This 1977 Honda Civic was delivered new to Woodson Pontiac of Roanoke, Virginia and was reportedly kept as part of the Bruce Weiner Microcar Museum in Madison, Georgia before being acquired by the current owner one year ago. Finished in red over a black interior, the car is powered by a 1,488cc inline-four mated to a five-speed manual transmission and is equipped with air conditioning, wood trim, and a tachometer.
CVCC was a solution to lean combustion that let Honda’s engines run with an air/fuel ratio of less than the ideal chemically stochiometric proportion of 14.7:1. Less fuel going in meant less incompletely burned fuel coming out as pollution. The CVCC (Compound Vortex Controlled Combustion) engine debuted in 1975 and was offered alongside the standard Civic engine. The optional 53 hp CVCC engine displaced 1488 cc and had a head design that promoted cleaner, more efficient combustion. The CVCC design eliminated the need for catalytic converters or unleaded fuel to meet changing emissions standards, unlike nearly every other U.S. market car. Due to California’s stricter emissions standards, only the CVCC powered Civic was available in that state. This created a sales advantage in Honda’s favor in that CVCC equipped Honda products afforded the buyer the ability to choose any type of fuel the buyer wanted, and due to emissions equipment not being damaged by using leaded fuel, the buyer could use any gasoline products available
-Part of the Mike Malamut personal collection
The Mazda RX-7 is a sports car that was assembled and produced by the Japanese automaker Mazda from 1978 to 2002. The first RX-7 featured a 1,146 cc (69.9 cu in) twin-rotor Wankel rotary engine and a front-midship, rear-wheel drive layout.
The original RX-7 had pop-up headlamps. The compact and lightweight Wankel rotary engine is situated slightly behind the front axle, a configuration marketed by Mazda as “front mid-engine”.[citation needed] It was offered as a two-seat coupé, with optional “occasional” rear seats in Japan, Australia, the United States, and other parts of the world. The rear seats were initially marketed as a dealer-installed option for the North American markets.
The Series 3 (1984–1985) featured an updated lower front fascia. North American models received a different instrument cluster. GSL package was continued into this series, but Mazda introduced the GSL-SE sub-model. The GSL-SE had a fuel-injected 1.3 L 13B RE-EGI engine producing 135 hp and 135 lb·ft . GSL-SEs had much the same options as the GSL (clutch-type rear LSD and rear disc brakes), but the brake rotors were larger, allowing Mazda to use the more common lug nuts (versus bolts), and a new bolt pattern of 4×114.3 (4×4.5″). Also, they had upgraded suspension with stiffer springs and shocks. The external oil cooler was reintroduced, after being dropped in the 1983 model-year for the controversial “beehive” water-oil heat exchanger.
Options and models varied from country to country. The gauge layout and interior styling in the Series 3 was only changed for North American versions. Additionally, North America was the only market to have offered the first generation RX-7 with the fuel-injected 13B, model GSL-SE. Sales of the first generation RX-7 were strong, with a total of 474,565 first generation cars produced; 377,878 (nearly eighty percent) were sold in the United States alone. In 2004, Sports Car International named this car seventh on their list of Top Sports Cars of the 1970s.
This 1984 Mazda RX-7 was purchased new at Dean Patterson Mazda in Altoona, Pennsylvania where it remained with the original owner until 2009. It was reportedly passed to the husband of the original owner’s niece in Morgantown, West Virginia where it remained until we purchased it. Finished in Sunbeam Silver Metallic over burgundy cloth, the car is a GS model powered by a 1.2L 12A rotary engine mated to a 5-speed manual transmission.
Production of the first generation of the Land Cruiser began in 1951 as Toyota’s version of a Jeep-like vehicle. The Land Cruiser has been produced in convertible, hardtop, station wagon and cab chassis body styles. The Land Cruiser’s reliability and longevity has led to its huge popularity.
In 1950 the Korean War created demand for a military light utility vehicle. The war put a Jeep on Japan’s doorstep. The United States government ordered 100 vehicles with the then-new Willys specifications and tasked Toyota to manufacture them. The Toyota “Jeep” BJ prototype was developed in January 1951. This came from the demand for military-type utility vehicles. The Jeep BJ was larger than the original U.S. Jeep and more powerful courtesy of its Type B 3.4-litre six-cylinder OHV Four-stroke petrol engine which generated a power output of 84 hp at 3,600 rpm It had a part-time four-wheel drive system like the Jeep. However, and unlike the Jeep, the Jeep BJ had no low-range transfer case. In July 1951, Toyota’s test driver Ichiro Taira drove the next generation of the Jeep BJ prototype up to the sixth stage of Mount Fuji, the first vehicle to climb that height.
The name “Land Cruiser” was coined by the technical director Hanji Umehara. “In England we had another competitor — Land Rover. I had to come up with a name for our car that would not sound less dignified than those of our competitors. That is why I decided to call it ‘Land Cruiser'”, he recalls.
-Part of the Mike Malamut personal collection
The N360 featured front wheel drive and an air-cooled, four stroke, 354 cc(31 hp) two-cylinder engine. It has a beam axle/leaf spring rear suspension.
