Short version a couple years back I bought two kei trucks. Sold one here on the forum still have the other one. Might sell it but dreaming of doing more with it, buying more.
Long version, I'll get to typing out when I'm back in front of my desktop with a full keyboard.
Ask questions, post yours, I dunno ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
What an ironic post. I'm going to make a thread about mine and it's purpose but I just bought one last night.
1994 Subaru Sambar 4WD.
Runs and drives, needs lots of little things and smokes a bit on startup. But 4WD works, all gears work and the engine doesn't make noise or overheat. It was the cheapest "running" sambar I could find.
It won't stay a Sambar TRUCK for long, but will be donating it's frame and drivetrain to the Subaru 360 Van I have.
I guess technically that means I have 2 Kei Trucks.
I've often thought about one as an alternative to a John Deere Gator. You know, hauling gravel and mulch and towing small trailers around the yard. How do you think they would do at that job?
a friend just bought a 4wd Honda Acty. I think that's exactly the role it would excel in. A gator or something is slightly more convenient because of the CVT.
The kei truck is nice in the role of around the house/yard machine because you can also register it and drive it to the store to get the mulch, etc. The ACTY Attack I have has a 4 speed transmission with an Ultra Low 1st and Reverse, makes it easy to creep along, still not as easy as CVT but good.
I got mine for 2 cases of tequila (short story is that dude needed it gone from his driveway prior to an impending move). It doesn't run, and it's not high enough on the project list for me to even start the diagnostics beyond "yep, cranks, but doesn't start". Daughter "drives me to school" in it some weekends.
Is there a reliable importer of "good" used engines? I think instead of chasing a bunch of things down, I'd just rather drop a compatible runner from a Japanese junkyard and move on. Bonus points if I could swap in newer/better/mo-powah.
Autozam Scrum (Mazda badge engineered Suzuki Carry/Every):
This place pops up in the Facebook groups quite often.
https://www.grimports.com/copy-of-maintenance-tips-2
Also I think both the main consumer import sites "Car from Japan" and "BeForward" both have parts departments that engines and other things can be sourced from.
dan0 said:This place pops up in the Facebook groups quite often.
https://www.grimports.com/copy-of-maintenance-tips-2
Also I think both the main consumer import sites "Car from Japan" and "BeForward" both have parts departments that engines and other things can be sourced from.
Thanks. I'll give them (GR imports) a call tomorrow. See what they suggest for ease/"take my money".
My daughter has a Honda Acty she bought several years ago - she has a small 5 acre farmette and it has been super handy, whether for running to town for supplies or moving haybales around for the cows (all 2 of them!)
Obviously, they're not for roaming the great midwest on the superslab, but for an around town general do all sort of machine they're terrific.
So because I could..
Did you know a Subaru Sambar can fit Miata sized 15×9 wheels with 225/45R15 tires with basically no rubbing.
The Honda and Subaru are nice for being 4x100 making for easy wheel swaps.
I think the Suzukis are 4x110 and some of the others some even weirder. I wanna say 4x114.8 but probably wrong there.
dan0 said:The Honda and Subaru are nice for being 4x100 making for easy wheel swaps.
I think the Suzukis are 4x110 and some of the others some even weirder. I wanna say 4x114.8 but probably wrong there.
Mine has a set of spacers in the back (still in the bag they came in) that look to be lug pattern adapters as well. Haven't dug into what size they go to. Figure "get it running" should come before "which sick wheels should I buy."
The temptation of buying a 4x4 Kei truck has been plaguing me for a while.
I'd be looking for more power almost immediately.
This place is 20 minutes from me: https://www.tokyodirectimports.com/vehicles/current
Subaru Sambar have 4 cylinder engines instead of the 3 cylinders most others have. Some even turbocharged.
The 2WD ACTY I had did ok. Flat highway pulled 72mph.
1999 and newer body style ACTYS and others probably too are fuel injected. I'd consider importing one of those sometime. Plus they have a little more room inside.
I used "carfromjapan" and had a great experience.
1996 Honda ACTY with 79km on it for less than $4K to the Freeport, TX.
I bought mine through Beforward, but heard great things about Carfromjapan. There's also a guy on Facebook based out of NJ that does it as a side business, broker service as well.
He actually got me in touch with the guy he uses for transport and ended up getting my trucks out of the port. I tried picking mine up but had issues, not me, not my broker, port personnel problems. So instead of going back I just paid his guy to pick up my trucks (had bought two) and deliver them to me.
I'm really wanting to take my Attack and do an ATV/UTV swap ala Grind Hard Plumbing Co. and then maybe try to get a newer 1999 ACTY with fuel injection and a little bit more space. Then start driving that a lot more.
The only thing I know about Kei tricks is that I want one. Or several.
SV reX said:The only thing I know about Kei tricks is that I want one. Or several.
After having two so far. If I could I'd want three.
Here's an interesting swap, motorcycle engine using Miata rear subframe for suspension, and a chain drive.
For inspiration purposes... from a previous GRM discussion...
Edit... found the link
https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/live-thread-super-lap-battle/263767/page1/
I bought the '96 RWD Acty from Dan0. I have about five cars that I 'daily' and this is in that mix for about two days a week.
I replaced the stock battery with a U1 350 lawn mower battery and put on some 13" 4x100 wheels with Forceum M/T 08 tires.
Future plans: Replace the cracking CV boots. Timing belt (because no idea how old it is). Eliminate the minor surface rust. Build a better rack for the back. Heavier springs in front and maybe a slight lift in back. No hurry, it's doing fine as is.
In reply to AAZCD-Jon (Forum Supporter) :
Awesome to see you happy with it. I take mine to the town garage / recycling on Saturday and then to the local stores. It's fun to putt around in.
Side note: Walmart sells a 4x6 canopy and Intex makes a 4x4 pool set. Perfect for summer time.
A question I posed to a Kei Truck group on Facebook.
Plow on the kei truck or plow on ATV?
Details, current job no worries on being early with winter weather, the one storm we had a foot of snow, we just closed. Driveway isn't huge and have a snowblower as well. Although when it's wet snow it clogs.
Pro to the kei truck, looks cooler, wider blade, enclosed cab with music. Cons more money, fab work.
Pro to the ATV, cheaper, ready to install solutions, cons outside in the weather.
dan0 said:The Honda and Subaru are nice for being 4x100 making for easy wheel swaps.
I think the Suzukis are 4x110 and some of the others some even weirder. I wanna say 4x114.8 but probably wrong there.
A while back I was swapping wheels around on my Miata and was tempted to put my race set on on my mom's Acty just for fun.
Sadly I didn't have time to do anything more than set them in front of the truck, but it looked pretty rad.
I imported the truck probably six years ago through Japan Car Direct and it's been an awesome machine the whole time!
This thread is not helping my Acty lust. I'm about to make some bad (good?) decisions.
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