Not Portly – 1967 Toyota Stout 1900

October 1, 2013

You wouldn’t believe it today, looking at Toyota’s vast manufacturing capabilities spread around the planet, but in 1964, they introduced the Stout 1900 pickup and sold a grand total of 4 trucks. This was Toyota’s first effort in the American pickup market, and you can imagine the objections – lack of legroom, lack of power, lack of size. Of course, that was all before anyone knew about the fuel crisis that would show up about 10 years later, when all those things were non-issues compared to fuel consumption. Today’s feature truck is not quite as rare as the 1964 model, but will still give you the feeling of those early days. You can find this 1967 Toyota Stout 1900 at $2000 with no bids and one day left to go in Lyle, WA.

1967 Toyota Stout right front

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Toyota Coupes #1 – 1968/9 Toyota Corona Mark 2

October 1, 2013

As classic car enthusiasts, it’s entirely legitimate to have conflicted feelings about older Japanese cars. When they were built, they were considered a cheaper, more primitive alternative, and they were ultimately responsible for displacing cars and manufacturers from Italy, France, the United States, and England from our market. That said, the displaced manufacturers also shared that responsibility, and surviving old Japanese cars are now cool for being rare and signalling the beginning of a revolution in the world car market. While their styling was sometimes derivative, it’s still interesting to see the Japanese interpretation of what would sell well in the North American market. A prime example of this is this 1968 Toyota Corona Mark II hardtop coupe, available for $3500 in Santa Fe, NM.

1968 Toyota Corona Mark 2 right rear

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Box Stock – 1986 Honda Civic CRX

September 30, 2013

Considering what a time of uncertainty it was for the automotive industry, the 1980s truly produced some icons. BMW M3, Porsche 944, VW GTI, and many others came from this era. One more icon you can’t forget is the Honda Civic CRX. Originally designed as a commuter car like the Fiero, the CRX quickly started winning admirers due to exactly those things that helped it save fuel – light weight, compact size, high-tech engine, only those people admired it for its performance. If you want to admire one in your driveway, you can pick up this 1986 Honda CRX for $2390 in Yakima, WA, where it’s been for sale for at least a month.

1986 Honda CR-X left front

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