Does anybody have any information on Mini Trucks

[50BMG]

Hello, I was just wondering if anyone has any information on Mini Trucks or would know or where how I could find any ? Thanks in advance for any and all thoughts, opinions, or answers.

Regards,
50BMG

 

[mwilson]

Define Mini-Trucks??? I'm thinking of the Japanese sub compact trucks, is that what you are referring to??? There are several up here running the ATV trails....

 

[50BMG]

Yes indeed mwilson that is exactly what I'm referring to the Japanese (toyota,honda,mitsubishi,daihatsu,subaru) mini trucks about the size of an ATV or Side by Side.

 

[NIsaacs]

Here is a link for some.

http://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=Awr9DteBpbZavGgApvxXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTByc3RzMXFjBGNvbG8DZ3ExBHBvcwM0BHZ0aWQDBHNlYwNzcg--/RV=2/RE=1521948161/RO=10/RU=http%3a%2f%2fcajunminitrucks.com%2fzencart%2findex.php%3fmain_page%3dindex%26cPath%3d1/RK=2/RS=Q3hezoc61d39OJR29gttn17Kr4c-

http://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=Awr9DteBpbZavGgApPxXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTByM3V1YTVuBGNvbG8DZ3ExBHBvcwMzBHZ0aWQDBHNlYwNzcg--/RV=2/RE=1521948161/RO=10/RU=http%3a%2f%2fwww.coloradominitruck.com%2f/RK=2/RS=l.nlUYc6GdA_zwV1dIJ0yhIYZRA-

https://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/aclk?sa=L&ai=DChcSEwio6Iq414XaAhUORH4KHQg8DykYABAAGgJwYw&ohost=www.google.com&cid=CAASEuRoTkYv01K6nevTvU_69QZTFw&sig=AOD64_2VXrHVRgd_P-GfhPYy_q8fNhcKUQ&adurl=&q=&nb=0&res_url=https%3A%2F%2Fsearch.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%3B_ylt%3DAwr9Gi8apbZapBMAU3BXNyoA%3B_ylc%3DX1MDMjc2NjY3OQRfcgMyBGZyA3lmcC10BGdwcmlkA25OSlhMc2JFVHBXQnNhMXlWVmM4SUEEbl9yc2x0AzAEbl9zdWdnAzEwBG9yaWdpbgNzZWFyY2gueWFob28uY29tBHBvcwMwBHBxc3RyAwRwcXN0cmwDMARxc3RybAMzNwRxdWVyeQN2aW50YWdlJTIwJTIwamFwYW5lc2UlMjBtaW5pJTIwdHJ1Y2tzBHRfc3RtcAMxNTIxOTE5MzM0%3Fp%3Dvintage%2B%2Bjapanese%2Bmini%2Btrucks%26fr2%3Dsb-top%26fr%3Dyfp-t%26fp%3D1&rurl=https%3A%2F%2Fsearch.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%253B_ylt%3DAwr47KaKpLZad1oA0CpXNyoA%253B_ylc%3DX1MDMjc2NjY3OQRfcgMyBGZyA3lmcC10BGdwcmlkA3VBMllQc0IwVE5DUVQ2Y1JpUENwUkEEbl9yc2x0AzAEbl9zdWdnAzUEb3JpZ2luA3NlYXJjaC55YWhvby5jb20EcG9zAzQEcHFzdHIDdmludGFnZSBtaW5pIHRydWNrcwRwcXN0cmwDMTkEcXN0cmwDMzQEcXVlcnkDdmludGFnZSUyMGRhaWhhdHN1JTIwbWluaSUyMHRydWNrcwR0X3N0bXADMTUyMTkxOTIzMQR1c2VfY2FzZQM-%3Fp%3Dvintage%2Bdaihatsu%2Bmini%2Btrucks%26fr2%3Dsa-gp-search%26fr%3Dyfp-t%26fp%3D1&nm=16&is=606x357&nx=158&ny=11&clkt=135&bg=!6eql6vJEeKhnCoZzsnMCAAABOFIAAABoCgAgL73ys61chCuIWPxTENgN1a0KLDnoxywS7ZUbrMrS1HGZAQkckDtMyOGja3TZz6XpcHriOZfCCNGPgeF0LLsz6nvnq1m7H1uDvSbZwv8-hroLFGTgn69ZWj1DXezx48Kzdlxd9JVKWuNSxFbdPskPOTsY11ECy6LT4uh0D7cw7EXwc6_pMoIjBX4a1RbQfByLaT1Tf6yUoImxmfQbtamuiSpZ_JGEHZWwxP7NZgXUlB5UNd_f8LHTvP2a6sok6Hd32LjbFvvIlAKRggCVzjMdutNKk47dDpZRtUyvFt1b5IFAcLn5xMBx9E2h5HZ_RkGr0FYhgFofPgm7PHCPoYcu-YPmJVxP5slReSCP99yJo0nO311n4hI0mbPz1wMYKyFQv5oU4-JWUF9y6r96

