Seņor Info

You are correct and I was wrong about the Evo VII fuel tank capacity - it is 48 Liters for both the GSR and RS according to page 30 of http://www.mitsubishi-motors.co.jp/PDF-E/evo7.pdf. I obtained the information on the difference in Evo VIII GSR and RS fuel tanks (GSR tank is 55 liters, RS tank is 50 liters) from page 20 of http://www.mitsubishi-motors.co.jp/PDF-E/evo8.pdf.

The facts remain: the US Evo fuel tank appears to be different than every non-US Evo fuel tank and this type of difference has derailed at least one petition in the past.

YellwTyper

iTrader: (1)

I really feel that the reason for the Gt3 to be denied eligibility was due to teh fact that there really isn't a car currently in the U.S. because of really different characteristics of the car itself. Also there really isn't a Porsche that has the same details as the GT3. Here we have a case where the Evo 8 in the U.S. is basically if not the same as a JDM evo 8, with teh exception of the RHD and electronic difs. The whole deal here is that that can easily be changed to conform to US standards. I see it as being soemthing that might be easy to do if all the right precautions are done.

GPTourer

Can someone give me an example of a car you CAN import legally that is currently being sold as a new model by the manufacturer?

It seems that even if MMNA doesn't hate on EI by adding negative posts to their petition they most certainly won't help. From what I have read, Motorex had to make a significant investment in order to get Skylines legalized, right? So why do these people out at EI think they can be successful at such an undertaking without any sort of major cash outlay? They are banking on all of Mitsubishi's information - U.S. crash test data for our car, and European data for the overseas car. Is there not more to it then that? If Mitsubishi had to redeisgn the car (front end and underpan) just to bring it here, why do they think all they have to do is swap the steering wheels around?

Oh, and Senor - keep up the good work.

Scot

iTrader: (6)

how about a 360 Modena? I am pretty sure there are lots of "EURO" versions around the USA.... although Ferarri themselves tried to get the importation of 360's shut down, claiming they were not substantially the same....

which would make a Euro owner wonder if their car was not safe enough to bring to the USA maybe they really don't want to be driving it.?

Seņor Info

Porsche basically said: "We don't use this fuel tank in US-model Porsche 911s and we haven't tested it for compliance with FMVSS 301 - (Fuel System Integrity) in the GT3." The moving barrier portions of FMVSS 301 testing are normally piggybacked onto FMVSS 208 (Occupant Crash Protection) and FMVSS 214 (Side Impact Protection) testing. You can read the FMVSS 301 procedures here (it's a PDF file), but here's a brief synopsis. For each test, fill fuel tank 90-95% full with dry cleaning fluid and turn on electric fuel pump.
Test 1) Slam a moving barrier into the front of the car and observe whether there are fuel system leaks.
Test 2) Slam a moving barrier into the side of the car and observe whether there are fuel system leaks.
Test 3) Slam a moving barrier into the rear of the car and observe whether there are fuel system leaks.
Test 4) Rotate car 90 degrees (on its side) for 5 minutes and observe whether there are fuel system leaks.
Test 5) Rotate car a further 90 degrees (upside down) for 5 minutes and observe whether there are fuel system leaks.
Test 6) Rotate car a further 90 degrees (on its other side) for 5 minutes and observe whether there are fuel system leaks.

WestSideBilly

iTrader: (1)

Earlier this year, there were several unsubstantiated "standards" that were floated as justification for various design changes in the USDM Evo8 vs the JDM Evo8. The EPA has no requirement for a minimum travel distance, and NHTSA has no say on matters such as this. There is no logical reason for such a standard, either. The DOT does have a minimum driving range standard for dual/alternate fuel vehicles to prevent companies from inflating their CAFE with vehicles capable of extraordinary per-unit mileage but over a short distance (Ref DOT # 49 CFR 538, EPA # 600.004-77).

A legitimate reason for a different fuel tank? Differing crash test methods is the most logical.

Seņor Info

Thanks for the citations, WestSideBilly. 49 CFR 538 may be viewed here and the EPA's rules for calculating fuel economy (although they don't seem to mention a minimum driving range) are found here.

sscguy

This isn't directly related, but I thought I'd put it up here since you all would be interested:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...tem=2421225456
Kinda funny how they can sell this one without getting one to any of you who already bought it, eh?

fuzzypunks

What about the JDM spec STI or the JDM Acura Integra Type-R that Evolution Imports is advertising street legal and for sale in the US also. I did not see these vehicles on the legalized vehicle list nor did I see a petition for them. I absolutelly love the fact of owning a true JDM car and I am all for the idea of making them all legal for importation and use. I think that if it was an easy process that it would already have been done on just about every desireable JDM car produced in the past 10 years but it hasn't. It seems to me that it is a very difficult process that few have undertaken. I do not fault anyone for trying, I mean those that suceed are hero's in my book, but I do think that the vehicles should not be advertised for legal use into the US until they are DOT approved or have gone through whatever legalization process needed to make them street legal. Evolution Imports has advertised these vehicles as street legal which from what I understand is not true. They should be advertised as "off road use only, legalization pending" since legalization is not guaranteed on any car. Instead they are using such wording as "Current price includes being made Left Hand Drive, shipping to the US and all conversions necessary to be made street legal. " I think this statement is very misleading and not accurate. I do applaud their effort to legalize these awsome JDM cars but do not think they should sell them as "street legal" until they truly are just that.