The First Official Minivan

"Jonee" (Jonee) 03/25/2016 at 12:50 • Filed to: Gasuden, Minivans, Kei cars, microcars, Flying Feather, Fuji Cabin

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That winsome guy up there is the Gasuden Minivan. I came across it on this page in a book on kei cars I have and was immediately taken.

It was on display at the 1961 Tokyo Motor Show and, as far as I can tell, it holds the honor of being the first vehicle officially called a “Minivan”. Chrysler likes to claim it invented the minivan which we all know isn’t true. In my opinion, the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! had pretty much all the attributes of a minivan in the 1930’s, not to mention Torch’s beloved VW and other “micro” vans like the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! built after WWII. The Gasuden, unfortunately, never made it to production, so was long forgotten by the time the first Caravans and Voyagers invaded the U.S. But, it was a pretty interesting little van.

The Gasuden name means “gas powered” and comes from The Tokyo Gas and Electric Manufacturing Company which was formed when the former Hitachi Aviation merged with Fuji Automobile a few years after the end of the Second World War. Hitachi couldn’t make planes any more and Fuji, which has no relation to Subaru’s parent company Fuji Heavy Industries, had been in business repairing and dismantling army vehicles, a business that was drying up. The company hired the former president of Nissan, Yamamoto Zong, and began making small motors for scooters and light motorcycles under the Gasuden name. There had actually been a famous long range airplane back in the 30’s called the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , built by the confusingly named Tokyo Gas and Electric Industry , the company that later became !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . Somehow, they also have a connection to our Gasuden in the tangled mess that was postwar Japanese industry reorganization. Anyway, after manufacturing scooter motors for a while, Yamamoto decided that Gasuden should make their own vehicle, but wanted something to stand out. So, he commissioned renowned designer Ryuichi Tomiya to design a covered scooter. Ryuichi was famous for the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , one of the very first kei cars.

Yes, those are basically bicycle wheels.

In contrast to that primitive looking buggy, the covered scooter, named the Fuji Cabin, was a streamlined little slow moving rocket UFO.

That’s some pretty fancy badging.

It was powered by a Gasuden 5.5 horsepower single cylinder two-stroke and featured some novel engineering. It was a three-wheeler with independent suspension on the front wheels, and a swing arm and coil strut in back. The body was a monocoque design made of insulated fiberglass.

I dig that accent line. This one only has one door on the passenger side, but at least one was built with two-doors. This car was actually discovered in basket case condition at a Pennsylvania flea market of all places. It was probably smuggled home by an American serviceman.

It had a tube running down the center of the floor to bring cool air to the rear-mounted motor which also helped make the body rigid. Despite all this, it was said to be pretty unstable at speed.

This person can’t be more than 4' tall.

That, combined with poorly made bodies due to Gasuden having zero experience with fiberglass, and an extremely cramped interior even for Japanese people, made the project something of a disaster. Only 85 Fuji Cabins were built between 1954 and ’55, with only 2 or 3 surviving today.

Note the staggered seating positions. This one has the handlebar steering removed probably so as not to emphasize how squished the driver is.

Still, a few years later, Gasuden, now using their own name for some reason, decided to try again with another innovative design.

The Minivan, or Mini-Van, was penned by another legendary designer, Yoo Chong Li, who was primarily an industrial designer best known for things like this butterfly stool.

His van design is basically a scaled down VW Microbus, but it’s got its own frog-like adorableness that’s much more friendly than the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , the other tiny van that debuted at the same time. Its toothy grin is for a mid-mounted 356cc air-cooled flat twin two-stroke motor that was positioned under the floor and sent 17 horses to the rear wheels. I can’t think of another mid-rear configured van offhand. That motor was itself pretty unique as it featured !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! (which, when these engines were later sold to another company to be used in a delivery trike, catastrophically failed after only 10,000km). After the failure of the Fuji Cabin, Gasuden went conservative with the suspension; it had leaf springs all around. But, with that neat weight distribution, it was said to drive pretty well. As one of only two pint-sized vans at the Motor Show in ‘61, it garnered a lot of attention. But, Gasuden hadn’t fully recovered from the Cabin fiasco, and lacked the funds to put the Minivan into production effectively abdicating that moniker to a K-Car instead of a kei car, ha ha. A year later, Tokyo Gas and Electric Manufacturing Company aka Gasuden aka Fuji was taken over by Komatsu, maker of gigantic bulldozers and stuff, and its little cars were forgotten. They did build 4 or 5 Minivan prototypes, but it seems like none of them remain.

