Importing from Japan

"Katsumoto" (katsumoto) 12/20/2015 at 18:21 • Filed to: None

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I’ve bought something from Japan for the SPECIFIC purpose of helping a severely wounded friend out. It’s a Skyline, but not a GT-R. It’s a 1990 Skyline GTS-T Type M. It’s been awhile since I’ve dabbled in Skylines, so I forget exactly what the Type M is over the regular GTS-T.

I know a few different people from there, who got me in touch with the correct people to assist in the process, and using a couple old friends from my time there.

Currently, it’s aboard some ship, somewhere in the Pacific ocean, it’s supposed to land in Miami. I chose Miami, although Baltimore was closer, it added an additional expense I wasn’t willing to pay, considering about the time it clears, I’ll be going to Miami anyway. Win win for me.

It was built in 90/11. It literally became 25 years old once it was at the dock. It made the process a smidge harder, but the Japanese DMV and customs understood, it wouldn’t arrive until it was after 25 years old.

My friend lost both legs and an arm while deployed on a deployment, he took from me since I was getting medically retired. It’s always been his dream to import his old Skyline from Japan to have in the states.

Yes, after talking to his wife, he’s been through alot, and having a hard time adjusting to his prosthetic limbs. It took her, me and some old buddies to find his SPECIFIC skyline. Not another like it, HIS is all he wanted. She paid half, I did the other half. He isn’t aware of this yet, but when I show up with it on a truck to his place, I’m sure he’ll be happy. His wife got power of attorney to make it his.

Anyway, this is it. It was my old Skyline’s twin. I bought mine, He bought one in better shape than mine. And enjoyed it.

Heres an old pic of it, before we took it to the track. It’s a GT-R bumper, and IIRC an RB25 turbo on it.

Since the car’s registration had fallen off at some point, it added a new headache. I was told and had it done, that it needed current registration, taxes, road fees, and JCI done. Then once all that was done, it needed to be de-registered, and export fees paid. Whatever, it was 1k for all that.

Getting it to the port, and then put on a ship was easy, Thanks ALEXI and Yoshida-san. It should be delivered in Miami on the 15th.

I plan on only driving it for a little bit, to ensure it runs correctly and it’s up to par. Plus I can use it for a run around car while in Miami, since my Dodge hauler isn’t a car for going to the grocery store.

Plan is to take him his car. This should help him out and prevent suicide. Which according to his wife, he’s attempted and tried to do.

So far I’ve got 7500 in it, and his wife has 5k in it. 12.5k for a Skyline to the states. I had to buy it from the dealer it was at, that was 4200 bucks. Then get some basic parts and maintenance items done, fix its dented fender, the broken headlight. The JCI ended up finding it needed its rear diff leak fixed and a u joint repaired.

The money isn’t what I care about. If you had to pay 7500 bucks and could afford to, to help a friend from becoming a statistic, wouldn’t you?

This is what this is about. Nothing else. If this is something that will help him fight and help him remember the good times, then it’s the price to pay. I’ve known this guy since my 07 deployment to Iraq, eventually was stationed with him in Japan, and I’ve managed to keep in contact with him since I got out in 2011. I plan on getting his plates so once it’s at home, he shouldn’t need anything to get it ready.

Side note - Never realized how hard it was to find a car, especially since we had it’s serial number.That was the biggest headache. It was easy to find out who owned it on base, and when it was sold to an offbase person. Once it left the base that made life worse. I almost gave in and just bought ANOTHER Wine Red GTS-T until he posted an old video of us fucking off at Ebisu with it together. He captioned it with “ Id feel better if I could own my old car, not any car but my OLD one”

I only wish I could have found it in time for Christmas or a smidge earlier. But mid to late January is close enough. For a 25 year old, Skyline, with almost 160,000 kms on it. It’s in AMAZING shape. He fixed alot of it’s smaller issues while he owned it, looked like everyone who owned it since kept it clean. Someone installed some Bride buckets in place of his GT-R seats but I’m sure he’ll like those. If not, thats on him lol.

I just don’t know if I should wrap it up some, like a car shaped xmas present or just let him see it when I back in the driveway.

On top of all this, my house was broken into, and I’ve had to buy all new Christmas stuff for the little ones in my family.

John Norris (AngryDrifter) > Katsumoto 12/20/2015 at 18:24

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Currently, it’s aboard some ship, somewhere in the Pacific ocean, . . .

Ah, you didn’t overnight it?

Katsumoto > John Norris (AngryDrifter) 12/20/2015 at 18:27

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Ah, UPS said it would cost 100 BILLION dollars. I couldn’t swing it.