https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=L&ai=DChcSEwio6Iq414XaAhUORH4KHQg8DykYABABGgJwYw&sig=AOD64_0Vz2Xd9Ohju_PcjZfM_a-TI1EQdg&adurl=&q=&nb=0&res_url=https%3A%2F%2Fsearch.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%3B_ylt%3DAwr9Gi8apbZapBMAU3BXNyoA%3B_ylc%3DX1MDMjc2NjY3OQRfcgMyBGZyA3lmcC10BGdwcmlkA25OSlhMc2JFVHBXQnNhMXlWVmM4SUEEbl9yc2x0AzAEbl9zdWdnAzEwBG9yaWdpbgNzZWFyY2gueWFob28uY29tBHBvcwMwBHBxc3RyAwRwcXN0cmwDMARxc3RybAMzNwRxdWVyeQN2aW50YWdlJTIwJTIwamFwYW5lc2UlMjBtaW5pJTIwdHJ1Y2tzBHRfc3RtcAMxNTIxOTE5MzM0%3Fp%3Dvintage%2B%2Bjapanese%2Bmini%2Btrucks%26fr2%3Dsb-top%26fr%3Dyfp-t%26fp%3D1&rurl=https%3A%2F%2Fsearch.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%253B_ylt%3DAwr47KaKpLZad1oA0CpXNyoA%253B_ylc%3DX1MDMjc2NjY3OQRfcgMyBGZyA3lmcC10BGdwcmlkA3VBMllQc0IwVE5DUVQ2Y1JpUENwUkEEbl9yc2x0AzAEbl9zdWdnAzUEb3JpZ2luA3NlYXJjaC55YWhvby5jb20EcG9zAzQEcHFzdHIDdmludGFnZSBtaW5pIHRydWNrcwRwcXN0cmwDMTkEcXN0cmwDMzQEcXVlcnkDdmludGFnZSUyMGRhaWhhdHN1JTIwbWluaSUyMHRydWNrcwR0X3N0bXADMTUyMTkxOTIzMQR1c2VfY2FzZQM-%3Fp%3Dvintage%2Bdaihatsu%2Bmini%2Btrucks%26fr2%3Dsa-gp-search%26fr%3Dyfp-t%26fp%3D1&nm=37&is=606x357&nx=123&ny=14&clkt=162&bg=!fX6lfmZEeKhnCoZzsnMCAAABOFIAAABpCgAghKnMbrSg-zz0X1Vufvt1TmLUkUwd97ViImLU0FngNWCZAQkckDtMyOGja3TZz6XpcHriOZfCCNGPgeF0LLsz6nvnq1m7H1uDvSbZwv8-hroLFGTgn69ZWj1DXezx48Kzdlxd9JVKWuNSxFbdPskPOTsY11ECy6LT4uh0D7cw7EXwc6_pMoIjBX4a1RbQfByLaT1Tf6yUoImxmfQbtamuiSpZ_JGEHZWwxP7NZgXUlB5UNd_f8LHTvP2a6sok6Hd32LjbFvvIlAKRggCVzjMdutNKk47dDpZRtUyvFt1b5IFAYbn5xMA9YQE4pLbdb4lwziOvLIbHsTrUWdhW52NHpm27mZGL0HsBjXcyJM7q35pzMfR29Cpvmp9GTkv-vpLq0M2U29ulc3kcw_Sb

