Thread: O.C. man charged with illegally importing prized muscle cars

I.C.E. News Release

November 01, 2010
Santa Ana, CA

Orange County man charged with illegally importing prized muscle cars

Federal probe involves Nissan model made famous by 'Fast and Furious' movies

SANTA ANA, Calif. - A former Orange County sheriff's deputy, who operated several now-defunct auto businesses, made his initial court appearance Monday morning on federal charges for illegally importing models of the Japanese muscle car made famous by the "Fast & Furious" movies into the United States and selling them to sports car enthusiasts and collectors.

Daryl R. Alison, 45, of San Clemente, Calif., is accused in a criminal information with removing the markings from an imported vehicle, a misdemeanor. Kaizo Industries, Alison's former Costa Mesa, Calif., company, is charged with a felony for failing to file the required paperwork on the imported vehicles in violation of the Clean Air Act. Both Alison and his now defunct company have agreed to plead guilty to the charges.

According to the court documents, Kaizo Industries imported disassembled Nissan Skylines and other Japanese right-hand drive cars into California and sold them, though they did not comply with U.S. environmental and safety regulations. Alison also operated two websites, Jspecconnect.com and JustDriven.com, that advertised the sought-after cars online.

The charges are the result of an investigation by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Environmental Protection Agency's Criminal Investigations Division, the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the California Air Resources Board.

HSI investigators say as part of the scheme the Skylines were imported in two shipments - the car body in one container and the vehicle drive-train in another. Despite Kaizo's public claims, the bodies themselves had not been modified to comply with Department of Transportation regulations. After arriving at Kaizo's warehouse, several of the car bodies were then mated back with their original drive-trains and sold to the public. So the vehicles could be registered in the United States, the defendants allegedly put bogus 17-digit Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN) on the cars in place of the actual Nissan VIN plate. To avoid California's stricter registration and emission requirements, many of the cars were registered out of the state and sold to California residents with Florida and Arizona plates.

In June 2009, federal and state investigators executed a search warrant at Kaizo Industries in Costa Mesa. During the search, agents located and seized three Nissan Skylines that did not meet U.S. environmental and safety standards. Additionally, authorities have seized nine other vehicles in connection with the probe, including the "hero" car from fourth installment of the "Fast & Furious" movie series. Collectively, the vehicles seized by ICE and CBP to date have an estimated valued of more than $450,000.

"While many car buffs scoff at enforcement of vehicle import laws - to be clear, these are not just technical violations," said Claude Arnold, special agent in charge of ICE HSI in Los Angeles. "Vehicles that don't meet U.S. environmental and safety standards are outlawed because they can pose a real threat to public health and driver safety."

Long admired by racing and "drifting" buffs, Skyline's popularity soared after the cars were tapped for starring roles in the "Fast and Furious" movies. While the Skyline has been produced since 1955, most of the earlier models were not manufactured for the U.S. auto market and did not meet domestic safety and environmental regulations. One of the newest Skyline production models, the R35, does comply with those requirements, but it was not imported by Nissan until July 2008.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security.

ICE is a 21st century law enforcement agency with broad responsibilities for a number of key homeland security priorities. For more information, visit www.ICE.gov. To report suspicious activity, call 1-866-347-2423.

U.S. Dept of Homeland Security

http://www.ice.gov/news/releases/1011/1 ... ntaana.htm

I don't think any Nissan qualifies as a "Muscle Car".

The original Z cars ( Datsun made by Nissan) were pretty hot items.

Muscle car

From Wikipedia,
(May 2010)

This 1966 Pontiac GTO is an example of classic muscle
Hemi-powered 1970 Plymouth Road Runner

Muscle car is a term used to refer to a variety of high performance automobiles.[1][2] The term generally refers to American 2-door rear wheel drive mid-size cars, and sometimes full-size cars equipped with large, powerful, V8s, and sold at an affordable price for street use and both formal and informal drag racing.[3][4][5][6]

As such, they are distinct from two-seat sports cars and expensive 2+2 GTs intended for high-speed touring and road racing.

Building on the American phenomenon and developing simultaneously in their own markets, muscle cars also emerged in their own fashions in Australia, South Africa, the UK, and elsewhere.

