Failed because of 3 cm of distance on the widened fenders, Wrangler YJ owner creates temporary support and circumvents Japanese bureaucracy
A member of the United States Air Force, Matt Norton, used creativity to pass his Jeep Wrangler YJ (year 1993) in the rigorous Japanese Mandatory Inspection (JCI). The vehicle had off-road modifications, such as raised suspension, flared fenders and 33-inch tires. Because of this, the inspectors failed him due to a technical rule of positioning lights.
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The reason for the disapproval was the distance between the headlights and the outer edge of the fenders, which was 3 cm greater than what is allowed by the country’s guidelines. Instead of requiring the removal of the original components, the inspectors themselves suggested repositioning the lights.
So Norton bought duct tape, cardboard, wires, and electrical connectors at a home improvement store. With the help of a friend, he removed the square headlights from the Jeep’s front grille and mounted makeshift exterior brackets out of cardboard boxes, attaching them directly over the fenders. Upon returning to the inspection center, the technical team laughed at the sight, but the vehicle was approved because it complied with the established rules.
The last obstacle occurred in the light beam alignment test done by a digital scanner. One of the cardboard headlights caused a misalignment, but the American’s friend pushed the structure with his hand at the time of the sweep until the machine indicated approval, fixing the box with more adhesive tape.
Once he obtained the registration seal, the owner stopped in a parking lot, removed the cardboard boxes and reinstalled the headlights in the factory sockets. Matt Norton and his family have already moved from Japan to Hawaii, where they maintain a collection of three Jeep Wrangler models, all equipped with manual transmissions.
