Purchased a Japanese Mini Truck

Post by **PrecisionBoost** » Mon Sep 22, 2008 5:38 pm

I have been looking at buying a Japanese Mini Truck for various jobs such as landscaping, snow plowing and hopefully pulling my boat out of the lake.

I was digging around and it seems that a few people have taken out the little 0.660 L 3 cylinder engines and dropped in larger motorcycle engines.

They are only 4 feet wide and not very long.... similar to a side by side ATV like the gator, rhino, ranger.

They only weigh 1100 lbs.... so not that much more than a good sized cruizing style motorbike

Then I came across this site where they are throwing in a Nissan Skyline engine/tranny and turning them into a drift vehicle

Here is the video....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCBdQqUGnjE

I'm actually tempted to buy one and drop in one of my motors.... I have a 1.5L SOHC, 1.6DOHC, 2.0L SOHC and 2.0 DOHC sitting in my garage awaiting good homes in fun cars.

daewoomofo · Post by **daewoomofo** » Mon Sep 22, 2008 9:52 pm

thats all you need, another car to mess with lol. but seriously that looks like it could be ALOT of fun!

Big Jeff · Post by **Big Jeff** » Mon Sep 22, 2008 10:05 pm

a another way to try and kill youself. LOL

Pir0 · Post by **Pir0** » Tue Sep 23, 2008 8:48 am

I want one. I really really really want one.

Big Jeff · Post by **Big Jeff** » Tue Sep 23, 2008 10:35 am

Pir0 wrote:I want one. I really really really want one.

you would

Pir0 · Post by **Pir0** » Tue Sep 23, 2008 10:54 am

Lmao, what's that mean?

Post by **PrecisionBoost** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 1:53 am

daewoomofo wrote:thats all you need, another car to mess with lol. but seriously that looks like it could be ALOT of fun!

Ya.... I know....I need another vehicle like I need a hole in the head...... but I need something to pull my boat in and out of the lake ( I have a lakefront cabin ) and I want to throw a snowplow on it in the winter to clear the road going up to my place so that I don't have to bring out a 4X4 during the winter.

A Chevy Optra 5 "winter car" is not going to be able to handle 2 or 3 feet of snow.... so it's either I buy a Quad, UTV (rhino,ranger,gator) or a mini truck for plowing snow.

The mini truck can go anywhere the Rhino/Gator/Ranger could since they are the same size.... but the mini truck is road legal and it gets 50MPG!!!! .... and most importantly it has a heated enclosed cab where as I'm going to freeze my ass off on a quad or UTV ( rembember where I live... it goes down to minus 40 degrees below zero

)

The Mini Truck is about $8000 and only has 45,000km ( so what's that about 30K miles? )

The Quads are about that much and the UTV's are more like $10,000

So.... I'm sort of leaning towards the mini truck.... but as far as throwing in a different engine... I'd probably just keep what I have for now and see how it is for pulling my boat.... if it can't do it I will either add an electric motor or swap out the 660CC for a bigger engine like the 1.6L DOHC

I've talked to a few guys and they figure that it might be able to pull the boat around but it's going to be hard for it to pull it out of the water ( since the boat launch is at an angle and it requires more force to pull it that way )

I guess the only way I will know is to try it and see.

All that is left right now is for me to talk to my insurance agent and see if they will insure it... given its RHD they may not be too thrilled.... but the cab is so small that your only 2ft from the other door.... and the windows go all the way around..... so it should be pretty decent to drive.

jidasas · Post by **jidasas** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 2:04 am

look up wildfire on ebay motors and find the 3 wheeled trucks...they get 50-60 mpg are road legal and only cost 6,000 USD new. Downside is they have a 650 cc two cylinder engine but dang for the price who cares...

JImmy

Post by **PrecisionBoost** » Thu Oct 02, 2008 5:44 pm

Well... I picked up one of these trucks for $7000..... which is about $4000 cheaper than a new Gator/Rhino/Ranger UTV

Works great.... it's 4X4 with an electric differencial lock.... which is to say all four wheels lock up together.... which would be cool for drag racing.

buddha102 · Post by **buddha102** » Thu Oct 02, 2008 7:47 pm

reminds me of the trucks in Tokyo Drift

daewoomofo · Post by **daewoomofo** » Thu Oct 02, 2008 10:02 pm

its needs a C20GET!

but seriously congrats!, time to add it to your signature

Big Jeff · Post by **Big Jeff** » Thu Oct 02, 2008 11:30 pm

i say put a 2.0 turbo in

buddha102 · Post by **buddha102** » Fri Oct 03, 2008 12:14 am

maybe 22's chrome?

jidasas · Post by **jidasas** » Fri Oct 03, 2008 1:31 am

what's the top speed? and mpg when you find out? ...I have a short commute to work and if the mpg's are good enough it might make an economical way to get parts from junk yards and get me to work while I fix the woo

Jimmy

daewoomofo · Post by **daewoomofo** » Fri Oct 03, 2008 9:42 am

jidasas wrote:what's the top speed? and mpg when you find out? ...I have a short commute to work and if the mpg's are good enough it might make an economical way to get parts from junk yards and get me to work while I fix the woo

Jimmy

here in the states if you need a small gas efeciant truck you can just get a s10 or a ranger. both can have 4 cylinders, and you could get one for less than 1500 if you dont car that it has some rust. hell my beater is a 93 f150 with the ford 300 straight 6, 194k on the odometer and still running strong. best $550 i ever spent.