is, do you think you'll ever get caught? Chances are, no you won't. lol

If money is no issue why not just fly out to Japan or where ever on your private jet and drive the car there on your private track next to your mansion.