No GT4's in the US? Options

[94wrc]

Hello,

I have heard that for some reason you guys in the States are not allowed the GT-Four in it's standard form, is this correct? I heard that a lot of engines get shipped out for you to put into "normal" celica's. Does anyone know the reason you aren't allowed them? is it down to emissions?

Thanks

Nathan

[fastgt]

you are correct...

we did however get the st-185 up until 93. In 94 the 6gc came out without a gt-4 model in the states, apparently the main reason was that the previous gt-4 did not sell very well in the states.

6gc owners have begun swapping st-185/205 motors into their celicas but still keeping the car fwd, but theres also some that have supposedly coverted their celica to awd.

its a shame.....im sure the gt-4 would of sold very well, but at the same time there was no real market for it back then as there is now.

This post has been edited by fastgt: Mar 24, 2006 - 11:43 AM

[94wrc]

It is strange but I am right in thinking that most of your "fast" cars have huge engines (4.0l +)? I heard that you can't even import a GT-Four into the States and a couple of people have done so and get stopped by the police whenever they drive them, whether this is true or not I don't know.

Excuse the stupid questions but I know nothing about the US car scene.

Thanks

Nathan

[RallyeMonkey]

Does anyone know what it would take to import one? Several thousand for shipping?

[fastgt]

several thousand for shipping...might want to buy a few for crash testing....then find one you like , then make the car d.o.t compliant....then make it smog legal....uhhh list goes on....it aint gonna happen

[95CelicaST]

Does anyone know what it would take to import one? Several thousand for shipping?

You would need to have the engine removed and shipped seperately from the body, that way you can register the body and engine as "Parts". Once it is over here you can just reinstall and register as a Kit Car, but I think you still have to pass emissions.

[Bigmeanbulldog55]

It is strange but I am right in thinking that most of your "fast" cars have huge engines (4.0l +)? I heard that you can't even import a GT-Four into the States and a couple of people have done so and get stopped by the police whenever they drive them, whether this is true or not I don't know.

Excuse the stupid questions but I know nothing about the US car scene.

Thanks

Nathan

American's like to brag on thier fast cars with the 5.0 plus liters. Anything less than that and it might as well be an import. Even though we didn't get the GT-4, we still have the TT Supra, so we're not too deprived. We have cars here that you don't. I see the new GTO's and Mustangs running around everywere. I doubt you see more than a couple, if that. We do have a few faster small liter motors. V6's, and 4 cylinders, but Americans seem to dissown them. Bigger is better here, I guess. We have the 80's Grand Nationals, which were a 3.8 turbo V6, that was a strate line demon. Also had a Shelby Dodge Omni, it was a 2.2 turbo. It was a good all around track car. But it couldn't match Euro and Japanese realiability. We are now picking up a lot of the techonology that has been elsewere, but we still aren't doing it right in most cases. We have the Corvette, and it is the best engineered American car ever in my opinion, even if it does have a 5.7liter V8.

[fastgt]

we have plenty of motors that rock and arent big v8's

look at the evo/sti motors...4 bangers with turbos....those motors rock

or look at the vq35(z,g35,maxima, etc.) that motor has won motor of the year many times..

we have a have a lot eco motors running around *cough toyota*...but we dont need v8's to show our power....i mean look at the 2jz-gte...awesome motor...

This post has been edited by fastgt: Mar 24, 2006 - 12:40 PM

[95CelicaST]

look at the evo/sti motors...4 bangers with turbos....those motors rock

Except the cost of maintaining an EJ engine, and the chance of busting a timing belt on the EVO and smashing up the valves...

