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Old Sep 17, 2011 | 10:50 PM
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Default Importing Cars????

How easy or hard is it to import a altezza or a crown or a soarer or if it is possible and how would you do it legally?? help wanted please
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Old Sep 18, 2011 | 10:10 AM
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Can't be Fed legal unless its 25yrs or older (can be "state legal"). Or also unless you do all the crash testing (which requires three of the same car to be crashed). Oh and don't forget emission standards.
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Old Sep 18, 2011 | 08:19 PM
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What about just an altezza they are the same thing as a is300 you knw so could i crash test one of those and ive seen 2 b4 at a drift competition they were right hand drive and everything!!! ive also hered about getting vin swaps from another car like it!!! idk if thats legal or what need help
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Old Sep 19, 2011 | 05:47 AM
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Vin swap? No very illegal.

I would say to do a right hand drive conversion. What about an altezza do you want other then the face its rhd?
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Old Sep 19, 2011 | 09:53 AM
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ya i figured it was very illegal lol and ya thats a big reason!!! cuz its right hand drive but were would i get parts to do a right hand drive conversion and how much would that cost???
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Old Sep 20, 2011 | 05:13 PM
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You will be better off looking for JDM Clips.

Clip = front or rear portion of the car that come with everything you need to convert your car to RHD.

Example:



But I have to warn you, finding altezza or any jdm lexus car is very difficult.
Finding JDM 240sx clips is VERY easy
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Old Sep 20, 2011 | 07:23 PM
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Originally Posted by llllllllll
You will be better off looking for JDM Clips.

Clip = front or rear portion of the car that come with everything you need to convert your car to RHD.

Example:



But I have to warn you, finding altezza or any jdm lexus car is very difficult.
Finding JDM 240sx clips is VERY easy
Thanks man and were can i find clips on line or what ive never hered of them b4 ya but everyone has 240sx not many ppl have altezzas you get me????
And how much do you think a clip would cost for that????
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Old Sep 20, 2011 | 07:58 PM
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Originally Posted by DplanDman8
Thanks man and were can i find clips on line or what ive never hered of them b4 ya but everyone has 240sx not many ppl have altezzas you get me????
And how much do you think a clip would cost for that????
There's a JDM altezza front clip on ebay for around $3k. Search your local craigslist. I just found a front clip for $2k near me. It even had a qualitat bumper too... I just wish i found it sooner.
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Old Sep 20, 2011 | 09:20 PM
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Originally Posted by iISawesome
There's a JDM altezza front clip on ebay for around $3k. Search your local craigslist. I just found a front clip for $2k near me. It even had a qualitat bumper too... I just wish i found it sooner.
Ok thanks bud ya i found it on ebay for 4k buy it now and i cant find on craigslist list at all i live in the dfw area of texas!!!
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Old Sep 20, 2011 | 11:33 PM
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It's all pretty much plug and play as far as I understand.
But I hear wiring can be a MAJOR B I T C H
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Old Sep 21, 2011 | 12:26 AM
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In order to import a vehicle, it must be brought in by a registered importer license by the NHTSA. An Altezza would not be considered the same thing as an IS300 since it was not made with the same DOT headlamp lense specs, door/chassis collision bracing, dot windshield/sideglass, nor the same engine even(the beams motor was never put into anything, so even it was never designed to be legally used on public roads in US). Right hand drive vehicles are not illegal in the US, it's a matter of making sure that whatever cars that are brought into the country are brought in by license importers like I said, and that whatever vehicles are going to see public roads are assigned a VIN, but only after the already mentioned crash tests on identical vehicles are performed. You'd be a LOT better off and it would be a LOT easier to just find an Altezza front clip and have someone swap the firewalls. Then it'd just be a matter of figuring out the window control situation with the door panels.
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Old Sep 21, 2011 | 02:24 AM
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Originally Posted by iISawesome
There's a JDM altezza front clip on ebay for around $3k. Search your local craigslist. I just found a front clip for $2k near me. It even had a qualitat bumper too... I just wish i found it sooner.
I saw that too...already had a tab open to email the guy, but then I saw that it was sold.
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Old Sep 21, 2011 | 07:39 AM
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Originally Posted by TDR
In order to import a vehicle, it must be brought in by a registered importer license by the NHTSA. An Altezza would not be considered the same thing as an IS300 since it was not made with the same DOT headlamp lense specs, door/chassis collision bracing, dot windshield/sideglass, nor the same engine even(the beams motor was never put into anything, so even it was never designed to be legally used on public roads in US). Right hand drive vehicles are not illegal in the US, it's a matter of making sure that whatever cars that are brought into the country are brought in by license importers like I said, and that whatever vehicles are going to see public roads are assigned a VIN, but only after the already mentioned crash tests on identical vehicles are performed. You'd be a LOT better off and it would be a LOT easier to just find an Altezza front clip and have someone swap the firewalls. Then it'd just be a matter of figuring out the window control situation with the door panels.

Thanks man that helps alot but wouldnt it cost alot of money to get one from a license dealer an even then they arent crash tested right??? is there any other info i need to knw???
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Old Sep 21, 2011 | 11:04 PM
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Personally what I would do is buy a wrecked one with reconstructed title or whatever in the US for the cheapest you can find..... Chop off the VIN# and take off the license plate, insurance paper, and registration & go up to canada, buy a RHD Altezza since they are probably plentiful up there. Take it somewhere in Canada and swap the VIN# on there and then just drive it into the US like it ain't no thing....
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Old Sep 22, 2011 | 12:58 AM
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The part you have wrong with that is Canada only allows 15 years or older cars to be imported. 1997 models start here soon, no Altezza's legal in Canada until like 2015 or 2016.

As for getting one from a dealer, that wasn't what I was referring to. Dealerships don't import the vehicles, it's the manufacturers and other companies that import vehicles and have importing licenses with the NHTSA. Basically, it's next to impossible without having a HUGE HUGE HUGE amount of money at your disposal. Probably enough to just go buy an Enzo or 2 I'd bet.
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