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Let’s Import Vehicles From Japan For Fun And Profit - Everyone looks at you, everyone ever
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Mar 25, 2020 10:49
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| # ? May 24, 2024 22:13 |
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KakerMix posted:
So cute and practical, it's the perfect little commuter.
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Mar 25, 2020 12:23
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KakerMix posted:
I'm planning on getting a 500 Abarth to satisfy my small car fetish, but goddamn an Alto Works is tempting as hell too.
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Mar 25, 2020 16:25
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Finally a new page all of Kaker's beautiful pics kept crashing my phone during Quarantine! Ha. Love love the Rasheen. I've got the arrival notice April 3-4 I should have Daihatsu Bucket Kei, Mazda Fire Truck, Nissan Atlas mural Camper, Acty Street Van and Pajero Mini in this shipment Edit:  WOW. 5 speed Type R NSX, 5 speeds are so rare in Japan on these. Wish it wasn't USS and I could see what this sells for tonight. https://auc.japancardirect.com/aj-70Uk2Ymk6BmcgTv.htm everdave fucked around with this message at 19:43 on Mar 25, 2020 |
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Mar 25, 2020 17:26
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everdave, how did the cars you had in storage fare? You'd mentioned there was tornado damage in the immediate area..KakerMix posted:It's weird looking, 5 speed and AWD. Not as slow as you'd think but definitely not 'sporty'. Is... is that a CA16? Those are gutless enough without AWD. 
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Mar 25, 2020 17:36
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I’m pretty sure that Rasheen is my new favorite car holy poo poo
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Mar 26, 2020 04:39
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everdave posted:I've got the arrival notice April 3-4 I should have Daihatsu Bucket Kei, Mazda Fire Truck, Nissan Atlas mural Camper, Acty Street Van and Pajero Mini in this shipment I am really, REALLY excited to see the bucket truck!
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Mar 26, 2020 13:10
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After 6 weeks of waiting, Wisconsin DMV rejected my request for standard license plates because my camper does not have a Registered Importer label (meaning it was brought up to NHTSA safe code upon import) nor does it have an existing NHSTA safety marking (meaning it was manufactured to the safety standard of TYOOL 1995). Wisconsin wrote their own special addendum law because STATES RIGHTS. However, the very knowledgeable and nice lady at the DMV I called to cry to told me that filing for a Collector Plate is my best bet, and essentially a surefire way to get this thing titled and registered for road use. Form MV2323! 6 weeks ago, at first glance of the collector plate requirements, I didn't think it was a good option but now I'm basically putting my faith in that conversation. If that doesn't work...then I have to start looking at more grey area workarounds. Truly an experience! The drawback to Collector Plates is that you can't drive it in the month of January.
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Mar 26, 2020 15:56
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French Canadian posted:The drawback to Collector Plates is that you can't drive it in the month of January. That's very random. I guess there is some kind of justification for that?
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Mar 26, 2020 18:22
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Nidhg00670000 posted:That's very random. I guess there is some kind of justification for that? It's to discourage people from using those plates on daily drivers. If it was a real collectible you wouldn't have it out in the snow anyway, right?
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Mar 26, 2020 18:43
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French Canadian posted:After 6 weeks of waiting, Wisconsin DMV rejected my request for standard license plates because my camper does not have a Registered Importer label (meaning it was brought up to NHTSA safe code upon import) nor does it have an existing NHSTA safety marking (meaning it was manufactured to the safety standard of TYOOL 1995). Wisconsin wrote their own special addendum law because STATES RIGHTS. What? That's... what? How can a state refuse to register a car that is federally legal? loving DMVs are the most bureaucratic hide bound control freaks ever. The most "government" of government agencies. gently caress it. "Sell" it to one of us who doesn't live in a totalitarian regime, and we'll sell it back to you with a clean out-of-state title. Yes, I know this is frowned upon, but if they're going to be dicks about it... I don't think it's strictly illegal, but might be in some states.
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Mar 26, 2020 19:10
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Midjack posted:It's to discourage people from using those plates on daily drivers. If it was a real collectible you wouldn't have it out in the snow anyway, right? It's a collectable snow plow truck 
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Mar 26, 2020 19:32
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Darchangel posted:What? That's... what? You see similar discontinuities with things like tint laws, the CARB (which has ended up being a de facto national standard), regulations on aftermarket exhausts, etc. They can always choose to be more restrictive than federal law; they can never choose to be less restrictive without getting your R34 smashed.
