Imported a car lately? read this heads up:

[ash7]

Borrowed from Zilvia.net

Also as posted on Houston-Imports.com

Relaying the Info we're being told. RBMotoring and Kaizo are being questioned and investigated by the Gov:

"This week shit hit the fan in Kaizo, it's getting worse. A reliable source is filtering info down the channels that a certain turd that got caught has been spilling the beans and cooperating with agents, giving them the entire who what when where why of the deal. This goes for not only Kaizo but every other method and car, even the grandfathered Motorex cars are being inspected at RB motoring and all over. Those of you that have shipped in the past, hide it. Those of you thinking or trying to ship, don't. This shit storm is ranging from not only the sources of bringing them in but also various forums. I'd recommend people to not disclose any information regarding their vehicle or themselves, for those who have shipped before. For those who have registered their stuff in the U.S. using the JDM vins... good luck, if you havn't then I wouldn't attempt it at the moment."

"The man who owns the company "Kaizo" is Daryl, this stuff is not like the little he said she said petty shit from previous years and months. Cars at Kaizo have been seized this week as well as inventory computers, RB Motoring was paid a visit as well. Next step will be the DMV's to track the Kaizo VIN's as well as JDM VIN's for cars that didn't go through Motorex or Kaizo which is why I'm hoping to warn people ahead of time.


Put it this way, when Sean Morris starts getting phone calls about it then it's no joke, and this is that time. "

When Sean Morris (aka Tyndago/RBmotoring/Motorex) says,
"I had a call earlier today that ICE , DOT, and CARB had been at RB today doing some investigating. The investigators looked at a couple of the ex-Motorex cars, called the DOT and ended up leaving from RB. I called over to Kaizo to see what was happening over there, and I was informed that they were in the middle of it...Three cars got seized, along with records, and computers. Included in the three cars seized was the actual hero car from Fast and Furious 4. We will have to see how this plays out over the coming weeks and months."


This is the convo we're hearing from this side of the pond...just spreading the word if anybody has something that might have anything to do with this...

Does anyone have more info on this?

-jonathan

[leobond001]

i still cant figure out why they are targeting the gtr like this. but if it was a lambo or mercedes, it would be ok

[Sir_Christopher]

thats some bull shit.... i was getting some shit ready to get a 240 sent here...

[WhiteAccord]

There is a reason on why our goverment degrades our cars that are used in the U.S.
There is a reason on why our goverment did not allow certain cars in the U.S.
There is a reason on why our goverment now owns a car manufacturer now in the U.S.

And its not because they want to save our enviorment, or that our cars do not meet smog inspections or any of that bullshit.

[yogi08]

oh well shit happens

[Sir_Christopher]

agreed, oh well, saves me some money. but im going to japan for a year!!! so ill jave my fun while im there i guess

[.blank cd]

Borrowed from Zilvia.net

Also as posted on Houston-Imports.com



Does anyone have more info on this?

-jonathan

That really sucks. I mean, whats really the big deal about a skyline or whatever being imported? I think the crash saftey excuse is BS. If Car X hits a Geo Metro, which is legal, and hits a Skyline, both at (say) 40mph, I think i'd feel safter in a Skyline. Emissions? Who the hell cares? Ive seen cars on the road with tags that produce much more smog than Ive seen any skyline or swapped 240.


Nice sig BTW

[oneSLOWex]

There is a reason on why our goverment degrades our cars that are used in the U.S.
There is a reason on why our goverment did not allow certain cars in the U.S.
There is a reason on why our goverment now owns a car manufacturer now in the U.S.

And its not because they want to save our enviorment, or that our cars do not meet smog inspections or any of that bullshit.

government motors FTL

[Vteckidd]

No big secret, when they shut down MOTOREX it was because motorex was doing ILLEGAL SHIT.

Kaizo, was doing ILLEGAL shit too. He claimed he was manufacturing the cars in japan, they just HAPPENED to look like R34GTRs. In reality he was buying shells, stripping them, putting DOT glass in them, importing them and selling them stateside.

Again, he was trying to exploit the system.

He got caught.

ALmost any imported JDM car here is goign to be "FEDERALLY ILLEGAL". State titles are going to go away iMO in the next few years.

Daryll is not a broke kid, hes got A LOT of money or so it looks like it. So i expect hes got enough money to lawyer up.

