One more!

[BMR2L]

Just thought I'd let you all know that my 1989 SC is in a container on its way from Tokyo to the UK!

Also on its way is the spare engine and quite a few other bits and bobs.

The shippers had plenty of fun getting the engine onto the moving van. In the end we used the engine hoist to get it airborne and then 6 strong lads took it from there.

Also the engine needed extra customs paper work because its not considered 'household' goods. Can't understand what they mean....

All due to arrive later this month.

Pics of the car (fairly dull):

www.flickr.com/photos/alanlaird/sets/72157632675531993/

Last two are the block number of the spare engine needed by the customs peeps to let it out the country.

No pics of engine malarky unfortunately.

-Alan

[MartG]

Good stuff

[andyj]

Looks sensational- lucky you. Looks like no mods and in excellent condition. So have you been out in Japan and on you're way back? Very interesting to see car like this after so many years. Obviously we'd love to know some of the details and wonder how much car like this costs in Japan these days.

[cartledge_uk]

Fantastic

So are you coming back too?

[Lauren]

Very, very cool!

Brilliant, looks lovely.

If you want SC forum access let me know.

[BMR2L]

Thanks everyone. Its all pretty bog standard inside and out although the paint and alloys aren't nearly as good as they look in the pics. The body shell is completely solid of course and you could eat your dinner off the underside.

I bought it 5 years ago for 400,000 yen give or take, which at the time would have been about 2,000 pounds. The exchange rate has been all over the ship since then mind so its hard to say what it actually 'cost'.

Since the earthquake and all the fun stuff that followed it my family decided to move out of Japan and now I'm calling it a day after nearly 2 years of commuting back and forth.

Will need to sort out the UK legal stuff to get it registered once it arrives. I would love to do the fog light conversion on the JDM rear light clusters but probably short term it'll be a bolt on under the bumper job. That and a UK speedo in the SC dash should be all it needs. Much, much simpler than our big Mitsubishi which I put through the IVA test last summer.

-Alan

[andyj]

Thanks for the information Alan. Wow...£2,0000 five years ago. Hear what you say about condition and exchange rates though. As you perhaps know you can run it OK here with kph speedo if you want. You quite quickly get to know what speeds are approximately what and it keeps a nice aspect of originality.

Clearly you've had very interesting last few years and going to be great hearing more about that and MR2 scene in Japan as it is now.

Andy.

[Lauren]

Don't change the speedo, keep it in k/mh. It's perfectly legal and it's no issue to know what various speeds are in km/h and mph, you get used to it very easily.

I run my UK spec car in km/h because I prefer it.

[PW@Woodsport]

You're somewhat misinformed there Lauren, a UK registered car can be in Mph or Kmh and still pass an MOT, but an imported vehicle has to be converted to Mph without question.

The MOT test doesn't care wether it's Mph or furlongs per minute, but imported vehicles must be converted for the system used on our roads.

Quite why you'd want to stay in Kmh anyway is a mystery given all Uk signage and laws are Mph.

[andyj]

Actually wondered about this Paul after posting. My SC came over 10 years ago and have all original documents, showing OK with speedo but think that is probably changed now. Keep hearing need to change it at import stage these days.

[wilki]

Looks very nice
Hope it all arrives safe and sound

[PW@Woodsport]

Unless it has changed again more recently that's always been the way i've understood the law to be, things seem to change for vehicles 10 years old or newer so perhaps older vehicles are exempt... i've handled the importation of a few SC's for customers and they've always needed MPH convertors fitted.

Maybe things are different now.

[Lauren]

I thought an import of this age simply had to pass the MOT and the MOT doesn't test the speedo.

If I want to use km/h on my speedo, I can.

[PW@Woodsport]

You could be right about the age related rules, things seem to get cloudy on older cars, i've always understood them to need a convertor though.

If I want to use km/h on my speedo, I can

Nobody's saying you can't, that's personal preference, but it makes no logic to use a different speed system than our roads use.

[craig]

If I want to use km/h on my speedo, I can

Nobody's saying you can't, that's personal preference, but it makes no logic to use a different speed system than our roads use.

Glad it's not just me that thinks it's nuts!

[craig]

Just thought I'd let you all know that my 1989 SC is in a container on its way from Tokyo to the UK!

Also on its way is the spare engine and quite a few other bits and bobs.

The shippers had plenty of fun getting the engine onto the moving van. In the end we used the engine hoist to get it airborne and then 6 strong lads took it from there.

Also the engine needed extra customs paper work because its not considered 'household' goods. Can't understand what they mean....

All due to arrive later this month.

Pics of the car (fairly dull):

www.flickr.com/photos/alanlaird/sets/72157632675531993/

Last two are the block number of the spare engine needed by the customs peeps to let it out the country.

No pics of engine malarky unfortunately.

-Alan

Looks smart mate!

[Lauren]

Well, I think it does make sense when you use kms to measure distance.

[PW@Woodsport]

You're not measuring distance, you're measuring speed... miles per hour, also all of the UKs distance measurements are also in miles.

It only "makes sense" to use Kmh in a country that also uses it for their roads, anything else is just... well.... stupid really.

[stenky]

Very nice car. Love the two-tone paint

But anyway, I couldn't resist to post this picture

[Lauren]

You're not measuring distance, you're measuring speed... miles per hour, also all of the UKs distance measurements are also in miles.

It only "makes sense" to use Kmh in a country that also uses it for their roads, anything else is just... well.... stupid really.

My Sat Nav measures both. So I don't need to look at signs showing distance in miles when I have it on my sat nav.

It wasn't my intention to cause you sleepless nights or anything. Your's Stupid