Over 1M Posts • 84K Topics • 9K Authors

Home > Topic #64892

GT-4 Import to US - 6G Celicas Forums

Topic #64892 41 posts Started by cardshark525
cardshark525
#1
I searched the site for a while and didn't find a topic about it so... if I was interested in importing a GT-4 to the United States as opposed to simply swapping a 3sgte engine into a GT or ST what would I need to do (besides obviously buy the car and bring it here). I am aware of the cost to bring something like that overseas however I have a few questions.
#1 Would the car be street legal?
-With the car being right hand drive and probably from the UK would it be road legal?
#2 If not what would I need to do to make it road legal?
-Simple as emissions checks or complete conversion to LHD?

Obviously the money isn't there right now, however just a thought for the future...
cardshark525
#3
Thank you for linking me to the search engine which I had already used and found nothing.
Akimbo
#4
No.
Sometimes we live to beat the odds.-Ryanaim: rkgreen04
cheela
#5
LOL! laugh.gif
*1997 Celica ST - 3SGE Greytop BEAMS*1977 Celica RA29 - Classic Cruiser*2005 Matrix AWD - dedded but still hanging around like a ghost2019 Rav4 XLE Premium - Sports mode is fun.
Nyczroflz
#6
>
QUOTE (Akimbo @ Jan 17, 2009 - 1:08 AM) *
>No.


laugh.gif hahahaha theres your answer, thread completed laugh.gif
sig removed. too big.
njccmd2002
#7
>
QUOTE (cardshark525 @ Jan 16, 2009 - 11:26 PM) *
>Thank you for linking me to the search engine which I had already used and found nothing.


wow it did work for me.

type +gt4 +importing +customs (type it with plus signs)

http://www.6gc.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=3216

http://www.6gc.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=35328

http://www.6gc.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=8389

the only reason many people here posted in a way like it seems not helpful is because you will have to wait another 10 years to be able to import it. So better start saving.

By that time, most people will lose interest, and cars will be older.

So to basically everybody has seen this thread come up so many times... you would not believe it.

The search engine has a feature that by putting the + by the word, it brings those specific words combinations

GL.
Learned a lot in 10 years...I hardly log in anymore, last loginToday Sept 6 2019, and I was forced just to clarify a post. LOLIf you PM me and I dont respond, dont fret or cry. Im alive, better post your questions in the thread below, maybe I log back in2grfe Swapped...Why I chose the 2GR, before you ask read here...A great civilization is not conquered from without until it has destroyed itself from within.@llamaraxing in Instagram is the best way to find me. I hardly log here anymore.
cardshark525
#8
>
QUOTE (njccmd2002 @ Jan 17, 2009 - 7:03 AM) *
>>
QUOTE (cardshark525 @ Jan 16, 2009 - 11:26 PM) *
>Thank you for linking me to the search engine which I had already used and found nothing.


wow it did work for me.

type +gt4 +importing +customs (type it with plus signs)

http://www.6gc.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=3216

http://www.6gc.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=35328

http://www.6gc.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=8389

the only reason many people here posted in a way like it seems not helpful is because you will have to wait another 10 years to be able to import it. So better start saving.

By that time, most people will lose interest, and cars will be older.

So to basically everybody has seen this thread come up so many times... you would not believe it.

The search engine has a feature that by putting the + by the word, it brings those specific words combinations

GL.

Thank you for actually giving me the specific and direct answer I was looking for. I had assumed the question had been asked before however didn't immediately find a thread for it.
I was asking because that is one of my two favorite cars (the other being a 1998 Royal Sapphire Pearl Supra), and the route that my career will take me in 10 years I will be able to afford both, however the restriction lies with the GT-4. I was unclear whether its simply because of RHD or because it simply suffers from the same syndrome the R-34 Skyline does.
Thank you for the answer and I appreciate it.

