More than an old car #173: Daihatsu Move

 

 

It gives me great pleasure to share about old cars in Singapore, from the overly exotic to the downright quotidian. While most people naturally gravitate to the weird and wonderful, I have a soft spot for rather common ones as well, which the Constant Reader would have known from my posts. What makes it more unfortunate is that most people would not even know of their existence until they disappear, such as this 1999 Daihatsu Move L901...

The Move first appeared in 1995, where it shared the same platform as the kei-size Mira. Classified as a light "tall wagon" or minivan, the additional overhead space was much welcomed compared to the Mira. This 2nd-generation L900 Move (also known as the L901 for export markets), was introduced in 1998 due to the revision of collision safety for mini vehicles. While it followed its predecessor's design in order to save costs, the overall appearance was modernised. Italdesign Giugario was involved in making this rather unassuming car look attractive: considering the standards of its time, it has not fared too badly.

A variety of grades were available for the Japanese domestic market although the engine size was capped at 659 cc. These included a turbocharged version known as the Aero Down Custom, on top of various add-ons like aero parts and decals on the doors. Export versions had a larger engine but consequently less varied than its Japanese siblings. Closer to home, the Perodua Kenari was introduced in 2000, where it shared many similarities with the Move.

The Move was powered by a 989 cc EJ-DE i3 engine, although JDM versions had the 659 cc EF-SE engines in order to qualify as a kei car. It could reach a top speed of 140 km/h, with an acceleration of 15 seconds [0-100 km/h]. As a result of kei car deimnsions, it was only 3411 mm long and weighed 790 kg, with a fuel consumption of 5.7 litres / 100 km. 

Production of the 2nd generation Move ended in 2002 where it was succeeded by the L150 series. However, the made-in-Malaysia Kenari remained up till 2009: there are still quite a handful in Singapore. The same cannot be said for the Move: this unit was scrapped just 4 days after I saw it outside the Toyota/Lexus showroom and I believe none still remain here. It happened to be driven by a car dealer: the owner might had wanted to trade it in for something newer. Interestingly, the steering wheel had been modified to accommodate a disabled driver, similar to this contraption here:

I felt it was both amazing and poignant that this little workhorse had served its owner for the past 20 years even through disability, until it outlived its usefulness: perhaps the owner may have given up driving for good, or had chosen one of the newer Toyotas out there in order to continue enjoying the freedom of the road. Truth be told, the Move just felt puny and probably inadequate for future driving duty. 

While the Move has gone the way of the dodo at least in Singapore, I was still glad to have captured this unassuming classic right before it disappeared, and I will continue to try to preserve our car history as the years go by! Hope that this has been a refreshing peek into something you might not have observed usually...

More than an old car #172: Nissan Safari

In my years of spotting, I have seen all sorts of cars: big to small, exotic and normal. However, seeing this 1985 Nissan Safari fire engine was surreal, notwithstanding the vehicle choice but the sheer coolness of it. How many of you would claim to see an old fire engine in the middle of nowhere?

The Patrol is a series of 4-wheel drive vehicles, which was first introduced in 1951. The first-generation models bore a strong resemblance to the Willys Jeep and heralded a new direction in Japanese automobile manufacturing, along with the advent of the rugged Toyota Land Cruiser. The 3rd generation, known as the 160 series, made its appearance in 1980. It was at this point that the 'Safari' name began to be used for Japanese-market vehicles: overseas units were still sold as the Patrol. The Safari was available in a few styles, including a double-cab chassis for fire trucks and were produced at the Nissan Kyushu factory. 

In 1982, the Nissan logo was moved to the centre of the grille and an an extra engine was added to the lineup. Around that time, production of the Patrol also began in Spain where some were used as army vehicles. The round headlights were changed to rectangular ones in 1985 and it remained somewhat unchanged till the end of production in 1994, with around 13,250 registered in Japan.

The Safari was powered by a 3956 cc PF40 i6 engine (a special version for fire trucks compared to the standard SD33 engine), allowing it to reach a top speed of 150 km/h with an acceleration of 15.3 seconds (0-100 km/h). It was 4795 mm long and weighed 2100 kg, with a fuel consumption of 14.8 litres / 100 km.

Based on the (faded) wordings on the truck and various plaques on it, chassis number 403876 was fitted by Yoshitani Kikai Seisakusho, Inc., a manufacturer of fire trucks and fire-fighting equipment in Showa 60 (1985), where it had a water pump with serial number 60-2014A. It was owned by the Yamaguchi plant of Kyowa Hakko Bio Co Ltd, a manufacturer of pharmaceutical products. 

 

While no Safaris existed in Singapore back then, much less a fire engine version, you could imagine how this unit would have been like when it was called up for duty. A controlled rush, sirens flashing, loudhailer blaring, and the rush of water flowing from the hose...perhaps it may have seen active duty before being owned by the pharmaceutical company: firefighters standing at the back or cramped in the cab, both tense yet composed?

