The top most honorable Japanese pickups

I'd have to go with the Mazda based on the Ads http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0J5uREpRDiY

and because thanks to The Price is Right I remember that only Mazda has a truck for just $5995.

Luke wrote:

ignorant wrote: I want.. A Diesel UK or Australian ford ranger.. 4x4.. 4 door basic truck.

Or the GM Holden Colorado, for that matter.

negative.. its a shed,

I really want a proper landcruiser cab/chassis or a patrol but that won't happen. The new ranger is my only hope for a good mileage compact truk.

http://www.4wdmonthly.com.au/uteoftheyear.php new holden and ford not reviewed in this article.. Surprise a proper hilux won.

http://www.overlander.com.au/vehicle_tests/index/293/4WD-Comparison---Forced-Labour New ranger still not reviewed.....

Nitroracer wrote: My favorite japanese truck is the datsun 620 based on its styling. Doesn't hurt that my family has owned a hardbody and both generations of frontier without fault either.

I've always liked those. Did you know MPC made a kit of it back in the day?

http://www.gasolinealleyantiques.com/kits/images/CarMPC/mpc1-7708.JPG

Kinda on the subject, but most of you know the VW Type II trucks (Early ones had a dual cab option). There was some bizzare trade ruling in the late '60s that kept VW from bringing any more over. And IIRC some of the Japanese trucks were shipped over less box which was put on at the port of entry. Somehow the agreement became kown as the chicken war (some kinda tradeoff for poultry exports/trucks thing...).

Appleseed wrote: Don't know why, but Montana is infested with those kei trucks. Neat, but $6,000+ for a 5-10 year old truck?

I suspect the reason you see a lot of them in Montana is that it's fairly easy to register them for road use in Montana. It's difficult to impossible in many other states.

I see quite a few around here as ranch trucks. It's basically a step up from a Gator or similar, but not as bulky as a full-size pickup. I've been tempted to get one as a 4x4. The ones with tracks will go nearly anywhere.

Tracks? Do tell.

Yes, Montana seems to open on a lot of things like this. Although, coming from Illinois will do that.

Datsun1500 wrote:

Jensenman wrote: I wonder why the Isuzu P'UP/Chevy LUV and/or the later pickup didn't make the list? Tougher than nails and last forever.

I had a 82 Chevy Luv diesel, slow and loud but took a beating. They had transmission issues and used transmission were tough to find unless you knew the Chevette diesel was the same.... Mine was the manly light blue color....

A local parts dealer used those as delivery trucks. They ran them for EVER. Car Quest finally bought the company and installed a new fleet. The company has gone downhill ever since.

Appleseed wrote: Tracks? Do tell.

A picture (or link to several) is worth a thousand words.

http://www.americasminitruckcenter.com/japanese-mini-truck-track-kit/

I'm confused about the tonnage ratings. How were these older trucks classified? Half ton is 1000lbs. Were they like a quarter ton pickups? if they were really half tons then I think the half ton trucks of today are way more powerful like the F150 chevy 1500, Tundra etc. And why are these new trucks considered half ton when they can haul 1500lbs?

Anyway, back to what some of us want i.e. smallish do-it-all vehicle. 4 seats, 4WD, 4-5000lbs tow capacity, good comfort for hauling the family, a medium sized truck bed. At this time only the SportTrac and Ridgeline fit that bill. Both ugly but very practical for someone like me who's not towing/hauling for a living but a weekend warrior who will use the said truck for camping, skiing, hauling and towing a pop-up camper or dirt bikes or a lightweight race car. I don't understand why more manufacturers don't see this market. I guess they figure the Tacoma+ trucks are close enough but the Tacoma sized trucks of today are about as big as the previous Tundras.

Nitroracer wrote: My favorite japanese truck is the datsun 620 based on its styling. Doesn't hurt that my family has owned a hardbody and both generations of frontier without fault either.

A guy in Columbia SC used to AX a yellow x-cab 620. Did reasonably well, too.

