Is it possible?

[Anonymous No.1601577]

I had this idea for a while and Im wondering if its plausible. I wanted to build a livable area with this. I see videos of people dumping massive amounts of money on bigger better things but i wanted to see the true poor way to do it. I'll list my few reasons why i chose these types of Kei Trucks.

>3cyl engine in very easy to get to space (an example is the spark plugs being easily removed as its distributor and not coil packs)
>reliable if treated right
>can find and import extremely cheap
>can hold a good amount of weight (last i saw it was about 750lbs)
>almost all come in 4wd with Diff locks
>many videos i see them handle most terrain with ease (unless retarded)
>takes addons and utility items well (some notable ones are mini lightbars, winches, extra storage inside, reasonable lift kits for better clearance.
>truck bed is about 6'6" in length (dont remember width but i think 4 or 5 feet?) iirc which helps for sleeping area i had in mind.
>reasonable mpg (i think about 18 to 25)

It sounds crazy and absolutely retarded, but i want to give it a shot. My main problem is what to use to cover the truck bed from the elements. My plan is to place some kinda bedding (like those portable army mattresses i've seen once). For food i was thinking of using some portable fridge. For power i'm thinking of installing solar panels on the top, a company in my town sells portable ones. That could charge a separate more powerful battery, as to not fuck with any of the trucks electrics. This is all i have so far and until i get the truck its a pipe dream, but until then, is it possible it could work?

[Anonymous No.1601622]

yeah it's possible.

[Anonymous No.1601631]

>>1601622
thats adorable. what materials could i use for that? Fiberglass shell obviously but should i make a wooden outer to mold the fiberglass onto?

[Anonymous No.1601665]

>>1601577

Cost savings on these kinds of vehicles is minimal since raw materials are only a small percentage of the overall costs. Manufacturers of these kinds of vehicles make up the difference with shoddy workmanship, reduced features, and lower margins. The feautures dropped aren't just luxuries, they're safety and air pollution mitigations as well.

The reason is that smaller vehicles use the same number of parts (roughly), made the same way to similar tolerances. So the labor, capital equipment, time, and expertise required is the same.

Basically this is virtue signalling. Better to buy a used larger vehicle

[Anonymous No.1601762]

>>1601577
I wanted to buy one of thesd but as my friend said: "Your legs are the crumple zone."

[Anonymous No.1601765]

>>1601665
Saving on gas you fucking retard, not the cost of the car.

[Tommy2hands No.1601783]

>>1601577
Just ask Bubbles from Trailer Park boys

[Anonymous No.1601786]

>>1601665
They're small because in Japan they're cheaper to own. It's a whole specialized vehicle class that has to be under a certain size and engine displacement.

>>1601765
Past a certain point you're getting diminishing returns. Pic related is how much you'll save per 10,000 miles.

[Anonymous No.1601794]

The main advantage of this size is accessing small spaces, ease of maintenance as far as lifting parts without equipment.

Larger trucks are more efficient on fuel per tonne carried.

[Anonymous No.1602239]

>>1601762
A risk I'm willing to take. They max out at 60 so i wont be speed demon.
>>1601665
Safety features and pollution mitigations i don't mind being dropped. From what I've seen so far the few shoddy features have been interior and the battery holder.
>>1601794
If i had to choose id pick agility and ease of maintenance.

So how do I make Fiberglass mold in shape? Do i need a wood copy to mold it onto?

[Anonymous No.1602869]

>>1602239
Id say made a wall shell of light plywood, then follow some youtube vids on how to make a poor mans fiberglass shell. Youll want insulation as well so best to make rib like pillars across the wall. Since its so small youll probably only have to worry about power for say that fridge and maybe air flow? Put one of those camper roof air conditioners, and make sure you arent sucking too much power from it

[Anonymous No.1602913]

>>1601665
As some other guy said, they are for the asian market. They are small because their roads are really small and they honestly don´t need big trucks for everyday work/farming in those countries.

[Anonymous No.1602947]

>>1601577
>>1601577
https://youtu.be/qB_lfZMo2AM
Why wouldn’t you just buy one ready made and import it? All said and done it’ll probably come out to the same in cost and you’ll have some spare room. Anything with that size is going to get “poor” fuel economy wether that’s >10 mpg or 15-18. You also have to figure opportunity cost , you can buy ready made older rv’s for 0-5 grand all day , would the fuel cost savings offset the entry cost after importation fees , materials and time sunk into the project make up for it. Just food for though although a Japanese rv would be sick

[Anonymous No.1602997]

>>1601577

>>truck bed is about 6'6" in length

The Suzuki carry, even the super carry, do not have 6'6" beds. They are at 4'6"

[Anonymous No.1603066]

>>1602997
I was basing my measurements on a Daihatsu Hijet which came out to 4’4” in width and 6’6” in length.
>>1602947
That looks fucking awesome. But idk id feel better saying “i made this myself” and not pre bought it.

[Anonymous No.1603145]

>>1603066

Those measurements are incorrect. A hijet is also below 5' bed in bed length.

Everything in the Kei catagory is pretty much the same size. If you want a 6-7' bed you are looking at a larger vehicle that doesn't fit into Kei restrictions like a liteace or APV (see image)

[Anonymous No.1605334]

What's the normal MPG on the minitrucks?

[Japanese Bicycle Anon No.1607270]

Ooh! Ooh! I can answer all your questions about this. I daily drive 2 Subaru Sambars, a van and a truck.