How or why it ended up here so far from home would make for an interesting thought exercise: it is unlikely to be registered here, so perhaps a static display or sorts? Who knows what adventures, fires, incidents it has seen in Japan, only to end up rather ignominiously with a fridge for French baby food stuffed in the seat. It was a bizarre surprise to see a fridge for a passenger...

Incidentally, the Safari would have been dwarfed by the fire engines that we used in the 80s to 90s such as Scania and Dennis trucks. Evidently, its size must have been adapted to the narrow roads and cramped places. While I don't know if it is still around, I hope this has been informative in exposing you to the more unconventional classic vehicles here: it's not all about cars as you would have seen!

More than an old car #171: Austin 8

The next few weeks may be busy for me, so please understand if my posts are not that regular. With that said, let me introduce you to this 1946 Austin 8, which I believe many would not have heard about it...

The Austin 8 was first introduced in 1939, which incidentally coincided with WW2. It succeeded the best-selling Austin 7 as the predecessor had become increasingly dated for customers. A restyling was called for and following the arrival of Leonard Lord, the development of a new car was accelerated. The chassis was completely new and was bolted to the body, with semi-elliptic leaf springs for its suspensions. Initially, 4 base models were introduced: 2 and 4-door saloons, 2 and 4-door tourers and a van. There was also a special version made for the British military known as the 'Tilly', which was a purely 2-seater tourer featuring some differences from the civilian units. 

After the war, production resumed but this time, only the 4-door six light saloon and van remained. However, tourers were still produced but only in Australia by General Motors-Holden. Reviews at that time were positive: there was admiration on the effectiveness of its handling, straightforward control panel, brakes and general convenience for passengers such as a large boot, sun visor and rear blinds. The Austin 8 was powered by a 900 cc 4-cylinder engine (the same as the Austin 7), allowing it to reach a top speed of 56 mph (90 km/h), with an acceleration of 40.5 seconds (0-80 km/h). It was 149 inches (3785 mm) long and weighed 15.5 cwt (787 kg), with a fuel consumption of 38.7 miles per gallon (6 litres / 100 km).

Production of the 8 ended in 1948 with 56,103 units made, of which an estimated 189 post-war saloons are known to exist today. This particular unit is understood to be an original Singapore car with registration S8192: Austin 8s were sold here based on old newspaper records. It still exists here today to my knowledge under a new number plate, and the yellow-black paint really makes it stand out. As with many cars from this era, they are pretty obscure to begin with. While I do not know if it will appear anytime soon, I hope that this has been informative about a organic slice of Singapore's motor history!

(credits to @garytsl on Instagram)

More than an old car #170: Toyota Hilux Surf

 

Having left school for a while, I look back at schooling days with some nostalgia. Throughout my time, I have come across old cars of varying shapes and sizes, and this 1993 Toyota Hilux Surf SSR-X was one of the stand-outs just because it was so uncommon...

The Hilux Surf was first conceived of back in 1981 with a prototype conversion done to the Hilux truck known as the Trekker. It was done by the Winnebago company with approval from Toyota and assembled only in the US. In 1984, the Hilux Surf (or 4Runner for the export version) came into being by modifying the short-bed Hilux truck: as such all the Hilux Surfs for the 1st generation only had 2 doors. 

For the 2nd generation, the car featured a freshly designed body although it remained identical from the B-pillar onwards. Almost all units were now available in 4-door format, with very few 2-door units made. In 1991, it underwent a facelift featuring more irregularly-shaped headlights. There were also different special edition models released as well. Interestingly, opening the rear tailgate of the Hilux Surf required one to retract the glass window into the tailgate, then opening the tailgate just like a pickup truck. This differed from its competitors which had the tailgate open upwards along with the glass.

The car was available in various trims from the base 'SSR' through 'SSR Ltd', 'SSR-V' 'SSR-X' and 'SSR-X Ltd' to the range topping 'SSR-G'. Various engines were also offered for the car, but this unit was powered by a 2982 cc 1KZ-TE turbo i4 engine, allowing it to reach a top speed of 155 km/h with an acceleration of 16 seconds [0-100 km/h]. It was 4490 mm long and weighed 1880 kg, with a fuel consumption of 11.5 litres / 100 km.

Production of the 2nd generation Hilux Surf ended in 1995 with the arrival of the 3rd generation; about 308,549 units had been registered by then. This is a Malaysian unit as none are known to exist locally today, although small numbers were present back in the 90s where they were used as company vehicles. There has been an increasing number of Japanese SUVs being imported here over the past few years, as more people fall in love with its rugged nature. It is likely that similar units may end up here in the next few years (when they are able to get registered). Until then, you will be extremely lucky to see one before that!

More than an old car #169: Daimler Six

 

It is not surprising that car manufacturers have created various sub-brands to cater to different target audiences. Jaguar went the less common route by acquiring Daimler back then, but it still continues to captivate people with this 1996 Daimler Six!

The Jaguar X300 series of cars, introduced in 1994 at the Paris Motor Show, was the first XJ series produced under Ford ownership. It was the result of an extensive facilities renewal program by Ford: for instance, there were state-of-the-art body welding robots used in production of the car bodies. Externally, the bonnet became more curved to accommodate the 4 separate round headlamps and the bumpers were now integrated with the body.