With the N360 nameplate, along with its variants, Honda used the “N” prefix, designating “norimono” (translating from Japanese to English as “vehicle” ) — to distinguish the car from its motorcycle production.
The N360 was an all new, clean-sheet product, and did not share its chassis with the Honda Sports roadster, or the Honda L700 commercial platform. The N360 was a new market segment for Honda, providing an affordable, reliable, and easy-to-maintain vehicle that had broad market appeal to private car ownership. The roadsters and trucks built up to then had specific, targeted appeal. The engine’s technological specifications reflected engineering efforts resulting from the development of the larger Honda 1300, which used an air-cooled 1.3-litre engine. One of the primary differences between the N360 and the Honda Life that followed was the N360/600 had an air-cooled engine, and the Life had a water-cooled engine.
In September 1967, Honda decided to offer their first automobile for the North American market, and they were exported to Los Angeles, California. 50 pre-production left-hand-drive examples were sent as “winter test vehicles” and were only intended to be driven 20,000 mi (32,186.9 km) for endurance testing, then collected and crushed at a local scrapyard across the street from the American Honda headquarters in the 1960s. Four of the American pre-production vehicles are still in existence, and Serial Number N600-1000001, the first one manufactured, was discovered at a Japanese-specific car show in Long Beach, California, in 2015. Our N360 is in very condition. It was found in France.
-Part of the Mike Malamut personal collection
The Toyota Sports 800 was Toyota’s first production sports car.
The car went into production in 1965, with chassis code UP15 and an increase in engine displacement from 700 cc to 800 cc, as well as dual carburetors, which increased power from 28HP to 45 HP. This engine was sufficient to power the light car around town at 70 km/h (45 mph) or on a race track up to about 160 km/h (100 mph). Production started after the introduction of Honda’s first car, called the Honda S500, and joined the market segment that was already represented by the Datsun Fairlady.
The Sports 800 was one of the first production cars featuring a lift-out roof panel, or targa top, pre-dating the Porsche Targa. The aluminum targa top could be stored in the trunk, when not in use. Weight was kept down by using aluminum on selected body panels and thin steel on the unibody construction. For the first few years of production even the seat frames were made of aluminum.
Between 1965 and 1969 approximately 3,131 units were built by Toyota subcontractor Kanto Auto Works. Only about 10% of those vehicles are known to have survived, most being in Japan. The vast majority of the 3,131 cars were right hand drive, but some 300 were left hand drive models, built primarily for the Okinawa market. Okinawa, having been American occupied, drove on the “other side” from the rest of Japan. A very limited number of left hand drive cars were used by Toyota to “test drive” in the US, but Toyota made a decision not to import or sell the cars in the US market.
-Part of the Mike Malamut personal collection
The 2000GT design is widely considered a classic among 1960s gran turismos. Nozaki’s bodywork was inspired by the E-type Jaguar. Its smoothly flowing bodywork was executed in aluminium and featured pop-up headlights above large plexiglass covered driving lamps flanking the grille similar to those on the Toyota Sports 800. Bumpers were minimal, and the car was extremely low. Despite a custom open-top version built for the James Bond film You Only Live Twice, a factory-produced convertible was never offered. The interior offered comfortable, if cramped, accommodation and luxury touches such as a rosewood-veneer dashboard and auto-seeking radio tuner.
Most of the 2000GT’s design was done by Yamaha, which also did much automobile work for other Japanese manufacturers, originally for Nissan rather than Toyota. Many credit the German-American designer Albrecht Goertz, a protégé of Raymond Loewy who had previously worked with Nissan to create the Silvia, as inspiration. He had gone to work for Yamaha in Japan in the early 1960s to modernize Nissan’s two-seater Fairlady sports car. A prototype 2000GT was built, but Nissan declined. Yamaha then proposed the design to Toyota, for whom they also did contract work, then perceived as the most conservative of the Japanese car manufacturers. Wishing to improve their image, Toyota accepted the proposal, but employed a design from their own designer.
-Part of the Mike Malamut Collection
The Subaru Sambar is a cabover kei truck and microvan manufactured by Subaru, specifically for the Japanese market. It is Japan’s first Keitora (shorthand for “kei class truck” and is still in production. The Sambar is available in both microvan and Kei truck) Pickup truck style to fulfill the Kei car guidelines. Still popular in the domestic market, the Sambar continues to be produced in Japan, China as well as in Finland with a joint venture with Elcat Automotive.
From the very beginning in 1961, the Sambar used 4-wheel independent suspension and a rear engine rear drive powertrain that helps keep the vehicle’s weight balanced. Inspired by one of the first microvans, the 1957 Fiat 600 Multipla, it was based on the Subaru 360 platform. The chassis uses a ladder frame construction, using a torsion bar trailing arm suspension in the back, and the body style is commonly referred to as “one-box”. The reverse gearshift position was a left-pattern selection, instead of a right-pattern selection. The engine, called the EK series, was accessed from a hatch inside the vehicle. The front doors opened backwards, in the same fashion as the 360.
The name Sambar is very similar to the top trim package for the Volkswagen Type 2 called the Samba introduced in 1951. It also used an air-cooled engine installed in the back, utilizing rear-wheel-drive, and was available in pickup configurations with fold-down beds.
