huh jap plate?

Jul 27, 2005 17 Replies

was at the usual jap bluewater meet last night and saw a Supra with a jap plate, something like 66-663 i think it was which is what the japs use. how do you get away with using a jap plate in the uk? i thought if it's foreign registered you can only use it on a different coutry plate for a limited time, i doubt it's just 'popped over' from japan?


We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember "Vamp" saying something like:

Import that still had the original plate on it and the owner re-fitted it for display purposes in the spirit of originality?

As far as 'popping over' goes, it might have been a Japanese Embassy car which will need re-registering afaik after a year.

The Jap ambassador was just attending a modded car meet in his tweaked Supra :)? Why can't our politicians be like that!

no was a UK white and yellow plate in jap size (like mine without all the logo's and writing crap obviously) but jap digits, must be still jap registered and hasn't expired as yet, i'll ask the guy if i see him at the next meet.

because there all fat anti-car jerks!

You have upto a year to re-register them, IIRC.

So if he's imported it

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember "Vamp" saying something like:

Sure it's not a show plate he put on for that meet? Was the meet in a private carpark/field? If it's a fresh import, then yes, I suppose the plates might still have been on it, but I'm not sure of the legality of driving around the UK with them. There would be a certain period allowed if it was a personal import and you had to drive it, but for a car bought from a import agent I don't see that arising.

What I meant about the embassy thing...

I've seen a few embassy vehicles around London that are obviously exempt from the various laws about plates and registration etc, but only up to a point, afaik.

A few years back an immaculate old sand coloured Land Cruiser, the one like a Series 1 Landy, parked next to me in North Berwick. It was Japanese registered.

The couple with it had retired early and were in the process of driving round the world. They'd taken a bit over a year to cross Asia, loop down through Africa and make their way round Europe to Scotland. Their plan was to head to Canada by way of Iceland, make their way to Terra del Fuego and then home by way of NZ and Oz...

Wow! I hope they made it.

A

Apart from Prescott of course ;-)

Woah they told you all this at the lights? :)

Not real fast the old landcruisers. I miss my FJ40 convertible. It had the best car alarm. My rotti x pitbull and english mastiff in the back tied to the rollcage. : )

Fraser

Diplomats are immune from prosecution aren't they ?

So they can do anything they like with their cars, and it's fine :)

[...Land Cruisin'...]

Nope, parked on North Berwick seafront.

Lots of gestures, pointing at maps, smiling and ice-cream. :)

Their Land Cruiser (FJ43(?)) was like *new*.

A

Probably an FJ45.

Fraser

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember Alistair J Murray saying something like:

For anyone who might be interested, Cynthia Milton is on the S American leg of her rtw trip now...

--------------------------------------- Cynthia Milton

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She's just got back on the road after having a major pileup in Arseend, Chile, which necessitate a couple of folk flying out with an almost complete bike as parts, while she knitted a few bones back together.

[...]

Having looked at

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The FJ45 looks too long, especially rear overhang, and I only remember 2 doors; the (JDM only?) FJ43 looks right. I've only ever seen FJ40s of that vintage before in the UK.

A

I haven't seen a 43 in ages. See heads of 40s and 45s running around. I have a soft spot for old landcruisers. I learnt to drive in one when I was

12 on a mates farm.

Fraser

Because they can't decide what Jag to bring?

Because there are no British made cars that can be expected to get to and from a meet without sitting on the back of a recovery truck?

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