Although I do know from my time in Japan, all the new Ferrari’s arrive at Narita Airport by air into Japan. They arrive on a special pallet, then they are loaded onto a truck for delivery. It was kinda odd watching Ferrari’s being unboxed in Japan.

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > Katsumoto 12/20/2015 at 18:40

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This is good stuff. Nice work, you're a hell of a friend and a credit to our species.

Katsumoto > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 12/20/2015 at 18:47

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I try. Every time I visit or talk to him, its all sunshine so I figured something was up. I FB messenged his wife, and she told me the truth. She was planning on doing it herself but couldn’t get the money together fast enough. She was worried.

Plus I’m looking forward to her cooking when I go there. She’s a Japanese native, who married him. She can cook the stuff we remember from JApanese restaurants we want.

I told her I want some CoCo’s chicken cutlet curry and Sukiya Chicken Teri Bowl. I think I’m going to get a massive amount of both to take home and fuck up in the microwave, since I can’t cook worth a shit.

I just hope this is enough to make him work on his issues and get past them. Cuz if he don’t I’ll give his wife her 5k and keep it myself.

AM3R shamefully returns > Katsumoto 12/20/2015 at 18:51

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You are a hell of a friend. Respect... I’m gonna hit up an old buddy of mine, skylines are his forte and he has a few R32/33/34 projects going on right now. I'll see if he has any parts he doesn't need. Has a few set of track wheels IIRC.

Frenchlicker > Katsumoto 12/20/2015 at 19:01

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I'm not sure about 100 billion but I believe the one time I priced it it was 5-10 times more expensive. I love how the Internet allows one to play fake rich guy.

someassemblyrequired > Katsumoto 12/20/2015 at 19:05

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I’m betting this will be the cheapest $7500 you will ever spend. Hope everything goes well.

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > Katsumoto 12/20/2015 at 19:05

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I’m sure it’ll help...lots of life’s problems can be solved with an R32.

Pretty jealous of the meal you’re going to get, too...as a fat guy, that would be the primary thing I’d look to get out of it, haha.

Katsumoto > AM3R shamefully returns 12/20/2015 at 19:06

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I think it’s fine for parts. I did buy 25 oil filters, a few sets of bulbs (IIRC I think one of the turn signals is a non american bulb along with the foglights) At least I could never find it on base while I was there. Always ended up buying it off base because the base store never had them.

It’s got oil filters, bulbs, replacement headlights, foglights, tail lights. Misc suspension parts, new bushings, Tein Suspension on it and a set for later, both door glass, and both 1/4 windows glass.

I spent 2500 bucks getting extra parts for the trunk so it would be covered and not have to be imported later. yes I’m aware S13 suspension works for the rear and Z32 brakes work, but R32 brakes were better for drifting. The front brakes bit harder than the Z32 ones did.

I don’t think it’ll need parts. It’s got some Work XD-9 wheels on it in gold. Plus I don’t think he’ll track it here. I think that car will be treated better than some Original Shelby Cobra 427’s. It’s one thing to beat a car in the country it was made. It’s another when you wreck it in America and have to import parts just to fix some body work.

It’ll be in good hands. When I owned one, I beat it like a mule. I bought it for 200 bucks and treated that way. Drifted it into walls and beat her to death every chance I could. It failed JCI and needed more work than I was willing to put into it, so I sold it for 80 bucks to the scrap yard.

Katsumoto > Frenchlicker 12/20/2015 at 19:07

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I’m far from rich. I have a little bit of money saved. I was saving for my own car to import. But this was a better choice than attending a funeral for a good friend.

It’s more expensive when you let someone else handle the process, and they have to pay for this and this. When you have friends in Japan who know the process, it’s easier and cheaper. Plus if you read, you’d realize this Skyline isn’t the coveted GT-R. It’s a cheaper model, that brought the price down alot. I paid 1500 bucks to put that car on the boat.

Im not knocking the companies cashing in on it. If you do the work, it’s cheaper and it’s more of a pain. Plus Doug, bought a low mileage GT-R. It’s price was probably more than I have in this whole process. I bought a specific car for a friend, with 160k kms on it. 3500 bucks after yen conversion. My friends probably ate some of the cost too, but they know my friend and probably helped themselves too. They wouldn’t say.

Enjoy hater. This isn’t my car, it’s only in my care until it gets to it’s owner.