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AMC/Renauledge > Jonee 03/25/2016 at 13:01

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So the Toyota Van and Previa - both mid/rear engine vans - follow in this tradition!

HammerheadFistpunch > Jonee 03/25/2016 at 13:01

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Also in 1961, but as a production model that took off.

And before that in 1956

Jonee > HammerheadFistpunch 03/25/2016 at 13:13

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Yeah, it would have been some of the only competition for the Sambar at the very beginning.

Jonee > AMC/Renauledge 03/25/2016 at 13:14

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I wasn’t sure if the Toyotas were officially mid-engined, but I guess they are.

HammerheadFistpunch > Jonee 03/25/2016 at 13:17

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Still, very cool find. I love these little vans, there is a 2nd generation sambar at my subaru dealer that I love seeing when I’m in there. Looks like a clown car compared to just about everything on the road today though.

Jonee > HammerheadFistpunch 03/25/2016 at 13:25

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I’ve owned several 360 sedans, but never a van myself. I’ve been around a bunch, though. They are pretty incredible. So teeny, but inside there’s plenty of room.

AMC/Renauledge > Jonee 03/25/2016 at 13:25

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The Nissan Vanette and Mitsubishi Delica were both MR designs, as well

Jonee > AMC/Renauledge 03/25/2016 at 13:32

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True. I actually almost bought a U.S. Nissan Vanette once that had somehow avoided self-immolating.

AMC/Renauledge > Jonee 03/25/2016 at 13:38

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Yeah, it’s a crazy story about how most of those ended up getting crushed!

Jonee > AMC/Renauledge 03/25/2016 at 13:57

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I didn’t think any had avoided being returned, but I guess a few folks were brave enough to hang onto them. I liked how at first glance you were like, oh a Toyota; and then you went, wait a minute that thing looks weird for some reason— Nissan??

Rick Cavaretti > Jonee 03/25/2016 at 14:08

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Nope. Fiat 600 Multipla. 1956-1969.

http://www.microcarmuseum.com/tour/fiat-mult…

Jonee > Rick Cavaretti 03/25/2016 at 14:13

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Yeah, the Multipla was definitely a minivan, but they didn’t call it a “minivan.”

Wolc *grammar nazis go f*** yourselves* > Jonee 03/25/2016 at 14:25

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reference: Previa drivetrain

veblenesque > Jonee 03/25/2016 at 14:26

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http://www.design-museum.de/en/collection/…

Just a correction - the butterfly stool was designed by Japanese designer Sori Yanagi.

dustynnguyendood > AMC/Renauledge 03/25/2016 at 14:30

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I remember driving in Socal back in the day and seeing a bunch of them stacked 3 high awaiting flattening. It was a strange sight.

Jonee > veblenesque 03/25/2016 at 14:32

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Huh, interesting. It also comes up when you search Yoo Chong Li. In one of the articles I found about the van it called him the designer of the butterfly chair, but it was through a Google translation, so maybe something was confused.

Devon lost his burner, understands electric cars don't require front grilles > AMC/Renauledge 03/25/2016 at 14:34

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They had engines under the front seats though, more FM than MR, and certainly not rear.

Rick Cavaretti > Jonee 03/25/2016 at 14:37

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I think you can pardon a non-English speaking country from using an English term to describe something.

tapzz > Jonee 03/25/2016 at 14:41

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What’s really interesting – other than it’s robo-adorkableness – is the way the Gasuden Minivan’s configuration was nearly 40 years ahead of its kei competition.

Following the pioneering Subaru Sambar, all kei trucks and vans that I can think of were cab-over, mid-engined and rear wheel drive. That is, until the Japanese government realised that using people’s legs as crumple zones was a little sub-optimal. The designs that followed the 1996 rule change were mostly semi-cab front engine RWD designs like this Daihatsu Hijet

All keis, except for the third generation Honda Acty, which was/is a mid engined RWD semi-cab design just like the Gasuden Minivan.

Kei pick up trucks are still cab-overs. Not sure why, but I suspect it has something to do with manoeuvrability on narrow, right angled rice paddy dykes.

AMC/Renauledge > Devon lost his burner, understands electric cars don't require front grilles 03/25/2016 at 14:57

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MR stands for Mid engine / Rear drive. Or at least it did for the MR2.

The photo you show certainly has the engine smack in the middle of the chassis. It's more mid-engined than a Ferrari 488

Jonee > Rick Cavaretti 03/25/2016 at 15:00

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I do. It didn’t stop the Japanese, though.

