A rule permitting entry of nonconforming motor vehicles for purposes of show or display became effective on August 13, 1999. If you wish to import a vehicle for show or display, you must apply to NHTSA for permission to do so and establish that the vehicle is of such historical or technological significance, and that it is in the public interest to show or display the vehicle in the United States.
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| Two 1990 Nissan Skyline GT-R NISMO's |
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| The show takes place next to the Queen Mary, opposite this spot |
9th Annual Japanese Classic Car Show
Date: Sep.28th, Saturday 2013
Time:9 to 3pm
Event Address: Queen Mary Events Park (Harry Bridges Memorial Park)
1126 Queens Hwy, Long Beach, CA 90802
Friends,
The 9th Annual Japanese Classic Car Show will be held 9am-3pm on Saturday, September 28, 2013, along side the Queen Mary in Long Beach, CA.
In Japan, the number nine is pronounced "Ku"; the number is linked to hardships, or "kurou". The truth is, JCCS could not exist without tales of hardship. Anyone who has worked to put an old car together will know it's not easy. Finding cars. Finding parts. Making those parts fit. Getting everything running, on budget and on time. Even making it to the event--people come from far and wide, traveling hundreds of miles (and even across an ocean) to share in the annual kyu-sha celebration that is JCCS. Sacrifices must be made, always. Yet at the same time, the tougher the struggle, the sweeter the celebration. Our goal is to make the 9th JCCS the sweetest event yet for all who attend.
Also, the number 9 has a degree of finality to it--it means "the last." But it does not mean the end ... the number 9 is seen as the final stage to achieve before moving on to the next step, the next level. (Witness the Datsun Maxima, known as the Bluebird 910 ... it was the Bluebird generation used as a stepping stone to the ultra-luxury Maxima--a name and a concept of sporting luxury that continues even today. Or the Honda Coupe 9, which never made it Stateside but was a final evolution of its automotive vision at home, before Honda decided to export cars to America.) Next year will be JCCS' 10th anniversary--a milestone--but this year we're going to party like it's JCCS Number Nine. We remain grateful for the opportunity to show the world that Japanese cars and classic cars need not be mutually exclusive; with dedication and perseverance, the idea has taken hold.
We are very happy to welcome our newest auto manufacturer sponsor, American Honda. This is significant for several reasons. First, the popularity of Honda cars has been increasing rapidly in the last couple of years at JCCS. More owners are bringing out their restored or original Honda cars for the crowd to enjoy, and with Honda's participation, we can only expect this enthusiasm to increase. Second, and just as importantly, Honda is the only company that manufactures and imports both cars and motorcycles; indeed, Honda started as a bike company, and moved into cars in the early 1960s. The first Honda cars officially came to the US in 1970. Though they are relative newcomers compared to some other manufacturers, their cars quickly became the vehicles of a generation, leaving a deep and lasting impact on their owners--and the young passengers in back, many of whom have warm memories. We look forward to collaborating with American Honda, in order to show their rich and continuing history in the American market, on both two wheels and four. They join Toyota's and Mazda's continuing manufacturer-level support of JCCS.
Everyone here at JCCS looks forward to seeing you at the Queen Merry.
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| 1990 Nissan Skyline GT-R NISMO |
Sean Morris was born to win battles with mountains of paperwork and unenthusiastic transportation officials. His website, showordisplay.com, is the latest effort in a lifetime spent pursuing the cars we’re not supposed to have. Call it the family business. Other Morris’ export travel trailers to Australia and shipped American muscle to Japan while the island economy boomed. Maybe there’s a genetic inclination toward patience as well as unburned hydrocarbons. It would have served well during the year-long wait for the GT-R’s exemption to appear in the mail.
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| Nissan Skyline GT-R Key |
You’ve become a bit of a guru on getting a car imported legally. In general, what does it take to bring a car into the U.S.?
You’ll need to bring any car in through a Registered Importer, which can bring it up to current Federal standards, but there are a several agencies you will need to be aware of, as each has its own requirements.
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| NISMO Optional Parts Catalog |
How does the Show or Display exemption work?If you can convince the NHTSA the car you're trying to import is historically- or technologically-significant and it agrees, you can bring it in for “show or display” purposes, drive it on public roads for up to 2,500 miles per year, etc. There are many rules around it too; production numbers typically have to be fewer than 500 produced. It’s basically referred to as a Bill Gates / Paul Allen rule. Those guys pushed the law through to make the Porsche 959 legal for import. If you want to get a law like this changed, you may need Bill Gates and Paul Allen money.Other cars on the “Show or Display” exemption list include: the McLaren F1, Bugatti EB110, Ford RS200, BMW Z1, Mercedes CLK-GTR Roadster and Lamborghini Diablo GT. Each had to be requested by someone who wanted to bring the car into the US, and get it approved. If it’s less than 21 years old, still needs to meet emissions regulations, so it needs to be brought in by an ICI (Independent Commercial Importer) who will have to bring the car up to emissions specs.
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| NISMO Nissan Skyline GT-R Brochure |
www.gtchannel.com for exclusive photos of the GT-R. We feature the first 1990 Nissan GT-R NISMO R32 imported under the show or display exemption. Sean Morris, the owner, gives us a look at the car and how he brought it to the US.
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Nismo R32 GT-R number 500. The Show or Display story did not end with an approval letter. The car was imported, used, developed and driven.
