Previous Spot Revisited: 1984-85 Suzuki SJ410 Jimny

I first spotted this Suzuki here on April 4, 2013, but spotted it again in the same place. The racing stripes on the bonnet are gilding the lily a bit given that the 1000cc inline four is barely capable of normal freeway speeds, let alone racetrack speeds, and the J.C. Whitney Samurai hardtop looks out-of-place, but this would be an ideal restoration candidate between its condition and its rarity in the continental US. The outline of Hawaii on the back window may hint at where this came from, since unlike the LJ20 and Carry in the 1970s, they were only distributed on Hawaii and other US outlying islands.

Side Street Find: Datsun 510 Wagon and Suzuki SJ410 Jimny

I spotted this tatty but solid Datsun 510 station wagon whilst carspotting/old-iron hunting in an industrial area near me, it was in front of a warehouse, and appears to be a daily driver.

But what's that behind it? Surely it's a Suzuki Samurai! Still a worthy spotting in uncut condition like this.

Here we have an early 80s Suzuki SJ410 Jimny, a model not sold in the continental US, but distributed on outlying islands like Hawaii, Guam, Puerto Rico and the Mariana Islands. It was the successor to the smaller, lighter-weight, less substantial LJ jeep of the 1970s and differs in numerous ways from the more familiar Samurai. This one is left-hand-drive, evidently has a few aftermarket Samurai bits on it, and appears to be owned by someone who knows what they have. The yellow Oregon plates indicate that it  has been on the mainland since at least 1986 (N numbers on Oregon plates were 1986-1987 only)

Forbidden Fruit: 1990 Mazda Carol Kei Car

This kei car may be the only one of its kind in North America, and at $1750 CDN, with 86,000 kilometers, it seems like a great deal for those who can legally import a 1990 car or who live in Canada. The automatic transmission/660cc engine may make it sluggish however.

Find it here in Vancouver, British Columbia for $1750 CDN

8 Tips For Owning a Kei Car or Kei Truck In The USA

US-spec Subaru 360. Picture from Subaru of Keane

So you are attracted to the tiny, small-engined Japanese cars and trucks known as "kei" vehicles? Here is an article about owning them in the USA.

1: The easiest to find in the US are the Subaru 360/Sambar, Suzuki LJ20/Carry and Honda 600, since they were officially imported in the early 1970s and all US models are left-hand-drive, but parts availability may be an issue.

 2: Importing a car over 25 model years of age into any state but California will be easy, kei trucks will be exempt from the 25% "chicken tax" if they are over 25 model years old, and registration will be easy unless you are registering a marque not sold in the US like Autozam. Others, like Honda, Nissan, Suzuki, Toyota, Subaru, Mazda, Mitsubishi and even Daihatsu, are in virtually all DMV databases. Fans of the Honda City, which is possibly the most desirable import-eligible kei car known to Americans, are in luck.

3: Anyone with large feet, broad shoulders or more than 5 feet 10 inches in height, will not fit in most kei cars.

4: Many kei cars made up to the 1980s have two-stroke engines. Those are not for areas where there are strict pollution controls, and most older ones lack oil injection, so you will have to add oil to the gasoline every time you fill up.

5: These cars are great for city driving and small parking spaces, and for experienced drivers, right-hand-drive typically takes about 20 minutes to get accustomed to.

6: In some states, kei trucks are illegal regardless of model year unless they are the Suzuki and Subaru products officially sold in the US, so if you want a Daihatsu Hijet or Midget, a Honda T360, or a Honda Acty 4x4, make sure they are legal in your state.

7: Parts are easiest to get from sources in Canada and Australia, since there is little to nothing available as parts/service in the US unless you are a Subaru 360/Sambar or Honda 600 owner.

8: Expect all kinds of attention, everything from "cute car"/"cool car" to racist or nationalist comments, when driving the car.

Happy Motoring!

Parking Lot Spot: Early 1970s Mercedes-Benz 280S

This metallic beige classic Benz was spotted near my apartment. Looks to be either a home-market car or one with its sidemarkers shaved during a repaint.