[Fastbird]

American's like to brag on thier fast cars with the 5.0 plus liters. Anything less than that and it might as well be an import. Even though we didn't get the GT-4, we still have the TT Supra, so we're not too deprived. We have cars here that you don't. I see the new GTO's and Mustangs running around everywere. I doubt you see more than a couple, if that. We do have a few faster small liter motors. V6's, and 4 cylinders, but Americans seem to dissown them. Bigger is better here, I guess. We have the 80's Grand Nationals, which were a 3.8 turbo V6, that was a strate line demon. Also had a Shelby Dodge Omni, it was a 2.2 turbo. It was a good all around track car. But it couldn't match Euro and Japanese realiability. We are now picking up a lot of the techonology that has been elsewere, but we still aren't doing it right in most cases. We have the Corvette, and it is the best engineered American car ever in my opinion, even if it does have a 5.7liter V8.

I agree with what you're saying, americans hold true to the bigger is better mo. Just look at the SUV's.

Examples (just the popular American sports cars off hand):

Mustang GT (05+): 281 CID 4.6L OHC V8 305HP/325TQ
Pontiac GTO/Chevy Corvette(05+): 364 CID 6.0L OHV V8 400HP/400TQ
Corvette ZO6 (06+): 427 CID (SMALL BLOCK) 7.0L OHV V8 505HP/475TQ
LS1 Chevy Camaro and Pontiac Firebird (98-02): 5.6L 346 CID OHV V8 325HP/335TQ
LT1 Chevy Camaro and Pontiac Firebird (93-97): 5.7L 350 CID OHV V8 305HP/325TQ

If anyone says a Cavalier, Cobalt, Sunfire, Ion, Grand Am, Escort, Focus or the like is a sports car I'm goign to reach through the internet and smack ya.

It's a shame, but the DOT keeps some of the more cool cars produced overseas just that: Overseas. I'd love to have seen a GT4 or Skyline here stateside, but importing one, while doable, is extremely cost prohibitive.

[celicaST]

American's like to brag on thier fast cars with the 5.0 plus liters. Anything less than that and it might as well be an import. Even though we didn't get the GT-4, we still have the TT Supra, so we're not too deprived. We have cars here that you don't. I see the new GTO's and Mustangs running around everywere. I doubt you see more than a couple, if that. We do have a few faster small liter motors. V6's, and 4 cylinders, but Americans seem to dissown them. Bigger is better here, I guess. We have the 80's Grand Nationals, which were a 3.8 turbo V6, that was a strate line demon. Also had a Shelby Dodge Omni, it was a 2.2 turbo. It was a good all around track car. But it couldn't match Euro and Japanese realiability. We are now picking up a lot of the techonology that has been elsewere, but we still aren't doing it right in most cases. We have the Corvette, and it is the best engineered American car ever in my opinion, even if it does have a 5.7liter V8.

I agree with what you're saying, americans hold true to the bigger is better mo. Just look at the SUV's.

Examples (just the popular American sports cars off hand):

Mustang GT (05+): 281 CID 4.6L OHC V8 305HP/325TQ
Pontiac GTO/Chevy Corvette(05+): 364 CID 6.0L OHV V8 400HP/400TQ
Corvette ZO6 (06+): 427 CID (SMALL BLOCK) 7.0L OHV V8 505HP/475TQ
LS1 Chevy Camaro and Pontiac Firebird (98-02): 5.6L 346 CID OHV V8 325HP/335TQ
LT1 Chevy Camaro and Pontiac Firebird (93-97): 5.7L 350 CID OHV V8 305HP/325TQ

If anyone says a Cavalier, Cobalt, Sunfire, Ion, Grand Am, Escort, Focus or the like is a sports car I'm goign to reach through the internet and smack ya.

It's a shame, but the DOT keeps some of the more cool cars produced overseas just that: Overseas. I'd love to have seen a GT4 or Skyline here stateside, but importing one, while doable, is extremely cost prohibitive.

i understand the legal issues, but i dont wee why it has to be such a big deal. i mean its not like were importing heroin, its just a dang car. how bout the cobalt ss supercharged?

[fastgt]

The cobalt ss is no better than that damned srt-4

[RallyeMonkey]

several thousand for shipping...might want to buy a few for crash testing....then find one you like , then make the car d.o.t compliant....then make it smog legal....uhhh list goes on....it aint gonna happen

So your saying it would be cheaper and easier to move to the UK...

