Okay, I'm about to explode here.

I ordered a half-cut front clip (minus body panels and brake components) from Jap Performance in Sydney, Australia. Now, the half-cut is on a pallet somewhere between Los Angeles and Minneapolis. The customs agent is telling me that I must have documentation of the original car complying with American crash test and emissions standards. Aaaaarrrrrgh!

The gentleman at Jap Performance I have dealt with is very helpful, but knows nothing of the American regulations, and despite having shipped J-specs to the US before, he says that since it isn't a whole car, this shouldn't be an issue.

Why are they singling out my half-cut, when so many other J-specs are driving around the US? Why should it make a difference that I am importing this myself with an agent, instead of buying it from Corksport or another American company that already imported it?

I've considered telling them it is for a race car, and will not be driven on the roads, but the customs agent says that they have ways of checking on this, and certainly will.

So, to all you J-spec owning Americans that didn't buy yours from an American company: How did you get your engine into the US?

My poor lonely engine is sitting in a crate in a warehouse somewhere.

Please help me give it a home.

 

Did you consider telling them that it is for parts, not to be welded to a rear half of a car here?

 

Yea...from my understanding it should be alright as long as you're not trying to title and register that half car. I don't see why they wouldn't let it through, maybe you should tell them to take the engine out and send it to you since that's the only part you want anyway, and to keep the shell until they're through "inspecting" it.

 

I knew I forgot to post this somewhere! Here's the solution to the dilemma, and my cincerest thanks to the masses that replied to various postings on lists and forums to help me out.

The original was posted everywhere else 10/26/01.

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Hi all,

I just wanted to thank everyone who replied to this thread offering advice and help. I have come to a non-violent resolution of this problem.

It seems that my agent was dealing with the worker bees in the US Customs department, and that they were not aware of the specific regulations dealing with importing a J-spec engine for parts. Today, the queen bee came back from vacation, and cleared everything up for us. :-) It seems that since the front clip is to be used for parts, the frame (which is already damaged from the accident that made this car a donor car) is of no consequence as far as the "crash testing" thing goes. I must simply sign a EPA waiver that states that I will not put the engine on the road without the EPA approved emissions equipment or without having the car's emissions tested. So the motor is going into a race car. <cough-cough> ;-)

And in a further stroke of good luck, the front clip has not been sitting in a warehouse for weeks like I originally though. There was a mix-up in the departure and arrival times of the cargo vessel that is carrying it. It should be arriving in LA next Friday, as opposed to October 10th as I was originally told. Normally, this would upset me, but given the customs difficulties, it is a blessing in disguise.

Again, thanks to all who helped me out on this one! :-)

Take care,