Kei car admiration!

[PineappleMonkey]

Hasn't been a K-car thread in awhile so why not now! I wish we had Canada's 15 year importation rule but since we can't, I must convince all my northern friend's to buy some of these! *cough Armed Escort*

Also to the poster who owns the AZ-1 (Lethbridge_man?), I am extremely envious!! Gimme a AZ-1, Cappuccino or a Beat and I'm a happy man. I've had my fill of 1,000whp cars.









Simplicity, I love this and sadly it is probably never going to happen ever again in newer cars. /insert 1,000,000 pay to play sayings.

[zeewhiz]

Oh, wait....

[PineappleMonkey]

I see what you did there.





and one for Vadim's bosozuku fascination.

[PineappleMonkey]

[DasBaldGuy]

I aso love Kei cars and wish we had more in the US. I'd love a Cappicino or AZ-1.

Here are a few Kei Cars we DID get in the US:







Also, I love the Suzuki LC Concept which is probably proper dimensions for a Kei Car:

[bzcat]

I aso love Kei cars and wish we had more in the US. I'd love a Cappicino or AZ-1.

Here are a few Kei Cars we DID get in the US:

Samurai is not kei car... it was longer and wider than the kei car regulation allowed, not to mention the giant ( ) 1.3 liter engine. You are thinking of Jimny. Two different (though very similar) car. They were sold side by side in Japan: Jimny was the kei car version. Jimny Sierra was the non-kei version. We only got the non-kei version obviously.

[DasBaldGuy]

Samurai is not kei car... it was longer and wider than the kei car regulation allowed, not to mention the giant ( ) 1.3 liter engine. You are thinking of Jimny. Two different (though very similar) car. They were sold side by side in Japan. We only got the non-kei version obviously.

Not if I am to believe Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suzuki_Jimny

Second generation

Suzuki SJ30/SJ40/JA/JB-series

Suzuki Jimny (USA-spec Samurai)
Manufacturer Suzuki
Also called Suzuki Caribbean
Suzuki Katana
Suzuki Potohar
Suzuki SJ410
Suzuki Samurai
Suzuki Santana
Suzuki Sierra
Chevrolet Samurai
Holden Drover
Maruti Gypsy
Production 1981–1998
Assembly Iwata, Japan
Gurgaon, India
Bekasi,
Bogota, Colombia By GM Colmotóres
Indonesia
Linares, Jaén, Spain
Bangkok, Thailand
Successor Suzuki Jimny JA12/22, JB32
Suzuki Sidekick (Canada)
Suzuki X-90 (United States)
Chevrolet Jimny (Colombia & Venezuela)
Class Mini SUV
Body style 2-door SUV
2-door convertible
Layout Front engine, rear-wheel drive / four-wheel drive
Engine 539 cc (0.5 l) LJ50 2-stroke I3
547 cc (0.5 l) F5A I3
657 cc (0.7 l) F6A I3
658 cc (0.7 l) K6A I3
970 cc (1.0 l) F10A I4
1,298 cc (1.3 l) G13BA/G13BB I4
1,324 cc (1.3 l) G13A I4
1,905 cc (1.9 l) XUD 9 Peugeot turbodiesel I4
Transmission 5-speed manual
Wheelbase 2,030 mm (80 in)
LWB: 2,375 mm (94 in)
Length 3,195–4,010 mm (126–158 in)
Width 1,395–1,535 mm (55–60 in)
Height 1,670–1,840 mm (66–72 in)
The Suzuki SJ30 began production in May 1981 in Hamamatsu, Japan. In Japan, it was sold as the Suzuki Jimny and was a kei car, produced with both 550 cc and 660 cc 3-cylinder engines. The SJ-Series received a bigger engine and was lengthened and widened for export purposes, where it was sold with a multitude of names: Suzuki SJ410/413, Suzuki Samurai, Suzuki Sierra, Suzuki Potohar (Pakistan), Suzuki Caribbean (Thailand), Suzuki Katana (Indonesia), Chevrolet Samurai, Holden Drover (Australia) and Maruti Gypsy (India).
[edit]SJ30
The SJ30 Jimny 550 was mainly for Japanese domestic market consumption where it suited the Kei car category. Still powered by the LJ50 engine also used in its predecessor, the Jimny 550 was by a sizable margin the last two-stroke engine built in Japan. Production ended with the withdrawal of type approval in November 1987 in favor of its F5A-engined brother, the JA71. The two-stroke had been favored by Japanese off-roaders (and by Suzuki) due to its superior torque.
[edit]SJ40


