Anyone Make Japanese Kei Truck Kits?

[oldcarfan]

Living in the northern part of the Texas Hill Country, we see a lot of agriculture related stuff and I've noticed over the last few years that some local ranchers are buying these used Japanese Kei trucks for use. I'd like to see some in kit form. I know there is a kit of the Subaru Sambar in 1/24th, but are there any for these other vehicles? I'm thinking Daihatsu Hijet, Sambar of course, Suzuki Carry, and Honda Acty. There used to be a three wheel Mazda truck too, but I think that was 1/32 and I prefer 1/24th and 1/25th scale. eBay hasn't turned up anything, but I thought I remembered seeing other kits.

[Tom Geiger]

The kei trucks have always been sold here in US, but only for use on private property. In fact Disney World had a big fleet of them 25 years ago. 
 

Rowan site vehicle 15 years ago.

[Ace-Garageguy]

31 minutes ago, oldcarfan said:

...but are there any for these other vehicles? I'm thinking Daihatsu Hijet, Sambar of course, Suzuki Carry, and Honda Acty.

Aoshima 1/24:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/155537688661?hash=item2436c4c855:g:4aIAAOSwzHxkU~hA&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA4FUkbWlwwqY4qJ3vWCkfd0oXUo3owmYW29sOCtJy1ZSUaMgRK%2FfvB7qhVBr8e56w3s4nV41zcQAGMzVG4UG9DfWKmbrsQ7bqQqqdico5M0AG9caDaVabGYQu3w8JmAg2k0nODfBCOh7hn4nw59bI9PsHYAA86Sn8XBrOU2AzNUYcfvSENYqaQ%2B4QhXnCANn90xMX8vwwKMLNn%2FmCIjDtNfGzMJ4xT0PleUT%2BUbMnH%2BTgRC3OiyNq2VUomjJDoMLnellKG9m8HZc6aFaQxLPBrwZq%2FLkzcIhA%2BmbD9gyjcpBf|tkp%3ABFBM_onFi5pi

Edited June 18, 2023 by Ace-Garageguy

[Ace-Garageguy]

Academy 1/24...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/166126244128?epid=12049002839&hash=item26ade55120:g:hUoAAOSwByBhr4Lj&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA4NQIoC7X3xvwVtPct%2F5zaw0hiX%2BkdjYSsl1MuLrwuqlJ097tcpzPIZqxawy8GXRfQMnneyq4pUTXJ%2Fd6GW8oA44naKG1xFo91awdccVfaRYd33Sc74UflKoBcFadsI3l6xGfCZFoD2IYzfM9TQd6wlXFOS%2FKW%2F25c4jPHTR0YAKVQUVpdRfwXP%2F4Gp9mGcV2wv%2Fu2OEpnNeTRYU6scQacY1%2Bj0JJ1joRkqDvPaQqQkwQB73xkuIhD7IUTLI6iUkKqwaR1eQ7bEv4RGxp4uyWacAEnwQ2Gms12haaLtXp3EVO|tkp%3ABk9SR7LS_ouaYg

[Ace-Garageguy]

Fujimi 1/24:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/394624374011?hash=item5be17214fb:g:uBgAAOSwmP5kH6um&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA4IEIME4KSQlncbHuyYvvdgehZdWoKAuk%2BxP3Q5yVfpDOSmZq%2BAZSpSGpOYIaXr4b6Xl9nwrinNbjTcF%2B3neDU1sNWUWfi0QnedbNOV%2BKJF%2BmswI5%2FQfwtUrJO7QaYXjHDTHOD1xUlJ2hvVzA5jUm35%2BGLHVKS3ELKCLrSWM9jg5UuYtLV1htcu3m7Fe0E3sR5HwwKsok%2BnpCFvxnDBRwjYktYyER9aQKSe%2BZW7BfopzaCLf3ZyemRr9sYXSFwwVkE0s2d6JC3ZS%2FWjV1Hy2fkmfXQvoAeI6DQGDEwgoFzg1V|tkp%3ABk9SR7LS_ouaYg