https://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/aclk?sa=L&ai=DChcSEwio6Iq414XaAhUORH4KHQg8DykYABACGgJwYw&ohost=www.google.com&cid=CAASEuRoTkYv01K6nevTvU_69QZTFw&sig=AOD64_0PmdqAmgUG6Tq4jQJR8iAQ18OWZQ&adurl=&q=&nb=0&res_url=https%3A%2F%2Fsearch.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%3B_ylt%3DAwr9Gi8apbZapBMAU3BXNyoA%3B_ylc%3DX1MDMjc2NjY3OQRfcgMyBGZyA3lmcC10BGdwcmlkA25OSlhMc2JFVHBXQnNhMXlWVmM4SUEEbl9yc2x0AzAEbl9zdWdnAzEwBG9yaWdpbgNzZWFyY2gueWFob28uY29tBHBvcwMwBHBxc3RyAwRwcXN0cmwDMARxc3RybAMzNwRxdWVyeQN2aW50YWdlJTIwJTIwamFwYW5lc2UlMjBtaW5pJTIwdHJ1Y2tzBHRfc3RtcAMxNTIxOTE5MzM0%3Fp%3Dvintage%2B%2Bjapanese%2Bmini%2Btrucks%26fr2%3Dsb-top%26fr%3Dyfp-t%26fp%3D1&rurl=https%3A%2F%2Fsearch.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%253B_ylt%3DAwr47KaKpLZad1oA0CpXNyoA%253B_ylc%3DX1MDMjc2NjY3OQRfcgMyBGZyA3lmcC10BGdwcmlkA3VBMllQc0IwVE5DUVQ2Y1JpUENwUkEEbl9yc2x0AzAEbl9zdWdnAzUEb3JpZ2luA3NlYXJjaC55YWhvby5jb20EcG9zAzQEcHFzdHIDdmludGFnZSBtaW5pIHRydWNrcwRwcXN0cmwDMTkEcXN0cmwDMzQEcXVlcnkDdmludGFnZSUyMGRhaWhhdHN1JTIwbWluaSUyMHRydWNrcwR0X3N0bXADMTUyMTkxOTIzMQR1c2VfY2FzZQM-%3Fp%3Dvintage%2Bdaihatsu%2Bmini%2Btrucks%26fr2%3Dsa-gp-search%26fr%3Dyfp-t%26fp%3D1&nm=35&is=606x357&nx=124&ny=9&clkt=108&bg=!NTalNi5EeKhnCoZzsnMCAAABOFIAAABdCgAgY3XQJnLbJsvAqyGrSiS4TEq1eq3cM2K1Goe08iO_qN2ZAQkckDtMyOGja3TZz6XpcHriOZfCCNGPgeF0LLsz6nvnq1m7H1uDvSbZwv8-hroLFGTgn69ZWj1DXezx48Kzdlxd9JVKWuNSxFbdPskPOTsY11ECy6LT4uh0D7cw7EXwc6_pMoIjBX4a1RbQfByLaT1Tf6yUoImxmfQbtamuiSpZ_JGEHZWwxP7NZgXUlB5UNd_f8LHTvP2a6sok6Hd32LjbFvvIlAKRggCVzjMdutNKk47dDpZRtUyvFt1b5IFBh7n5xMD8or7j9GhbUGRKd8fUEHnI1fZyQgbI4BHrFIjAASMe1iOeWDERkGz95j4ATfKY0MTAHpx76hJ9GVSS8iMigMK9VSW3xqTO

Nick

 

[Regcabguy]

They don't do well in crashes.

 

[50BMG]

Yeah Regcabguy, I can't imagine that they would something that much smaller than the traffic around them is at a severe disadvantage should a crash occur, however I think that the same thing could probably be said about Suzuki Samurai's , Geo/Chevy Tracker's, and certainly smart cars. However I've seen what happens when a semi hits even a full size pickup and it's not pretty. Except with the mini trucks a full size pickup would be almost like the semi in the example above with the weight differences. I know that a person can try their hardest not to be involved in crashes, but sometimes it's out of your hands.

Regards,
50BMG

 

[SnoKing]

I want a Love Diesel!

 

[50BMG]

Hello, SnowKing correct me if I'm wrong but didn't Chevy have a diesel powered Cruze ? I think that that would be the direction I look into if I was wanting a diesel Chevy Luv, or maybe a VW TDI diesel, I can't remember off the top of my head but didn't isuzu make a smaller diesel than their 3.9 ?

50BMG

 

[50BMG]

Thanks NIsaacs for providing some links/sites that have information about mini trucks. I was just looking at the D.O.T. requirements and regulations regarding mini trucks for each state and it actually turns out that most states mandate legality only on certain roads if they even allow them at all. I wonder why because I've seen smart cars on interstates so what's the difference between them ? They are both about the same size.

50BMG

 

[SnoKing]

Guess it was Luv and not Love. Isuzu called it theirs Pup? Yes the Cruise is available with a diesel. I order the original Rabbit Diesel and after 6 or 7 months waiting I asked for my money back.

SnoKing

 

[Wayne M.]

Indeed the (fed?) DOT rules, I believe are pay to play. The FDNY just got a mini BLS ambulance based on a Polaris tandem axle side by side. I can’t see how this is remotely DOT legal. https://instagram.com/p/BgsEutfAQDJ/
Also, the NYPD has done away with the Cushman Cop in a Box vehicle, and decided on Smart cars for the meter maids and smaller patrols. They’re actually cheaper, I hear.
Regarding the mini trucks, I think Mahindra, who builds traditional Jeeps in India, is about to come to the US with some cool stuff. I should be going to the NY Intl Auto Show next week. I’ll report any likelihood of that or any other tiny stuff coming down the pike.
I always thought a Samurai with a TDI or similar engine swapped in would be cool stuff. Years ago two co workers had a Datsun King Cab 4wd Diesel, and the other a Isuzu trooper Diesel. an old neighbor had a Dodge Ram 50 Diesel. All these were off the chart on the cool factor.