[fastgt]

cheaper? probably not.. is the money worth the car? the car is great but not really worth it..

the only reason its soo hard to bring one over here is because we probably have some of the highest safety standards in the world...if they havent tested the car here in the states, or have proof that it meets our standards ...the u.s d.o.h.s says its unsafe

now if you think thats bad....california has the the most strict smog laws...you know what the means....no twin turbo for my Z

[trd94]

we have plenty of motors that rock and arent big v8's

look at the evo/sti motors...4 bangers with turbos....those motors rock

or look at the vq35(z,g35,maxima, etc.) that motor has won motor of the year many times..

we have a have a lot eco motors running around *cough toyota*...but we dont need v8's to show our power....i mean look at the 2jz-gte...awesome motor...

all of these motors are not v8 indeed, but at the same time they are not american made .the american car companies dont realy offer a strong 4 cylinder that performs like the motors you listed

This post has been edited by trd94: Mar 24, 2006 - 4:45 PM

[fastgt]

Im aware that they are japanese made motors, i was just stating the motors that are available here in the u.s, and youre right the u.s market has nothing to compare to this motor....and please somebody dont say that the supercharged ecotec motor or the peon srt-4 motor is comparable to these motors....

true the srt-4 motor is easily tunable but will never be as reliable

[NaKeD]

I'm not 100% sure about America, in australia its really really hard to import a gt4/ssii/ssiii
because we already produce the celica SX and ZR, the government is trying to protect
Australian Cars against import.. they want people to spend money buying australian cars and keep the money in Australia. Especially since we produce celica already.....
if its a car we don't produce.. its not that hard...

NaKeD

[lilsteeg]

It is strange but I am right in thinking that most of your "fast" cars have huge engines (4.0l +)? I heard that you can't even import a GT-Four into the States and a couple of people have done so and get stopped by the police whenever they drive them, whether this is true or not I don't know.

Excuse the stupid questions but I know nothing about the US car scene.

Thanks

Nathan

American's like to brag on thier fast cars with the 5.0 plus liters. Anything less than that and it might as well be an import. Even though we didn't get the GT-4, we still have the TT Supra, so we're not too deprived. We have cars here that you don't. I see the new GTO's and Mustangs running around everywere. I doubt you see more than a couple, if that. We do have a few faster small liter motors. V6's, and 4 cylinders, but Americans seem to dissown them. Bigger is better here, I guess. We have the 80's Grand Nationals, which were a 3.8 turbo V6, that was a strate line demon. Also had a Shelby Dodge Omni, it was a 2.2 turbo. It was a good all around track car. But it couldn't match Euro and Japanese realiability. We are now picking up a lot of the techonology that has been elsewere, but we still aren't doing it right in most cases. We have the Corvette, and it is the best engineered American car ever in my opinion, even if it does have a 5.7liter V8.

no no no no, the corvette it a verry well engineered car but the viper and saleen s7 are better, oh and the 5.0 plus is wrong the mustang rocks a 4.6

This post has been edited by lilsteeg: Mar 24, 2006 - 8:30 PM

[bloodrain]

Does anyone know what it would take to import one? Several thousand for shipping?

the first thing you have to do is 1) get the car D.O.T. approved. which they will need approximatly 200 GT-Fours just to wreck and crash test. Then each part of the car has to go through testing and get a D.O.T.stamp. Then the frame must be properly reinforced for the crash tests. So figure 200 cars x $15,000. Then each new car that comes over has to get certified (about another $20,000) So after the the $3,000,000 you just spent on getting the GT-FOURS legalized, you gotta fork out another $35,000 for the car (total). Im not sure which dildo did that for the Skylines but thank god it wasnt me. You can buy a R34 US legalized for about $60,000 w00t w00t.

[lilsteeg]

i dunno, there are a few gt-4s floating around in the us, but you could count them on 1 hand