Frank Grimes > Katsumoto 12/20/2015 at 19:08

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I don’t want to detract from how amazing you are and your efforts to help your friend.
But if he is suicidal he needs therapy and prescription drugs not a car. That’s putting it bluntly.
But people with depression need something to look forward to for the despair to go away they need some hope and something to work for and a goal and way to feel some progress and maybe a project car can provide all that.
I speak from experience that although having a project car helps it can quickly become irrelevant to the pain and hopelessness.

Frenchlicker > Katsumoto 12/20/2015 at 19:17

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I wasn’t assuming you were a rich guy. Trust me, if I was in a stable enough position I would do the same. I don’t understand why you think I’m a hater. I think it’s an amazing thing to do something like this to help a friend. I myself would give anything and everything possible if it meant saving a close friend’s life. Basically my comment was about how ridiculous air shipping is even if one was to look at the real numbers.

Katsumoto > Frank Grimes 12/20/2015 at 19:21

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He’s getting all the help, but it’s not working. I know from talking to him while in Japan together. He always wished he could have brought the car with him. But when he left it wasn’t 25 yet. No R32 was. His dream just got delayed 5 years is all.

He’s always loved Skylines since owning them. He was like most people who get to Japan that are into cars. If given the chance to own the one car you could never own, drive it, work on it and enjoy it. Alot of people would.

He loved everything about that car and enjoyed it every moment in the seat. Even when he lost his license for doing 140 kmh in a 55. He’d go clean the car even while he couldn’t drive it. Have someone take it to the car wash, clean it real good and have someone drive it home.

That’s why this car is coming here. The last time I was at his house. In his office, there was a poster sized picture of him in front of it, parked along side the highway by the Tokyo tower. His computer wallpaper is that car. In some time it’ll be parked in the driveway.

Working on cars is his only escape from reality for a little bit. If it is truly is his dream, when he sees it, he’ll be the same old guy I know. Not the waiting for the end person he is now.

Katsumoto > Frenchlicker 12/20/2015 at 19:23

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Oh, I apologize. He referenced Fast and Furious. I was watching an Austin Powers movie and referenced it for air shipping.

I never even looked into air shipping. I knew it was going to be so expensive I’d have to sell kidneys, liver, lungs and both testicles to make it happen. I mean I love the guy, just not that much. LOL

I was planning on importing a JZX90 Mark II Tourer V when the time came for them. After Skyline ownership, I fell in love with that big sexy body. I have a feeling the skyline bubble will pop eventually, once alot of the different 1990’s cars become legal.

XJDano > Katsumoto 12/20/2015 at 19:25

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Good on you man. I hope your buddy can appreciate what you've done for him. This is so cool. Even if it's not a GTR, sentimental value doesn't have a price tag.

Katsumoto > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 12/20/2015 at 19:29

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I’m skinny but a fat guy inside.

Yea, especially knowing it’s your old car you owned while in Japan, and it was now in America.

If it wasn’t for the guys I knew still there, I’m sure this process would have been alot harder. I never realized the guy Yoshida (A Japanese guy who we worked with on base) was. He spent alot of his time to help. He was the one that paid for the car and it’s expenses to the boat, then I paid him back. Another friend Alexi was the one that helped it through customs. He exports cars to Canada, at least he did the last time I was there.

pjhusa > Katsumoto 12/20/2015 at 19:32

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Touching story! I approve!

Frenchlicker > Katsumoto 12/20/2015 at 19:34

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It’s not worth looking into unless you’re the kind of guy that has to try and remember the last time you drove a car or occasionally forget one in a high end parking garage. Or there are YouTube videos of you in London acting like an asshat.

Myself I plan on importing a Landie 110 hardtop at some point. I think I’ll make a vacation of getting it and working on getting it here though.

Luckily (feels terrible to say that) if my friends ever have problems they are not car guys. However comic books and our other nerd stuff can get pricey.

Katsumoto > XJDano 12/20/2015 at 19:35

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Nope. I’d give anything to get my old JZX90 back from Japan. But I know what happened to it.

Long story short. Robbie Nishida(Formula D driver) knew Daigo Saito. Daigo wanted a practice car that he didn’t have to do anything to. Robbie worked on base in Japan, I think he owned the tire shop. He always hung out at the hobby shop(on base garage, pay to use lifts and tools, do whatever you need to fix cars). He saw my JZX90 for sale. He said he knew a guy looking for one. He brought him along, it turned out to be Daigo. Daigo paid exactly what I wanted. He drove the car around and said it’s close, just needed some adjustments. I ran a amateur class with it. I had it where I felt comfy in it.

I saw it one last time before I left. He had some sponsor stickers on it and was beating it at the track. I did get a set of his gloves he gave me too. I was a fanboi for a minute.