I'll write a more detailed post tonight, since I'm at work right now. For now, I can tell you that building a big camper box to go in the back would be quite easy to do.

While the posted load limit of these vehicles is 350kg, this is bureaucratic not mechanical. I've comfortably carried at least 500kg in my van. I wouldn't want to drive down a mountain with that weight, but the handling and acceleration were fine.

These vehicles are geared very low. Your top speed is about 130kph, but I don't recommend exceeding 100 for more than a few minutes at a time. 80 is your cruise speed. Above that the engine just screams in high rev agony. It's 660cc, but it most certainly is not a motorcycle engine. The handling also gets interesting above 80 (50mph). Below, they are responsive and nimble driver's cars. The truck gets 40mpg, the van 35.

There's certainly enough space in the bed to lie down comfortably. I'm a manlet but I'm not a midget. (Incidentally, have a look at the daihatsu midget if you fancy tiny trucks.)

They are not very comfortable for long trips due to short wheelbase and hard suspension. They are plenty roomy though. I'm planning on turning the van into a camper, though I'll tell you I'd never consider living permanently in it.

[Anonymous No.1608121]

>>1601577
I don't know where you are in the world, but these trucks are not street legal in the USA.
You can buy them for farm and off road use, but cannot register them.

[Anonymous No.1608706]

>>1607270
What year is the 40 MPG number from?
I'm very interested getting one licensed in the US as a daily driver and it's hard to find this information in English or in general

[Anonymous No.1608708]

>>1608706
>>1608121
If an owner wishes to upgrade an off-road vehicle (ORV) for on-road use, the unit must be upgraded with all of the equipment required by the Vehicle Code for vehicles to be street legal. This is the equipment listed on the TR-54 vehicle inspection form for 2-wheel and 4-wheel vehicles. 4-wheel vehicles must have low beam headlights, high beam headlights, tail lights, brake lights, turn signals, windshield, windshield wipers, windshield washer, bumpers, seat belts, horn, mirrors, and street-legal tires.
I'm an Michigan Anon and these can be driven on road even with a off road title,look at the laws near you for more information

[Japanese Bicycle Anon No.1608902]

>>1608706
It's like a 2004 or something? Last generation of the Subaru Sambar before it became a badge engineered Daihatsu Hijet.

Anything over 25 years old is fair game to import, and right now that's about the bottom of depreciation curve for these sorts of vehicles. Additionally, you may live in a cool state like >>1608708, just make sure to doublecheck.


Incidentally the Sambar is probably the worst off-road of all the kei trucks, but it's the best on-road. They call it the farmer's Porsche, because it is rear-engined with McPherson/trailing arm independent suspension. It has 4 cylinders instead of 3, and has a genuinely nice engine note. I've even taken it autocrossing! In all honesty it drives like a slightly faster original beetle. Very car like. Gets stuck in the dirt very easily, even in 4wd low.

Other kei trucks generally have leaf springs and solid axles. They feel very much like overpowered golf carts. Having a 50hp golf cart is tons of fun of course, but they are...interesting...at speed. They'll all run rings around the Sambar offroad, especially the ones with diff-lock.


It's without a doubt the easiest car I've ever worked on. I once did a timing belt/water-pump job with no prior knowledge in about 2 hours. I could probably do the same job in an hour, now that I've done it before. I'm not a mechanic.

Specific data on Japanese cars can be found on this website, just use googletranslate:
https://spectank.jp/index.html


If you are serious about getting one, I know the right people to make it happen anon. Have a couple friends who export cars all the time. Never done it myself, but an educated guess on cost would be something like this:

1000-4000 The actual truck
2000 Shipping
1000 Fees
1000-2000 Myself and my friend's time, gas, etc.

Send me an email if you want to talk in depth, and don't feel like you need to buy one of course.

[Anonymous No.1608908]

>>1601577
I had a kei truck for a while when I lived in the Japanese mountains. They are fucking great. Getting them up to speed is dicey on the freeway though. Going 110km/h felt rickety and maxed out.

On the slower roads they did fine. I took that thing up some AMAZING roads. They are absolute beasts offroad and I am continually impress by how well it handled on some incredibly difficult terrain.

I loved mine. Every grandpas in the countryside has one. Also was nice to have it in manual.

[Anonymous No.1608961]

Get a VW Transporter or a Ford Transit Van. You'll get crippled in an anemic kei truck.

[Anonymous No.1609152]

>>1608902
You need EPA Testing done if it isn't over 25 years old and a few other safety inspections.
I was looking at the difference of what's better to go through a newer car with more options but more hoops to jump through with higher cost for awhile. There's a local importer that does full containers of all generations/brands so he gets a cheaper cost and i'll be going to college soon so my money won't be that great.
But if you're still interested on talking togglemyswitch @ gmail

[Homocopter No.1609241]

>>1608708
Michigan has no state law regarding these trucks, (usually) that means they are forbidden on state roads.

https://www.tfltruck.com/2014/08/heres-the-skinny-on-mini-truck-legalities-in-each-state/

https://www.iihs.org/iihs/topics/laws/minitrucks

[Anonymous No.1609253]

>>1601577
get a 12' Isuzu NPR instead.

[Anonymous No.1609380]

>>1609241
might've been something i heard when i called Michigan police department but she was in a rush and gave me new law i think it was 257.217i