To the others, I'm sorry about this since you've seen it before, I'm new to the site, looked around, and figured that this would be the best place to ask the question.
soulshadow
#9
I've been thinking, why not go over to japan. Find yourself a Nice GT-4 and take it apart jotting down where this and that goes untill all you have is a shell. Then once you have just the shell with nothing on it. Send it back to the US. When they check it, its pretty much just a heap of metal along with parts here and there. Im sure you can get away with it and then back to the states assemble it again. Then go to the local DMV and register a different celica such as your current one same color ect and bam Drive your GT-4 everyday. When the cops pull you over its a celica and you can tell people that you did a RHD conversion on it. Of course this only works if you have tons of money and the time to kill since I doubt anyone of you are willing to spend a month over seas taking a car apart and then shipping it back over. Might as well just ship yourself with the shell.
cardshark525
#10
Sounds like your on to something. lol. It would also be a great way to get to know the car in detail inside and out and you could write the book on gt4's and their parts and repair.
A little ridiculous but still a valid solution to the problem of getting them here.
yarik83
#11
anything improbable is always possible. We all talk about how impossible it is to import a gt4 to united states. Yes and no. No because probability of you successfully doing it is very very very low due to us customs. Yes because there are car import agencies who, for the right price will import it for you. Dont ask me how because I dont know. All I do know is that for the price of using such agency you can probably buy yourself 3 celicas and swap 3sgtes into each with lots of money to spend on body work etc. Last time I checked price for such imported beauty was something like 25K.
Captain Pessimist
GriffGirl
#12
I think that Lil Joe is actually in the process of doing this for when he's stationed back from Okinawa. He posted some good info on how to do this too... IIRC it involved chopping the car up and importing it in pieces as a kit, and reassembling it stateside. As to it's street legal-ness, I have no idea. Personally, as much as I love our cars, I don't think that the time and excessive expense is worth it. I know that's blasphemous, but it's true. For the same $$ or less you can get a faster AWD turbo car w/less miles on it. That's just my opinion though. If you're rolling in cash and have the determination, know-how and resources, why not?
blu94gt
#14
>
QUOTE (soulshadow @ Jan 19, 2009 - 8:36 PM) *
>Subaru = end of story.


I hate to say it but as a former WRX owner this statement is true. For the money you'd spend getting a GT4 stateside you could buy yourself an STi or Evo with plenty of goodies that will outperform the Celica by a longshot. I'd love a GT4 as well, but it's just not going to happen. If you really want the speed and look then either turbocharge your 5sfe, swap a 3sgte, get the GT4 front end, and just run FWD and possibly get a limited slip setup to manage the power. There's plenty of turbo FWD cars out there and they're plenty of fun to drive.

Or just buy a ST165 or ST185 and call it good, plenty of those around.
1999 Celica GT
GriffGirl
#15
I'd take a WRX any old day. But then lately I'm just feeling disenchanted by my Celica kindasad.gif
Jeunesse
#16
go to Canada and import it here, register it here and drive it to the US with a canadian plate and registration. That I guess is the simplest solution to all.
-Derick"In hoc signo vinces." In this sign thou shalt conquer."Gone but never forgotten....
block
#17
couldn't you take a registered car from canada and make change it to US registration? i was thinking about moving up there for a year and buying a gtfour and taking it down with me to the states. i've been talking to an importer and they told me they could ship the shell and motor separately but i'd have to reinstall everything for about 12k or so. but there are so many things from it. and i certainly dont want to pay any frickin' penalties.
Jeunesse
#18
come on... a trip to the north once a year to renew registration is worth it for driving a gt4.
-Derick"In hoc signo vinces." In this sign thou shalt conquer."Gone but never forgotten....
block
#19
i dont know. just looking for possibilities wink.gif

This post has been edited by block: Jan 22, 2009 - 8:30 AM
TRD-Corolla
#20
you guys know doc.tweak can convert your 6gc to awd for like 10k or something, he posted it in here a long time ago.

This post has been edited by TRD-Corolla: Jan 22, 2009 - 9:16 AM
Jeunesse
#21
yea but that's totally different from a GT4
-Derick"In hoc signo vinces." In this sign thou shalt conquer."Gone but never forgotten....
bccentaur3
#22
go to alltrac.net theres one for sale in Canada for 12,000. The guy is willing to drop it off at the border. But I heard that as long as the car has been owned by a canadian you can bring it into the US. Lets say a gt-four was a fresh import and you wanted to pick it up and bring it across the borders. You wouldn't be able to, because it isn't used by a canadian. But lets say someone in Canada buys it and decided to sell it, you can bring it over since it was already used.
98 Celica gt red- totaled deer94 Celica st black DD (bad weather beater)- totaled deer95 Celica gt silver- chassis sold88 Celica All-Trac (Burned to a crisp)94 Celica gt white (sold)In need of a rust free chassis!!!!
block
#23
will you liar!

