From the stand point of weight distribution, having the engine behind the rear axle is a big advantage for traction and handling since these trucks tend to be front heavy. It also makes the most sense for access and ease of maintenance.

Saw that "OTHER" video. Ticking noise sounded like a loud lifter to me but it was 25+ years old. When I was stationed in Japan the highest speed limit I saw was 80kph which is 50 miles per hour. I love your channel and your mellow attitude. Hang in there!

Keep up the great content! You definitely helped out when deciding which truck to get.

Your Sambar content is great Kevin! Thanks for taking us along on all your projects, especially the latest carb rebuild series. Love my '95 KS3; 2WD is a bit lighter, easy to work on, and a comfortable fit for my 6'4" frame and long legs 👍

You are a genuine guy and I appreciate you sharing your knowledge! I love my Sambar!

Kevin, thanks for pointing out the higher temperatures of the supercharged motor. Again, I intellectually understood that the motor runs hotter, but would probably not have applied that knowledge to practical situations. I'll definitely be changing the engine oil to synthetic when my Sambar Supercharged is delivered a couple of weeks from now. I live on the Big Island, so I'm not doing any long distance hauling, The Hilo to Kailua-Kona cross island trip is like 80 miles or so. That's about the only time that I'll be keeping my eye on the temperature gauge. Other than that, the truck will be used in town, no more than 5 miles a trip. Probably bad for the muffler, but I don't have to worry about engine temperatures. As far as over-revving the engine is concerned, I hate to say it, but my days of hot-dogging it are long gone. In fact, I have just the opposite problem, I find that I tend to drive 3-5 mph slower now than I did just a few years ago. Definitely an age-related issue. ============================== Note: For those of you who think old people drive slow because they feel they need more reaction time, you're mistaken. They drive slow because their cognitive functions have physiologically diminished. It's not their physical response time that has slowed down, it's their mental capacity to process information that has slowed down. If you're familiar with sci-fi, think of it as seniors living in a time dilation. Because their thinking processes have slowed down, the world around them seems to speed up. It feels like they are driving the same speed as when they are younger, when in fact they are driving much slower. And most of you are familiar with this experience, but just haven't considered the reason why. And that experience is Christmas. You remember the feeling of anticipation when you were a child? When waiting for Christmas seemed to last an eternity? And now, years later, the opposite seems true... "What, it's almost Christmas? Where did the time go?" That's because when you're a child, your brain was operating at peak efficiency, it's a sponge soaking up knowledge. You don't realize your brain is slowing down when you get older, because it is such an extremely slow process. Sorry for digressing. 🙄

Got my 1992 Sambar a year and a half ago and never looked back. Had it imported in great condition, modified it a bit and have driven it all over the place hauling stuff or just cruising. Great rig!

With the supercharged one I'd recommend running no less than 89 octane and limit the supercharger from engaging unless you need it to pass. Feather your foot on the throttle. Also keep your speed at no more than 80-85 kmh. That is the average highway speed limit in Japan. There aren't many highways that are 100 KMH in Japan. You also want to make sure the vehicle is kept in 'peak tune'. This means full tune up, lash check, coolant serviced w/ new T stat and no vacuum leak/s. And if you're giving thought to purchasing one you need to be mechanically inclined. There aren't many shops that will even look at it let alone work on it. As for purchasing...Do not pay more than 10k for one. These are practically given away on lots in Japan. Most do not sell for more than 3-4K tops. So even if you factor the shipping & paperwork it still would not be more than 10K.

I ordered a Subaru Domingo a couple weeks ago, I'm super excited

I love my Super Duper Charged Sambar. No overheating issues ever with stock exhaust even banging through the gears. Love driving it on paved backcountry roads. Hands down the easiest K-Truck to work on. Mine has A/C and dif lock and only 38k miles on it for a 96. Mahalos for your videos cause they helped me when researching my K Truck purchase 🤙🏻🤙🏻🤙🏻🤙🏻

I'm so excited for you to get your Bravo. I can follow along and get tips on mine.

I love my Sambar, too. I've only had it a couple of weeks. Question for you: How often do you change your oil & filter? Every 5K km? Or more or less frequently? Thanks for taking the time to share the content you do. Oh yeah, I ordered a couple of air filters from you already and got them fast. Thanks!

hi, nice job! Do you import your Sambars?

Saw that vid you're talking about. The Suby checks more of the boxes for me. Wish I could find one that has a diff lock.

Subscribed! Great channel!! Looking to get a Kei van for our business car. And I think the sambar is the way to go…. Like you said there are so many kei vans but having it easy to work on is a big plus! Do you know if the back seats can lay completely flat and flush with the whole back?

i just got one and drove it home along the highway...after twenty miles i finally got the courage to push it over 60 miles an hour....yes , i willl change the oil as soon as i can....thanks

Good video! I would also like to get a sambar truck but have a question. How far can you change the tire size without lifting the truck?

I recommend adding some zddp zinc additive to any oil you use. Good stuff for cam bucket wear and high rpm motors.

Metanol injection, sir. Pretty much windshield washer fluid. Get the cheapest possible as it will have less additive concentrated is best then dilute to recommend level. (for injection system that is.)

It seems like the engine in the rear would be easier to work on, plus it gives the truck more weight in the rear to give the truck more traction.

Great video, is the Clover originally a motorcycle engine primarily like most other Kei trucks, or is it a purpose built light truck engine. Whu kind of BHP are you turning with the Supercharger and awesome custom exhaust? Is your Clover fuel injected, I thought I heard you mention you had ported the carbueretor, can't be sure now. Any other secret sauce to that engine beside a truckload of money? Thanks gave you a subscribe. Rich 👍

Love the poultry cooing in the background, if I fit in anything else I would have gotten a acty but I’m really glad I went with a Sambar. Super easy to work on

I’ve read that the Sambars have carb issues. Flooding and the auto choke failing. Is there a cure?