I spent all my weekends at some track enjoying Japan. I ran into alot of famous people or people that ran famous JDM blogs.

Katsumoto > Frenchlicker 12/20/2015 at 19:37

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Yea, I’ve heard. A friend of mine in my town collects Nintendo/Zelda stuff. Talk about expensive. Although he spends some time at thrift shops buying and selling stuff he finds there for cash for his habit. So his wife oks it.

EL_ULY > Katsumoto 12/20/2015 at 20:52

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Absolutely incredible! You are a very good friend sir.

cberg > Katsumoto 12/21/2015 at 00:02

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Whatever comes next, you’ve got quite a cool take on the universal Datsun love all such owners feel. Maybe you find some weird JDM options on eBay to make it stand apart...

Also see if you can find the younglings some Skyline matchboxes...

Katsumoto > cberg 12/21/2015 at 00:08

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Thats all up to my friend. His car.

If it was 2020 id import JZX90. Just my preference. Something sleeper ish in a 4dr Camry looking Supra.

He does have a daughter but if Barbie had a skyline id get it.

Frank Grimes > Katsumoto 12/21/2015 at 00:47

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Well said. I appreciate you taking the time to reply and write your initial post. It seems you care very much for your friend and its amazing what you are doing.
Maybe I shouldn’t have said what I did but I guess I felt bad for your friend and can understand how he feels and wanted to express the seriousness of it. I hope I didn’t offend.

such a cool car I kinda want to see his reaction to it. It must be so hard for him to imagine being able to get his car back again with it being in japan his reaction will be amazing i bet.

God bless you and your friend I wish the best of luck for you both.

Nauraushaun > Katsumoto 12/21/2015 at 02:11

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Wine red!? Tis no mere wine red. That’s AH3 Cherry Red Pearl I’ll have you know, the same color as my beautiful beautiful Z. Good to see :)

Nauraushaun > Nauraushaun 12/21/2015 at 02:11

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By the way you’re a hero

cberg > Katsumoto 12/21/2015 at 03:00

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The first Toyotas I ever encountered were #1: 1978 Corolla #2: ‘87 Corolla and then straight on to a fixation with Cressidas. Being San Diego born will do that.

Personally I’m doubting I’ll be able to resist the Altezza bug, even if I just build a clone. They’re like MR2s cross-bred with C230 Kompressors! I do love to drift but being a Saab/Volvo guy I’ll be getting my sideways fix on dirt/snow soon enough, so I should also be thinking about a presentable set of wheels for work. My ‘Vo is getting ready to remove its’ Birkenstocks.

A lot of the best projects I’ve ever seen either come from vets or highly improbable shells; there’s a lot to be said for engineering with adversity to work past.

Luc - The Acadian Oppo > Katsumoto 12/21/2015 at 11:07

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Are you planning any modifications to make it easier for your friend to use it?

Katsumoto > cberg 12/21/2015 at 11:08

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Yea, the JZX90’s and 100’s caught on big. Think of them as a 4dr SC300.

They had them with different looks too. A Toyota Chaser, Mark II and Cresta. You can get them with different motors, although the Tourer models got better suspension, stiffer bodies and better interiors.

On top of the different models, it had different options too. Base model ones, Luxury ones, then the Tourers were Sporty. The tourers had the 1JZX-GE or GTE. Plus I always kinda liked how they looked kinda close to the 97 ish Camrys. So bring one to the states, pull its Mark II badges off and put a Camry badge on and embarass most cars. Mod it a little. We are speaking of a Toyota Supra ish motor basically, so that’s not cheap. Then proceed to WAX some ass.

Katsumoto > Luc - The Acadian Oppo 12/21/2015 at 11:15

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No, He can drive a stick shift. It’s something he’d have to get used too being RHD. He has a stick shift atm. He just needs a little time getting used to it and once he does, he’ll be fine.

Its both legs and his right arm. I think the hardest thing would be starting it for him. I do think a push button starter would help some. So he didn’t have to use his left hand to reach under and start. But that’s whats been working for him. He does have a handicap placard although he never parks in the provided spots. He doesn’t like it when people feel bad for him. So he’d prefer to use his cars without modifications that make it easier.

Luc - The Acadian Oppo > Katsumoto 12/21/2015 at 11:29

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Right on. That’s even better then.

cberg > Luc - The Acadian Oppo 12/21/2015 at 15:51

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That’s pretty kickass, I was wondering myself. I’ve met a guy with a carbon fiber foot who shows me up anytime I see him @ my local BMX park.