[edit] Definition
According to the June 1967 issue of Road Test magazine, a "muscle car" is "Exactly what the name implies. It is a product of the American car industry adhering to the hot rodder's philosophy of taking a small car and putting a BIG engine in it. The Muscle Car is Charles Atlas kicking sand in the face of the 98 hp (73 kW) weakling."[7]

Author of the book Muscle Cars the quote is drawn from, Peter Henshaw, furthers that the muscle car was designed for straight-line speed, and did not have the "sophisticated chassis", "engineering integrity" or "lithe appearance" of European high-performance cars[7]

However, opinions vary as to whether high-performance full-size cars, compacts, and pony cars qualify as muscle cars.[8]

The following is a list of muscle cars and their manufacturers (along with the pony car of the same company):

Manufacturer - Pony car - Muscle car
AMC Javelin SST Machine
Buick none Gran Sport
Chevrolet Camaro Chevelle SS
Dodge Challenger Charger RT
Ford Mustang Torino GT
Mercury Cougar Cyclone CJ
Oldsmobile none 442
Plymouth Barracuda Road Runner
Pontiac Firebird GTO

[edit] Development
[edit] Early muscle

1949 Rocket 88 engine
Hudson Hornet: Rocket 88's only competitor
Opinions on the origin of the muscle car vary, but the 1949 Oldsmobile Rocket 88, created in response to public interest in speed and power, is often cited as the first of the breed. It featured an innovative and powerful new engine—America's first high-compression overhead valve V8 in the lighter Oldsmobile body.[9]

Musclecars magazine wrote: "[t]he idea of putting a full-size V8 under the hood of an intermediate body and making it run like Jesse Owens in Berlin belongs to none other than Oldsmobile... [The] all-new ohv V8...Rocket engine quickly found its way into the lighter 76 series body, and in February 1949, the new 88 series was born."[10]

The article continued: "Walt Woron of Motor Trend enjoyed the 'quick-flowing power...that pins you to your seat and keeps you there until you release your foot from the throttle [...] Olds dominated the performance landscape in 1950, including wins in the NASCAR Grand National division, Daytona Speed Weeks, and the 2100-plus-mile Carrera Panamericana. In France [sic], an 88 won a production car race at Spa-Francorchamps [...] A husky V8 in a cleanly styled, lightweight coupe body, the original musclecar truly was the '49 Olds 88."[10]

Jack Nerad wrote in Driving Today: "the Rocket V-8 set the standard for every American V-8 engine that would follow it for at least three decades [...] With a displacement of 303 cubic inches and topped by a two-barrel carburetor, the first Rocket V-8 churned out 135 horsepower (101 kW) at 3,600 rpm and 263 pound-feet of torque at a lazy 1800 rpm [and] no mid-range car in the world, save the Hudson Hornet, came close to the Rocket Olds performance potential..."

Nerad added that the Rocket 88 was "the hit of NASCAR’s 1950 season, winning eight of the 10 races. Given its lightning-like success, one could clearly make the case that the Olds 88 with its 135 horsepower (101 kW) V-8 was the first 'musclecar'..."[11]

Steve Dulcich, writing in Popular Hot Rodding, also cites Oldsmobile, concurrently with Cadillac, as having "launched the modern era of the high-performance V-8 with the introduction of the "Rocket 88" overhead-valve V8 in 1949."[12]

[edit] Growth of the trend

1955 Chrysler C-300, "America's most powerful car", had 300 horsepower (220 kW)
America's fastest 1957 sedan: Rambler Rebel had lightweight unibody construction and V8 engineOther manufacturers "showcased performance hardware in flashy limited-edition models. Chrysler led the way with its 1955 C-300, an inspired blend of Hemi power and luxury-car trappings that fast became the new star of NASCAR. With 300 horsepower (224 kW), it was rightly advertised as 'America's Most Powerful Car.'"[9]

Capable of accelerating from 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) in 9.8 seconds and reaching 130 miles per hour (209 km/h), the 1955 Chrysler 300 is also recognized as one of the best-handling cars of its era.[13] Two years later the Rambler Rebel was the fastest stock American sedan, according to Motor Trend.[14]