-Part of the Mike Malamut Personal Collection
The history of Suzuki four-wheel drive cars dates to 1968. Suzuki bought former Japanese automaker Hope Motor Company, which had introduced 15 small, off-road vehicles called the HopeStar ON360. The first Suzuki-branded four-wheel drive, the LJ10 (Light Jeep 10), was introduced in 1970. The LJ10 had a 359-cc, air-cooled, two-stroke, in-line two-cylinder engine. The liquid-cooled LJ20 was introduced in 1972 with the cooling changed due to newly enacted emission regulations.
The LJ was updated in May 1972 and renamed the LJ20. The grille bars were changed from horizontal to vertical for the LJ20. The engine was replaced with an updated, water-cooled unit (the L50), and its 28 bhp enabled the LJ to reach 50 mph.
Suzuki Jimny LJ20 (1973), note spare tire placement
A special version with the spare tire mounted behind the passenger seat allowed for two small rear seats, facing each other. The introduction of left-hand drive signaled Suzuki’s worldwide ambitions for the truck. The Hard Top (Van) was also introduced when the LJ20 arrived, equipped with smaller, 15-in wheels. Suzuki did not export them to America; a US company called International Equipment Co. (IEC) imported them. Export Jimnys had the spare tire mounted on the outside, as kei regulations on length did not apply.
Towards the end of LJ20 production, a cleaner 26 bhp engine was introduced, a result of ever more stringent emissions regulations. Top speed was reported as 58 mph, payload was 250 kg or 550 lb (200 kg or 440 lb for the Van version).
-Part of the Mike Malamut Private Collection
-Part of the Mike Malamut Personal Collection
This 1979 Honda Accord LX Hatchback was sold new in Portland, Oregon. It is powered by a 1.8L CVCC inline-four mated to a 5-speed manual transaxle. Finished in brown over a beige cloth interior, this 3-door example features power steering, a period cassette player, and mud flaps.
A 4-spoke wheel is equipped, and a period National cassette stereo is installed. The instrumentation cluster includes a 110-mph speedometer, a 7k-rpm tachometer, and service indicators for tire rotations, engine oil changes, and engine oil filter changes. 90k miles are shown on the 5-digit odometer.
The carbureted 1.8L EK1 inline-four is equipped with Compound Vortex Controlled Combustion (CVCC), which originally allowed so-equipped vehicles to meet US-market emissions standards without a catalytic converter.
-Part of the Mike Malamut Personal Collection
In 1996, production of the Z32 300ZX was coming to a close, and the word at the time was that its successor would be a couple of years away. This news was not received very well in the USA, which historically was the biggest market for the Zed car, since the very first S30 series 240Z in the early 70s. Little did they know that the 350Z was actually another 6yrs away. Nissan of North America decided to do something to keep the flame burning until the new car showed up. They would restore, and sell 240Z as brand new cars again, with a new car warranty. 10 dealers would be selected to be “Z Stores”, and having brand new 240Zs on the showroom floor would bring in valuable traffic.
Old 240Zs would be found and stripped to bare shells, and then repainted. The interiors would be fitted out with the last of Nissan’s new old stock of carpets, seats, dashes, and that odd diamond pattern quilted vinyl padding over the trans tunnel. If parts were no longer available then a new run of reproduction parts would be commissioned. Drivetrains and running gear would be restored to new, and the cars were offered for sale for US$25,000. Although Nissan were not shy about admitting that each car cost more like $35,000 to restore. Buyers would get a 120,000 mile, one year Nissan new car warranty. The other difference is a small sticker on the quarter window and an emblem on the center console designating it as an official Nissan refurbished Z.
All of the “Vintage Z” cars would be built to 1972 USDM specification, which meant that they could have the hi compression, JDM-spec 150hp motor and JDM style bumpers. The 1973 USDM 240Z had lower compression for 135hp and had to carry heavier 5mph impact bumpers, and so the 1972 USDM spec was considerably more desirable. All the cars were built by Pierre’s Z Shop in southern California. The only deviations to original factory spec were non-asbestos linings for the clutch and brakes, and an upgraded radiator (to solve the 240Z’s main flaw, which was overheating in summer traffic).
The very first Vintage Z rolled out in April 1997, but the reality was that Pierre Perot’s shop could only restore about one Zed a month, and so the entire production run was sold out years before the last of the Vintage Z’s were finished. Each car has a special numbered plaque on the transmission tunnel, and the run ended at 37 cars. Many ended up right back in Japan. Nissan kept 2 cars for its own collection.
-On loan from the Mike Malamut Auto Collection
The Subaru Baja was an all-wheel-drive, four passenger, four-door utility manufactured from 2002 to 2006 by Subaru and marketed for model years 2003 to 2006. The Baja combines the handling and passenger carrying characteristics of a traditional passenger car with the open-bed versatility, and to a lesser degree, load capacity of a pickup truck.