Suzuki SJ410 - Note the Jeep badge added by the owner on the "B" pillar
The SJ40 Jimny 1000 was introduced for 1982 to replace the LJ80 range. The Jimny 1000, sold as the Suzuki SJ410 in most export markets, used the F10A - a larger 1 litre version of the LJ's 0.8 liter four-cylinder engine. This engine produced 45 hp (34 kW) and it had a top speed of 68 mph (109 km/h). The Japanese market models claimed 52 hp (39 kW) at 5,000 rpm.[7]
A four-speed manual transmission was standard, as were non-power assisted drum brakes front and rear. The SJ410 came as a half-door convertible, long-wheelbase pickup truck, two-door hardtop (called "Van" in Japan), raised-roof hardtop, and no-glass hardtop (panel van). In Japan, the pickup truck was intended as a bare-bones work vehicle and did not receive fender extensions, and had diagonal tires on black-painted steel wheels rather than the sportier wheels fitted to the regular Jimny. Maximum payload is 350 kg (770 lb).[7] Later, a covered long-wheelbase version was added for export markets.
The SJ410 was also produced in Spain by Santana Motors in their Linares, Jaén factory as of March 1985 and was sold as a domestic vehicle in Europe due to its over 60% native parts content, thereby evading limits on imports of Japanese-built automobiles.[8] Some later models of the SJ410 would switch to disk brakes in the front depending on the factory they were made at. In March 1990, Santana-built versions received the same chassis developments which turned the SJ413 into the Samurai; this version was sold as Samurai 1.0 where it was offered ("Samurai Mil" in Spain).[9]

[sandiegan]

I am disappoint

[bzcat]

Mitsubishi Minica Toppo was the 1st kei car to go "vertical", which lead everyone else to copy the same high roof profile. For a few years, Minica also had a 3-door option... the driver side has 1 door while the passenger side has 2 doors.

[compy222]

[PJA]

I want one of these in the worst way:



Lane Motor Museum has one, as well as a Honda Beat, a Subaru 360 and a 360 van, among others. Kei cars are so neat.

[Benkennedy11]

Not if I am to believe Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suzuki_Jimny

"The SJ-Series received a bigger engine and was lengthened and widened for export purposes, where it was sold with a multitude of names:"

But anyways... I looked for a Honda Beat or Suzuki Cappucino for sale in Canada, and there were none, although I could import one. Too much hassle, though.

[A.Wilder]

love the cappuccino!

[mellbergVWfan]

Big fan of the Capuccino and AZ-1. When they're 25 years old I think they might be a fun car to import. What is the aftermarket like on those cars? I hear the Turbo-3's are usually underrated but how much more power can be extracted from them?

[bzcat]

Not if I am to believe Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suzuki_Jimny

Well, Wiki agrees with me so I'm not sure what's your point?

Samurai = not kei
Jimny = kei

[a2a4raddo]

And with its mid engined siblings...

[VadGTI]

I want one of these in the worst way:



Lane Motor Museum has one, as well as a Honda Beat, a Subaru 360 and a 360 van, among others. Kei cars are so neat.

There was one of these being used to hold up a flower shop sign for the longest time here in LA. They refused to sell it to me. No idea what happened to it.

[PineappleMonkey]

660cc? If so, we're good to go.

[Ubryaj]

http://youtu.be/fflxZ2Xh2T4

[The Holy Molar]

[phatsac]

What's the size difference between a Beat and a Del-Sol, or a Fit?

[PJA]

A Beat is A LOT smaller than either a del Sol or Fit, more than two feet shorter! Think MG Midget/Austin Healey Sprite size.

[zaYG]

Oddly enough, one of these just drove by my house half an hour ago. I live in a small neighborhood off to the side in a small town. Strange.

[a2a4raddo]

What's the size difference between a Beat and a Del-Sol, or a Fit?

maybe some of these will give you an idea of how tiny the car is.

[phryxis]

Thank you for all of the Beat pics. It's one of my favorite cars and I plan on importing one in the future.

[Fe2O3]

Even if we could import these things, aren't they still illegal to drive on public streets? I've seen a few for sale and they always have disclosures in the windows that they can only be driven on private land or used as vehicles on work sites like airports, factories, etc. Can't be titled and tagged for use on streets, etc.

[goin440]

Is he trying to hammer a staple into the cab corner with a 4x4

[a2a4raddo]

Thank you for all of the Beat pics. It's one of my favorite cars and I plan on importing one in the future.

if you ever do and i make it out to socal for whatever reason....maybe the stars will align and i'll be able to sit in one/see one in person. Its been a secret lust of mine for years as well.

[compy222]

ap2 front bumper? stock?

[freedomgli]

Kei cars make me wish I was 5'4" tall and weighed only 125lbs. They are just so darn cool and appeal to the inner ricer in me.

Autozam AZ-1
Suzuki Cappuccino, Wagon R, MR Wagon Sport, Alto Works, Cervo
Daihatsu Copen

[phryxis]

I'll try to remember to post some pics from my Beat Hyper Rev

if you ever do and i make it out to socal for whatever reason....maybe the stars will align and i'll be able to sit in one/see one in person. Its been a secret lust of mine for years as well.

Let's make it happen Won't be for YEARS (Decade?) though

[a2a4raddo]

one last round of Honda Beat...

[Hurt]

[50fridge]

I really want a Suzuki Cappuccino. To bad we still have to wait until the car is 25 years old to import to the US. If you legally import a Kei car that is 25 years or older to the US would it be street legal?

[dunhamjr]

Lane Motor Museum has one, as well as a Honda Beat, a Subaru 360 and a 360 van, among others. Kei cars are so neat.

they have a crap load of cool cars there. can't believe how many micro cars they have in that one room way in the back.

i have tons of pics at home, but i can't find a good one to show a bunch of them all in one shot.