The popularity and performance of muscle cars grew in the early 1960s, while Mopar (Dodge, Plymouth, and Chrysler) and Ford battled for supremacy in drag racing—the 1962 Dodge Dart 413 cu in (6.8 L) Max Wedge, for example, could run a 13-second 1/4-mile dragstrip at over 100 miles per hour (161 km/h). By 1964, there were Oldsmobile, Chevrolet, and Pontiac muscle cars in GM's lineup, and Buick joined them a year later. For 1964 and 1965, Ford had its 427 cu in (7 L) Thunderbolts, and Mopar unveiled the 426 cu in (7 L) Hemi engine. The Pontiac GTO was an option package that included Pontiac's 389 cu in (6.4 L) V8 engine, floor-shifted transmission with Hurst shift linkage, and special trim. In 1966 the GTO became a model in its own right. The project, spearheaded by Pontiac division president John DeLorean, technically violated GM's policy limiting its smaller cars to 330 cu in (5.4 L) displacement, but the new model proved more popular than expected and inspired GM and its competitors to produce numerous imitators. The GTO itself was a response to the Dodge Polara 500 and the Plymouth Sport Fury, which in 1962 had been shrunk to intermediates—at a time when bigger was considered better.

American Motors, though late entering the muscle car market, produced "an impressive array of performance cars in a relatively short time," said Motor Trend. "The first stirrings of AMC performance came in 1965, when the dramatic if ungainly Rambler Marlin fastback was introduced to battle the Ford Mustang and Plymouth Barracuda."[15] Although the Marlin was a flop in terms of sales and initial performance, AMC gained some muscle-car credibility in 1967, when it made both the Marlin and the "more pedestrian" Rebel available with its new 280 horsepower (209 kW), 343 cu in (5.6 L) "Typhoon" V8. And in 1968 the company offered two legitimate muscle car contenders: the Javelin and its truncated variant, the AMX.[15]

Although the sales of true muscle cars were relatively modest by total Detroit production standards, they had value in publicity and bragging rights. Competition between manufacturers meant that buyers had the choice of ever-more powerful engines—a horsepower war that peaked in 1970, with some models offering as much as 450 hp (336 kW) (with this and others likely producing as much or more actual power, whatever their rating).

[edit] Turn-key drag racers
Muscle cars attracted young customers (and their parents) into showrooms, and they bought the standard editions of these mid-size cars. To enhance the "halo" effect of these models, the manufacturers modified some of them into turn-key drag racers.

For example, Ford built 200 lightweight Ford Galaxies for drag racing in 1963. All non-essential equipment was omitted. Modifications included fiberglass panels, aluminum bumpers, traction bars, and a competition-specification 427 cu in (7 L) engine factory-rated at a conservative 425 bhp (317 kW). This full-size car could run the quarter mile in a little over 12 seconds.[16] Also built in 1963 were 5,000 road-legal versions that could be used every day. (Ford claimed 0-60 in less than 6 seconds for the similarly-powered 1966 Galaxie 500XL 427.)[7]


Road-legal drag racer: with 427 V8 in lightened midsize Ford Fairlane bodyAnother Ford lightweight was the 1964 Ford Thunderbolt that utilized the mid-size Fairlane body. A stock Thunderbolt could run a quarter-mile (402 m) at a drag strip in 11.76 seconds at 122.7 mph (197.5 km/h),[17] and Gas Ronda dominated the NHRA World Championship with a best time of 11.6 seconds at 124 mph (200 km/h).[7] The Thunderbolt included competition-specification 427 cu in (7 L) engine and special exhausts (though technically legal for street use, the car was too raucous for the public roads—"not suitable", according to a Hot Rod magazine quote, "for driving to and from the strip, let alone on the street in everyday use";[17] also massive traction bars, asymmetrical rear springs, and a trunk-mounted 95-pound (43 kg) bus battery to maximize traction from what was realistically 500 bhp (373 kW).[17] Sun visors, exterior mirror, sound-deadener, armrests, jack, and lug wrench were omitted to save weight. The car was given lightweight Plexiglass windows, and early versions had fiberglass front body panels and bumpers, later changed to aluminum to meet NHRA regulations.[18] Base price was US$3,780.[17] 111 Thunderbolts were built, and Ford contracted Dearborn Steel Tubing to help with assembly. Factory records show that the first 11 cars were maroon and the subsequent 100 were white.[19]