 

[NIsaacs]

I could never understand how you can license a vehicle (ATV/UTV) with tires that clearly state on the sidewall "Not for highway service/off road use only"??

My brother has a new Bobcat UTV complete with cab, heat and AC with a little 3 cylinder Yanmar Diesel. It will only go about 30 mph on the level, uphill about 15/20 mph. How safe is that??

Nick

 

[JR]

Indeed the (fed?) DOT rules, I believe are pay to play. The FDNY just got a mini BLS ambulance based on a Polaris tandem axle side by side. I can’t see how this is remotely DOT legal. https://instagram.com/p/BgsEutfAQDJ/
Also, the NYPD has done away with the Cushman Cop in a Box vehicle, and decided on Smart cars for the meter maids and smaller patrols. They’re actually cheaper, I hear.
Regarding the mini trucks, I think Mahindra, who builds traditional Jeeps in India, is about to come to the US with some cool stuff. I should be going to the NY Intl Auto Show next week. I’ll report any likelihood of that or any other tiny stuff coming down the pike.
I always thought a Samurai with a TDI or similar engine swapped in would be cool stuff. Years ago two co workers had a Datsun King Cab 4wd Diesel, and the other a Isuzu trooper Diesel. an old neighbor had a Dodge Ram 50 Diesel. All these were off the chart on the cool factor.

That Poopoolaris is sweet! Traffic jam and have to get to the scene ASAP? Clear the sidewalk! :-laf
I'm surprised given it's urban environment it doesn't have DOT tires.
RE street legal UTV's, In Ohio if a UTV or any kind of USV (under speed vehicle) comes from the manufacturer with a title it is very difficult to make it street legal. Basically, there is a self assembled vehicle form you have to get from the Ohio Highway Patrol and after all necessary modifications are completed the vehicle must be taken in for an inspection and if passes a completely new title is issued. I've been told this is next to impossible because of the safety features that would be extremely cost prohibitive and complex to deem such a vehicle "street legal".
Most around here just register their utv with the state which gets you a state ID plate (used to be a sticker). This along with insurance allows you to run secondary roads without getting hassled as long as you are obeying the law.

 

[JR]

My brother has a new Bobcat UTV complete with cab, heat and AC with a little 3 cylinder Yanmar Diesel. It will only go about 30 mph on the level, uphill about 15/20 mph. How safe is that??

Does he drive on state routes?
I think driving 30mph in a UTV with the proper lighting is safer than a black Amish buggy with one tiny flasher on the back being pulled by a tired horse at 10 o'clock at night...and this is perfectly legal as well. I can't tell you how many times I've popped up over the hill on a narrow 2 lane road at night where there is no shoulder and come up on this scenario. Its unnerving to think that a man would put his family in jeopardy like this, but they do it all the time.

 

[NIsaacs]

He is legal and has some, but not much anymore. He said it is scary and would not have bought one if he had realized it was so slow. He has most of the attachments for it and uses it for work mostly. He used to drive out to his out of town property but he said the big trucks catch him on the big hill like he is stopped so don't much any more.

Here you can't leave your private property without a legal license, requires a brake light, rear view mirror and horn. It don't matter how remote and wild the road is, if it is public you are not allowed. The streets are crawling with them here.

Nick

 

[50BMG]

Yeah it's kinda funny what things are legal and what things aren't. I was wanting to build an almost 100% custom vehicle based of a mini truck. With custom Dana 30 Hybrid axles with width somewhere between a Suzuki Samurai and a full size pickup, running 30"-44" tires (depending on the gearing I could get out of the axles, transmission, and transfercase), axletech bolt on portal axles, and a Hayabusa engine or better yet one of Hartley Enterprises engines based of the Hayabusa engine (producing between 300HP -500HP). However after looking into it a little more even if it was financially feasible (which looks like it wouldn't be), it sounds like it would require some many forms and paperwork that you would need a full time lawyer.

50BMG

 

[50BMG]

Accidently posted twice

 

[mwilson]

I am away from all resources including pictures until mid-week. My friend has a little truck from a time period before they were shot down by the NHTSB. I have scoured my phone for pictures but no luck.
I’ll provide pics when I find them..

 

[BIGNASTY]

Its unnerving to think that a man would put his family in jeopardy like this, but they do it all the time.[/QUOTE]



ITS CALLED FAITH

 

[JR]

ITS CALLED FAITH

Ignorance is bliss sometimes :-laf