How to Import

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My point is that I love land cruisers and the BJ74 is like my favorite. Right now I have a toyota 2L powered long wheelbase samurai along with my 60 cruiser. That 74 would be PERFECT (102" wheelbase) for wheeling. I get out and wheel a lot, and this rig woudl be perfect. Mostly it would be either driven to, or trailered to the trailhead, so it wouldnt see much road time anyway. It certainly wouldnt be a daily driver.

I know its wrong from a legal sence, there is no victim here, so I dont feel bad about it.



TB
 
yeah but your not covered to drive an illegal car, trust me the insurance company will do anything they can to get out of paying a claim, soon as they find out what your driving is not legal or lied about what it is they are gonna leave to to hang out to dry. Don't ya think the wheel on the right hand side might raise some questions when you get in an accident? Yeah if you run into a tree....no biggy, but you run into a mini van with a mom and kids in it........your gonna be sued for everythinig you got, the ins carrier WANTS out of this, you WILL be screwed and prolly loose everything you own and prolly end up iin jail or with some bigass fines and at the very least you will loose the Cruiser...........is it worth it? not to me.

years ago I got in an accident while borrowing moms Accura, accdent was my fault. Insurance scumbag called the folks, asked em if I had permission to be driving the car, they said yes but I had told them I was going someplace else(not where I got to the accident) Next day insurance company(Safco) claimed I had stole the car....I had to sue my own insurance company to get covered, the judge was PISSED that Safco treid to pull that crap and made them cover me.......but it was a HUGE PITA.

Call you agent and ask em to insure a 87 bj74........bet they won't do it. VIN's on jap spec 74's arn't like US spec rigs as well.

Drivng with plates of something else is just plain stupid.........

Insurance at least in WA follows the car not the driver, so I can loan you any of my Cruisers and MY insurance covers the rig and you. Only way to be covered on any car you drive is to get an SR22, which is just liabilty, its what the state requires if you have a DWI, but anyone can get it. Another option is to get car dealer insurace but its spendy and you must be a dealer(so more exspence)

John H

[quote author=HZJ60_Guy link=board=21;threadid=9209;start=msg82950#msg82950 date=1072930514]
Ok point taken, but I havent been in a accident sense I was rear ended on the Golden Gate bridge in 1985! And that fact is no accident!

My insurance agent told me that I was covered for ANY car that I drive. Shouldnt that cover THEIR car and issues?


TB :P :banana: :beer: :cheers:


Happy new year!
[/quote]
 
Alright, great points all around. What about beeping it a trail rig?

Trailer it to and from.


TB
 
a hint back to my first and second posts, there is only one north american delivered land cruiser which is a sibling of the 73/74 and the production falls in line with these that are arriving from another land.

My insurance provides coverage on my truck based on what I have provided them (and is available to confirm at any point) and what two Arizona state employees of the AZ Department of Motor Vehicle confirmed. My 1985 hood fits a north American spec vehicle as do the fenders, doors, rear doors etc. Those factory toyota part numbers show up in the system and are stocked in the national Toyota distribution center in Ontario, CA warehouse. RHD, I bought my truck via a dealer in Maine where I was told it was a rural postal service truck ("I believe it was used in New England based on the information provided to me by the seller your honor")
 
I was told by a couple people with importation experience that RHD means nothing in the US!? That there are no laws that care one way or another. I know I have seen a few RHD vintage british cars driving around in my time.

Your point is well taken. Those HZJ75 mine trucks in northern Canada are the cousins you speak of I'd guess.

But are those parts truly interchangeable with the 74 series?



TB
 
BJ75's, PZJ75's, HZJ75's, and HZJ79's are not street vehicles although BJ75's may be legally registered in Canada but lack the coveted 17 digit VIN with check digit etc. HZJ79's now do, but they are waaaay too new, don't meet any sort of NA roadworthyness and the rotten letter in the 17 digit code (platered all over the truck) gives away it's year or production.

I have a spare set of 2003 HZJ79 doors if I need them (round corners vs square 99% match- but they have side impact beams now wahhooo) and Icky has 2002 HZJ79 doors and hood on his 1985 BJ70 in Northern California. If you could get BJ/PZJ/HZJ75 doors they are 100% identical.

(to inform the uninformed, HZJ79 mine trucks have fixed cabs while 75 series have fold down windshields)

Alex W. has said that RHD means nothing, but in my experince calling and trying to work with 12+ RI's in northwestern states, LA, CA and Phx none would touch the project (I speculate because of base cost of vehicle being well below $60,000+). The one in SLC I got furthest with told me it must be converted using only new OEM parts that they supply (I could not supply new or used) but then they were not interested at any cost because of liability.

easy solution, start calling RI's like I have and ask. If you get a go sign let us know. 7-9 months ago the door slammed on me via that route (but again why would I need it since I bought my truck via a dealer in the USA).
 
Thanks for the info Rick. Now, how the hell did you find one at a bloody dealership anyway?

I got my HJ60 from an add I found on the internet.


TB
 
I don't think that would be too hard to do, but if your gonna spend the $$$ on a nice low mile bj74 I would want to be able to drive it on the street ;)

[quote author=HZJ60_Guy link=board=21;threadid=9209;start=msg83096#msg83096 date=1072980783]
Alright, great points all around. What about beeping it a trail rig?

Trailer it to and from.


TB
[/quote]
 
Before 9 11 there were many ways to get legal title on a diesel crusier from Vancouver no questions asked.

Once s*** hit the fan most of these companies were shut down the very next day.