Features included tinted rear door windows and rear window; an integrated bed liner; a dual-illumination bed light; four bed tie-down hooks; molded-in recesses to receive standard 2×4’s to enable customized (bi-level) storage; standard roof rails with cross bars; a tow rating of 2,400 lb (1,089 kg), a rear seat center position rigid hinged storage compartment with integral twin cup holders, rear-seat power supply, rear-seat center storage net, map-pockets at rear of each front seat; an under-bed mounted spare tire, operable via a cable winch accessible from an access panel in the bed itself and a fold-up license plate holder with a mechanism allowing the plate to lock perpendicular to the tailgate, so that with the tailgate lowered, the plate remained visible – mimicking the tailgate and license plate arrangement on older station wagons with bi-parting tailgates
-Part of the Mike Malamut Personal Collection
Developed in Japan in 1977 at the request of the President of Subaru of America, the BRAT was introduced to match the demand for small trucks in the USA, from Toyota, Nissan, and Mazda. Unlike these trucks, all BRATs had four-wheel drive, being developed from the existing Leone station wagon.
The car has other features such as an optional T-top split roof, a spring-loaded hidden door for a side step into the cargo bed, and a spare tire mounted under the hood.
When the Leone was redesigned in 1979 for the 1980 model year the BRAT continued with the original body until 1982. In 1987 imports to North America ceased, but exports to Europe, Australia, Latin America and New Zealand continued until 1994. Due to truncating demand of pickup trucks since late 1970s as Japanese customers shifted to station wagons at that time, Subaru never considered marketing the BRAT in their home market.
The USA and Canada’s version also had carpeting and welded-in rear-facing jumpseats in the cargo area. These were a tariff-avoidance ploy,with the plastic seats in the cargo bed allowing Subaru to classify the BRAT as a passenger car – charged only a 2.5%, compared to 25% tariff on light trucks due to Chicken tax. They were discontinued after the 1986 model year.
-Part of the Mike Malamut Personal Collection
In 1931 Mazda was born by introducing the Mazda-Go Type-DA. This was a three-wheeled “truck” that Mazda likely still hails as a machine of class-leading performance and maximum loading capacity. Mazda managed to get itself noticed by promoting the truck across the country. This happened by taking a caravan of Mazda-Gos across the country in 1936. The group covered the 2,700 kilometers between Tokyo and Kagoshima in 26 days. It showed the public how good these Mazdas really were. The Asian market liked the three-wheeled truck. The Mazda-Go would go on through a natural evolution in the decades to come, long before the company ever built a proper car.
After World War II, in 1950, Mazda introduced the third generation of its three-wheeler. The growing economy called for swift and efficient transport. That explained the ever growing seriousness of these trucks in terms of engine, capacity, and driver comfort. Why did Mazda stick with three wheels for so long? Taxes! Three-wheeled trucks were charged less tax than even the smaller four-wheeled variants. In addition to the road tax savings, a single front wheel allowed for more steering lock. These trucks were more nimble on the twisting mountain roads and in the crowded cities of Japan. One less wheel also meant a lower production cost.
In 1974, the T2000 ceased production to be replaced later by a new T2000 that did in fact had four wheels.
This particular truck is a rare left-hand drive model that was built for the Japanese market in Okinawa.
-Part of the Mike Malamut Personal Collection
The original Datsun Fairlady was produced from 1960 to 1962. It is sometimes known as the sports 1200, or the SPL212/213. The Fairlady was the first sports car Datsun imported into the U.S. With steel bodywork, it was built in slightly higher volume than the S211, with 288 produced through 1961. The car is quipped with an E-series straight four engine with 4-speed manual transmission. The main difference between the 213 and 212 was the added dual-carburetor which added an extra 12 horsepower to the smaller two-seater vehicle. As an affordable alternative to expensive sports cars, the Datsun Fairlady began to make its mark in the sports car world.
-Part of the Mike Malamut personal collection
-Part of the Mike Malamut Personal Collection
-Part of the Mike Malamut Personal Collection
-Part of the Mike Malamut Personal Collection
The Honda CVCC wagon debuted in 1975. The CVCC (Compound Vortex Controlled Combustion) engine also debuted in 1975 and was offered alongside the standard Civic engine. The optional 53 hp CVCC engine displaced 1488 cc and had a head design that promoted cleaner, more efficient combustion. The CVCC design eliminated the need for catalytic converters or unleaded fuel to meet changing emissions standards, unlike nearly every other U.S. market car. Due to California’s stricter emissions standards, only the CVCC powered Civic was available in that state. This created a sales advantage in Honda’s favor in that CVCC equipped Honda products afforded the buyer the ability to choose any type of fuel the buyer wanted, and due to emissions equipment not being damaged by using leaded fuel, the buyer could use any gasoline products available. Check out some Motor Trend reviews on the early CVCC.
Honda wagons have become quite rare. This life long California car is currently undergoing a refresh in the museum’s shop.
-Part of the Mike Malamut Personal Collection
Introduced in 1958, the Subaru 360 was the first passenger vehicle produced by Fuji Heavy Industries. In 1968, Malcolm Bricklin imported a U.S. legal version to America. Although these federalized cars cost a mere $1,300, their light construction and two-cylinder, 25 horsepower engines were not appreciated here and Subaru temporarily withdrew from the America market in 1970.
