What all do you have to do to a Nissan Skyline to make it legal in the US?

Question

What all do you have to do to a Nissan Skyline to make it legal in the US?

Answer 1

Nothing, b/c Motorex was the only company that knew how to do it, but they no longer exist. The only skyline you can legalize is the R33, b/c that's the only skyline DOT has data on. With that said, you would make it pass emissions, update it to current safety standards, etc. Check out the link, it should answer all your questions.

Answer 2

1. Switch steering and gas pedals to the left side of the car.

2. Get a catalytic converter that would be street legal and fit the Skyline.

That should be all.

The current Nissan 350z has the same 0-60 time and top speed as the Nissan Skyline GT-R. It is cheaper to get a 350z.

Answer 3

You don't need to swap it to left hand drive, not sure why people keep saying that.

Anyways, closest thing to a R35 skyline in the US is a G35 coupe. I don't recall if they come as an X (all wheel drive) model or not, but the sedans do come as an X model.

Importing an older model is a pain to do, you'll have a better chance just buying one that is already here from someone.

Of course if you have the money up front just buy the new (Skyline) GT-R, I think they are stickering for $70,000 right now.

Answer 4

First....DO NOT LISTEN TO THESE IDIOTS THAT KEEP SAYING YOU HAVE TO SWITCH STEERING WHEEL AND GAS PEDALS OVER. That has nothing to do with why they are illegal. h**l...most of our mail jeeps are right side drive. Skylines do not meet Safety and Emission standards for US. This doesn't mean they aren't safe, just that US doesn't believe recognize the safety devices. The big thing is the emissions. Motorex in California imports Skylines and makes the US road worthy. It takes about 6 months for the inspections and for the US to recognize it meets US specs and its not cheap. Keep in mind that each state also has its own regulations, so if you buy from them, its only street legal in CA unless your state has the same laws. Here is the link

http://www.motorex.net/skyline.html#

Answer 5

Your Japan Spec car has to meet USA EPA emissions standards cat converters and EGR system then testing and certification. Approx $10,000 then Department of transportation the car has to be made to USA crashworthyness bumber beams side impact door beams and interior flambility standards and headlights auto aiming and cornering have to be changed out there is another 5/10 thousand. Grand Thieft Auto and other games have made a rare car very popular. There were not that many Skyline GTR 4 wheel drive big motor cars made in the first place most left are repaired wreck cars with major hidden problems remember those cars are 16 to 24 years old obslete and hard to find parts for here in USA. ONLY IF YOU FIND A PERFECT LOW km CAR.

Answer 6

Not an easy question to answer the steering wheel issue mentioned above is right in a small way being that each state differs to which mods are needed to make the skyline street legal to where you live the steering wheel being on the left is only needed in a very very very small amount of states.

Other mods again depend on where you live and to which skyline you are talking about IE the R32 models require a bar adding between the rear seats and the fuel tank due to them being close,A common mod to any Skyline in the US is the Emissions need to be setup,other mods would be headlights altered to suit the difference in driving on the opposite side etc etc but as said this is something you would need to find out about at your local gov transport office and the cop shop,as unless someone on here owns the same model skyline and lives in your state else no one will know the exact mods to make the car street legal where you live.

Also if the car isn't already in the US then you will be looking at getting a R33 spec 2 due to the US gov not wanting any but can't argue with the Motorex crash data for this version of skyline.

All over Skyline may they be R32 R33 R34 which where already ion the country before the set down of rules are classed street legal if they meet mods required and pre decision time.

The Skyline comes as a non turbo single turbo and twin turbo also RWD AWD 4 door and 2 door as well as a station wagon version being the Stagea.

Parts in the US Canada is a good source do to them having the R32 and spec 1 R33 models there,also R32 wise the Nissan s13 shares parts with that,Also Nissan still stock parts back to the R32 which i used for some of mine.

Also there are breakers of skylines all over the World which post Worldwide.

Its true the Skyline has become more popular do the Games etc but the reason the Skyline was on those games is due to them being so popular elsewhere in the World being used by Tuners for years and years and winning racing and changing motor racing rules and even myself loving them since the R32 came out all pre playstation times.

Performance wise depends on which model the actual figures from Japan where false due to the rules on 276bhp only but true GTR figures is around 330bhp stock and Nissan made the Skyline engines tunable hence them being so popular and can tune upto 500 bhp with stock internals and over 1000bhp with more mods the car is popular due to its cost and having a car which is supercar level with tuning and stock handling at that really low cost.