Learn me Skyline GTR R33

In my experience my Delica had no markings for build month anywhere aside from one tag on one seat belt that listed 8/89. However my importer was able to run the VIN through some Mitsubishi website and found the build day as August 2nd 1989. My importer was certain that the US customs agent wouldn't have the ability to check the build month like he was, but my customs broker didn't want to risk it and neither did I.

As it turned out the customs agent never checked any of this or even looked at the van for more than a few minutes while we were at the booth so I was worried for no reason I guess.

I had all of the proper paperwork and all my I's dotted and t's crossed, so I was good to go. I wouldn't touch this skyline however.

Good luck in your search though I wouldn't trade my import experience for anything. Totally worth it.

Chris

I got my motorcycle license when I was 14 so my first 'car' was actually a motorcycle. When I turned 16 I bought a wrangler. I say go for it. I don't think having a fast, or what some consider unsafe, ride in high school means instant death.

In reply to Cotton:

To me, that seems like an apples to oranges comparison.

I had a Honda CL350 and an '86 Toyota Supra in high school. Both were "fast and dangerous" from the point of view of my parents. An R33 Skyline is a 350HP+ monster that most adults probably couldn't be trusted with...

Oh, and this thought just occurred to me:

What does insurance cost on an R33 Skyline GT-R driven by a 16-year-old?

Some Googling seems to indicate that a six-month premium is in the thousands for guys in their 30's.

In reply to SlickDizzy:

I don't know anyone that thought a motorcycle at 14 as a first 'car' was a great idea. Luckily my Dad didn't care what they thought.

I wouldn't call A full size car with 350hp a monster. Hell a v6 mustang has 300hp these days. I also had a supra is hs, but it was an 85 and was pretty slow, but a great cruiser.

Edit: a quick search shows a stock skyline gtr r33 as 276hp. Definitely not what I would consider a monster.

Cotton wrote: Edit: a quick search shows a stock skyline gtr r33 as 276hp. Definitely not what I would consider a monster.

They were very much under rated at 276. More likely 320, and if the car has any modifications at all, 350 is easily attainable. They also only weigh perhaps 3300lbs. They are very easily modified into monsters.

Remember, the kid isn't even 16 yet. Anything with any power at all is a monster at 16.

Cotton wrote: Edit: a quick search shows a stock skyline gtr r33 as 276hp. Definitely not what I would consider a monster.

You don't seem to understand the Japanese "gentlemen's agreement" of the 90's...

Edit: Catatafish beat me to it.

I don't think I've ever seen one make 276 hp. Even very stockish ones do have 276hp on a dyno plot twice - the reason they're rated at that is because of the gentleman's agreement between Japanese manufacturers to not produce cars with more than 280 hp.

They just subbed the regular horses with really big horsies for the halo cars. Most of the later 280bhp cars - not only Skylines - are supposedly massively underrated from the factory, before people mod them.

The problem with the GT-R isn't how much power it has. As I wrote earlier in the thread, like some other cars its limits are very high and it makes you look like a driving god. Until you hit the limit, find out you aren't Senna after all and proceed to make a big hole into the scenery.

Kinda like someone with not much driving experience would probably do with an Evo or a WRX, only more expensive.

Lets put it this way, very doubtful that its legal. If its illegal, you run the chance of Customs coming and towing it away and crushing it without you getting a dime back. You want to expose yourself to that risk?

SlickDizzy wrote: It's because buying this car for your 15-year-old son this is not a good idea, on a dozen or more levels, and even just buying the car might not be a good idea. There are seriously a lot of these that managed to sneak through and get titled/registered that are waaaaay illegal as far as the NHTSA is concerned, and they DO repossess and crush them. MotoRex was the company that messed it up for everyone; they imported hundreds, but swapped VINs with totally different US cars and did a bunch of other shady crap...and a lot of those they imported are still running around. It could be a great deal, but tread lightly, and please don't give it to your son...that is truly the Japanese equivalent of a Porsche 911 turbo. Twin turbo, 4WD, 4WS, every techno gizmo the 90's had to offer. Expensive to buy, drive, and maintain...thanks to their reverent following, parts are available in the US but they ain't cheap.

This is why I said troll. Either that or someone not in touch with reality. Not trying to offend. This place is full of enablers, so when everyone agrees something is a terrible idea one should take note.

Clutchsmoke with the troll call again.In an earlier post I said good points given,and taken from the members here.The reality is I'm able to purchase this for my son,know zip about them,and came to a forum with members that know about foreign muscle cars.I lead a bit of a mundane life at my age,I admit,but have more creative ways to spend my time then try to incite people on the internet.So in summary I can afford it,I've taken the advice of this forum members,I'm going to pass on it.I hope I'm not out of line but being called a troll doesn't sound like a good thing.

Nothing personal at all intended.

To many of us we regard it as a bad enough idea that someone could make a post like yours just to stir a hornets nest. Don't take it as a personal attack, but more as evidence of how bad an idea many of us think it is.

For any who might read this thread thinking about getting a skyline, a few more points.

Here illegally? opens the door for your insurance to decline ANY claim (including medical as the car isnt certified as safe by the regulations of this country)

Parts and service are a nightmare. No (typical) mechanic knows how to work on one. You cannot take it into a Nissan dealer, they won't touch it (typically) as they are not trained on it at all. Also, all parts must be ordered from Japan. Forget Autozone/Advance/Rockauto/etc. You will need a pretty special mechanic and special ordered parts. (granted much of that is for the non-diy everything that isnt the GRM crowd)

Actually, you might be able to get parts from Rock Auto.

On another forum, someone was trying to find exhaust valves for a 16v Delta Integrale, and didn't want to spend $80 each from a specialist. Rock Auto had a listing.

In reply to singledownloop:

Thank you apexcarver. I was not clear in my response post. In my post above I wasn't trying to call troll again. Until I posted on the first page trolling is what the OP/thread seemed like to me. Skylines are cool cars. I like them a lot. Sadly they don't make sense (to me) in America for all the previous reasons.

Back to your regularly scheduled enabling.

when I was 16 I had the change to buy a 66 F100 that someone had slipped a very healthy 427 in. I just needed a ride to pick it up. My granddaddy said "you will kill yourself." He was right.

I can't believe I am on GRM and saying this but

Can't beleive I missed this thread!

Wait! Did someone get locked in a Skyline?

In reply to Appleseed:

No, but whomever bought it probably got crushed inside it.

This discussion applies even to cars 25+yo that were not brought in after that 25yr date. If there is not the correct paperwork, it isn't legal. Doesn't matter in the slightest if a state issued a title or not, and I don't believe you can even legally keep an illegally imported one for track uses.

Also, I did notice the thread date, but the statement "berkeleying make sure" needs to be repeated early and often.