-On loan from The Mike Malamut personal collection
The NSX was designed by a team led by Chief Designer Masahito Nakano and Executive Chief Engineer Shigeru Uehara. It benefited from advanced aerodynamics and styling inspired by a F-16 fighter jet cockpit and input from the late Formula One World Champion, Ayrton Senna, during the final development stages.
The NSX became the world’s first mass-produced car to feature an all-aluminium body. It was powered by an all-aluminium 3.0 L V6 engine, which featured Honda’s VTEC (Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control) system developed in the 1980s and a 5-speed manual transmission. Starting in 1994, the SportShift 4-speed automatic transmission, also known as F-Matic, was offered. It allowed the option of conventional automatic shifting or manually shifting with a fingertip shift lever on the steering column.
It was built in a purpose-made factory in Japan. It was originally available as a coupé and, from 1995, a targa top. North American models were sold as the Acura NSX.
This 1991 Acura NSX has 23k miles and is finished in Berlina Black with Ivory interior. This example was with the previous owner for over 20 years. It is one of 525 cars delivered to the US in this color combination during the first model year. It features a semi-monocoque body, extruded alloy frame and suspension components, and an all-aluminum 3.0 liter VTEC V6 paired with a 5-speed manual. The car carried a $62k MSRP when new and has been kept mechanically and cosmetically stock throughout.
-On loan from The Mike Malamut personal collection
The Toyota Sports 800 is Toyota Motor Corporation’s first production sports car. The prototype for the Sports 800, called the Toyota Publica Sports, debuted at the 1962 Tokyo Auto Show, featuring a space age sliding canopy and utilizing the 28 hp power train of the Toyota Publica 700, a Japanese market economy car. The Toyota Sports 800 is affectionately called the “Yota-Hachi”, which is a Japanese short form for “Toyota 8”.
The car had aerodynamic styling by Shozo Sato, a designer on loan from Datsun, and Toyota engineer Tatsuo Hasegawa. Hasegawa had been an aircraft designer in World War II and the resulting Sports 800 was a lightweight and agile machine.The Sports 800 was one of the first production cars featuring a lift-out roof panel, or targa top, pre-dating the Porsche Targa. The aluminum targa top could be stored in the trunk, when not in use.
Between 1965 and 1969 approximately 3,131 units were built by Toyota subcontractor Kanto Auto Works. Only about 10% of those vehicles are known to have survived, most being in Japan. Production Tables show 1,235 cars manufactured in 1965, 703 in 1966, 538 in 1967, 440 in 1968, and 215 in 1969.
The vast majority of the 3,131 cars were right hand drive, but some 300 were left hand drive models, built primarily for the Okinawa market. (Okinawa, having been American occupied, drove on the “other side” from the rest of Japan.) A very limited number of left hand drive cars were used by Toyota to “test drive” in the US, but Toyota made a decision not to import or sell the cars in the US market.
Weight was kept down by using aluminum on selected body panels and thin steel on the unibody construction. For the first few years of production even the seat frames were made of aluminum.
The Toyota S800 is the little brother to the 2000GT. Mike has always found them a must have for the micro car collection. He dreamed of pairing the 2000 GT & the S800 together in the museum. There are many RHD examples around but few good LHD for sale.
Rich Street referred the seller of this one to Mike. Rich specializes in parts and is a go to guy for these cars. He has parts and knows where the great examples hide.
Besides having the rare working gas heater, this car also has a working original radio. These are rare options.
Chris Hill from Autodino in Kansas did the mechanical restoration. He specializes in Ferarri restorations.
-On loan from The Mike Malamut personal collection
The Nissan Patrol is a series of four-wheel drive vehicles manufactured by Nissan in Japan and sold throughout the world.
The Patrol has been available as either a short-wheelbase (SWB) three-door or a long-wheelbase (LWB) five-door chassis since 1951. The LWB version has been offered in pickup truck and cab chassis variants.
The Patrol was available in Australia, Central and South America, South Africa, parts of Southeast Asia and Western Europe as well as Iran and the Middle East.
The soft-top Nissan Patrol 60 (two-door) and G60 (two-door; 98.4 in wheelbase) were first sold in Australia in 1960. Left-hand drive L60/GL60 models were sold outside of Australia.
American customers could get Patrols only from 1962 until 1969. Patrols were sold through Datsun dealerships, making it the only Nissan-badged vehicle sold in the USA until the early 1980s when the Datsun marque was phased out.
The 4WD Nissan Patrol 60 series was produced in short, medium and long wheel-base versions. It had a manual transmission type-F3B83L at first with three and later with four speeds, two-speed transfer case with part-time four-wheel drive. The motor was the P engine, a 3,956 cc (241.4 cu in) inline overhead-valve six-cylinder, featuring bathtub-shaped combustion chambers and a fully balanced seven-bearing crank shaft.
-On loan from The Mike Malamut personal collection
A series of roadsters produced by Nissan in the 1960s, this series was a predecessor to the Z-car in the Fairlady line, and offered an inexpensive alternative to the European MG and Triumph sports cars. The line began with the 1959 “S211” and continued through 1970 with the “SP311” and “SR311” line.
