I really enjoyed Paul’s article last April on his “once in a lifetime” drive of a Subaru 360 minicar. It spurred me to take a few snaps and scribe a few words on this lonely, little blue “kei jidosha” that sits in a parking lot in an industrial area on our regular Sunday walk-route here on the outskirts of western Tokyo – it’s a late 60’s or early 70’s Mazda Porter Van.
The Porter was Mazda’s entry in the popular minicar class in Japan. It was built from 1968 to 1976. For a great overview of kei cars from the 1970s, including some contemporaries of the Porter, see contributor GN’s superb post here.
Initial engine was a 358 cc four cylinder, four stroke unit that put out a mighty 20 horsepower. Later, in 1973, a 359 cc two-stroke upped that figure to 35 hp.
The Porter came in two body styles; a small pickup and a station wagon (called a van).
The Porter name was also used for a small forward control pickup called a Porter Cab.
The interior of this one isn’t in too bad of shape – perhaps there are some spare parts in the box…
Like the Subaru 360, this is a very tiny car – on the right is a second-gen Prius, not a big car by any means but it looks like a Ford Excursion next to the Porter.
It’s sat in this same spot for at least the past ten years, so either it has a loyal owner who is just waiting for the right time to restore it or it’s been abandoned and is living on borrowed time. It appears someone is at least regularly wiping down the exterior as it doesn’t have a build-up of dust and grime. Can’t figure out why the owner just doesn’t throw a car cover on it – just take a bicycle cover and stretch it a little…
I’m still hoping the owner has plans to give it a little TLC and get it back on the road – perhaps some Sunday we’ll walk by and find it looking like this…
Wow this sure is a nice little wagon. Never seen it before. I like its no-nonsense looks. And I certainly has some hipster potential. Can’t someone rescue it and turn it into a Japanese Ford Falcon?
Quarter Horse. I mean one quarter Bronco. What a neat little thing.
Very cute. The proportions are almost Hillman Imp, given a ’69 Mini Clubman makeover.
What a fun little van. You could probably stick some postage stamps on it and mail it stateside.
Fantastic find Jim.
+1
There is an appealing simplicity to the looks, in striking contrast to its Porter Cab sibling which has a “perpetually surprised” appearance. (Is that thing related to the Bongo?) Hopefully it will be put back on the road someday, as it’s survival all these years is impressive.
And it really does make that Prius look *massive*.
The font on that badge looks disturbingly similar to “Comic Sans”
It may be smaller than the Prius, but it’s also better looking.
Hopelessly cute. The shape, size and engine remind me of Crosley. Same wagon and pickup forms.
The engine compartment is beautifully organized. You could reach all the usual tuneup and refill points without bending an elbow!
Love it!
It looks quite British – could be something from BMC/BL or Reliant.
The sides made me think “Ford Falcon” though. When I first read this site it frustrated me that people felt the need to compare every unfamiliar car with something familiar – “It looks like uh… a stretched this with the back end of that and…”
Now I’m doing it.
I thought of the Reliant Kitten when I first saw it – though this is better detailed.
Too bad those never made it to the USA 🙁
Here is a question that has baffled me for ages… maybe one of the smart CC readers can help.
Why are all Japanese-market cars badged in English? Why not in Japanese?
Jalopnik answered this very question a couple of years ago, I just noticed. I’m having trouble posting the link, but a quick Google search will get you there.
It goes way back, to pre-war times. I suspect that using Anglicized names, logos and badges was a sign of being outward-looking, and conveyed more prestige. The Japanese worshiped Ford and other American and European pioneers of industry, so in away it was a form of their tendency to imitation they used so successfully.
Who would have been able to make sense of them except the Japanese? And exports soon became critical, so it was a good thing that tradition was already established.
What a cute little Trucklet ! .
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They’d better get it off that grass before the tin worm takes the whole car ~ I see the A Pillar rust is ad already .
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-Nate
Geez… at 6’3″ it’s unlikely that I could even fit into that little toy. Cute little bugger tho.
Cool as, like a Mazda Familiar that shrank in the wash and those were very small to begin with, Hope it gets saved.
I think it looks like a mini Isuzu Trooper, especially the door window.
Great, a Japanese car I had never heard of. Just like a bigger car scaled down a bit too far.
Anyone know whether this was the smallest ever automotive four cylinder?