The letter from Toyota was recieved by a cruiser head, first one I ever did lay eyes on, now he has a 1982 BJ60 titled in the US. I have applied several times for this letter with no luck.

We meet all the standards for those model years of diesels slated for Canada, EPA is the only short coming. And lets face it, you take one of these units into California and it is omitted from Smog? Just plain politics and they cannot give you any real reason why not, especially since there are thousands of fork lifts in the US with 2H motors.

Jap cruisers are a little more than a grey area and would be a real challenge to import, most likely it would have to be done some other way. Hint Hint

I had the name of a importer that I lost Lol, that helped a gentleman from Toronto import his HJ60. It seemed pretty cheap, he wrote a letter to the customs groupe at a particular crossing. They would review the letter and say Ya or Nay, so there was not guarrantee it would get passed. In his case it did and just like the Toyota letter they set a presidence.

Rob
www.raddcrusiers.ca
 
Oh forgot to mention I did have a RI for a short period of time who did sign a few letters. He always told me not to worry he knew what he was doing, I believed there was no wrong.

Well, I was wrong.

Rob
 
I have been in touch with a guy in Canada that is importing Jap spec HZJ 75. He claims that he has sent 3 into the US in the past 2 yrs. Maybe, maybe not? All of his are Jap spec legal into Canada.
You meet him in Canada and that ends his involvement.

I have never driven across the US/CA border. Are all vehicles checked all the time? Is it random? Lets say I was visiting a friend in Canada, borrowed his car to do some errands in the US crossing the border. What sort of record, if any is kept of this? It would seem very easy for them to keep track of what comes in and goes out. Are all crossings monitored?

I have read that all 87-94 (posted here 88-95, not sure) cars legal in CA are legal here with few hassles crossing the border and getting legal title. So, if the Jap spec cruiser is legal in Canada and falls into those years would it be legal to import with few hassles?

The ROver guys mentioned I have run into a few times. They bring in "parts" then build vehicles with them. 100% legal until you title them. Most of them suddenly drive a really new looking '69 109 :-[ Like the other post said just looking for trouble. ???

Some states have origination (SP?) titles so that if you make a vehicle you can eventually get a title. GA will do this but I bet it is a problem.

If I was going to "sneak" on in I would get it titled in a different state that does not require an inspection and get the tags, title etc and go get it switching out the tags as needed. This is assuming that there is not a record showing the vehicle crossed into CA first. WHen I got it home I would re register it here.

The only other way would be to bring it in as parts and title it that way.

Of course this is all speculation as doing any of the above would be breaking both Federal and State laws.
 
Ohhh, but of course we do not to overextend the law.

Pretty sure the guy selling the HZJ75 is giving simular information then registering the vehicle as off road purpose only then trailoring it down.

Just a guess?

Rob
 
[quote author=dd113 link=board=21;threadid=9209;start=msg83830#msg83830 date=1073105907]
I have been in touch with a guy in Canada that is importing Jap spec HZJ 75. He claims that he has sent 3 into the US in the past 2 yrs. Maybe, maybe not? All of his are Jap spec legal into Canada.
[/quote]


Huh? Not many HZJ75's were available in Japan. Is this the guy in Vancouver who also brings in G-wagens?

Dave
 
I thought you were talking about the mining trucks from Canada, anyways not sure about the jap stuff?

You claim someone has information on how to move the jap stuff south?

Rob
 
:-[ I read the thread again and do remember this fellow advertising these trucks new from Japan.

Been awhile since I last seen a post from him.

Rob
 
Ya, they've been listed already. Canada is NO problem. The problem is HERE where that importation thing is concerned.




TB
 
This giy is not bringing in new trucks and it is not lostguide. I dont want to make this seem like a big secret but I dont want to post it all over. WHat he told me was that he has a rep. in Japan that would buy the trucks. These were not auction trucks but purchased from private sellers then imported legal into Canada. They come into BC then he takes them to his location. He charges the cost of the truck ( I assume there is a markup in there althought he claims there is not) then adds $2000 US to it to cover importing and shipping. He quoted me an early '90s HZJ 75 in good shape with less than 200K on it for around 12K CA out the door. He said they can run as high as 25K CA or as low as 9KCA all depends on miles and condition.

Someone answer my questions about crossing the border; please.
 
David,
I live 15 minutes from the U.S./Canada border and have crossed into the states countless times with my '82 BJ60. They ONLY check the plates (just a photograph) for registration or a means of monitoring who is coming and going I guess? They have NEVER questioned it for EPA certification or any other legalities. So long as I'm legal in Canada I'm good to go anywhere I choose. I can get a lot of questions at Toyota dealers in the southern states though :D.
 
[quote author=dd113 link=board=21;threadid=9209;start=msg83976#msg83976 date=1073151288]
This giy is not bringing in new trucks and it is not lostguide. I dont want to make this seem like a big secret but I dont want to post it all over. WHat he told me was that he has a rep. in Japan that would buy the trucks. These were not auction trucks but purchased from private sellers then imported legal into Canada. They come into BC then he takes them to his location. He charges the cost of the truck ( I assume there is a markup in there althought he claims there is not) then adds $2000 US to it to cover importing and shipping. He quoted me an early '90s HZJ 75 in good shape with less than 200K on it for around 12K CA out the door. He said they can run as high as 25K CA or as low as 9KCA all depends on miles and condition.

Someone answer my questions about crossing the border; please.
[/quote]

That seems to be a smoking good deal and you did not go for it?

Ohh I have a feeling your PM box is going to get very full.

Rob
 
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