Kei Trucks—Lifesize!

[Tony Galiani]

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

Edited April 8, 2024 by Tony Galiani
spelling correction

[maihama eki]

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.

[cteno4]

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

[DenshaTen]

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.

[mr bachmann]

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 . 
 

[bill937ca]

Kei trucks in America.

 

https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/14/business/kei-trucks-japan-tiny-movement/index.html

 

[Tony Galiani]

From Asahi Shimbun:  https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/15395541

More Kei truck popularity from today's edition.

Cheers,

Tony

 

[bill937ca]

For those not familiar with Kei trucks this is from Japanology Plus.

(Video cannot be embedded so just a link.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtPZ-EyAyWY&t=322s

[chadbag]

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.

 

[katoftw]

We are getting alot of hijets into oz. They're a cheap hi quality small ute.

[cteno4]

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

[Tony Galiani]

Now used Kei trucks are a target for thieves:  https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/15460772

 

Ciao,

Tony

[cteno4]

So my friend that moved out to the country and got a kei truck just stopped by the house to borrow my PA system and I was able to get him to get the kei pictures from him again. 20’ section of 2’ drain pipe was his first big use after he got it. Even cooler is it is the dump bed version so he can haul and dump gravel. They are cute, hope I can get out to visit soon and see it myself and run it around (that is if my 193cm into the cab.

 

the pipe shot looks like it was a Tonka truck photoshop job. Btw his wife is very tall.

 

cheers

 

jeff

 

[tossedman]

Gonna be a tight fit at 193cm Jeff. I'm 198 and it ain't happening.

[cteno4]

Wow, 6’ 6”! Yeah that might be tough. Although I’ve found it surprising the cars I have fit well in and ones I didn’t. Vw bug tons of leg and head room, while many midsized to larger sedans and SUVs I’ve rented have been tight and cramped for me. Looking forward to get to try it out!

 

jeff

[tossedman]

Yeah, I drive a Bug for that very reason.

[bc6]

Last night I spotted the Kei Truck driving by me how random lol.

 

Edited February 1 by bc6
To fix photo

[cteno4]

They are getting really popular here! I can’t wait to get out to my friend’s place in the country to drive his! He is slowly getting alll the great tonka toys from the sandbox at full sized and powered, like big kid again!
 

jeff

[RS18U]

The company I work for in Canada has had one for some time, now surplus and up for disposition.  Was licensed for the road but stayed close to base.  Very hard for me to fit in it as a driver 😕

[cteno4]

Yeah I’m figuring my 193cm into it will be a very tight fit. 
 

jeff

[Gunzel]

The ultimate kei truck for this forum?

 

 

Meitetsu have at least two of these. I saw one yesterday as well but was unable to get a photo. 

[cteno4]

Ohh maybe I might try to mod a Tomytec kei truck to this! 
 

thanks,

 

jeff

[lighthouse]

On 2/2/2025 at 12:08 AM, cteno4 said:

Yeah I’m figuring my 193cm into it will be a very tight fit. 
 

jeff

 

A small transporter like this was actually planned for TrainSetter's future fleet, but I no longer fit in it at 196cm....

 

Edited February 3 by lighthouse

[cteno4]

Yeah pipe dream I guess! But I fold well, had to do it all my life — I’m sure you have had too as well! Remarkably when I have test driven or rented cars I’m surprised how many larger cars I do t fit in well, but most small cars I’m fine in. I had a 64 vw bug for a decade and that was very roomy (although no leg space for anyone to sit behind me!).

 

it was funhy when shopping for the Prius v replacement I fit very well in the small Kia Nero, but when I tried the mid sized SUVs the next step up most felt sort of cramped on head, shoulders and elbows and putting the seat way back to make the legs fit put the side and front (for joe the A.and B) stanchions were in very bad spots for visualization. I get the feeling many cars are designed for the average and the extremes it’s more just can they fit. But obviously with the Nero they were able to do both.

 

jeff

[cteno4]

So i was pulling out of the chinese market parking lot today and what zips by in front of me a little Kei truck with nice pipe rack on the back! It was a busy boulevard so i couldnt catch but a glimpse as it wizzed by. So i went down the road a mile or two and swung in to the japanese market parking lot and what is sitting in front fo the japanese market but the kei truck. There is a guy there with it and i start talking to him about his new baby. Kei is 25 years old from japan so classic and does not need any engine and exhaust mods to it. But he went at the whole thing and completely cleaned up everything in it. He put a nice large motorcycle exhaust system on it, appleplay system, painted the bed with expo y paint, new larger tires and raised the suspension some, cargo box in the bed [a 6’ bed, same size as a cyber truck 3x the size!] and then big thing was the custom pipe rack to carry long things on it. He said the kei was only a few thousand to buy, but he put like $10K tricking it all out! Really was a sweet little ride. 45hp and gets about 40mpg so decent. He was a tight fit in it and about 5’9”! He put a smaller steering wheel on it as the original was a bit tight behind it. 

 

I so want one of these! Be fun to have a ev version that had like 70 mile range as that would do me for all the stuff i usually do around here off freeway stuff. 

 

Cheers,

 

jeff