I stumbled across this just before bed time after a very full and long day. I’ve made it a rule not to get too mentally stimulated at that time of day, so I’m going to give God Google a pass, just post it, and let you all figure it out. I know t won’t take long. Looks a bit like a RWD gen1 Civic.
It’s a Mitsubishi Minica Skipper.
Spot on (except it’s not a Skipper, that would be the “coupe” version) * EDIT * you corrected yourself already.
Always find it hard to believe more than one person actually fits into any kei car.
Oops you are right about that. Not exactly sure about the year of this one, I think it may be a ’74.
I’d agree, not that I ever knew they existed.
The pickup version is cuter then a bugs ear, it would be a fun little city run about.
That’s what my top-of-mind guess was (well, not the Skipper part), but I didn’t want to risk it or take the time to confirm it.
When I saw the boat my mind immediately jumped to the Skipper name, but I did not know those were the swoopy two doors exclusively until now. They almost are as pretty as the Suzuki Fronte coupe of the era, but I rather like the wedge-like profile:
The smallest car I’ve ridden in was a first gen Honda Civic. Despite being similar in size to this Minica, I fit quite comfy in the Civic. I don’t know how or why that is. 🙂
This Minica was built to Japan’s Kei class rules, making it about 10 feet long and 51 inches wide. The 1st Generation Civic was eight and a half inches wider and almost 20 inches longer. While tiny compared to just about anything available today, the Civic was a big car compared to the Kei class cars.
Honda also had a kei-class car called the Honda Life, which was essentially a scaled-down Civic. (The Life debuted about a year before the first Civic, but the Civic was designed first.)
I’ve heard of the Honda Life. I’ve never seen one in person.
Was it? I thought the first generation Honda Civic was a Kei car. Shows what I know, eh?
Cute. Why no hubcaps? This sure looks like an advertising piece…
Just the little center cap over the wheel bearing used to suffice for cars like this. Actually, that was still the case in the days of the VW Rabbit. My 1988 Ford Festiva similarly came with only a Ford emblem stuck over the dust cap for the bearings. I don’t know what the last US market car was to get by without cast wheels or full wheel covers, but I’m curious.
The base 2002 Toyota Corolla had small black plastic center caps on painted steel wheels. I’m not sure if there is anything else. Maybe the current Mitsubishi Mirage or Nissan Versa?
The Mirage’s full covers look like pie crusts painted silver, steelies would be an improvement.
I don’t know if trim rings disqualifies it, but the Camaro thru 2013 had steelies with center caps. I always thought that looked cool. Of course the Ford Interceptor CV thru 2011 and new Interceptor Taurus/Explorer and Dodge Charger PP and Chevy Caprice. I would guess at least 15 years since an economy car came like that.
Hubcaps would probably push it past the width limits!
It sure looks like the Honda that my cousin ferried me all over Oahu in. That was in 1972 and it was new. No clue any closer than that on the year.
Possibly a Honda Life (see above).
This is an A103 Mitsubishi Minica F4 Super Deluxe; Made from 1972-77.
See this link for info: http://www.speedhunters.com/2014/02/a-kei-car-classic-with-ninja-power/
I recognized it right away thanks to a 1975 copy of World Cars I purchased recently, but couldn’t pin down the make without the book at hand!
I used to check out World Cars frequently. Do they still publish World Cars, or World Car Catalogue today?
As far as I can determine, the Italian automobile club that had compiled those stopped after the 1985 edition. If someone else did something similar after that, I’d like to know so I can hunt down those volumes!
Its a Micro Mitsubishi Ive seen one long time ago but thats it
Of ALL generations of the Mitsubishi (Chrysler as it was Badged Equipped in The Philippines) Minica from 1960-2011, The Second Generation 1970-73 INMHO looked the best.
I think Henry the Deuce had a phrase that identifies this thing…..
Is that sold by Amazon?
I just read the Minica Wikipedia entry a few weeks ago – never knew such a car existed, but I “bought” the later Minica Dangan ZZ in Gran Turismo and got curious about them. They’re pretty interesting cars – the GSS/GSL and Skipper GT from this generation and the previous one were considered to be amongst the hottest in their class when new. They were unique in being one of the only front engine/rear drive kei cars, which is responsible for that “jacked up” stance, so they’re something like the kei-equivalent of an AE86 Corolla. Japanese regulations were still 360cc maximum at the time and the engine is an OHC 4-stroke twin that was supposedly hampered by early emissions controls. Wikipedia claims that the earlier 2-stroke was more powerful and smoother running, but I find the second part of that a little hard to believe.
The car seen here has a really weird looking grille that appears to be specific to the Super Deluxe model. Are those 1970 Catalina-esque “horn aimers”? Great shot, though; I’m sure it’s from an ad or brochure. Very typical scene for Japanese car ads in the home market.
Here’s a close-up look at that zany grille:
This is the Photo Montage Compilation for the 1961-11 Mitsubishi 360 and Minica 3 Door Hatchback Coupes. 1961-69 Mitsubishi 360 3 Door Light Van (Top Row Left), 1962-69 Mitsubishi Minica 2 Door Sedan (Top Row Right), 1969-73 Mitsubishi Minica 3 Door Hatchback Coupe (Second Row Left), 1972-77 Mitsubishi Minica 3 Door Hatchback Coupe (Second Row Right), 1977-80 Mitsubishi Minica 3 Door Hatchback Coupe (Third Row Left), 1981-84 Mitsubishi Minica 3 Door Hatchback Coupe (Third Row Right), 1984-89 Mitsubishi Minica 3 Door Hatchback (Fourth Row Left), 1989-93 Mitsubishi Minica 3 Door Hatchback Coupe (Fourth Row Right), 1993-98 Mitsubishi Minica 3 Door Hatchback (Bottom Row Left) & 1998-11 Mitsubishi Minica 3 Door Hatchback (Bottom Row Right). Each Generational Changes were more subtle than others.