Jonee > tapzz 03/25/2016 at 15:03

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Yeah, they were pretty prescient with the packaging. I wonder how it would have fared in the market vs. the Sambar.

nerd_racing > AMC/Renauledge 03/25/2016 at 15:32

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FALSE: MR= Midship Runabout for the MR2

PatBateman > Jonee 03/25/2016 at 16:43

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This means that we must go back in time and kill this project. That will make minivans disappear in our current timeline.

I'm putting Jonee in charge of this mission. Don't let us down.

tapzz > Jonee 03/25/2016 at 16:56

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One other small nit: “Zong” doesn’t sound like a Japanese name- did you mean Souji Yamamoto, who was president of Nissan from 1945-1947?

(I suspect another Google translate glitch, because the same kanji can usually be read multiple different ways even just within Japanese, never mind Mandarin as well...)

Jonee > tapzz 03/25/2016 at 17:08

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Yeah, that sounds like it must be the guy. I thought “Zong” seemed off.

Victor from chile who owns a citroen c2 > Jonee 03/25/2016 at 17:24

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I liked this article. good job Jonee, now i need more

Jonee > Victor from chile who owns a citroen c2 03/25/2016 at 17:49

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Thanks, Victor! I collect all my funny little car articles here:

http://weird-wheels.kinja.com/

Unless you mean more Gasuden Minivan, in which case, I’m afraid that’s it, sadly.

Berang > Jonee 03/25/2016 at 23:40

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Most of Cony’s vans and trucks were mid engined:

Suzuki/Suzulight Carry line was mid engined as well:

Later Carrys moved the engine further back. Honda had a more conventional mid engine configuration, using a transaxle instead of a short drive shaft and live axle:

aduong278 > Jonee 03/26/2016 at 01:19

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*sees half-loaded thumbnail*

Original Fiat Multipla? Original Fiat Multipla? Please be original Fiat Multipla!

*clicks link, glances at page*

Oh, come o-oh... Better!

Jonee > Berang 03/26/2016 at 11:29

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Yeah, those are good examples. My mind was thinking everything was rear engined with my Subaru 360 experience. Daihatsu must have had one, too. The Midget was sort of mid-rear. I love that generation Suzuki Carry. That cutaway is awesome. Look how they squeezed everything under there.

Jobjoris > Jonee 03/26/2016 at 18:36

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There he goes: FP again! And for a reason: Awesome piece! Love those tires on the Flying Feather. But really the upmost best thing of the Minivan is that mirror! It’s such a happy car!

My 2 Cents > PatBateman 03/27/2016 at 02:51

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I fucking love my minivan!

Room for mountain bikes, surfboards, camping, sex with my girl.

Im single and off road it in utah and the colorado rockies.

Don't take my van away!

Elhigh > Jonee 03/27/2016 at 13:08

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The Toyota (and other brands’) minivans like the early 80s R20 TownAce had their engine mounted under the front seats. I can’t recall if the engine’s centerline was abaft the front wheels axle line or not, if it wasn’t it was damned close. That would make it, strictly speaking, also a mid-engine rear drive.

They were crap to drive. I didn’t like them much. They were built according to government-mandated specifications, which is why each of the competitors’ offerings are within millimeters of each other in dimensions.

Elhigh > HammerheadFistpunch 03/27/2016 at 19:21

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It’s hard not to love the original Multipla. It was a brilliant answer to a question that nobody had thought to ask. Introduced in the 1950s it predates the Gasuden pictured above, and based on the Fiat 600 it borrows its architecture from an existing compact car platform, I think possibly the earliest iteration of what we have come to recognize as the essential minivan model.

Jonee > Jobjoris 03/27/2016 at 20:34

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Oh, thank you. It is a happy little car. I couldn’t resist it when I saw that picture for the first time. It’s a shame it never made it. We could be driving Gasudens instead of Subarus.

I’d love to drive a Flying Feather some day. It must be great in the snow.

Jobjoris > Jonee 03/28/2016 at 15:58

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It’s such a great name, Gasuden . Not sure if I’d rather drive a Subaru 360 though. Or that Flying Feather . Nothing beats that Cyclops Fuji Cabin though!