Forbidden Fruit: 1965 Piaggio Ape Project in Canada

The Piaggio Ape (pronounced ah-pay), made by the company most famous for the Vespa scooter, is not well-known in North America, but is ubiquitous in the Mediterranean and the Third World as an inexpensive working vehicle. This Ape has an unknown streamliner cargo bed and has been stored for many years, but is a great project, and can be imported to the US easily. Parts may be tricky (as with many other interesting vehicles), but eBay is a great source, and this enthusiast website is a great source of info on these interesting microtrucks. 

An advantage that the Ape has over a kei truck is that in places where all kei trucks regardless of model year are illegal, the Ape isn't, since it is legally considered a motorcycle. Most states also do not require a motorcycle endorsement for three-wheelers. 

Daihatsu Midget fans in states that say no to kei trucks, the Piaggio Ape (especially in closed-cab form) is for you!

Find it here for $1000 CDN in Coquitlam, British Columbia (or go here if ad disappears)

The Pros & Cons of Owning a Grey-Market or Private Import Car in the US

(photo from aeu86.org)

Many enthusiasts of foreign cars in the US have thought about owning something that was never sold on our soil. There are many interesting or strong points about owning a foreign-market car, but there are drawbacks too.

-Pros-

Exclusivity: You will be one of few, if not the only one, of your car at shows or road events.

Fun of driving: Cars made for the European, Japanese or Australian markets are typically much better driver's cars than those made for the North American market. 

Styling: Foreign styling is typically impressive, even on economy cars, and on home-market versions of what we got in the US, lighting, bumpers, wheels, interiors and many other things are different.

Interest: Many clubs and driving groups will welcome you with open arms if you have a foreign-market car. In particular, Nissans, Lancias, Fiats, BMWs, Mazdas, rally specials like the Renault R5 Turbo, and exotics like Maserati, Ferrari, Aston Martin & Porsche, are well liked.

No 25% import tax on trucks: All light trucks eligible under the US specialty import laws are exempted from the dreaded 25% "chicken tax". Good news for fans of Citroen H-vans, Renault Estafettes, VW commercial vehicles, kei trucks, Mini Mokes, Fiat Campagnolas, Land Rover products, Citroen Meharis and Matra-Simca Ranchos.

-Cons-

Parts/service: For marques sold in the US (especially BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar and Land Rover), some dealers will not sell parts for cars that are not North American versions, and parts specific to your car may only be available online or overseas. Service is usually limited to specialists, and many parts are expensive.

The law: For full EPA/DOT exemption, your car MUST be at least 25 model years from the current model year, and it is a rolling exemption. In many states with strict inspections, non-US headlights may be illegal. In California, forget anything newer than 1975 unless you can afford the process of reviewal by the Bureau of Air Resources and get the approval sticker for the car. And in some states, kei trucks regardless of model year may be illegal.

Patriotism: If you live in a highly conservative area or your family is highly conservative, importing a foreign-made car from overseas can be an issue.

Insurance: Insuring a foreign car can be tricky, but all insurers vary. It pays to shop around in this case.

The DMV: Many states will have to add odd makes to their database, which can be tricky. And many states will not recognize non-US VIN numbers.

Insomniac Garage on the "21/25" US Import Law

The United States of America is many things, some good, some bad. What it is not, is a particularly good place for enthusiasts of cars made in other countries. 

Its anachronistic vehicle safety code is actually inferior to those of the European Union, Japan and South Korea, the regulations in place now for private imports are widely believed to be of a protectionist nature, and there has been talk, particularly during the Republican side of the 2012 presidential election, of repealing the “21/25” import law that makes cars older than 25 model years completely exempt from EPA and DOT mandates and those older than 21 model years exempt from EPA mandates. It would be a very bad thing to return to the days when nothing newer than the 1968 model year could be imported, or worse yet, allowing no private imports of motor vehicles at all.

Pros and Cons of the 21/25 Law:

Pros:

1. Desirable foreign cars like the Audi Sport Quattro and RS2, Peugeot 205GTI, Fiat Ritmo Abarth, Innocenti Mini DeTomaso, Maserati Karif and Ghibli Cup, Renault R5 Turbo and Renault-Alpine A310, Matra Bagheera and Murena, Lancia Delta Integrale and Thema 8.32, Lancia-Zagato Hyena, BMW M3 Evo, Lada Niva, Suzuki LJ50, Trabant 601, Tatra T603, T613 and T700, Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16 Evolution I and II, Isuzu 117, Lotus Excel, AC ME3000, Nissan Figaro and Skyline GT-R R32, Alfa Romeo SZ/RZ, Mazda Eunos Cosmo, Autozam AZ1, TVR S2, Griffith, Cerbera and Chimaera, Marcos Mantula, Ford Sierra Cosworth, MG RV8 and Honda Beat, are either already legal to import or will be in a few short years. 
2. There is no need for safety glass or DOT-compliant lighting on imports older than 25 model years.
3. Drivers will have access to a much broader selection of fun-to-drive and unusual cars than one might expect.
4. Museums and movie studios will have increased breadth of choices for exhibit or prop cars.
5. Those who dislike conformity can import any car they want that is older than 25 model years and enjoy it as a hobby car or daily driver.
6. The vast majority of European and Japanese cars have to conform to safety and emissions standards tougher than yet different from those of the US.

Cons:

1. Some sporty cars like Lancia Delta Integrales, Renault Clio Williams and R5 Turbos, Nissan Skyline GT-Rs, older TVRs and Audi RS2s are available fairly cheap overseas, and a combination of such a car and a teenager or young adult whose only experience has been behind the wheel of the family car and playing car-themed video games is a deadly one. This is the only reason I think it should not be liberalized to synchronize with Canada's rolling 15-year import law.
2. Importing foreign cars will cut into sales of new domestic or US-market imported cars and will undermine American used-car dealers. While it may to a very small extent, importing the type of cars most enthusiasts wish to import will not have any significant impact on the market for new and used cars; the impact that it does have will be negligible.
3. Parts and service can be hard to come by, particularly for marques that are no longer sold in the US, certain models and body styles never sold in the US and marques never sold in the US. However, the internet and specialist garages for European and Japanese cars can almost always be of assistance.
4. California emissions law forbids emission controls that aren’t compliant with their state laws on post-1975 cars and trucks, but for those with the money and determination, they can potentially get their car approved by the Bureau of Air Resources and get what is known as a “BAR Sticker”. This is a long, difficult and costly process, but may be worthwhile for some people or some cars. 

Conclusion: 

For all intents and purposes, the 21/25 law is a good thing, repealing it would not be a good idea, the only bad thing about liberalizing it to synchronize with Canada would be giving inexperienced or young drivers easy access to extremely fast cars, and its only flaw is that California residents will have great difficulty obtaining emissions certification for a post-1975 private import. However, dropping the protectionist attitude and synchronizing US standards with EU and Japanese standards would be a good option.

Forbidden Fruit: 1998 TVR Griffith 500 Blackpool Edition in the USA

final edit, 2/13/2013: SOLD! Again, we hope we influenced it, and we'd love to hear from the new owner!

edit, 1/18/2013: This car is on hold by the seller. We hope that we helped influence this move.

(all photos from the seller, wirewheel.com)

This rare British roadster, with only 18,000 miles, and a model never sold in the USA, somehow ended up at a British sports car specialist in Florida. While still too new for legal ownership in the US, it just turned 15 years old, so this car can be legally imported and enjoyed by Canadians, it can be repatriated to the UK very easily, and there are many other places that this car can be owned and driven legally. Just 10 more years before it can come to the US, assuming that a politician with protectionist or uberenvironmentalist intents does not overturn the 21/25 exemption in favor of something stricter or no imports at all, or if 21/25 is liberalized into something like what Canada has for private vehicle imports.

The design is unusual but appealing, the engine is a 5.0-liter, 340hp Rover V8 with fuel injection and backed by a 5-speed Tremec manual transmission, it is fully loaded with leather seats, air conditioning, an alarm system and power windows/locks, and being a British car manufactured for Japanese exports, it is right-hand drive. 

$43,900 USD buys this car, but Insomniac Garage does not recommend that an American purchases the car unless they export it to a vacation home or timeshare in Canada or some other place that it is legal, registers it there and does not bring it to the US until it is legal.

Not For The Faint Of Heart: 1962 Mercedes-Benz Unimog project truck

This 1962 Mercedes-Benz Unimog, while somewhat tatty-looking and in need of some work, runs and drives, comes with a rebuilt spare engine, extra wheels and extra parts, and in general looks like a great project truck. The military-style canopy is a great addition, and the seller is leaving the 4x4 community so needs to sell the truck.

Find it here, in Ramona, California, for $8500, (or go here if ad disappears)