The 1964 Dodge 426 Hemi Lightweight produced over 500 bhp (370 kW). This "top drag racer" had an aluminium hood, lightweight front bumpers, fenders, doors and lower valance, magnesium front wheels, lightweight Dodge van seat, Lexan side windows, one windshield wiper and no sun visors or sound deadening. Like other lightweights of the era it came with a factory disclaimer: Designed for supervised acceleration trials. Not recommended for general everyday driving because of the compromises in the all-round characteristics which must be made for this type of vehicle.[18]

Also too "high-strung" for the street was Chrysler’s small-volume-production 1965 drag racer, the 550 bhp (410 kW) Plymouth Satellite 426 Hemi. Although the detuned 1966 version (the factory rating underestimated it at 425 bhp (317 kW) ) has been criticized for poor brakes and cornering, Car and Driver described it as "the best combination of brute performance and tractable street manners we've ever driven." The car's understated appearance belied its "ultra-supercar" performance: it could run a 13.8-second quarter mile at 104 mph (167 km/h). Base price was $3,850.[20]

Chevrolet likewise eschewed flamboyant stripes for their 1969 Chevelle COPO 427. The car could run a 13.3 sec. quarter-mile at 108 mph (174 km/h). Chevrolet rated the engine at 425 hp (317 kW), but the NHRA claimed a truer 450 hp (340 kW).[21] It has been said that the 1969 COPO Chevelles were "among the most feared muscle cars of any day. And they didn't need any badges."[21] Base price was US$3,800.[21]

For 1970 Chevrolet offered the Chevelle SS 454, also at a base price of US$3,800. The "muscle car summit", its 454 cu in (7.4 L) engine was rated at 450 hp (336 kW), the highest-ever factory rating at that time. Car Life magazine wrote: "It's fair to say that the Supercar as we know it may have gone as far as it's going."[22]

[edit] Youth market and "budget muscle"
The general trend towards higher performance in factory-stock cars reflected the importance of the youth market. A key appeal of muscle cars was that they offered the burgeoning American car culture relatively affordable and powerful street performance in models that could also be used for drag racing. But as size, optional equipment and luxury appointments increased, engines had to be more powerful to maintain performance levels, and the cars became more expensive.


1970 Plymouth GTX 440: "more performance per dollar" than most other cars of its timeIn response to rising cost and weight, a secondary trend towards more basic "budget" muscle cars emerged in 1967 and 1968—e.g. the "original budget Supercar"[23] Plymouth Road Runner; also the Plymouth GTX, that at base price of US$3,355, offered "as much performance-per-dollar as anything on the market, and more than most",[24] the Dodge Super Bee and other variants. Manufacturers also offered bigger engines in their compact models, sometimes making them lighter, roomier, and faster than their own pony-car lines.

The 340 cu in (5.6 L)-powered 1970 Plymouth Duster was one of these smaller, more affordable cars. Based on the compact-sized Plymouth Valiant and priced at US$2,547, the 340 Duster posted a 6.0-second 0-60 mph (97 km/h) time and ran the quarter mile in 14.7 seconds at 94.3 mph (151.8 km/h).[25] This "reasonably fast" compact muscle car had a stiff, slightly lowered suspension which, in the view of Hot Rod magazine at the time, let the car "ride in an acceptable fashion".[26] However an anonymous 2007 article on the Consumer Guide website refers to "a punishing ride" and trim that was "obviously low-budget."[25] The 1970 model came with front disc brakes and without hood scoops. The only high-performance cues were dual exhausts and modest decals.[25] Tom Gale, former Chrysler vice president of design, describes the car as "a phenomenal success. It had a bulletproof chassis, was relatively lightweight, and had a good power train. These were 200,000-mile (320,000 km) cars."[27] Hot Rod rated the Duster "one of the best, if not the best, dollar buy in a performance car" in 1970.[26]