This post has been edited by block: Jan 22, 2009 - 10:58 PM
Celicia
#24
Just come to the UK.. not too many restrictions here.. you will be able to purchase and drive a GT4 anytime you want smile.gif US is very inferior to other countries when it comes to import cars.. they strip the cars down of performance.. so they can make their mustangs look better than they really are. pretty lame if you ask me kindasad.gif
ZenAutoworks
#25
>
QUOTE (bccentaur3 @ Jan 22, 2009 - 11:51 AM) *
>go to alltrac.net theres one for sale in Canada for 12,000. The guy is willing to drop it off at the border. But I heard that as long as the car has been owned by a canadian you can bring it into the US. Lets say a gt-four was a fresh import and you wanted to pick it up and bring it across the borders. You wouldn't be able to, because it isn't used by a canadian. But lets say someone in Canada buys it and decided to sell it, you can bring it over since it was already used.


The caution point is the history of the car is well documented. Canadian and US VINs are longer than the Japanese Chassis Codes. To register a Japanese import in Canada, the Japanese Chassis Code is entered in place of the VIN with the governement. This will be an obvious tip-off to the American customs agent and they WILL decline entry of the vehicle.

Any individual vehicle younger than 25 years can legally be imported into the US from Canada only if that exact vehicle was originally manufactured for Canada.

The option is always open to move up here .... we have a lot of room smile.gif

This post has been edited by ZenAutoworks: Jan 28, 2009 - 4:10 PM
www.ZenAutoworks.ca.. JDM and Euro import cars / parts direct from Japan'91 ST185H RC - Current Project'95 KZN185 - Current Commuter'94 ST205 WRC - Current Toy'92 FD3S TYPE R - Current Toy
KAOS
#26
>
QUOTE (soulshadow @ Jan 18, 2009 - 3:10 PM) *
>I've been thinking, why not go over to japan. Find yourself a Nice GT-4 and take it apart jotting down where this and that goes untill all you have is a shell. Then once you have just the shell with nothing on it. Send it back to the US. When they check it, its pretty much just a heap of metal along with parts here and there. Im sure you can get away with it and then back to the states assemble it again. Then go to the local DMV and register a different celica such as your current one same color ect and bam Drive your GT-4 everyday. When the cops pull you over its a celica and you can tell people that you did a RHD conversion on it. Of course this only works if you have tons of money and the time to kill since I doubt anyone of you are willing to spend a month over seas taking a car apart and then shipping it back over. Might as well just ship yourself with the shell.


Dude - it would be easier to move to Canada and import the car, as it is LEGAL in Canada this year to import 1994 vehicles. smile.gif

(PS YAY FOR US)
KAOS|THE PROGRESSION - SLOW & STEADY|PARTING OUT- it ALL must go!|
bccentaur3
#27
I can't speak French. I'm screwed. I have a cousin in Toronto. Lets say I pay him to buy the car. Would he be able to drive the car across the borders?
98 Celica gt red- totaled deer94 Celica st black DD (bad weather beater)- totaled deer95 Celica gt silver- chassis sold88 Celica All-Trac (Burned to a crisp)94 Celica gt white (sold)In need of a rust free chassis!!!!
Jeunesse
#28
I don't speak french either and I'm in Toronto. He should be able to drive the car to the border no problem. Will the car be under his name or yours? coz if your's then there might be a problem registering it. I think Canadian law states that you should be a resident before you can register your car here. not sure...
-Derick"In hoc signo vinces." In this sign thou shalt conquer."Gone but never forgotten....
ZenAutoworks
#29
Yes, you have to be a resident to register a vehicle in Canada.

Our border crossings log each and every vehicle that cross the border in both directions. You will have no issues crossing the border but they will flag the car after it has not crossed back into Canada. This is one reason they always ask you how long you will be in the US.

Risky venture as you don't want a nice 205 seized.
www.ZenAutoworks.ca.. JDM and Euro import cars / parts direct from Japan'91 ST185H RC - Current Project'95 KZN185 - Current Commuter'94 ST205 WRC - Current Toy'92 FD3S TYPE R - Current Toy
azian_advanced
#30
it makes you wonder how there are several gt-fours in the US...
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
← Back to Topics

Page 1 of 2 (41 total posts)