Why must the rest of the world torture me?

Lately I've had this hair-brained idea about selling my Tundra and slipping further into the classic ski/climbing/riding bum stereotype by getting a van. I don't just want any old van, I want a Toyota van... the cool type that is more like a Vanagon than a minivan. Trouble is, they stopped importing them into the US in 1989 for whatever reason. Probably the same as the Vanagon: US law prohibited a forward-of-the-axle driver position. That's why we got the Eurovan. :nonono2:

They continued to make such sweet vans in Japan, and peeps in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, continued to get to buy them. Even Canadians can import Japanese vans if they're older than 15 years. They're most 2.4L turbo diesels, and you can get 4wd. But alas, the US will not allow them to be brought in. Granted, they're right-hand-drive, but oh well.

I want this:

http://www.cars-directory.net/pics/t...ce_1705294.jpg


Somebody posted an auction for a Mitsubishi Delica here a few months ago, but I can't find it now. There was a good thread of discussion on the problem.

[/sad]

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Originally Posted by bio-smear

Why must the rest of the world torture me?

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Because your feet stink.

I wish Toyota would put a minivan on the new Taco platform!!!!!

Would a minivan be KOOL if it had a locker??? I'd buy one regardless.

[QUOTE=bio-smearI want a Toyota van... [/QUOTE]

:eek:
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What about one of these? Is this not the ultimate ski bum rig???

http://pics.thebiglot.com/366652.jpg

Hell, yeah. We lived out of one of these for 3 months touring Oz, would make an awesome ski vehicle - cheap on gas, roomy, has a kitchen and available w/ 4wd.

http://www.tarraford.com.au/images/C...%201%20Low.jpg

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Originally Posted by PlayHarder

Hell, yeah. We lived out of one of these for 3 months touring Oz, would make an awesome ski vehicle - cheap on gas, roomy, has a kitchen and available w/ 4wd.

http://www.tarraford.com.au/images/C...%201%20Low.jpg

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What's that cage on the front?

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Originally Posted by Sinecure

What's that cage on the front?

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To keep Kangaroos from coming through the windshield is what they told us.

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Originally Posted by PlayHarder

To keep Kangaroos from coming through the windshield is what they told us.

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I guess if you were tall you could store shit up there too, and just look out over it.

Is that a HiAce? What's cool is that there is another one in the distance. Why does the US sucks at importing cool cars?

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Originally Posted by bio-smear

Why does the US sucks at importing cool cars?

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Good question, though I can't agree that a late 1980s Toyota minivan is a "cool car." (However, if VW were to create an updated pop-top camper, with AWD, and a small turbo Diesel, that'd be pretty tempting.)

But I digress.

Here's a cool car you can't get in the U.S., at least not without a lot of effort (supposedly the next version of the Skyline GTR is coming to the U.S., and not in diluted Infiniti form)

http://www.fotos.org/galeria/data/56...-Tuning-01.jpg

the cage keeps rocks off the windshield too.

I've had a few of those toyota vans, they're nice runners. But I always HATED HATED HATED the feet first driving position. I had the piss scared out of me on a daily basis. I would definitely go with something that had more out front, if I had a choice.

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Originally Posted by bio-smear

I guess if you were tall you could store shit up there too, and just look out over it.

Is that a HiAce? What's cool is that there is another one in the distance. Why does the US sucks at importing cool cars?

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That's a HiAce, they're literally everywhere over there along with Hilux diesel trucks. Really made me sad when I bought my Taco and found that Toyota is dumping their diesels and going totally hybrid (for NA, anyway) over the next 5-10 years.

I was actually talking with an importer and the dealer on that Delica. There is a list of vehicles that can be brought across the border. The Delica wasn't one of those. We had some sneaky ideas like keeping it registered in Canada, having a Canadian bring it across and sell it here...but nothing seemed to work.

Fucking US is outlawing cool cars that get good gas mileage because of "safety" concerns. Every other country seems to think they are safe and you won't see many jacked up F350 V10s in those countries. Coincidence? I'm bored at work so just another conspiracy theory because I'm cranky that I couldn't buy the Delica.

I didn't keep any of the info so can't help you there.

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Originally Posted by Conundrum

<snip>

Fucking US is outlawing cool cars that get good gas mileage because of "safety" concerns. Every other country seems to think they are safe and you won't see many jacked up F350 V10s in those countries. Coincidence? I'm bored at work so just another conspiracy theory because I'm cranky that I couldn't buy the Delica.

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It's because of the Sue-Happy Jack-offs in the US, it's funny we spend all this time and money to develop cars that are idiot proof so we don't get sued....

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Originally Posted by Andy_B

It's because of the Sue-Happy Jack-offs in the US, it's funny we spend all this time and money to develop cars that are idiot proof so we don't get sued....

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Can't blame only the American sue-happy jack-offs -- don't forget the new European pedestrian safety crush zones being designed into car hoods...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp...nguage=printer