Jonee > Jobjoris 03/29/2016 at 03:07

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Yeah, the Fuji Cabin is one of the most legendary microcars ever. That grey one sold for $130,000 a couple years ago. Like I said, someone found it here at a flea market back in the late 80's. The person who had it had no idea what it was, and the guys who found it only suspected it was a Fuji Cabin because they had only seen an old b&w photo of one. There was only one known to exist at the time. Since then, another one turned up in Japan in some old dude’s garage and he doesn’t want to sell it. It’s a fascinating little car. It’s like nothing else ever made. But, it wasn’t really very good, it just looks amazing and that’s enough.

Jobjoris > Jonee 03/29/2016 at 05:24

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Ebbro has a great 1/43 of the Fuji Cabin. I’ve been looking for one for quite a while now.

So there are three known to have survived in total? A grey one, this blue one I’ve seen on pictures as a 1:1 as well and a... Red one?

Jonee > Jobjoris 03/29/2016 at 23:12

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No red 1:1. The blue one which is the two-door and also has a steering wheel instead of handlebars; the grey one which was found in Pennsylvania; and the one in that guy’s garage which looks to be white over blue probably repainted at some point. I think someone once told me you could get it painted whatever color you wanted, so there could have been a red one.

You need that 1/43 for Sushi Sunday. I’d like one myself. I’ve seen the grey one and got to sit in the passenger seat. I wouldn’t have fit on the driver’s side.

Jobjoris > Jonee 03/30/2016 at 04:15

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They call it Land of the Rising Sunday at LaLD. But I rarely “compete”. Last time was that Datsun Cherry X-1 I think.

Haha, you wouldn’t fit? Only the Japanese do fit probably. Or hobgoblins ;-)

Jonee > Jobjoris 03/31/2016 at 00:57

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I remember that post. I like that car. You need some keis, maybe.

It’s ridiculous. A hobgoblin with the arms of a t-rex and his legs removed from the knees down.

The seat is moulded into the body, so there’s no adjusting unless you get a thinner cushion.

Jobjoris > Jonee 03/31/2016 at 05:40

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I have too little, I think you’re right. I have some TLV’s though.

The lateral support for the passenger is probably AWESOME in the Fuji Cabin, you cannot go anywhere. Love that cushion adjustment system, maybe that’s great for the Wanke r l as well? What car came with the adjustable throttle/brake/clutch pedals again, some Lotus?

Jonee > Jobjoris 04/01/2016 at 01:03

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What’s a TLV? A Tomica something?

Yeah, that’s a great co-pilot seat for rallying. I do love that idea of the Wanke r l having fixed seats and maybe inflatable/deflatable(?) cushions. Don’t a lot of cars come with adjustable pedals now? Did the Lotus have non-adjustable seats with movable pedals?

Jobjoris > Jonee 04/01/2016 at 04:13

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Tomica Limited Vintage, a premium line of Tomica. Many kei-cars. My favorite (in my possession) is the Honda S800 Coupé , I want the Toyota 800 Sport as well. Example from google:

Inflatable! Maybe with some sort of liquid to prevent it having an air mattress feel to it!

The McLaren F1 had these adjustable pedals as well IIRC. Not sure what car I was thinking of yesterday.

Jonee > Jobjoris 04/04/2016 at 00:44

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Those look really nice. I love the little Toyota Sports so much. There’s a guy in Northern California that has one and he brings it to a show down here every year. I can’t get enough of it when I see it. I’ve driven a Honda S800, but not a coupé. It’s a wicked fun little car.

Whoa, yeah. Waterseats. First of their kind. They could have goldfish in them.

Jobjoris > Jonee 04/04/2016 at 07:59

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I’m not sure which one I’d prefer, the Honda or the Toyota. I used to think Honda but the Toyota definitely has grown on me the last couple of years. Yesterday I got one of my cars out of it’s Hibernation.

We’d have to find fluorescent fish. Or blowfish!

Jonee > Jobjoris 04/05/2016 at 01:41

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Hey, the Porker looks great. How did it react to being woken up?

Like puffer fish? Won't they puncture the seats? That's perfect.

Jobjoris > Jonee 04/05/2016 at 03:47

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I think the crank turned about 6 times. What a great car. Your mum should definitely get one.

Blow Fish, Puffer Fish, both are from the Tetraodontidae family. Not all have the external spines. We better stick to spineless.

Jonee > Jobjoris 04/06/2016 at 02:52

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That’s awesome. Amazing cars. I’ve explained to her how reliable they are. Although, like I told you, her 308 never gave us any trouble, so in her mind, exotic cars are as reliable as Hondas.

I wasn’t aware your expertise extended to ichthyology. Maybe we could throw in a Pteroris as well. Its spines shouldn’t be as strong.