TR3only wrote: In some markets, Nissan sold the 620 and 720 series trucks with 4 "full" doors/as crewcabs. I doubt they would have sold here tho, when new, as no one wanted a minitruck with a bitty bed.

IIRC…those came standard with a mounting bracket in the bed for a machine gun and four non matching military uniforms…can somebody confirm that?

Anyway, I bought a new Mazda B2000 back in 1986 and I was so impressed with it that I haven’t driven anything but Mazda’s ever since.

I’ve been thinking that a modern day interpolation of this could sell well:

Thoughts???

mazda REPU's and the older mazda B series trucks when they were still japanese. If you ever go to the islands you will see what i mean.

billy3esq wrote:

Appleseed wrote: Tracks? Do tell.

A picture (or link to several) is worth a thousand words. http://www.americasminitruckcenter.com/japanese-mini-truck-track-kit/

oh well that's just fantastic

RX Reven' wrote:

TR3only wrote: In some markets, Nissan sold the 620 and 720 series trucks with 4 "full" doors/as crewcabs. I doubt they would have sold here tho, when new, as no one wanted a minitruck with a bitty bed.

IIRC…those came standard with a mounting bracket in the bed for a machine gun and four non matching military uniforms…can somebody confirm that? Anyway, I bought a new Mazda B2000 back in 1986 and I was so impressed with it that I haven’t driven anything but Mazda’s ever since. I’ve been thinking that a modern day interpolation of this could sell well: Thoughts???

GM's Holden division already does them.

There was talk of bringing it to the states as a Pontiac G8. Honestly, I don't see it as being any more than a niche player in this market, sorta like the Subaru Baja.

RussellH wrote: I'm confused about the tonnage ratings. How were these older trucks classified? Half ton is 1000lbs. Were they like a quarter ton pickups? if they were really half tons then I think the half ton trucks of today are way more powerful like the F150 chevy 1500, Tundra etc. And why are these new trucks considered half ton when they can haul 1500lbs?

Yep, a 1-ton truck was rated for 1-ton in the bed. Somehow Americans insist that's confusing.

foxtrapper wrote: Yep, a 1-ton truck was rated for 1-ton in the bed. Somehow Americans insist that's confusing.

Are you saying the F150 etc should really be labeled as F100 or am I wrong in assuming that half ton is1000 lbs when it's really 1500lbs?

The 50 part makes it better. Like adding R to a name makes it faster.

RussellH wrote:

foxtrapper wrote: Yep, a 1-ton truck was rated for 1-ton in the bed. Somehow Americans insist that's confusing.

Are you saying the F150 etc should really be labeled as F100 or am I wrong in assuming that half ton is1000 lbs when it's really 1500lbs?

Well, they already have an F100, which has a higher load rating than many of the F150's.

Nothing like designating a truck as a half ton, meaning it's supposed to handle about one ton, unless it's a "heavy half", which means it can handle one and a half, maybe two, depending on who's version and when it was made. Except for the short bed light weight half ton models, which can't handle even a thousand pounds. Yep, it's all perfectly clear.

blaze86vic wrote: If you search really hard, there are factory turbo 22RTE engines available in the Toyota Helix. Pretty sweet setup, a budy of mine has one in great original shape.

I had an '86 4X4 with the 22RTE that I abused way more than I should have. All of my friends thought it was weird to have a turbo 4cyl in a truck, but I just thought it was cool.

I sold it to a buddy sometime around 1997 with 200k miles, noisy front diff, blown head gasket, swiss cheese bed and rear bumper held on with tie-wraps for $200.

He put a decent amount of money into it, he found a nice clean 2WD bed for it and completely rebuilt the motor - I'm pretty sure he still has it.

RussellH wrote:

foxtrapper wrote: Yep, a 1-ton truck was rated for 1-ton in the bed. Somehow Americans insist that's confusing.

Are you saying the F150 etc should really be labeled as F100 or am I wrong in assuming that half ton is1000 lbs when it's really 1500lbs?

F150, C/K 1500 ect are names. There is probably a blurb in the owners manual about how much they can carry.