"The Machine": factory-modified 1970 AMC Rebel ran 14.4-second quarter mile in stock trimAmerican Motors' mid-sized 1970 Rebel Machine, developed in consultation with Hurst Performance, was also built for normal street use. It had a 390 cu in (6.4 L) engine developing 340 hp (254 kW)—a "moderate performer"[28] that gave a 0-60 mph (97 km/h) time of 6.8 seconds and a quarter mile in 14.4 seconds at 99 mph (159 km/h).[29] Early examples came in "patriotic" red, white and blue.[30] Jack Nerad wrote in Driving Today that it was "a straight-up competitor to the GTO, et al. ... the engine was upgraded to 340 horsepower (250 kW) a four-barrel Motorcraft carburetor and other hot rod trickery. The torque figure was equally prodigious—430 pound-feet at a lazy 3600 rpm. In this car the engine was practically the entire story." With four-speed manual transmission, the car "could spring from zero to 60 miles per hour in just 6.4 seconds..." In Nerad's view the car "somehow, someway deserves to be considered among the Greatest Cars of All Time."[31]

A post-2005 Mopar Muscle magazine article said, "But by far the most stunning thing for a car with this level of performance and standard equipment was the sticker of just US$3,475."[32] In 1970, Hot Rod magazine wrote: "Here's a car that lists for $3500 at the starting point, but lacks an appealing interior, feels way too big (and is) to be a handler, and is marked with more identity than Peter Fonda's two wheeler,[33] with about the same taste. Not many of the folks we talked with while we had the car could think of any reason they'd want this car, with 36 months to pay and all the bright paint." The author said, "[I]f there is an attempt here to chase down the well-known middle-class supercar market nobody but American Motors need worry."[34]

For comparison, the "plain wrapper"[35] 1969 Plymouth Road Runner, Motor Trend magazine's Car of the Year, ran a 14.7 quarter at 100.6 mph (161.9 km/h) with the standard 383 cu in (6.3 L) engine after the addition of a high-performance factory camshaft plus non-standard, high-performance induction and exhaust manifolds, carburetor and slick tires. In this form the car cost US$3,893.[23] In 1968 Dodge's US$3,027 Super Bee ran a 15-second quarter at 100 mph (160 km/h) on street tires with the same engine, only stock.[36]

Furthermore, the 340 cu in (5.6 L)-powered 1968 Plymouth Barracuda 4-seater, which Hot Rod magazine categorized as "a supercar, without any doubt attached...also a 'pony car', a compact and a workhorse" with enough rear seat leg and head room for "passengers to ride back there without distress" and "a flip-up door to the trunk area for ferrying some pretty sizeable loads of cargo", was a "sizeable threat on the drag strip": 13.33 seconds at 106.50 mph (171.40 km/h). Base price was $2,796.00. Price as tested by Hot Rod: $3,652.[37]

[edit] Related pickup trucks
Another related type of vehicle is the car-based pickup (known colloquially in Australia as a "ute" (short for "utility"). Holden and Ford Australia make such a vehicle under the model name "Ute""). Examples of these in the U.S. are the performance versions of the Ford Ranchero, GMC Sprint / Caballero, and Chevrolet El Camino with high-output V8 engines.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muscle_car

Chargers , Cameros, Roadrunners, El Caminos , Vets

the z28 was more of a "sports car" instead of a true muscle car

I had a 68 Pontiac Le Manns which fell into the muscle car class

The GTO and Ford Mustang were the forerunners to the true power muscle cars

The best muscle cars have more than 400 cubic inches, a 4 barrel carb, or two 4 barrel carbs, dual exhaust and 4 on the floor.

I had a 1970 TBird with a 429. It was a screamer and tons o fun.

But I agree with JohnDoe2, the Nissans in the movie, while fast, reminded me of angry little bees not muscle cars.

Back in 65-66 I had a 55 Chevy with a 283 and a 4 speed out of a 58 Vet.

The 283 was a great small block. Add dual quads and a positraction and it was time to go.

My mom had a 64 Impala SS with a 283 and it was probably the best car she ever owned, she kept it for years.

The "muscle cars" they talk about today sound like angry bees to me. My first car was a '55 chevy, started with a 265, moved to a 283 and then a 350. Drove like a bat out of #$#$! It was a true muscle car of the time. My second car was a 68 Roadrunner with a 383. Those were the days.