Important 2026 update
I originally published this story in 2012 after NHTSA approved the 1990 Nissan Nismo Skyline R32 GT-R for importation under Show or Display. That approval was a big deal at the time. Today, every genuine 1990 Nismo R32 is more than 25 years old, so it is exempt from Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards based on age. It can now be imported under the normal federal 25 year exemption without applying for Show or Display.
The approval still matters. It documents what the Nismo R32 was before the broader R32 GT-R market became legal by age, and it shows how a rare Japanese homologation model earned recognition from the federal government for its historical and technological significance.
Show or Display is a federal exemption created for vehicles with exceptional historical or technological significance that were never certified for normal sale in the United States. An approved vehicle could be permanently imported before it reached 25 years old, subject to NHTSA conditions. Limited road use could be authorized, normally with a maximum of 2,500 miles in a 12 month period, and EPA requirements still applied separately.
In 2011, a normal 1989 or 1990 R32 GT-R was not yet old enough for the federal 25 year exemption. The Nismo was different. Nissan launched it on February 22, 1990 as the homologation base for Group A and N1 competition. Nissan produced 560 Nismo R32 GT-Rs. You will often see the claim that 500 were sold to the public and Nissan retained 60 for racing, but the chassis history we have been able to document does not support that story. It appears Nissan retained the first six cars. Chassis number 7 is, as far as we can determine, the first car sold. It was sold to a Nissan executive and is now in the United States. The model's limited production, specific configuration and direct connection to the R32 GT-R racing program made it a serious Show or Display candidate.
Nismo R32 GT-R number 500 in Japan.
I submitted the application to NHTSA in March 2011. The package included a cover letter, photographs, production documentation and a copy of the FIA homologation papers for the R32 GT-R. Then I waited. I followed up, spoke with officials and left enough messages that eventually I assumed the application had disappeared into Washington.
In September 2012, a letter from NHTSA arrived in my mailbox. I opened it, scanned the page and found the word that mattered:
Granted.
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The NHTSA letter approving the 1990 Nismo Skyline R32 GT-R for Show or Display.
NHTSA had officially recognized the model. The letter lists the chassis range as ending at 562, but that was not an additional two cars. In my application, I placed a footnote reference number 2 immediately after the 560 chassis range. That reference number was mistakenly read as part of the range and carried into the approval letter. The accepted production total is 560, and the approved vehicle was clear: the 1990 Nissan Nismo Skyline R32 GT-R.
Approval was only the first part. The next job was finding a real Nismo at a price that made sense while the exchange rate was working against us. R International located two cars, number 383 and number 500. Number 500 was the one.
BNR32-100500: Nismo number 500.
That car eventually came to the United States and became much more than a display piece. It has been driven on track, tested, changed and improved. That is the best part of the story. The petition was about preserving and recognizing an important model, but cars make their history by being used.
Best Motoring compares a regular R32 GT-R with the Nismo R32 GT-R.
The Nismo model was not a normal GT-R with a badge package. It was built to homologate changes for competition. The specification included aerodynamic changes such as the small hood lip, front bumper ducts and rear spats, along with the deletion of equipment that was not needed for its intended purpose. The car also used steel wheel turbochargers rather than the ceramic turbine wheels found in the regular road car, a choice better suited to sustained competition use.
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| 500 and 383 in 2012 |
More important than any single part was its purpose. The Nismo helped form the foundation for the Group A R32 GT-R, a car that became dominant in touring car racing and built the modern Godzilla reputation.
The federal age question is no longer the hard part. Condition, history, rust, repairs, originality and the quality of the import paperwork matter far more. Toprank imports, inspects, services and sells R32 Skyline GT-Rs in the United States, with current inventory and incoming cars collected on one page.
See current R32 GT-R inventory Visit Toprank Importers
No. A genuine 1990 car is now more than 25 years old and qualifies for the federal age exemption from FMVSS. Its exact date of manufacture and paperwork still need to be verified.
No. The 2012 approval was specifically for the 1990 Nissan Nismo Skyline R32 GT-R. A petition for the normal 1989 to 1994 R32 GT-R was not approved. That distinction no longer controls import eligibility because all R32 GT-Rs are now over 25 years old.
No. NHTSA and EPA are separate. The federal safety exemption applies at 25 years. EPA has its own exemption for vehicles at least 21 years old when the original engine and configuration requirements are satisfied.
Federal import eligibility does not automatically make a vehicle California compliant. California emissions certification and registration are separate from federal importation. Work with an importer that understands the complete California process before buying the car.
Nissan produced 560 Nismo R32 GT-R homologation cars. The often repeated claim that Nissan sold 500 and retained 60 for racing does not match the chassis history we have been able to document. It appears Nissan retained the first six cars, while chassis number 7 is the earliest known sold example. That car was sold to a Nissan executive and is now in the United States. The approval letter's 562 figure came from a footnote reference number 2 being mistakenly added to the end of the 560 chassis range.
Rules change with the age and configuration of the specific vehicle. Start with the current federal source, then look at the car itself, its manufacture date and its documents.
NHTSA vehicle import information Current Show or Display vehicle list R32 GT-Rs for sale R32 GT-R technical articlesOriginally published in 2012. Updated in 2026 to reflect the federal 25 year exemption and the current import status of the R32 Skyline GT-R. This article is general information, not legal advice.