The feds would have to prove that the cars were NOT being made from scratch in Japan. I dont think they can do that. Plus, Kaizo was selling them basically as a newly manufactured car, thats why it was called a KAIZO CAR, not an R34 GTR.

I dont know what the requirements are for that. Does his cars neet to meet Crashstandards>? DOT compliance? If so, what about KIT cars?

Itll be interesting to see

[ash7]

No big secret, when they shut down MOTOREX it was because motorex was doing ILLEGAL SHIT.

Kaizo, was doing ILLEGAL shit too. He claimed he was manufacturing the cars in japan, they just HAPPENED to look like R34GTRs. In reality he was buying shells, stripping them, putting DOT glass in them, importing them and selling them stateside.

Again, he was trying to exploit the system.

He got caught.

ALmost any imported JDM car here is goign to be "FEDERALLY ILLEGAL". State titles are going to go away iMO in the next few years.

Daryll is not a broke kid, hes got A LOT of money or so it looks like it. So i expect hes got enough money to lawyer up.

The feds would have to prove that the cars were NOT being made from scratch in Japan. I dont think they can do that. Plus, Kaizo was selling them basically as a newly manufactured car, thats why it was called a KAIZO CAR, not an R34 GTR.

I dont know what the requirements are for that. Does his cars neet to meet Crashstandards>? DOT compliance? If so, what about KIT cars?

Itll be interesting to see

very true, I'm also interested to know the scope of this. I was very deeply considering (and getting financially to the point) in order to buy Rupertakers EK9, but now im having second thoughts about this. - why would they seize some of the old MotorEx cars if they had a bond release from the DOT? That is the part that worries me.

I dont want to drop the money, get it all squared away, and then in a few years the Feds decide to pick on Honda importers next. What is your opinion Vteckidd?

-jonathan

[pck3]

Damn, well GL to anyone that might get caught in the shit. But I am sure the big wigs in these companies have the money to get a good lawyer and get off with no jail. What about the people that own these cars? Will they loose their cars or get felony charges?

[gerardojdm]

Well maybe this is off topic or not, but just last year i was at my friends body shop. We were hanging out. then i just happen to step out when 2 tow truck carried 2 skylines; one r32 other r33 and 1 FC rx7 all rhd with 3 East Point Cops escorting them. I was like wtf. JDM cars here in East Point. Well i jumped in the and followed them. The fuckers stopped at the Newell Metal scrap recycle where they where going to be crushed. Employees and 2 cops took pictures right before the were crushed into fucking squares. i was mad and asked the cop why they were being crushed, he said the owner never registered them and was driving them without some shit that i dont exactly recall.

[Vteckidd]

Laws passed now cannot go after anything previously.

Meaning if a MOTOREX car was deemed LEGAL 5 years ago by the feds, even if they passed a law tomorrow saying a motorex car was illegal, it would only be going forward, it would not be counteractive.

Laws can only affect things going forward.

I suspect them impounding the Motorex cars was more as an evidence kind of thing. IE to compare the REAL R34GTRS to Darryls KAIZO cars, and see if he really was "manufacturing" new ones, or if he was lieing all along.

ANY JDM car you buy, if it doesnt have a FEDERAL TITLE or release paperwork, it isnt legal, period.

I dont care if you have a florida title, or a montana title, etc. IT DOESNT MATTER. Fed Law supercedes state law.

The only reason why people can get state titles, is the DMV as a whole is a state run organization and is meant for raising taxes for the local governments. Ad valorem , tag fees, registration fees , license fees etc are all for raising money. So the Feds typically let the states decide what is legal and not legal. The problem is, the states cannot dictate what is legal when it comes to a japanese import. The States are only supposed to be tagging and registering cars that meet DOT Crash standards and NHTSA rules and regulations.

The JDM cars DO NOT.

Simply put the states DMV rules simply werent meant to govern over Jap or any other non USA compliant imported car. People have been exploiting that for years, it seems the Feds are getting wise to it.

Rupertakers car has no title IIRC. So yes, you buy it at a risk. The CTR came from a place in california, so most likely it passed through a container /customs yard. If anyone from the federal govt at the port wrote down its JDM vin and checked for paperwork (deregistration paperwork) then its logged somewhere as coming in the country. Meaning they can go back and look for the car eventually and trace the sale. IE eventually finding the current owner.

If it passed through somehow without ever being written down, then you might be ok for now and possibly forever.