-On loan from The Mike Malamut personal collection
The Toyota Land Cruise is a series of four-wheel drive vehicles produced by the Japanese automobile manufacturer Toyota. It is Toyota’s longest running series of models. Production of the first generation of the Land Cruiser began in 1951 as Toyota’s version of a Jeep-like vehicle.
Traditional body on frame SUVs, most 40 series Land Cruisers were built as 2-door models with slightly larger dimensions than the similar Jeep CJ.
The Land Cruiser has been produced in convertible, hardtop, station wagon and cab chassis body styles. The Land Cruiser’s reliability and longevity has led to huge popularity that continues to this day.
-On loan from The Mike Malamut personal collection
The S800 is a sports car from Honda produced from 1966–1970. Introduced at the 1965 Tokyo Motor Show, the S800 would replace the successful Honda S600 as the company’s image car and would compete with the Austin-Healey Sprite, MG Midget, Triumph Spitfire and Fiat 850 Spider. The 791 cc straight-4 engine produced 70 hp (52 kW) at 8000 rpm, thus making this Honda’s first 100 mph (160 km/h) automobile, but still allowing for 35 mpg (6.7 L/100 km). In April 1967 the car was described as the fastest production 1-litre car in the world thanks to its high revving engine (up to 10,000 rpm) and the manufacturer’s history of manufacturing powerful relatively low capacity motorcycle engines.
-On loan from The Mike Malamut personal collection
The Mazda Cosmo Sport (sold overseas as the 110S) – the world’s first volume production sports car powered by a rotary engine – was unveiled to the public at the Tokyo Motor Show in October 1963. When the president of Mazda, Tsuneji Matsuda, drove the prototype into show venue it was a surprise to everyone. The Mazda Cosmo Sport featured beautiful, futuristic proportions and exceptional driving performance. It was a vehicle that clearly deserved the comment, “More like flying than driving.”
Rotary engine development began at Mazda in 1961, and for the next six years presented nothing but problems and setbacks. The most serious of which was the appearance of chatter marks on the inner walls of the rotor housing. These marks were known to Mazda engineers as “nail marks of the Devil” and always appeared after a certain period of operation. After many trials, the engineers finally conquered this difficult problem by developing seals made of high-strength carbon infused with aluminum, and the Mazda rotary engine was born. As other automakers steadily abandoned the rotary engine, Mazda succeed in its commercialization. The Mazda Cosmo Sport was born from Mazda’s tenacity and passion for rotary engine development.
The Mazda Cosmo Sport was eventually launched on May 30, 1967.
It was a real breakthrough for sports cars, reaping the benefits of a rotary engine with 491cc x 2 capacity, maximum power of 110ps, top speed of 185 km/h, a quarter-mile (400m) time of 16.3 seconds and low, flowing styling. At the time, the Mazda Cosmo Sport was the only sports car of its kind, and sold around 30 units per month. The Cosmo Sport also enjoyed success in international motorsport.
-On loan from The Mike Malamut personal collection
The Mazda R360 is a kei car that was produced by Mazda. It was Mazda’s first real car – a two-door, four-seat coupé. Introduced in 1960, it features a short 69 inch wheelbase and weighs just 838 lb. It is powered by a rear-mounted air-cooled 356 cc V-twin engine putting out about 16 hp and 16 lb·ft of torque. The car is capable of about 52 mph. It has a 4-speed manual transmission. The suspension, front and rear, is rubber “springs” and torsion bars.
Within a few years of introducing the R360, Mazda had captured much of the lightweight (kei car) market in Japan. Production of the R360 lasted for six years.
-Part of the Mike Malamut Collection
The two-door Honda Z debuted in October 1970 and was marketed until 1973 in most countries. American sales (only with the larger 600 cc engine) lasted for model years 1970 through 1972, ending prior to the 1973 introduction of the Civic. Marketed as the “sport coupé” version of the N600, the two were sold side by side at American motorcycle dealerships until the first stand-alone automobile dealers opened to market the Civic. Total production was 40,586 units. In some countries, such as the US, the Z600 name simply reflected the engine’s size of 598 cc.
The Z featured coil sprung and independent front suspension and leaf springs on a beam axle rear suspension. The interior accommodated two adults, with a very small rear seat. A rear glass hatch with a black plastic surround opened to a shallow cargo area. Below the cargo area a compartment, accessible via a lid beneath the number plate, held the spare wheel and tools.
-Part of the Mike Malamut Collection
In November 1957, Datsun introduced the type 220 pickup truck, the second generation of its pickup series as the successor to the 120 series. The type 220 was produced from 1957 to 1961. During this time four models were produced: 220 (1957-1958), 221 (1959-1960), 222 (1960), and 223 (1961). The chassis was based on the 210 sedan series. The bottom of the cargo section on the 221 ends just below the height of the wheel, on the 222 a small skirt section has been added. The 221 was available with either a 1000 or 1200 engine. Side mounted badges in the vehicle say DATSUN 1000. There is a round badge in the center of the dashboard that says DATSUN 1000, or on the 1200 version these badges all say Datsun 1200. This 221 Datsun pickup is a 1000cc model with a Nissan C OHV 4 cylinder motor that puts out 37 horsepower.
