This is a new one for me. Three wheel trucks were a big thing in Japan in the fifties, as they would be in China in more recent years. And of course they had their era in Europe too. I had no idea Daihatsu sold these here; I’m guessing it wasn’t very many.
That makes two of us! I do not remember seeing one. We had enough Cushman tricycles running around.
Absolutely the CUTEST vehicle ever made, and flexible as well. It was competing directly against Cushman, with a good dealer and parts network, so it had no real chance.
Couple thoughts…
In 1959 there were no Federal safety (or any other) standards, and most states only required lights/horn/wiper to title and register a vehicle. Not like today, where an importer has to “federalize” a vehicle to import it. DK International probably didn’t tie up a ton of cash to give Daihatsu a chance.
I see these less for on-road use than as maintenance, etc vehicles for university campuses and large industrial complexes, just like you can buy a brand-new kei truck today “for off-highway use only”.
I wasn’t around in 1959, but in my day, the only thing I saw 3-wheelers do was meter maid duty, and those were 100% Cushman.
They’re generally registered as motorcycles, not cars. San Francisco for one uses them for meter maid cars. They use the Cushman Go-4 Interceptor from what I recall. Interceptor is the best possible name for a three wheeler like this, BTW.
People sometimes buy those and repurpose them or use them to drive around in, registered like a motorcycle. I’m not aware of any real “safety standards” for motorcycles, at least the two wheeled kind don’t tend to do well in crash tests, or didn’t when I “tested” mine… 🙂 Daniel probably knows more.
You’re right, Jim – the idea slipped past me. I think the only safety change a motorcycle would need would be to switch to all DOT-approved lighting.
There are in fact such standards.
Indeed there are standards, all 2008 Zap Cars (3 wheel electric sedans) were recalled because they couldn’t meet motorcycle braking standards. We test drove one back then, BAD.
Neat – I had no idea either. From what I can tell, a few Trimobiles were imported unofficially during the 1950s, and then the company that produced the featured ad here (DK International) became an official importer in 1959. DK showed Trimobiles at auto shows in 1959, and apparently got favorable reactions, so they set up a dealer network.
They must have had some success, because sales evidently continued into the early 1970s. The ad below is from 1971 – like Evan mentioned above, they were marketed (at least by that time) for non-road use.
Wow, and still only a grand?? Name another vehicle that didn’t have a price increase over a 12-year span!
“It’s a fine school bus, too.”
? Stuff the kiddies in the bed or box?
I remember a European truckster like this in the late 1950’s through the late 1960’s, Peter Sellers did some great movie bits using them, I’m sure someone will know what brand they were, _NOT_ Daihatsu ~ .
Cute and of course death traps but so was everything else back then .
I know a guy who owns a vintage Velocette three wheeler, it has a canvas body ~ EEK .
-Nate
Must be the Piaggio Ape from Italy.
Thank you Johannes ;
That’s it, they sold some here (U.S.A.) and I used to see them on farms and other really weird places in my travels in the 1980’s .
-Nate
The British Show “Top Gear” tested one in the early 2000’s, it kept flipping over if you turned to fast while doing anything more than 25mph. Probably one reason the concept didn’t garner any attention by wouldbe consumers in the United States…
They drove a Reliant Robin, not a Daihatsu. While it had a reputation for instability, Top Gear can hardly be regarded as a realistic source of info. I’m sure they did everything possible to make it turn over.
Either they didn’t deliver as promised, or no Insurance Company would insure them. You would think at the very least they’ve would have found an home on a Farm or even a Ranch, or Golf Course! And yet they weren’t for some reason…
Thanx Adam ;
I vividly remember that episode, of course they found the cleanest Reliant they could find and mercilessly rolled it time after time on purpose .
I thought maybe they’d done the same thing with a Daihatsu .
-Nate
British Railways had 3 wheeler Scammel Scarab delivery trucks back in the 50’s when I was a lad. They delivered stuff to and from the stations to the shops and the Post Office.