ALl i can say is almost ALL JDM CARS ARE ILLEGAL. They will NEVER meet crash standards, they will never meet any DOT compliance. So dont hold your breath.

Thats the risk, you buy knowing what you are buying is illegal, if you get caught, you can lose the car.

Now IMO, thats why im a fan of not STATE TITLEING the car, cause it will get traced for sure that way. Vin Swap it, and get rid of the JDM VIN on the firewall, and no one will ever know it wasnt a US car that has been converted.

But thats illegal too

[ash7]

Laws passed now cannot go after anything previously.

Meaning if a MOTOREX car was deemed LEGAL 5 years ago by the feds, even if they passed a law tomorrow saying a motorex car was illegal, it would only be going forward, it would not be counteractive.

Laws can only affect things going forward.

I suspect them impounding the Motorex cars was more as an evidence kind of thing. IE to compare the REAL R34GTRS to Darryls KAIZO cars, and see if he really was "manufacturing" new ones, or if he was lieing all along.

ANY JDM car you buy, if it doesnt have a FEDERAL TITLE or release paperwork, it isnt legal, period.

I dont care if you have a florida title, or a montana title, etc. IT DOESNT MATTER. Fed Law supercedes state law.

The only reason why people can get state titles, is the DMV as a whole is a state run organization and is meant for raising taxes for the local governments. Ad valorem , tag fees, registration fees , license fees etc are all for raising money. So the Feds typically let the states decide what is legal and not legal. The problem is, the states cannot dictate what is legal when it comes to a japanese import. The States are only supposed to be tagging and registering cars that meet DOT Crash standards and NHTSA rules and regulations.

The JDM cars DO NOT.

Simply put the states DMV rules simply werent meant to govern over Jap or any other non USA compliant imported car. People have been exploiting that for years, it seems the Feds are getting wise to it.

Rupertakers car has no title IIRC. So yes, you buy it at a risk. The CTR came from a place in california, so most likely it passed through a container /customs yard. If anyone from the federal govt at the port wrote down its JDM vin and checked for paperwork (deregistration paperwork) then its logged somewhere as coming in the country. Meaning they can go back and look for the car eventually and trace the sale. IE eventually finding the current owner.

If it passed through somehow without ever being written down, then you might be ok for now and possibly forever.

ALl i can say is almost ALL JDM CARS ARE ILLEGAL. They will NEVER meet crash standards, they will never meet any DOT compliance. So dont hold your breath.

Thats the risk, you buy knowing what you are buying is illegal, if you get caught, you can lose the car.

Now IMO, thats why im a fan of not STATE TITLEING the car, cause it will get traced for sure that way. Vin Swap it, and get rid of the JDM VIN on the firewall, and no one will ever know it wasnt a US car that has been converted.

But thats illegal too

very nice - thanks man.

[wanders off to ponder these things] hmmmm
-jonathan

[Vteckidd]

you can see the shady wording of "remanufacturing" etc used on his website.

I mean he saw a loophole and went for it. Apparently as long as you are selling kit cars with no engine or transmission then you are ok cause you arent a manufacturer. But these cars WERE manufactured at one point in time, by Nissan. I think that is going to be where his problem lies.

But then again the Mclaren F1 was illegal, but you could import one, and a company would modify it to meet crash standards (add door beams and move the driver seat from the middle to the side).

Kaizo Unibodies, Inc. is a company that seeks to provide the opportunity for enthusiasts to build and own cars similar to those that are otherwise unattainable.

Each unibody is handpicked by the most demanding eyes, being scrutinized even prior to the remanufacturing process before undergoing a comprehensive 100-point inspection.

As well as reviewing the car in person, the Kaizo team combs through all documented history to ensure no prior accident, flood or salvage history is present. Any detection of frame damage automatically disqualifies the candidate.

The bottom line? Kaizo starts with the best possible example of each vehicle. Then the reconstruction begins. Worn parts are replaced and the body is stiffened with welded L-brackets under the front fenders and welded bracing connecting the
strut towers to ensure rigidity equal to or better than new.

After the unibody has been reconditioned, selected areas are addressed to create a chassis that is designed to be safe on American roads. The door beams are moved up and welded in place, to protect the driver in case of impact in the land of the SUV. DOT approved passenger seat restraints and brake lines are fitted and the vehicle is equipped with approved glazing.

