Ken & Mary in West LA

[SER240Z]

Sorry, I didn't know where to put this since it could go in the 240K or California section.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/KGC110069146_W0QQitemZ4564144838QQcategoryZ6392QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

This is the same seller that had a C10 on sale here about a year ago.

Scott

[EricB]

Nice.

-e

[CoastGuardZ]

Nice! Why were these skylines refered to aas "Ken & Mary"?

Nate

[ChrisA]

Hi Nate,

All I can find is this....http://kanko.pref.hokkaido.jp/kankodb/foreign/e/n1_oka08.htm or here..http://www.tin-net.com/hobby/travel/20001008_hokkaido/05biei/

Surely Alan or Kats knows exactly.

Chris

[dhoneycutt]

While the car is rare in the US, it was not in Japan as the seller claims. If it had been a KPGC110 then yes. As far a legality for registration for US roads, it is still considered a "Grey Market Vehicle" and with out proof of meeting US standards, can still be impounded and destroyed at owners expense. He should thank his lucky stars if he even gets close to what he is asking for it. (let the flaming begin...)

[Inf]

So how can one legally bring over and drive a RHD vehicle that doesn't have a comparable vehicle here?

[Fun_in_my_z]

you can drive right hand drive cars here..

[SER240Z]

While the car is rare in the US, it was not in Japan as the seller claims. If it had been a KPGC110 then yes. As far a legality for registration for US roads, it is still considered a "Grey Market Vehicle" and with out proof of meeting US standards, can still be impounded and destroyed at owners expense. He should thank his lucky stars if he even gets close to what he is asking for it. (let the flaming begin...)

Can you clear up for me why it could not be from Japan if it is not a KPGC110? Just curious, I thought that the KPGC was the prefix for the GTR model and the other KGC prefix was assigned to the other models. I could be wrong, just trying to learn something.

Scott

[EricB]

73~76 or is it 77? Skylines are called Ken&Mary because of their advertising campaign which showed a white Ken and a white Mary being all lovy dovy both to each other and the car... If memory serves me right there was even a hit single that was recorded and available for sale as a 45... remember 45s?

As for chassis codes:

the KPGC110 is indeed a Ken&Mary Skyline GT-R 2dr coupe

the regular GT and GT-X 2door coupe versions like this specific one have chassis code KGC110

The Skyline that precedes the Ken&Mary is of course the one we all know and love.

First Skyline GT-R is the 1969 PGC10 4door GT-R whereas a regular 4door would have chassis code GC10

The 2dr coupe Skyline GT-R arrives in 1970 with chassis code KPGC10

A regular '1970-1972 Skyline GT or GT-X coupe thus has chassis code KGC10

In other words adding P means GT-R & addind K means coupe.

Easy enough?

RHD is not a legal issue in the USA.

Think of the whole host of vintage British cars that have come over from the UK as RHD cars. None of them are legally an issue at all here in the USA. It is however much more difficult to pass a slow moving vehicle on a curving country road in a LHD country while driving a RHD car, and this says nothing of your local drive-up ATM or fast food restaurants...

I have checked again with both the California DMV and the Federal offices responsible and have always been told that for cars older than 25years old you can bring anything into the country provided you have a bill of sale from which they can generate a title.

-e

[2003z]

It is however much more difficult to pass a slow moving vehicle on a curving country road in a LHD country while driving a RHD car, and this says nothing of your local drive-up ATM or fast food restaurants...

Unless, of course, you go to Checker's, which has driveups on both sides of the car

[EricB]

True...

Imagine the pimply faced 18yo's reaction when you pull up though with no one sitting in the "driver seat" hahahaha

-e

[dhoneycutt]

Can you clear up for me why it could not be from Japan if it is not a KPGC110? Just curious, I thought that the KPGC was the prefix for the GTR model and the other KGC prefix was assigned to the other models. I could be wrong, just trying to learn something.

Scott

The KGC is from Japan, it wasn't a rare car was all I was saying. The KPGC is the designator for the GT-R model. That one was and is very rare even in Japan.

To legally drive a "Grey Market Vehicle" in the US, you must prove that the vehicle in question meets all applicable safety and emissions standards for this country. The problem arises from the lack of crash test data and smog tests. In order to prove that a particular model is safe it must undergo crash safety tests. This ultimately destroys the vehicle so you must have many more to modify and test untill you get it right. I found a loophole 22 years ago when I brought back a rhd 1972 KGC10 model Skyline to the US. I had it licensed and was driving it on the streets with in 12 hours of picking it up at the port in Long Beach, CA. I still wish I had the car but...I was a stupid kid back then. That loophole is no longer available. I must also note that if I was still driving the Skyline and the government were to crack down on illegal vehicles they could still impound the car and destroy it. I am glad I had one and am glad I bought the Z car I am working on now. It is a US sold car so no worries.