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Mar 26, 2020 20:11
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25 year old vehicles are 100% EXEMPT from NHTSA requirements.
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Mar 26, 2020 20:41
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wilfredmerriweathr posted:25 year old vehicles are 100% EXEMPT from NHTSA requirements. That's what I mean, sorry. Poorly worded in my rage.
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Mar 26, 2020 21:36
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wilfredmerriweathr posted:25 year old vehicles are 100% EXEMPT from NHTSA requirements. Not in Wisconsin my dude. They have very specific language about it along the lines of "regardless of federal law blah blah blah states rights".
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Mar 27, 2020 04:42
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Hey look what I found: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahdhk1rZZrU This is how all our cars make it over here 
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Mar 27, 2020 06:06
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French Canadian posted:"regardless of federal law blah blah blah states rights". Coulda sworn that particular conflict was resolved at one point, seemed like it was pretty decisive, can't quite put my finger on it...
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Mar 27, 2020 10:38
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KakerMix posted:Hey look what I found: Yeah that was super neat to see! Ethics_Gradient posted:Coulda sworn that particular conflict was resolved at one point, seemed like it was pretty decisive, can't quite put my finger on it... I feel like you know something I don't...
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Mar 27, 2020 14:30
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Ethics_Gradient posted:Coulda sworn that particular conflict was resolved at one point, seemed like it was pretty decisive, can't quite put my finger on it...
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Mar 27, 2020 17:50
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French Canadian posted:Yeah that was super neat to see! It was a Civil War joke wolrah posted:As has already been discussed, states are free to have more restrictive requirements than the feds do for vehicle registration, see California emissions for the most obvious example, they just can't have less (though the number of R34s with Florida titles shows how little this is actually enforced). Ah, that makes sense (and sucks for OP)
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Mar 27, 2020 22:22
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Ethics_Gradient posted:It was a Civil War joke I mean if someone said "you'll have to do it this way" from the beginning I would have been cool with it. Apparently the fuckin mini truck enthusiasts essentially got the legislation changed in a way that allowed minitrucks to be registered for highway but not freeway use and with that came the other bullshit about NHTSA because no one wanted "660cc deathtraps" vehicles ripping around on the freeways. That's what the DMV guy a while back essentially suggested. At least I can buy all the guns or whatever the gently caress. French Canadian fucked around with this message at 02:08 on Mar 28, 2020 |
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Mar 28, 2020 02:05
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             Welp it's the Prado that we've been looking for. All the hits, KZ 3.0 turbo diesel engine, 5 speed manual transmission, rear diff lock (not something we were looking for but we got it anyway), 'EX' level which means sunroof, suspension seats, rear heater, upgraded seats and fabric (though the driver's seat is a bit pilly) and probably some other stuff I'm not aware of. The only option it doesn't have is the front bumper winch, but that's OK. Previous owner went ahead and swapped out every amber lens with clear lenses and amber bulbs, along with swapping out the rear tail lights with an LED set. The original paint color of 'really goddamned dark green until you get it in the sun then it sparkles' with secondary silver. I think it looks fantastic. The front bullbar is a nice touch as well, with the almost iridescent PIAA fogs. Came with new BF Goodrich KO2s already. Really all I have done so far is remove the third row seats, wash, polished and waxed it. I have to tackle the stereo situation as it looks like some highschool kid installed this ugly-rear end rave headunit. I patched up the harness behind the headunit and tossed in the OEM tape deck that the buyer of our other Prado graciously sent back to me on my request. I have to gently caress with the rest of the wiring at some point in the future. Exhaust has a leak as well so I'll replace that with a full stainless set here in a bit once the world calms down.
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Mar 29, 2020 02:04
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KakerMix posted:I have to tackle the stereo situation as it looks like some highschool kid installed this ugly-rear end rave headunit.
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Mar 29, 2020 02:10
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drat Kaker, that is beautiful.
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Mar 29, 2020 07:50
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InitialDave posted:Afraid that's just Japan.txt. except for it being owned or driven by a high-schooler, but yeah probably somebody in the boonies who got a cheap CD player from the closest Super Autobacs.
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Mar 29, 2020 09:14
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That paint!   I'm not a fan of those taillights, but more because they just look kinda cheap. The rest of it is amazeballs.
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Mar 29, 2020 12:54
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Mar 29, 2020 14:28
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drat, nice. It looks completely black in the first pic wow. Are you getting any interest in your cars still or have things dropped off because of this Corona poo poo?
