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kei trucks?

Jimbo

By Jimbo
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Jimbo

Jimbo

Posted
Posted

is there an outlet for these in n scale?? i find everything else but?? an my seach even came up with the real thing new an used! ha thanks

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cteno4

cteno4

Posted
Posted

Jimbo,

 

yes Kato makes a set with 2 kei trucks and 2 mini vans

 

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10844968

 

Tomytec did a few in the big car collections then had a 4 car set, bits oop right now. They do seem to slowly cycle the 4 vehicle sets back every so often. Sure there are some used in yahoo japan auctions but could get pricy.

 

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10275740

 

ive seen a few casted kei trucks, I think it was on ebay, but that’s a solid casting you paint up and not anywhere as detailed as the Tomytec or Kato. I’m almost certain I’ve noticed some on shapeways but kei and truck doesn’t bring up anything, but several Japanese modelers on shapeways marketplace I’ve run across I would have never found with shapeway’s wonky search engine. Also tons of the Japanese vehicles on shapeways are at 1/144 scale so if you scale in your search that can help.

 

cheers

 

jeff

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Jimbo

Jimbo

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Posted

thats good jeff i tried to search hobby search an didnt find anything!   lol 😂  anyways ordered  some from hobby search along with some other odds an ends  Thanks     oh yes i guess its all in the wording as to what one finds in search right 

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cteno4

cteno4

Posted
Posted

btw these little kei trucks are listed under autos on hs for both Tomytec and kato. Also this set with a couple of delivery scooters.

 

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10844973

 

Yeah shapeways search function has always been funky, it’s a little better than it was when they started.

 

cheers

 

jeff

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bc6

bc6

Posted
Posted

I think the Kato Kei trucks are pretty cool I need to pick up some more of them.

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Tony Galiani

Tony Galiani

Posted
Posted (edited)

Never mind scale models - I just found out you can buy full size (so to speak) Kei trucks in the US!

 

I was playing at Pittsboro's First Sunday event and as I was bringing my gear into the stage area, I saw one of the vendors was using a Kei truck - complete with right hand drive - as their sales stall.  When I asked, I found out you can buy these in the USA and there is apparently a dealer in Greensboro, NC as well as in California.  If anyone is looking for one:  https://www.kei-trucks.com/

 

Tony

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Edited by Tony Galiani
spelling correction
  • Like 3
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maihama eki

maihama eki

Posted
Posted

I'd love to have one too. I don't think they are licensable for driving on public roads in my state, but I haven't explored it thoroughly. I've never seen one on the road here. I think folks that have a big chunk of land like a farm might buy them for use on their property.

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cteno4

cteno4

Posted
Posted

Same here but @maihama eki would love one and seen them (or something very similar) used in larger parks around the us. Not sure my 194cm frame would fit in one though…

 

jeff

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DenshaTen

DenshaTen

Posted
Posted

These are pretty common in Australia but if anyone is a normal car hits you you'll be very dead. Not sure I'd be taking my chances with all the Cyber trucks over there.

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mr bachmann

mr bachmann

Posted
Posted

So smooth 😁, we had a Diahatsu Hi Jet back in the late 1990’s , converted to wheelchair use , great little thing ease of parking and light on petrol . 
 

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bc6

bc6

Posted
Posted

Thanks for.sharing bill a lot of N scalers on JNS will be greatful.

  • Like 1
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bc6

bc6

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Posted

I sent the file out for 3D printing and got some post-printing photos today. 

 

 

5415834_76335_d289c91c9feeb787d0f60b1f57ea31a5_1200x1200.jpeg

5415835_76335_d5dd4bec40ca22ac9f47bfc3238d5b31_1200x1200.jpeg

  • Like 7
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bc6

bc6

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Posted (edited)

Nope strictly for personal use lol. I wanted to update some pics of the newly arrived Kei trucks. I think with a paint job these arent going to be bad looking. It may be time to make a Kei truck dealership in N scale lol. In the first pic the truck on the left is a Kato truck and the resin truck is the newly printed one. 

 

 

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Edited by bc6
  • Like 3
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chadbag

chadbag

Posted
Posted

I've seen a bunch (full scale) in my area too including one at Home Depot the other day.  

 

They're fairly easy to import into the US if you use a company who is used to doing it to handle all the paperwork.  Find one in Japan, send someone to look it over and make sure there are no undisclosed problems, and have it brought over.  As long as it's 25 years old the Feds are happy and it's easy to get in.  Most states are OK with them. A  few states have been persecuting owners but federally when 25 years old they are exempt from the various current required safety specs and emissions specs etc that new cars require.   

 

Or you can find one of those dealers who specialize in brining them in.  But while easier it's much more expensive.   There are whole sub cultures in the US (and probably Cananda?) dealing with how to get parts, how to repair, etc. the kei trucks. 

 

The 25 year thing in the US actually applies to any cars or light trucks so you can bring in mid 1999 and earlier Euro or Japanese spec vehicles of any sort.  A lot of people bring in older Mercs and Audis or Japanese "sports" cars like GT-R and stuff as long as they are 25 years old.

 

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cteno4

cteno4

Posted
Posted

An old friend recently retired and they moved a couple hours out into rural Virginia to 20 acre place. No small pickup trucks here anymore and the used ones were big and expensive and way more than they needed. He picked up a used kei thru an importer that brings used ones over, cleans them up and overhauls them. It was like $7k in great shape. Somehow they can license them. He doesn’t go on the highway but all the places he needs to go with it he can get to on rural and farm roads max 50 mph, and most is just doing stuff on the property. First thing he hauled was a new 2’ dia drainage pipe like 18’ long. He had it strapped sticking out way in front over the cab at an angle! Quite funny, pipe looked so much larger than the truck! Can’t wait to get out the property and drive it around!

 

I want to make him a big wooden windup key for the roof!

 

jeff

  • Like 4
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