https://www.ebay.com/itm/144732502538?_trkparms=amclksrc%3DITM%26aid%3D1110006%26algo%3DHOMESPLICE.SIM%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D250628%26meid%3Dd03d5f9f26b844a3a12b1cabb93fb4dc%26pid%3D101195%26rk%3D6%26rkt%3D12%26sd%3D125267486463%26itm%3D144732502538%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D0%26pg%3D2047675%26algv%3DSimplAMLv11WebTrimmedV3MskuWithLambda85KnnRecallV1V4V6ItemNrtInQueryAndCassiniVisualRankerAndBertRecall%26brand%3DFujimi%2BModels&_trksid=p2047675.c101195.m1851&amdata=cksum%3A144732502538d03d5f9f26b844a3a12b1cabb93fb4dc|enc%3AAQAIAAABUA2rugFlOq3qu1cLac%2F%2Fk6Vp0Oa0HaJIqoXKeIiOR%2BTUgsSvHaeyPxKYu6UqHqq7GaGyKVqHQnjeiiXcQpMGw2t3aB%2BssGfjtIWOBj8wExc7oYYP7xGMyQCrHDyDaSaWjB1CueI3A94n0yxXX5dx5gDNETiuuWDipCk04HqbBXgbscAxzIUXpTE7MtgqMENg2Ri0HeJag%2B8ajdY8YRJiZ5jitnZULO%2BsKI09wODhf5UmNV9PtNi7FYX%2Fpr%2FoyJU8wWP6GReBgsXJrHXYmOJVSf0efRekbnUJjzkKPvSPKWj3wB27bbvLcRCrScHypNb4YqJSvSWJ5IWBH7xMgSsex3uMCBIWQVmmBZ9tExZSB4cTVIHQLQiEr7tukhxv5GCo8OB0cb5ooT9kaFmGAKl20cO%2BriBq1QQ1Gpe48quBfzQO5UfDatK81aB8FLpaWCmTOg%3D%3D|ampid%3APL_CLK|clp%3A2047675

Edited June 18, 2023 by Ace-Garageguy

[rrb124@sbcglobal.net]

Cool! Potential hot rod subjects!

[Tabbysdaddy]

34 minutes ago, Tom Geiger said:

The kei trucks have always been sold here in US, but only for use on private property. In fact Disney World had a big fleet of them 25 years ago. 

I see one around here all the time, driving on the road.

[Brian Austin]

Plastic kit of a noodle truck:  

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/aoshima-010822-kyouto-yataiaji-ramen-mobile-food-shop--306210

 

Wrong scale, but here's a similar one by Tomica (in my collection).  Lots of neat detail for a 3-inch toy.

 

[oldcarfan]

5 hours ago, Tom Geiger said:

Rowan site vehicle 15 years ago.

 

 

That looks really cool! What kit is that?

[Ace-Garageguy]

5 hours ago, Tabbysdaddy said:

I see one around here all the time, driving on the road.

Depends on where you live.

There are a few states that have rational laws that allow you to register and operate non-mommy-conforming vehicles.

[Tabbysdaddy]

3 minutes ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

Depends on where you live.

There are a few states that have rational laws that allow you to register and operate non-mommy-conforming vehicles.

Oh yeah, no more location. Orlando, Florida. I guess one must have escaped from Disney.

[Daddyfink]

I need to get me one of these

[Daddyfink]

They sure do like to have fun with them over in Japan! 

[Spottedlaurel]

Aoshima do a range of different food wagons based on the Suzuki, I've had this one for years:

@CabDriver is/was building a 3D printed Kei truck.

