The Stout was Toyota’s first pickup that they sold in the US. It was a good size or two larger than the very compact Datsun pickup, which was selling fairly well, and was on a strong growth trajectory. But the Stout was apparently a bit too big, and not what the US market was looking for: a dirt cheap little truck. Toyota eventually replaced the Stout with its HiLux mini-pickup, and never looked back.
The Stout was powered by the same 1.9 L ohv four that was in the Corona at the time. I was attracted to it precisely because of its size; I just didn’t fit well into the smaller Japanese pickups. Frankly, I still sort of don’t, at least the Tacoma, which still has that unfortunate sitting on the floor sensation that I strongly dislike.
There is still at least one running around in the Seattle area.
#1
I love these things. I want one so bad. And a matching Corona.
Found this one for sale a while back, they do come up sometimes.
I am 6 feet, and never once felt like I was sitting on the floor of my Isuzu built Chevy LUV
I always like the Toyota Stouts with their fender top turn signals and IH flavored cab, but never saw that many back in the day. I saw many more HiLux after they hit the market.
Many in the US market are still looking for a dirt cheap little truck.
60 years on, the newest version may cost close to $2000 just to fill up.
Depending on the source, Toyota may have been importing Land Cruiser pickups (FJ45s) in both S and LWB guise in 1963, about a year before the Stout, but I haven’t found any definite evidence that they were here before 1965.
http://importarchive.com/brochure/toyotalandcruiser1965_04
The Tacoma has an awful driving/seating position, just FYI. There may be other smaller trucks that you’re more comfortable in.
Yes, some of the newer compact pickups like the Colorado and Ranger have taller cabs, so I assume the seating position is better. I’ve been in the current Tacoma, and its seating position sucks; really no different than all the Japanese mini-pickups decades ago. I don’t understand it. But undoubtedly the new generation coming out this will be better. It has to be.
Having driven pretty much all of them, the current Tacoma is the worst for those long of torso, and when equipped with a sunroof is difficult to fit into while seated upright, doubly surprising since one already sits quite low on the floor.
If you’re around 5’8″ or less and normally proportioned otherwise, it’s fine. There are a lot of people that are 5’8″ or less…
Modern Ranger and HiLux are pretty much normal to sit in, though for the sheer overall size and weight of the things they now are, they bloody well should be!
Remember that this was a mere 20 years after the war with Japan had ended. I imagine the Venn Diagram of “purchasers of pickup trucks” and “people who were willing to buy Japanese vehicles” probably had a very small overlap.
For comparison purposes, a totally bare-bones 1965 Ford F-100 had an MSRP of $1981.
From all that I know I would easily agree with that statement. Perhaps even 40 years after the war there would be some serious limit on overlap.
When my father ordered his first new car, a 1963.5 Galaxie (a bit over $3k, I believe) he told me that he could have ordered a new F100 with a few options for a bit less than $2k, negotiated.
I love these and foolishly didn’t buy one when they were still cheap .
Even in Southern California these had rust issues .
I have a long trunk and short (32″ inseam) legs so fitting into imported pickups is always tricky .
You had to be there in the late 1950’s / early 1960’s to grasp how much pushback there was on Japanese cars & trucks, nevertheless those few who bought Datsun’s tiny pickup tended to love them very much .
-Nate
I’ve never been in a newer Tacoma or even a Hi Lux. The Japanese pickups I had the most experience in were 86-87 Mazda B 2200 extended cabs and the driving position felt very similar to my VW Jetta, apart from the under dash handbrake. Of course Mazda learned from the previous B series (Ford Courier) and added some room. I actually had more trouble with our 93 Ranger which lost some seat travel and leg room in the redesign from the first generation, something Ford didn’t fix until 98 when they made a deeper stamping for the rear of the standard cab.
The Stout looks like it was to big for small truck buyers and too small or not powerful enough for bigger truck buyers, rather like the later T100 that sold poorly compared to the Tundra that replaced it.
I was thinking the same, T100 of its day, hit only a very small niche in the US pickup market.
The Stouts were common in New Guinea. What I most remember is the thin, black vinyl that wore quickly on seats and door trims, and the grey plastic hubcaps that soon grew brittle in the tropic sun. December 1965, my sister Andrea & I. I’m not sure who the local man is, a Watkins employee I assume.
Back around 1976, my brother had a green one with a camper shell on the back.
I never drove it, he never discussed it, so nothing more to report.
For some reason 1/2 ton seems rather optimistic. Maybe doing 20 mph.
Really? I bet it was typically overloaded with much more than that. 1/2 ton is only 1000 lbs. Later Toyota HiLux pickups were available with 1 ton ratings.
As to the 20 mph, in first gear, yes. But they had four gears.
Our local Toyota dealer in Vancouver, WA had one of these Stouts that was nicely restored sitting in their showroom with a Please do not touch sign on it.