DHS CBS raid

[Skookumchuck]

With the raid on a SC dealer importing Defenders and the resulting fall out with new frames and engine upgrades, what if any implications will this have on our older series trucks that have been upgraded with new frames motors brake systems, power steerign ect? My 68 109 started life as a hi cap 2.5na then became a SW with a 2.25 gasser now I have put in a 200 TDi, power steering and it is on a new frame upgraded axels and about to get a disc brake conversion. the only thing still on it that came from the factory are the trany and the serial number plate. What do you all think are we in trouble for adding saftey features to these older trucks keeping them driving?

[I Leak Oil]

I think we'll have to wait and see exactly why they confiscated all those vehicles. There are legal ways of importing both vehicles and parts so obviously the G-men have an issue with what they were doing. Most states, as well as the feds, already have laws governing what you can do to your vehicle anyway. Where there is no law then that is just as good....

[ThePhotographer]

Not that I have much knowledge on the fact, and Derek Chase may have more info, but the "originality" part is more important when importing, not after it's here.

[Skookumchuck]

Thanks this was making me wonder if I was going to have problems with all of the work to my 68. It is a great driving truck now and I would be very bummed to have to leave it in Canada just because I dropped a 200 TDi in it.

[derekchace]

Loads of talk about this on the D90 forum. For OP-SEC reasons and common curtesy to those invloved I'm not going to get into it all. It's the same as normal. Galvi chassis on a imported rover are a no go. TD5 and other newer engines are a no go as they have always been. 200tdi in complelty legal.

You can still install a galvi chassis on a truck in the states.

[REDrum]

Double post fail

[REDrum]

No doubt this may rub a few the wrong way, but hey its the interwebz...

Its really no surprise (at least to me) that what happened in NC did happen. And that goes for whether or not any conviction for breaking/bending the 25 year law is made. (just to clairify that I am not judging the firms who were raided)

With the scarcity of Defenders in the US comes demand, and then obscene pricing. There are reasons some do not want the cuban embargo lifted on cigars. In the ROW a 1995 defender 110 with a 300TDI and 150K kilometers on it is worth about $10,000, however in the US the same truck is work $30,000.... Only in the US... It takes someone with a junior high school business sense to have figured out there is big upside with low risk with importing late model Defenders with old model VINs. If there is a will, there is a way. And if there is a way there, and money can be made via it, there is then a propensity to make do it.

Thus no special skills are needed to predict the Feds would catch on sooner or later, and perhaps the former was accelerated by someone letting them know it could be taking place in SC. Sure the Defender is an icon, but, for the money, its a crappy unreliable truck. (sorry, that was the Land Cruiser owner talking)

I have no idea of what transpired in SC, but I am not at all surprised to read about CBP seizing suspected contraband Defenders, it was just a matter of time. Same pooh went down with Nissan Skylines a few years back; JDM devotees were vexed for a couple years. I could easily afford a late model Defender in Costa Rica, but choose a FZJ80 instead. Only down side is that it has a much higher theft rate than a Defender...I wonder why...

Hope all those who have trucks seized get them back, and with minimal lawyer costs... PAX

[Boston]

Thought the raid was on a Wilmington NC shop
Was there another raid in SC?

[REDrum]

Thought the raid was on a Wilmington NC shop
Was there another raid in SC?

My bad, rant corrected.

[Jim-ME]

At this point there has been way too much speculation on what happened and why. It is my opinion that if you have upgraded a Series truck you don't have anything to worry about. My 88 has changed by a tremendous amount since I purchased it and I'm not concerned one bit.
Jim