I don't recall seeing this posted here although the article is from 2011, and I can't really tell if these are Class B or Class C. They are a maximum of 11 feet long by 6.6 ft high... by Japanese auto rules.I want one... I think it would fit in my underground parking garage. Japanese kei camper

That is super Sw-e-e-e-t! I want one, too. Wonder how much it'd be to get one over here...Wanna go in together and see if we can get a Volume Discount? :@

I lived in Tokyo as an expat for a couple of years and used buy their RV magazines regularly. Couldn't understand a word, but loved seeing their efficient, ultralight, ultra-small, minivan-based RVs. Wait till gas moves up a few more $$ per gallon and we might see some of those come to the US. Then again, the average American is larger and growing more so.

"Kei" is an actual category of vehicle in Japan- one that's never really made it over to these shores. Link There are many variations, from basic autos to "pickup trucks", all of them real small. The class is VERY popular over there. But get this: The Japanese government is actually putting pressure on its domestic carmakers to phase out kei-type cars. Seems the Powers that Be think more Japanese should be buying bigger cars! See this report.

Good find! The Japanese have always had some neat / ingenious / space efficient vehicles for the home market. These are yet another example, but yes, it sure would help to be small. I'm impressed.I was in and out of Japan from '68 to '71. I remember the nifty tricycle pickups that hauled all types of goods to the little stores. The ones I remember were a little smaller & older than this one, I think.Jim, "My spirit animal is the gummy bear."

Francesca Knowles wrote:The Japanese government is actually putting pressure on its domestic carmakers to phase out kei-type cars. Seems the Powers that Be think more Japanese should be buying bigger cars! See this report.It was that article that led me to googling pictures of kei-cars and in the mix was the cute little RVs. As I recall from the article, the reason that the government wants to phase them out is not that they merely want the Japanese to buy bigger cars, but that they are not exportable... and thus add little to the local economy. Japan must export to make money.I don't think these would pass the safety tests here... but I could be wrong.

Ultimate mini-camper | Good Sam Community

49 Replies

mumkin
Explorer
Jul 22, 2014
LOL... I'm thinkin' we should go back to the idea of removing the vote from males and just let us women decide.

But perhaps a dangerous suggestion on a board dominated by men. :B
Francesca_Knowl
Explorer
Jul 22, 2014
Naio wrote:
Did you use it to travel from town to town, advocating for woman suffrage?!

No, mine was the Contrarian View...I went around advocating the removal of voting rights for men. See poster below. As it turned out, the best we could achieve was the grudging permission for Women to Vote.

Only time, history, and succeeding generations can judge if that was a victory or not!

;)
Naio
Explorer II
Jul 22, 2014
Francesca Knowles wrote:
Thought so-

Must've been us you saw- we used to park in the lot behind the church. That's me in my French Maid getup standing next to the engine cowling. ;)

ROFLMAO! At last we meet!

I see I had the wrong century -- that one looks 1870s! Did you use it to travel from town to town, advocating for woman suffrage?!
Francesca_Knowl
Explorer
Jul 22, 2014
Thought so-

Must've been us you saw- we used to park in the lot behind the church. That's me in my French Maid getup standing next to the engine cowling. ;)
Naio
Explorer II
Jul 22, 2014
Francesca Knowles wrote:
Naio wrote:
Anybody have an idea what it could have been?

Not without a little more detail....what street did you live on? :B

-laughing-

I think that was when we lived off of Main street... by the old church... does that help?
Francesca_Knowl
Explorer
Jul 22, 2014
Naio wrote:
Anybody have an idea what it could have been?

Not without a little more detail....what street did you live on? :B
Naio
Explorer II
Jul 22, 2014
I would so buy one of those adorable little things!

In the mid-80s, in the US, there was a tiny RV down the street from us. I was a kid, so I don't remember the make, and never talked to the people who had it. I assume it was made in the 70s. Anybody have an idea what it could have been?

ETA: I believe it was a Chinook! Kinda like this one.
Chinook history.

(And, for a lot of fun, put '1970s tiny RV' into google image search :).)
RobertRyan
Explorer
Jun 28, 2014
free radical wrote:
mumkin wrote:
I don't recall seeing this posted here although the article is from 2011, and I can't really tell if these are Class B or Class C. They are a maximum of 11 feet long by 6.6 ft high... by Japanese auto rules.

I want one... I think it would fit in my underground parking garage.

Japanese kei camper

Cute litle things !!
One of my relatives in Vancouver BC has Delica van 4x4 with a tiny Diesel engine,,
must be 15 years or older to be allowed for Import here..it's ok in the city but on the freeway it would not be much fun,way too slow!

Due to high taxes for older vehicles japanese prefer buying new ones very often,so finding used in good shape is easy..
Many Japanese are infatuated with all things American including language,unfortunately
Its hard to learn and the translations can be something else..

http://youtu.be/ZXVufnloyCA

Not really American, English language or more like it Japlish Various outside influences can be seen in their taste for Sports. Baseball is big, but not far behind it is Rugby, which the Japanese are not good at. Soccer is big and growing in Japan
free_radical
Explorer
Jun 28, 2014
mumkin wrote:
I don't recall seeing this posted here although the article is from 2011, and I can't really tell if these are Class B or Class C. They are a maximum of 11 feet long by 6.6 ft high... by Japanese auto rules.

I want one... I think it would fit in my underground parking garage.

Japanese kei camper

Cute litle things !!
One of my relatives in Vancouver BC has Delica van 4x4 with a tiny Diesel engine,,
must be 15 years or older to be allowed for Import here..it's ok in the city but on the freeway it would not be much fun,way too slow!

Due to high taxes for older vehicles japanese prefer buying new ones very often,so finding used in good shape is easy..
Many Japanese are infatuated with all things American including language,unfortunately
Its hard to learn and the translations can be something else..

http://youtu.be/ZXVufnloyCA
RobertRyan
Explorer
Jun 25, 2014
Fastpaddler wrote:
Yes. Probably because they are more compact. Length, width and height are big concerns on Japanese roads, especially off the autoroutes.
AL

No more upmarket European cars, BMW, Audi, Mercedes, Ferrari etc.