Importing your own VR4 - My experiences.

[AncientOfMu]

Some background.

Earlier in the year I had to sell my White VR4 due to financial reasons.

I'm now back in the position of being able to buy one and run it as a weekend/show car.

Ive been searching for a while but my criteria are very tight, it had to be either

a) Palma Red Super VR4 saloon (As original as possible)
b) Pyrenees Black Facelift Type S manufactured before 03/99.

A month or so ago I missed out on a Red super saloon in Japan due to an email going astray on its way to J-Spec Imports. (although other e-mails I have sent seem to have got though OK )

Yesterday 24th June I saw a car coming up for auction that I wanted to find out more information on.





Hmmm a black pre-facelift with full Super kit.... hang on a minute...



Chassis No. denotes it IS a Super...

So I duly contacted BonsaiCars and asked for a translation of the Auction sheet.

Translation came through...

Twin turbo, HDD navigation/TV, battery lamp lightning - needs repair, RE-PAINTED VEHICLE,
rear repaires, steering wheel bald, door trim burnt, dashboard glue marks, back panel, rear
floor repaired, distorted, rust around bottom, non genuine shift knob, low down?, various points
scratches, dents.


Ok may look bad but remember most aution houses are bound to report everything.

Nothing from the translation put me off as it is all stuff that can be fixed relativly easily. Worst case scenario I may need to recondition/replace the alternator.

TBH I was also looking for a bit of a Project and this car seems to fit the bill.


So I gave instruction to the agent to bid on it with a couple of conditions.

1. It must have the original interior including Recaros.
2. No major mechanical Problems. (forewarned them about noisy tappets)
3. It must be within my maximum FOB price.

Well the auction started at 11pm tnight and I had a phone call today to say that I had been successful .

Car will miss the baot that leaves tomorrow but should be on the one that leaves on the 4th of July.

Just because people will be interested and it will make explanation of bills to pay later the FOB price was around 300000Yen (£1,400GBP give or take)

It will get to BonsaiCars Yard in a couple of days where they will take higher resolution photos for me.

I'll keep updating this thread as new info comes in .

Right anyone got a door card for sale? Super steering wheel? Gearshift?

As you can tell I'm well excited. It needs a lot of Don love body wise but hey thats what a project is for right .

[elnevio]

I like.

A lot.

[Nutter_John]

excellent DD

[TAR]

Brilliant...cant wait for the next installment.

I must admit, I would have been put off by the floor repair and distortion. it may have been rear ended! But I'm sure you know what you are doing, best of luck!

[Beastlee]

That's a great looking car, I don't normally go for the Supers but that really suits it. I really like the dark all-over look of it.

So I can get a decent car for £1400-£2000 by the sounds of it.

[ANTHONY]

looksa nice in the photo

[Big Ian]

WoW nice, another Super for the club

[miller]

ooooohhh how exciting!!!

Bet ya cant wait for that ship to set sail, bet your checking the shipping channel. You do know you can track those container ships and ro-ro ferries! Let me go see if i can get a linky!


Well done!

Mike

[Nick Mann]

So how many mods are still there? The exhaust looks non-standard! The glue on the dash could be where gauges/controllers have been mounted. The burned door card is prbably a small cigarette burn?

I'm looking forward to the high-res photos, and I haven't bought it!!

[AncientOfMu]

Brilliant...cant wait for the next installment.

I must admit, I would have been put off by the floor repair and distortion. it may have been rear ended! But I'm sure you know what you are doing, best of luck!

It probably has been rear ended at some point. However I'm banking on it having been repaired to a satisfactory level.

At the end of the day worse case scenario is I get it here and have to break it...

I doubt I would lose much money if any. And well worth the risk imho.

[AncientOfMu]

So how many mods are still there? The exhaust looks non-standard! The glue on the dash could be where gauges/controllers have been mounted. The burned door card is prbably a small cigarette burn?

I'm looking forward to the high-res photos, and I haven't bought it!!

Nah I think the exhaust is standard, just the ralliart back box as fitted to Supers as standard. Yes the glue is probably guages and I think that there is evidence that it had an aftermarket intercooler fitted at one point. Judging by the way the front bumper has been cut.

It also has arch extensions .

And yeah I thought the same about the door card.

You're not looking forward to the photos as much as I am

[ANTHONY]

At the end of the day worse case scenario is I get it here and have to break it...
.

1st dibs on recaros ....

[AncientOfMu]

Can anyone tell me from the chassis no what colour it was originally? please

Cheers

Don

[Nevman]

I like the "dark-side-of-the-force" look of it.
Nice one mate.
Black is the only colour I value more than silver.

Great buy!

[peter thomson]

No it's Hamilton Silver .Must have put in the wrong number

[AncientOfMu]

No it's Hamilton Silver .Must have put in the wrong number

cool

[White Lightning]

Cool ... looking forward to the next installment here too

[Big Ian]

No it's Hamilton Silver .Must have put in the wrong number

without checking for the colour i'd have guessed silver ... as it has the silver colour coded headlight inner's .. only super's have colour coded headlight's

[ianturbo]

looks nice in black anymore pics ???
ian

[bradc]

you should do the headlights in black that would be cool