fordracing

I am looking for some help and input here as I have a year let in Belgium and have the oppurtunity to buy a 1991 or 1992 model Toyota Soarer that is right hand drive it runs and drives like a champ, It needs a heater core and some TLC First off trying to find parts over here so any suggestions would be welcomed greatly. Next I am considering taking it back to the US with me in a year and if you all know anyone that has imported a right hand driver to the US that is apparently UK specs, maybe even still Japanese specs. I haven't had a lot of time to look at it mostly been repair work since the previous owner lacked the gentle touch. Any info would be greatly appreciated , and also anyone know how expensive the insurance is on the Twin-Turbo motor in the states? Thanks For all the help you can give, Chris.

Oh it has the digital dash/or 3-D whatever they wanted to call it and it is slightly on the fritz I have been reading some of the websites about a fix for it but they want you to yank it out and ship it to them. The darned drivers door is falling apart (the right side door) any sites with a replacement part for that as well would be great. I am only paying 900 US for it so I think that is a pretty decent deal.

pcmw

YES.

Do a search and you will find the Soarers in the US.

That heater core issue means disassembling the dash or pulling the engine. Best of luck.

MW

PS. Save the heckeling and change your name!!! j/k

fordracing

Well I understand that there are Soarers in the US but what I was wondering more or less what all is going to need to be changed for me to haul it back to the US , right hand drive doesn't bother me much i kind of fell in love with it when I was at about 45 mph hammered it down and the 18's started sliding out from under it bellowing smoke. Seems totally stock other than someone replacing the head unit with a Poineer and a Pioneer digital signal processor. As for the heater core i pulled the dash out of a 89 Mustang to replace it so no big deal there just means a 24 hour project in the cold. Anyone else with info one bringing a Soarer back to the states please let me know.

Miles B

If you're even a little handy with electronics, there are instructions on Peter Scott's (Australian) website on how to fix the problems with your display, without having to spend a fortune for someone else to just swap a few capacitors.

Do you have to get RHD cars converted to drive in America? What do you have to do to get it registered? Would it be better to just sell it and get one there? As you most likely know, the 2.5TT 1JZGTE is not in the US SC, so insurance....... ?

Dimcorner

technically here is the problem...

The windshield in japan i believe is thinner than the US model. THe cat is smaller and might be insufficient. The car will also probably not pass the cold start emission. Other than that everything else is straight... OH, also you need to swap the headlights to point to the right as opposed to the left....

Other than that, that should be it. If anything i can help you bring it in (or more like a friend of mine) cuz i have a Soarer GT that i'm driving.

fordracing

You don't have to get right hand drive cars switched to left hand drive to import them into the US although it makes it more difficult after spending 11.5 hours searching the web for info about Soarer's and Lexus here is what I still need and hopefully you all may have some info , on any crash tests done on right hand drive Soarer's and Lexus of the same variety. At least three verified comparisons as well anyone that knows if the windshield has to be changed when imported to the UK ? because apparently this car was imported to the UK from there a British officer brought it to Belgium with him to SHAPE HQ Sold it to a guy here for a decent price that guy had planned on taking it to the US with him and well his plans changed why I do not know. From there a friend of his bought the car for 800 bucks at that point the heater core went out in it a month or two after she got it, then the battery bit the big one so I put one in it for her, from there she said she wanted to sell it because it was too high maintenance. Dimcorner Did you say you are driving a 2.5tt in the states? Well if so what kind of insurance rates are you getting as well as do you know if your car was imported from Japan or from the UK ? I am trying to find out what all is going to have to change on the poor car. Let me know or send me a link .

Bentley1

I'm sure you're excited about this vehicle, but I just don't think it would be wise. Although a right sided vehicle seems perfectly normal to you now, it will not once you get to the US. One day you will want to sell the vehicle. Good luck finding a buyer that wants a right sided vehicle. You'd have better chances playing pick up sticks with your butt cheeks, basically.

Not only that, but you will become extremely annoyed when you get behind a school bus, or old granny, and you can't pass them- because you can't see around to the left.

Just save your money and buy a nice SC when you get over here...

Dimcorner

I don't usually end up on one way roads here, but passing is only a problem if you are ON TOP of the bus. cars you can see through the window.

About the resale... well i haven't encountered that problem. You will always have someone that wants to be unique and different. The soarer comes with a few perks that you don't get with the ones here (like a 1jz engine or TEMS suspension on some models). If you want something economical then i do suggest you buy a Lexus here in the US. It WILL run cheaper than importing.

rushgator

Since it is so cheap, you could buy it for the parts you want, mainly the TT motor. Have the parts you wish to keep shipped over, and then find a suitable SC300 chassis here in the US, possibly at a wrecking yard.

Dimcorner

That would be a cheaper option than to import a real soarer.

But it's OOOHH SOOO COOOL to see the expression of people that pass you

fordracing

In my meager 27 years of Existence I have pulled enough engines , I had a back surgery so anything that involves major labor counts me out, I have put a 351 into a Ford Ranger as well as a 302 not the big bodied ones mind you the little ones I had a 92 Ranger we yanked that nasty 4 banger out and after about a month worth of waiting for the right mounts and parts it slid in and I ripped the transmission out a few days later , it kind of exploded . None the less the engine option may be viable I was wondering if you remember the cost of importing your's Dimcorner and around what year, and exactly what all did you have to change as I have spent about 27 hours on the internet researching available parts and fixes etc. I have yet to come across one to change that nasty kilometer speedometer expecially since it is digital I would need it to be in mph for the US , I see there are plenty of bumpers and even the Bomex body kit , anyone bought that and know if it passes the Crash test standards or rather the impact standards? I keep going on and on I will think of more later possibly , It does have that handy rear backing with it did not notice it before. Alright Have a good week .

Dimcorner

My speedo is still in KM/H
Cost of importing one is around 4k for all paperworks. You don't HAVE to bump/crash them as long as you can prove that they are the same model as the Lexus counterpart in body. ONLY problem is that the engine is a 1jz, which was never sold in the us, thus it won't be a LEGAL engine. There are loopholes thou...

fordracing

So you didn't have to get your speedo converted or use one of those nice loopholes? AS far as the cat pm me a cost on those, and a windshield it seems I am unable to find Peter Scott's website on the repair of the digital dash cluster or Google MSN and Yahoo are not coming up wit it for me several different variations tried as well. The proof that it is the same as a Sc300 or the SC 400 which one would it be for and do you know a Lexus dealer that will email me a copy seems all that I have emailed are too busy to respond to me over the course of 7 days or they are ignoring me totally

'S'Low Rider

Where to start......

$900 is a great price to pay for a Soarer TT, in England they are around the $6000 price for a good car.

There are no UK spec Soarers, neither Lexus nor Toyota ever officialy imported them to England, so it will be a Japanese spec car.

There are suppliers who can sell you a KM to MPH converter ,you wont need a delimeter then, it will fool the ECU and allow you to go 180mph.... thats if the car could reach 180mph. The downside is that it can mess with the TEMS suspension.

Pete's site is here
http://www.users.bigpond.com/pgscott/

If you need parts then England may be quicker than Belgium, you can get most parts from Toyota.

If you get 'stuck' drop by one of the UK forums and ask there. There are a load of Soarer owners who post at TIF.

Dimcorner

can you send me the link to that?!?!?! I need to get something like that.