Jap 4x4 Mini trucks???

Japanese Mini Trucks waste of money or cheap fun?

  • Piece of crap?

    Votes: 4 15.4%

  • Reliable useful fun?

    Votes: 9 34.6%

  • No parts stay away?

    Votes: 1 3.8%

  • Good buy for the size and capability compared to the utility side by side market?

    Votes: 6 23.1%

  • I've lost my marbles?

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Please get a buch of em so we can have our own UNF "Uwharrie"Cult?

    Votes: 11 42.3%
  • Total voters
    26
Will be leaving the Philippines in a few weeks after staying here a year. Those trucks are everywhere. They are imported into Cebu from Japan as "cut in half" surplus. They serve as the foundation for multi-cab transportation vehicles which clutter the main roads as cheap taxis. The engines are 1/2L, 3 cylinder, 4 valve and some FI. Four and five speeds available as well as 4WD. They are tough and durable. Get very good mileage and the 5 speeds do well out on the open road. Down side, leg room is poor and seats not adjustable.
 
Ron said:
This USED to be true.
You can now direct import to NC and title them here first.

Its being done.

I know where ~20 are sitting right now ready to go with clean NC titles.
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Ron, why not just post on here where you can get them? I'd be curious as well. If they're 30+ years old, then that doesn't count since they're labeled as antiques and you don't need to prove much of anything to get one 30 years old titled. If they're 1993 and newer, then everyone who's interested should be jumping on these. The picture of that truck which "runs on starter fluid" and is a project truck looks to be an 80's model, which would have the older 550cc engine and a 4 speed transmission. If it's 2WD, I'd just flat out recommend against it. You can find plenty of these trucks to use in the mud or woods for not much more money and get one newer in a lot nicer shape with more bells and whistles.
 
truck1.jpg

Here's my 1994 Minicab, btw.
14" ATV wheels from discount tire and street tires to go on it
 
Here is one I just finished painting. I had 4 and sold two already. I use them heavily around the farm .

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I bought them from a friend that runs a small zoo. Non of his employees could drive them. LOL Hit up the local golf courses. Pinehurst bought all new ones before the US open. That is were these originally came from.
 
We have one. It is a piece of shit. It rides worse than any leaf spring vehicle. If you use it off road then plan on rebuilding the steering every year. Oh, the parts are more expensive than big block Mopar and 1 ton stuff and you can only get them a few places. If you are over 6' forget it. @ 6'4" I cannot start it or roll the window up and down with the door shut. Knees are physically in the dash on both sides. Fo y'all who want to tag them. You might as well ride a black tricycle on the street at night. You are safer on a motorcycle. At least you will be thrown from the wreckage. Get one if you want, but you will wish you found a deal on a Honda side by side. Fuck those stupid trucks
 
BigGreenMonster said:
We have one. It is a piece of shit. It rides worse than any leaf spring vehicle. If you use it off road then plan on rebuilding the steering every year. Oh, the parts are more expensive than big block Mopar and 1 ton stuff and you can only get them a few places. If you are over 6' forget it. @ 6'4" I cannot start it or roll the window up and down with the door shut. Knees are physically in the dash on both sides. Fo y'all who want to tag them. You might as well ride a black tricycle on the street at night. You are safer on a motorcycle. At least you will be thrown from the wreckage. Get one if you want, but you will wish you found a deal on a Honda side by side. Fuck those stupid trucks
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Don't hold back on us.
Do you like the truck or not? ;-)
 
BigGreenMonster said:
We have one. It is a piece of shit. It rides worse than any leaf spring vehicle. If you use it off road then plan on rebuilding the steering every year. Oh, the parts are more expensive than big block Mopar and 1 ton stuff and you can only get them a few places. If you are over 6' forget it. @ 6'4" I cannot start it or roll the window up and down with the door shut. Knees are physically in the dash on both sides. Fo y'all who want to tag them. You might as well ride a black tricycle on the street at night. You are safer on a motorcycle. At least you will be thrown from the wreckage. Get one if you want, but you will wish you found a deal on a Honda side by side. Fuck those stupid trucks
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This is the kind of brutal honesty I've always wanted to know about these trucks. Granted I'm wondering just what kind of abuse y'all might be throwing at it......but I bet the Honda you mentioned takes it like a champ.
But I'm partial to Red.
 
WARRIORWELDING said:
This is the kind of brutal honesty I've always wanted to know about these trucks. Granted I'm wondering just what kind of abuse y'all might be throwing at it......but I bet the Honda you mentioned takes it like a champ.
But I'm partial to Red.
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I get the draw to them. It has a heater and doors. They are 4k. But man, they are tiny and a pain in the ass.

We are not exactly polite to it, but not overly destructive either. They were definitely not made for that type of environment.

Yeah, the Honda's give zero fucks. I wanted to want a Polaris crew for years, but they do not stand the test of time like a Honda.

RatLabGuy said:
Don't hold back on us.
Do you like the truck or not? ;-)
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Lol... Just sayin...
 
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