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Mar 29, 2020 16:54
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That looks really nice, Kaker! A razor works pretty well for getting rid of pills.
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Mar 29, 2020 20:10
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Ethics_Gradient posted:That looks really nice, Kaker! You also need a mirror and a dollar bill to really make them disappear.
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Mar 29, 2020 20:18
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Midjack posted:You also need a mirror and a dollar bill to really make them disappear. That honestly made me lol.
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Mar 29, 2020 20:21
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Tell me more about this razor technique. Just...shave it?
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Mar 30, 2020 00:52
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French Canadian posted:Tell me more about this razor technique. Just...shave it? Yeah, works pretty well on clothes at least, don't see why a cloth seat would be any different. I use a DE safety razor (because that's what I use on my face) but I assume a modern disposable would be OK.
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Mar 30, 2020 08:31
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STR posted:That paint! Those lights are common down here, and I know what you mean about cheap looking aftermarket lights, but those ones actually look pretty good IRL, on a truck in that nice condition you’d hardly guess they’re not factory.
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Mar 30, 2020 09:02
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What's that red thing on the passenger side?
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Mar 30, 2020 09:13
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Road flare?
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Mar 30, 2020 09:33
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Yup.
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Mar 30, 2020 15:46
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Japanese cars have road flares standard. Kaker’s tail lights on Prado are a standard and promoted upgrade for these. Often in the seller’s comment box they will list LED tail light upgrades on Cruisers. Not a janky thing. Of course for us if they included the stock ones that would be a huge bonus. Trying to decide whether to put a Lite Ace and a Skyline in the shop for some paint work in these lean times or to not spend any extra money right now.
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Mar 30, 2020 17:29
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| # ? May 24, 2024 22:13 |
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Thanks everyone. It is very nice, and it's only had 1 previous owner and they were a non-smoker, which with Land Cruisers in Japan is extremely not common. Prados though are more like 4Runners in they were sold to families and people in urban areas, tends to make them a bit more taken care of vs the dude out in the country of Japan beating on his 70 because its his work truck. InitialDave posted:Afraid that's just Japan.txt. harperdc posted:except for it being owned or driven by a high-schooler, but yeah probably somebody in the boonies who got a cheap CD player from the closest Super Autobacs. It's just a bit at odds with everything else about it, the sealing trim between the fender extensions and the main body of the vehicle have been replaced, the steering wheel is a brand new OEM one, the shift boots are brand new, and while they did go through and replace all the amber lenses with clear they did keep all the original lenses. I have them at our warehouse. Then a single-DIN garbage unit installed is just NOT in line with all that. STR posted:That paint! BuckyDoneGun posted:Those lights are common down here, and I know what you mean about cheap looking aftermarket lights, but those ones actually look pretty good IRL, on a truck in that nice condition you’d hardly guess they’re not factory. I was a bit eh on those tail lights originally because I kinda feel like STR, but taken as a whole the clear lenses add a nice style finish to the whole truck. I do have the OEM tail lights but the amber lenses are going to stick out if I put them back in, PLUS they of course aren't as clean as these ones. They've grown on me. Applebees Appetizer posted:drat, nice. It looks completely black in the first pic wow. I assume it will slow down dramatically yeah, but we also only ever sold to people that really wanted something like we sell. We didn't have many people that kinda wandered over and went 'yeah I guess I'll buy a JDM car why not' you know? There are still people out there that want this stuff. I wonder if the whole vanlife thing will get even more of a push with the idea of ~social isolation~. As of right now though we get just as much interest as before. We'll see though! Ethics_Gradient posted:That looks really nice, Kaker! Midjack posted:You also need a mirror and a dollar bill to really make them disappear.  PokeJoe posted:What's that red thing on the passenger side? cakesmith handyman posted:Road flare? Not just a road flare, but a cool electric one:  I forget what car we took this out of but it follows us with whatever we are driving at the time. Most of the time they are actual flares with the chemicals and the fires, this one is neat because you twist the base and it flashes these bright red LEDs. The truck itself didn't come with one which is atypical. everdave posted:Japanese cars have road flares standard. I have the entire set of original lights and lenses, previous owner kept them all and I had them shipped. I quite like the look of the clear lenses though so I'll leave them on. As for spending money, I wouldn't spend anything you don't need to. Does the paintwork they need something that would prevent them from selling? How bad is it?
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Mar 31, 2020 00:41
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