The engine being in the back was one of the reasons I bought it. Had it for 10 years with no issues. Just sold it a few months ago and ya, I miss it.

Does the supercharged sambars pistons fit the non supercharged model? So that I could turbo it?

Beauty man, I live up in maple syrup land. Do you have any connections in Canada where I could get a good quality truck? Or do you recommend bringing it over myself?

The reason they blow up is that the farmers usually sell the low mileage ones when they fail their emissions test, so when the engine is about to blow……I repair them here in Japan and have just fixed one Acty by replacing the engine, and a Mitsubishi is coming to me next week with Rodney already knocking on the door……auction houses here are full of them. Oil changes every 5000km are vital, or after 12 months, the oil stinks of fuel by then and has lost its lubrication.

Would you recommend importing one ? Or buying from a dealer ship or Facebook market.

I have a minicab, the seats get a little warm but the cab doesnt get hot. The worst part about working on it is the spark plugs. The worst part about the engine is the clutch fan and halogens, fan needs to be replaced with electric and halogens with LED and it really wakes it up. I never take it above 4k or leave town with it. Some people who buy kei cars and drive them balls to the wall all the time and everywhere are brave lol

Howdy, I have a Hijet but plan on switching to a Sambar soon, you say to lift a Sambar, you can increase your 4 coil spring size which I assume provides ground Clarence? Other lift discussions talk about body mount lifting and extending steering shaft, etc, however that is all alot of work. Can u confirm the coil spring lifting? Cheers, JC St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada

I was under the impression that the Sambar was one of the most desirable Kei trucks do to the fact that they have a little more room inside.

here in europe we got some fun kei models, like a daihatsu hijet with a 1.3i 4 cil engine with a top speed of 130km/h so 80 mph

The motor looks interesting but it’s leaned over laterally, how does it oil the crank & rod journals?

After a lot of research, I've settled on the Subaru Sambar probably being the best overall for a mini truck. For a "van", not sure. I'm normally a Honda person.

On vehicles that have had the carburetor rebuilt, doesn’t it require that the carburetor to be rebuilt about every 10K - 15K miles afterwards? I know that this is true for every vehicle that I’ve ever owned. Is it different with the Sambar ?

The saying is the Sambar is the king of the road! I agree 👍

Was it ether injected to get the supercharged engine to run better? Be careful with that because ether is highly flammable, can spontaneously combust if it gets too hot.

hey i have subaru sambar tt2 mini truck 2004 model 5 speed, the transmission has stop pulling any thought on what is wrong ?

Did you import these Japanese trucks or you bought here in the U.S. ? If you did, is it hard to import?

Does the sambar still have front wheel drive, even with a rear mounted engine? I hate rear wheel only drive, it is super dangerous if roads are slick.

Its easy to work on, and i like the suspension, but i don't like how the engine is exposed. That being said, i don't like the leafs sticking out either. They dont make it easy to decide

What are the biggest wheels you’ve gotten on 12” wheels? My Sambar van needs something more than trailer tires 😂

Hello from Vancouver island 😊

I’ve notice an increase in popularity with Sambars. Honda Acty is definitely still King in the states. I would not recommend a Sambar automatic before 1999. If you automatic, get the 6th generation.

need to know where i can source a repair manuel for a tt2 subaru sambar truck? any help in a direction thanks

Get a high mileage one. If it's been used, chances are it's been taken care of (because Japan) and they last forever with the easy maintenance you'll be doing anyway. Ex firetrucks are the real gems.

You should have way more subscribers. C’mon people!

I'm in the process of buying one but I'm unsure how I would register it in california. do you have any resources or know anyone who has?

Can you buy good rebuilt engines for this 20+ year old vehicle? How tough wld it be to install? Thx

Methanol/H20 injection...aka windshield washer fluid.

Does the Sambar have a Rev limiter to prevent over reving the Engine?

Would you recommend a supercharged one or a regular one?

You do not want to argue and YOU call me a syrup head, MAPLE SYRUP COUNTRY! DUDE! PLEASE! Well of course we are, also cheese heads. Love them to. Though thinking of the van version myself for a highway driver/camping

really awesome video...here in Japan these trucks are revved out ...to the max!...blue smoke blowin out the back...oh ya!! use and abuse,,,hahahaha

Driving a Sambar has increased my length by two inches and girth by at least one inch. I highly recommend them.

7:10 leaf springs...or nothing...bock bock...! HA So funny a friggin chicken roast crosses the screen

Like most things in life, time is the absolute worst enemy with cars too.

We’re looking for a Sambar in good condition. We have to have a 4WD with a manual transmission. Does ANYONE know where we can find one in great condition? We live in north central Washington state, USA

i want one of these. oly wa here bro support from PNW

All right... Mount Rainer!

Why haven’t you rebuilt the engines?

Sambar is love.

The oil should be changed every 2K miles or so.

i have plans on getting a kei truck soon and i think it will be a sambar or a hijet.

O K thanks from old New Orleans 😎

"Dingleberry" minitrucks or something like that....🤔

had a toyota minivan 80's engine under cab floor. Noisy, hot, a/c almost useless

Whoever’s trying to trash talk the Subaru honestly doesn’t know what they’re talking about, as much as I’m a Honda fanboy and I’ve had loads of civic hatchbacks. I’d rather have the Sanbar!

I got a hijet, a sambar van is my next kei. Yeah the 25 year law is so dumb. Needs to change.

Amsoil is the best oil money can buy.

When you get rear ended your sambar is toast.

lol i am from the maple syrup country and proud.

Sambar Life....