Anybody need a tiny van/truck?

"Chuckles" (chucklesw37)
03/29/2019 at 16:14 • Filed to: None

This is on sale near me. That might be the shortest truck bed I’ve ever seen.

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DISCUSSION (23)

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > Chuckles
03/29/2019 at 16:33

Huh, that’s pretty neat. Doesn’t seem a bad price either.

Probably still more truck than 90% of truck buyers will ever need. ;)

Future Heap Owner > Chuckles
03/29/2019 at 16:48

At what point is it a “truck cubby”?

Chuckles > Future Heap Owner
03/29/2019 at 16:53

It's more of a trunk without a lid than it is a bed. Beds are for laying down. Nobody is laying down in this bed.

ranwhenparked > Chuckles
03/29/2019 at 17:49

I came very close to buying an even tinier van, but it seems the importer didn't place their bid in time. I think that Daihatsu is too big and has too many wheels for my tastes.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Chuckles
03/29/2019 at 18:06

New plan, you buy it, enjoy it and post on Oppo a lot about it...? :P

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > ranwhenparked
03/29/2019 at 18:07

Piaggio Ape? :D

Chuckles > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
03/29/2019 at 18:11

If you pay for it I will absolutely go buy it, drive it around, do truck stuff, and write about it.

Taema > Chuckles
03/29/2019 at 18:25

Theres a place just nothing of me that sells kei trucks. I drove one recently, a Subaru diesel 4*4. The truck bed sides folded down to make a flatbed and had no issues getting up to speed. At least as quick as my base Kia. But I have a hard time justifying 4k or so vs the available pickups around here.

Chuckles > Taema
03/29/2019 at 18:29

Most of the Kei cars/trucks/vans I've seen are definitely more of a novelty. You're paying for something because it's quirky, locally rare, and has been imported. It's not a great value proposition, especially if parts are not easy to source.

Taema > Chuckles
03/29/2019 at 18:53

We've bought a few for work, for the mechanics and Maintenance perople to run around the warehouses at a couple plants. They seem ideal for that and in town runabout duty.

Chuckles > Taema
03/29/2019 at 18:55

For the price of this one, I’d probably opt for a cheap used minivan with a usable second/third row or take the seats out and have more cargo space.

Taema > Chuckles
03/29/2019 at 19:05

Exactly. I got a 98 b2500 for $ 2500 in great shape with 120k on the clock. Another 1500 for 4*4 diesel kei I couldn't justify. Sure it's 2wd with an open diff, but it makes a nice truck/Miata package!

pip bip - choose Corrour > Chuckles
03/29/2019 at 19:15

you haven’t seen a Suzuki mighty boy then?

Kinja'd!!!

Chuckles > pip bip - choose Corrour
03/29/2019 at 19:18

Not in Pennsylvania, no.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Chuckles
03/29/2019 at 19:49

Errrrr.....may have to pass on account of money = not have. :P

ranwhenparked > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
03/29/2019 at 20:20

Well, it's from the same company that briefly imported Apes in the UK.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > ranwhenparked
03/29/2019 at 22:15

Then I am not sure....but get an Ape anyway. :P

ranwhenparked > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
03/29/2019 at 22:48

Nah, I was after a Rialto van, but am leaning more toward a Robin LX hatchback now. About the same cargo space with the seats folded and much better trimmed.

Reliant were the UK distributors for the Piaggio Ape briefly in the late ‘90s/early ‘00s.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > ranwhenparked
03/29/2019 at 23:28

I would really like to import an Ape, preferably an Ape TM with aut omotive controls rather than bike controls....but ANY three-wheeler is considered a motorcycle here in Nova Scotia and I would have to get a bike license first!

ranwhenparked > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
03/29/2019 at 23:37

Reliant made a coffee van body for the Ape chassis with a built in espresso machine.

Also, I think there was someone that did an Ape camper van. Supposedly, they can touch 100mpg if driven properly.

Fortunately, 3-wheelers with car-like controls and seating are classified as autocycles where I live, and can be driven on a regular car driver’s license, and helmets aren’t required. I might be able to register it as a car, too, but there’s really no functional difference.

Duck Duck Grey Duck FTMFW! > Chuckles
03/30/2019 at 08:44

I love that it still has the sliding door.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > ranwhenparked
03/30/2019 at 13:26

Oh cool, I actually didn’t know Reliant was selling them in the UK in that time period!

ranwhenparked > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
03/30/2019 at 22:04

It was right before the end, they also imported Ligier city cars and Vulcan, Derbi, and Bultaco motorbikes.