[niteowl7710]

The Subaru Sambar that Aoshima does was tooled in 2012 and has 120-160+ parts depending on the kit.  There's a P/U, a Panel Van, and the little urban fire trucks that Jesse showed in this thread.  Modern tooling, very very nice kits if you're into the subject matter - which obviously you are since you're asking about it.

The KA Model Mazda K-360 and it's commercial long wheelbase sister kit the Academy (also released by Fujimi) T-600 are also new tooling and very nice curbsides.  These aren't really Kei trucks as they are 3-Wheeled Motorcycle based tiny trucks.  The K-360 is the "civilian" version private citizens would own, the T-600 is a large commercial delivery vehicle. They were produced from 1959-1969 in 1:1.

Fujimi makes the Daihatsu Midget II, which technically qualifies as a Kei Truck as it developed a fourth wheel over the years (originally it was a 3-wheel motorcycle based vehicle like the Mazda).  It's an alright kit, pretty "par for the course" Fujimi curbside.  Represents the Midget II which came about in 1993 and ran until the production stopped in 2001 essentially unchanged except for minor engine tweaks and was tooled up at the same time (mid-90s).

Lastly is that Suzuki Carry.  Available as a panel van and as several food trucks and mobile arcades, parade vehicles, et al it's tooling was done in 1980 and is essentially a motorized toy.  Those kits are all about the what the end product looks like when you're done rather than being a model kit you'd want to build for any other reason.

Edited June 19, 2023 by niteowl7710

[Raoul Ross]

19 hours ago, Daddyfink said:

They sure do like to have fun with them over in Japan! 

 

PLEASE tell me there's an LS in the bed behind the Cab!

[Carmak]

20 hours ago, Daddyfink said:

They sure do like to have fun with them over in Japan! 

Even more fun. Dajiban look.

[Daddyfink]

3 hours ago, Raoul Ross said:

PLEASE tell me there's an LS in the bed behind the Cab!

Best I can do is a V8 powered Mazda

 

[iamsuperdan]

These things are popular around here.

Surprisingly, it's the old school farmers that have latched on to them.

Perfect vehicle for a quick runabout town, without needing to fire up the big diesel duallie farm truck.

I've tried, and I do not fit in these trucks.

 

 

[ctruss53]

On 6/18/2023 at 5:48 PM, Tom Geiger said:

The kei trucks have always been sold here in US, but only for use on private property. In fact Disney World had a big fleet of them 25 years ago. 
 

 

 

I wouldn't go so far as to say they were always sold here. They were not "actively" sold in America, but companies could buy them as campus vehicles direct from the manufacturer, or through fleet programs.

Many states have laws against them being used on highways, but they are legal for use on regular streets in most states. It's the highways where the main restriction comes in to play. I have several friends that own them here in Minnesota. They just can't go on the highways. Use is unrestricted otherwise.

And they also follow the 20 year rule for most of the United States, just like other JDM cars. They are nearly impossible to title if they are newer than 20 years old.

[Hondamatic]

**25 years

 

 

[ctruss53]

Oops. Yes. 25 years.

When I typed 20 years I was thinking about classic car license plates.  In Minnesota if your car is 20+ years old you can get classic, collector plates.

Edited June 22, 2023 by ctruss53

[stavanzer]

And, In California (where they are always screaming about higher gas mileage) these things are virtually banned. A possible source of fuel sipping trucks, and they don't want them.

[Hondamatic]

1 hour ago, stavanzer said:

And, In California (where they are always screaming about higher gas mileage) these things are virtually banned. A possible source of fuel sipping trucks, and they don't want them.

It would be frightening to drive at LA speeds in one haha.. I know they came carbureted til pretty late

 

Here's my aoshima fish truck

[stavanzer]

On 6/22/2023 at 9:32 AM, Hondamatic said:

It would be frightening to drive at LA speeds in one haha.. I know they came carbureted til pretty late

 

Here's my aoshima fish truck

LA Speeds can be quite scary.

35 mph on the freeway is normal now.