This quarter-ton pickup was one of only ten models that were first sold in the US as a test series for the American market. There are only couple of these 59’s known have survived, and this one is believed to be the only restored one in existence. This truck deserves some credit for being one of the founding fathers of the Japanese compact pickup line in the America.
-On loan from The Mike Malamut personal collection
The Subaru Sambar is a microvan manufactured by Subaru, specifically for the Japanese market. It is Japan’s first Keitora (shorthand for “kei class truck” and is still in production. The Sambar is available in both microvan and Kei truck. Still popular in the domestic market, the Sambar continues to be produced in Japan, China as well as in Finland.
From the very beginning in 1961, the Sambar used 4-wheel independent suspension and a rear engine rear drive powertrain that helps keep the vehicle’s weight balanced. Inspired by one of the first microvans, the 1957 Fiat 600 Multipla, it was based on the Subaru 360 platform. The chassis uses a ladder frame construction, using a torsion bar trailing arm suspension in the back, and the body style is commonly referred to as “one-box”. The reverse gearshift position was a left-pattern selection, instead of a right-pattern selection. The engine, called the EK series, was accessed from a hatch inside the vehicle. The front doors opened backwards, in the same fashion as the 360.
The redesigned Sambar (Second generation) appeared in January 1966 with a fresh new appearance, with a van version introduced. The nickname for this generation is “baban” Sambar.
The Sambar continued to use the 356 cc EK series engine, but now in the 20 hp iteration used in the Subaru 360 since July 1964. A raised roof for extended headroom was added to the options list in 1968.
-Part of the Mike Malamut Collection
This 1972 Suzuki LJ20 “Jimny” was restored in 2010. This second series example features a water-cooled 360cc two-stroke twin, four speed manual transmission and two-speed transfer case. It drives very well, draws lots of attention, and sounds like a dirt bike.
Jimnys were not officially imported to the US by Suzuki, and about 800 were instead brought to the US by IEC. As the US did not enforce Kei length restrictions, this truck has the spare wheel mounted outside the tailgate rather than behind the seats. Overall length is just over nine feet. The seller states that the roll bar appears correct for the truck, though it is not a factory piece. The Safari top and cargo area cover are likewise not stock. The grille sports eight vertical slats; one more than the Jeeps the Jimny was modeled after. The Suzuki name is stamped fully through the grille.
Power comes from a water-cooled 360cc two stroke parallel twin that was rated at around 25 horsepower when new. It is backed by a 4-speed manual transmission with a top speed of around 45 miles per hour.
In August 1961 Datsun introduced the new 320 series. It was produced until 1965 in three series (320–322). The 320 series was largely inherited from the earlier 120/220, although with clear improvements to body and frame. It used the Nissan E-1 engine. This engine produced 60 HP.
All Datsun trucks kept the A-arm torsion bar front suspension with leaf-sprung rear ends and had a 1/2 ton load capacity. Rear end gearing was a low 4.875:1 along with a four-speed transmission. As a result, the 320 was not freeway friendly above 60 mph. Fender emblems showed “Datsun 1200” and “60 HP”
Available body styles included a single cab “truck” (320), a longer wheelbase single cab truck (G320), a double cab “pickup” with flush sides (U320), and a three-door “light-van” (V320).
The 320 came in two cab and bed versions: Regular, and as the NL320 “Sports Pick-Up” (1963–65 seen here), which is the more rare version with the cab and bed of a one-piece design. Around 1,000 Sports versions were produced. Its back half is greatly different than that of the standard, separate bed 320 pick-up.
-Part of the Malamut Auto Collection
The S600 was an evolution of the original S500. The S500 was powered by an advanced 531cc four-cylinder engine with dual overhead camshafts and four 31mm sidedraft Kei-Hin carburetors. It produced 44hp at 8,000 rpm. The all-aluminum engine was mated to a four-speed gearbox with synchromesh on second through fourth. Four-wheel drums provided stopping power. Going back to Honda’s motorcycle roots, the S500 had an independent rear suspension, with final drive provided by an enclosed chain that ran from a stub axle to a short arm that turned each rear wheel. The chain case pivoted with coil-over-shock units damping their movement.
More power, and for the next year, a second body style, were introduced when the S600 hit Japan’s auto market in 1964. The roadster’s basic shape carried over with minor alterations in headlights, grille and front bumper trim. The S600s was also marketed in left-hand-drive versions for export markets, although none came to America through official channels.
Honda made sure that their highest profile vehicles presented the best possible driving experience. In addition to their performance and economy, S600s had a long list of standard equipment. This included a wood-rim steering wheel, two-speed windshield wipers and washers, a tool kit and whitewall tires. Options included a heater, an adjustable passenger seat, reversing lamps, a radio, cigarette lighter, and on roadsters, a tonneau cover and fiberglass hardtop.
Today’s S2000 roadster is a direct spiritual descendant of Honda’s first production car, the Sport 500.
Part of the Malamut Auto Collection
The Toyota Publica is a small car manufactured by the Japanese automaker Toyota from 1961 to 1978. Conceived as a family car to fulfill the requirements of the Japanese Government’s “national car concept”, it was the smallest Toyota car during that period.