Only after completing this rigorous process and receiving a 17-character VIN does the unibody become a Kaizo

3. Is what you're doing legal?

We get the question of DOT legality all the time. What people fail to realize is that the DOT and the NHTSA aren't the problem. If kit car companies were selling fully built and running cars, they'd be considered manufacturers. Manufacturers must comply with DOT and NHTSA regulations, but kit car companies who only provide car bodies alone (no chassis, engine or transmission) are not manufacturers, thus not regulated by the EPA because parts are not considered motor vehicles under the clean air act! There are countless fiberglass T-buckets and Cobras that would never make it onto the road if this were the case. A specially constructed vehicle, or kit car, can be completely homebuilt from a variety of parts. The issue of legality comes into play with the EPA, and it only does so in California. Having said that, if you put an EPA approved engine in your unibody, the result is a perfectly legal car. If you don't, then prepare to stand in line to have one of 500 annual California SMOG exemptions.

The problem with his analogy IMO is that the REPLICA COBRA cars you see on the road, people are PRODUCING those.

He is buying an OLD nissan and toyota, doing work to it, and passing it off as new.

He contradicts himself in this next question

8. Why can't I just buy a body in Japan and ship it over myself?

If you could find one, you'd be shipping in a car with a Japanese VIN. There would be no title and no way of legally registering it in the USA without an MSO (manufacturer's statement of origin). Furthermore, the finished product would be an old Nissan, Toyota, Honda, etc., not a remanufactured Kaizo kit car. As such, it would be unregisterable. Kaizo unibodies all come with a 17-digit US VIN

His cars once did have a JDM VIN, how is it mysteriously gone now?

He can word it all he wants, but he was buying OLD produced R34 GTRs, doing some work to them and importing them in selling the "shell" as a "new car".

I dont know for sure but im pretty sure, most of the cars DID have GTR swaps in them even though he is adamant he didnt do drivetrain work. The car from FAST AND FURIOUS had a RB26 in it, and he even gave an interview saying Kaizo did all the work.

[green91]

Whats illegal about converted cars? Or are you just referring to putting US vins on a jdm car.

[Twan0690]

I belive it is a felony to change vins but I guess I need to plan how im going to register my Supra/Soarer

[VWGirl]

I don't know what kaizo is... but if you import your car yourself and don't go through a scam artist and broker and all that jazz then you should be fine... I have an import and have many friends with imports... I also do not think that state issued VINs are going to be discontinued any time soon... but may be harder to get for some vehicles than others.

My 1998 mexican spec mexican VIN sedan (aka VW beetle, but not that new beetle crap) has a state of California issued VIN... which also happens to match it's Mexican VIN. State issued VINs will most likely continue forever... There are a lot of trikes, street rods, etc. that are actually custom built vehicles and need these VINs... I do not for see these hobbies stopping or the government deciding people cannot build their own cars anytime soon...

Oh yeah... I also have a custom built trailer that I can pull behind my bus... it has a state of west virginia VIN assigned to it...

VIN swaps are bad... they cause a lot of problems... when you swap out parts that have VINs on them it causes problems too... my daily driver 71 fastback is registered to me via bill of sale with the VIN of a 70 squareback (because that's what the VIN plate on the dash is) and it has yet a 3rd VIN under the hood... If you're going to change a VIN, change them all please! Oh right... and then take it down to the highway patrol and have them approve it by verifying the original VIN and the VIN of the car you swapped everything from.

They are not targeting a specific car... they are targeting the illegal importation methods that a specific company is using to get cars here through loopholes... it's not the first time someone has tried nor is it the first time someone has failed (look up beetlmex). Go through the proper procedures and don't waste your money on a broker and you can get the car you want imported... and it will be much cheaper when you do the work yourself too.

[MachNU]

curious but i saw a list a few years ago listing the only cars that could legally come in and get titles without jumping through hoops or taking 6 months. if this is still true what few cars are left that can come from japan and not worry about the hassel of everything?

[.blank cd]

They are not targeting a specific car... they are targeting the illegal importation methods that a specific company is using to get cars here through loopholes... it's not the first time someone has tried nor is it the first time someone has failed (look up beetlmex). Go through the proper procedures and don't waste your money on a broker and you can get the car you want imported... and it will be much cheaper when you do the work yourself too.

Maybe so, but the end user is the one getting the short end of the stick cause the cars get seized. If I went into Motorex or Kazio or RB, and buy a Skyline, why do I gotta get punished because of what they didnt tell me?