It’s been a good run for my R33 Skyline, but with the third addition to our growing family and lack of bond paperwork for my GTST, I had been trying to sell my Skyline for quite some time and I’ve finally found a buyer for my baby.
I’ve owned this vehicle for quite a while, and wasted no time putting it together when it first arrived off the docks as a parts car.
My S2 RB25 –
After the motor was installed and running, I opted for HKS Hipermax coilovers all the way around, and an HKS 3037S Turbo upgrade. The car already came with a Blitz 4 row front mount intercooler… ahh the JDM goodness.
More eye candy :
My time with the GTST was definitely an eye opener, as it led me down the path of modding Nissans / RWD as opposed to the usual Honda / Mitsubishi / FWD stuff I had been doing since 1996.
With minimal mods, this car put down a healthy 385 / 360 ft lbs on a 448X DynoJet at just 16 psi. I loved my time with the R33, but after doing over 25+ RB swaps for 240 guys locally, it’s not much different than a nice S14 with a RB swap in it, RHD and JDM factors aside.
With the growing anti-Skyline sentiment and the federal legalities of owning a state licensed car, I had to make this sale.
After all, who wants a knock on your front door from ICE?
Don’t know who they are? they are the nice federal agents who are hell bent in seeking and DESTROYING these cars because they are such a threat to the nation at whole.
Under 49 U.S.C. 30141(a)(l)(A),a motor vehicle that was not originally
manufactured to conform to all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety
standards shall be refused admission into the United States unless NHTSA has decided that the motor vehicle is substantially similar to a motor vehicle
originally manufactured for importation into and sale in the United States,
certified under 49U.S.C. 30115, and of the same model year as the model of the
motor vehicle to be compared, and is capable of being readily altered to
conform to all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards. Where there is
no substantially similar U.S.-certified motor vehicle, 49U.S.C.30141(a)(l)(B)
permits a nonconforming motor vehicle to be admitted into the United States if
its safety features comply with, or are capable of being altered to comply with,
all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards based on destructive
test data or such other evidence as NHTSA decides to be adequate.
Petitions for eligibility decisions may be submitted by either manufacturers or
importers who have registered with NHTSA pursuant to 49CFRpart 592.As
specified in 49 CFR 593.7,NHTSA
Skylines imported into the US for use on public roads must either be over 25 years old or they must conform to FMVSS standards. While R32 – R34 Skylines were initially allowed for import, the FHTSA rescinded the importation of the majority of Skylines by limiting it to R33’s that were manufactured between January 1996 and June 1998.
In order to import a Skyline, an official RI must be used and they must fill out a HS-7 declaration for the vehicle. If the vehicle is to be used on the streets then the RI has 120 days in order to modify the vehicle to pass FHVSS requirements. The only company that has information in regards to Federally legalize R33’s is JK technologies.
Found this page after searching for the terms “Skyline” and “registration”? Take a look here at several links that will help you answer the many questions that Skyline owners in the US have, including the story behind Hiro and Motorex, NHTSA and DOT legalities, and the inherent dangers of buying a state licensed Skyline.
NicoClub’s comprehensive Skyline importing guide
UPDATE : As of late 2014 Skyline R32’s have been importable and 100% legal to own in the US. Click here for more information on the how to import a Skyline process.
Happy boosting!
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