In 1966, Toyota launched the revised Publica range, designated UP20. The engine displacement was increased from 697 cc to 790 cc, and claimed power output from 35 HP to 36 HP. Since October that year, the dealers were operating under the “Toyota Publica” (rather than just “Publica”) brand. The base price was reduced to ¥359,000 for 1967. As the US dollar stood at about ¥360 at that time, Toyota marketed the Publica as the “1000 dollar car”. The Publica dealerships were later renamed “Toyota Corolla Store” after the popularity of the Corolla won out over the Publica as an affordable, small car.
Part of the Malamut Auto Collection
Production of the first generation of the Land Cruiser began in 1951 as Toyota’s version of a Jeep-like vehicle. The Land Cruiser has been produced in convertible, hardtop, station wagon and cab chassis body styles. The Land Cruiser’s reliability and longevity has led to its huge popularity.
In 1950 the Korean War created demand for a military light utility vehicle. The war put a Jeep on Japan’s doorstep. The United States government ordered 100 vehicles with the then-new Willys specifications and tasked Toyota to manufacture them. The Toyota “Jeep” BJ prototype was developed in January 1951. This came from the demand for military-type utility vehicles. The Jeep BJ was larger than the original U.S. Jeep and more powerful courtesy of its Type B 3.4-litre six-cylinder OHV Four-stroke petrol engine which generated a power output of 84 hp at 3,600 rpm It had a part-time four-wheel drive system like the Jeep. However, and unlike the Jeep, the Jeep BJ had no low-range transfer case. In July 1951, Toyota’s test driver Ichiro Taira drove the next generation of the Jeep BJ prototype up to the sixth stage of Mount Fuji, the first vehicle to climb that height.
The name “Land Cruiser” was coined by the technical director Hanji Umehara. “In England we had another competitor — Land Rover. I had to come up with a name for our car that would not sound less dignified than those of our competitors. That is why I decided to call it ‘Land Cruiser'”, he recalls.
This 1969 Land Cruiser was restored from the ground up in 2012-13 by Mathew Ramsowner. It has a manual 3 speed transmission and transfer case offering high and low speeds. Front hubs can be manually locked. Care was taken to make the FJ as original as possible. Exceptions include a dual circuit master cylinder and late model all-weather tires. A custom soft top copies the original exactly. The seat material color s original to the Fashion Green paint job.
Part of the Malamut Auto Collection
The 1970 240Z was introduced to the American market by Yutaka Katayama, president of Nissan Motors USA operations, widely known as “Mr. K”. The 1970 through the mid-1971 model year 240Z was referred to as the Series I. These early cars had many subtle but notable features differing from later cars. The most easily visible difference is that these early cars had a chrome “240Z” badge on the sail pillar, and two horizontal vents in the rear hatch below the glass molding providing flow through ventilation. In mid-1971, for the Series II 240Z-cars, the sail pillar emblems were restyled with just the letter “Z” placed in a circular vented emblem, and the vents were eliminated from the hatch panel of the car. Design changes for the US model 240Z occurred throughout production, including interior modifications for the 1972 model year, and a change in the location of the bumper over-riders, as well as the addition of some emission control devices and the adoption of a new style of emissions reducing carburetors for the 1973 model year.
The 1970 models were introduced in October 1969, received the L24 2.4-liter engine with a manual choke and a four-speed manual. A less common three-speed automatic transmission was optional from 1971 on, and had a “Nissan full automatic” badge.
This 1970 Datsun 240Z is powered by a numbers-matching inline-six paired with a 4-speed manual transmission. It is said to be unmodified, and stayed with its original owner until 1985. The third owner, a collector and Z Club of America member, purchased the car in 1989 and kept it until last year. Since acquiring it three months ago, the selling dealer has corrected a poor paint blend on the left rear quarter. This Z has retained the original books, manuals, tool kit, accessory lights, and a selection of old service records and titles.
The early-style hatch features vertical defrosters and small vents below the rear window. Correct US market lighting is fitted, including side markers front and rear.
The upholstery, interior panels, steering wheel, seats, and radio are all described to be original, though the seat padding is beginning to age. Per the seller, the seat vinyl shows minimal wear. The interior features are said to work correctly, including the radio, power antenna and clock. The odometer shows 31,140 miles, and is believed to be accurate based on the service records available.
-On loan from The Mike Malamut personal collection
The second-generation NSX combines classic sports car sensibilities with cutting-edge car technology to create an entirely unique driving experience.
Assembled at Acura’s high-performance plant in Marysville, Ohio, the NSX chassis uses space-age combinations of ultra-high-strength steel and very lightweight aluminum, married to a largely aluminum body, driven by a hybrid drivetrain with a 3.5-liter, twin-turbo V-6 engine and three direct-drive electric motors.
Through a nine-speed dual-clutch transmission and the NSX’s “sport hybrid super handling AWD,” those attributes make a combined 573 horsepower and 476 pound-feet of torque, on a vehicle that weighs just over 3,800 pounds. The result is Zero to 60 mph in under three seconds with a reported top speed of 191 mph.
-On loan from The Mike Malamut personal collection