4 different engines were used: 3.2 litres, 4.0 litres (turbocharged and non-turbocharged) and a 6.0 litre V12. However, these engines were used in a variety of trim levels, along with a long-wheelbase version which appeared in 1995 (known internally as the X330). The Daimler name was used for the highest trim level of the X300, featuring chrome door mirrors, door handles and a fluted grille surround. Models with the 4 litre engine were known as the Daimler Six while those with the 6 litre engine were known as the Daimler Double Six. 

It was powered by a 3980 cc AJ16 inline-6 engine, allowing it to reach a top speed of 232 km/h with an acceleration of 8.1 seconds [0-100 km/h]. Being the LWB version, it was 5149 mm long and weighed 1825 kg, with a fuel consumption of 10.6 litres / 100 km.

Production of the X300 ended in 1997 with 92,038 made, where it was succeeded by the X308 series. Out of these, only 1,330 were the Daimler Six in LWB, which makes it surprisingly rare. An estimated 3 Daimler Sixes still exist here including this one. The fact that I saw this unit a few times is a pleasant surprise especially when they become unicorns in this country. Daimler were positioned for the people who wanted more exclusivity from common Jaguars, but not shell out too much for such privilege. I'm sure you'll get to see this some day! 

More than an old car #168: Honda S800

 

I have been focused on mainly continental brands, and perhaps it is time to shift my content back to something more Asia-centric...anyway, here's a 1967 Honda S800 from my archives in 2014, and as you can see picture quality leaves much to be desired..

The S800, first introduced at the 1965 Tokyo Auto Show, was the successor to the S600 and competed with the likes of small sports cars such as the MG Midget and Triumph Spitfire. The noticeable differences were a different grille shape compared to the S600, a larger engine and a power bulge on the hood, which served an aesthetic purpose only. 

The potent engine was also high-revving to the point that it was described as the fastest production 1-litre car in the world back in 1967. Early examples (about 1,600 cars) featured a chain drive and independent suspension up to 1968, when subsequent units featured a conventional drive-shaft and disc brakes. In 1968, the S800M was released for the domestic market, featuring side marker lights on the outside and flush-mounted interior door handles. While these changes were geared for the American market, they were not exported there officially.

The S800 was powered by a 791 cc AS800E i4 engine, allowing it to reach a top speed of 160 km/h with an acceleration of 13.5 seconds [0-100 km/h]. It was 3335 mm long and weighed 720 kg, with a fuel consumption of 8.6 litres/100 km. 

Production of the S800 ended in 1970 with 11,536 units made. Honda did not make another S roadster for nearly 30 years until the S2000. This unit does not seem to exist here anymore, although I am aware of a newly-imported coupe that is currently here. I regret not taking better shots of it when it resided in the area up till 2016, where it was owned by a Japanese man. That being said, having a scuffed shot is still better than nothing, and perhaps you may get to see the existing ones soon!

More than an old car #167: Cadillac Fleetwood

The past few weeks has been busy, but I am still thankful to have this private space to write on what I am passionate about. Having been asked to cover some rare cars, I am still fascinated by the variety of unicorns here, such as this 1980 Cadillac Fleetwood Series 75!

The Series 75 was a series of full-size (ie very large) cars produced by Cadillac from the 1930s till the 1980s. When they were first introduced, they featured body styles by Fleetwood, a coachbuilder that had been absorbed by General Motors in 1931. The 'Fleetwood' name was thus applied to Cadillacs later on in history to signify a higher trim than the pedestrian Series 62/Deville. A modern equivalent would be the Mercedes Maybach models compared to the regular S-Class cars, but the size of typical American cars back in the day could match, or even exceed the Rolls-Royces of today.

In 1977, the '10.5th' generation Series 75s were introduced: online data do not really recognise it as a separate generation but a continuation of the 10th generation 75s. The main difference was a decrease in engine and overall size. In 1981, the engine was given a unique 'modulated displacement' system designed by Eaton Corporation, which in layman's terms meant that the engine cylinders could be deactivated. This was supposed to help the car run effectively under light load conditions, but it proved to be too much to handle for the onboard computer: this engine was dropped after just 1 year. This unit was powered by a 6030 cc (368 cubic inch) L62 V8 engine (not the special engine), allowing it to reach a top speed of 171 km/h with an acceleration of 15.2 seconds [0-100 km/h]. It was 6205 mm long, weighed 2161 kg and had an incredibly thirsty fuel consumption of 19.9 litres/100 km.

Production of this '10.5 generation' ended in 1984, where it was replaced by the even more-downsized 11th generation. Interestingly, this unit was an actual Singapore car: it was a 'barn find' that had been registered briefly, before it got cast aside by the owner and never put up for sale. The car was left untouched for some 20 years before it got bought over by a group of local collectors. Restoration seems to be in progress as it looks better than when I saw it 2 years ago. However, given the dearth of spare parts, getting it on the road again would be an interesting project. Cadillacs in general existed in small numbers during the 80s, back when RHD conversions were tacitly allowed. However, the difficulty in maintaining American cars and exorbitant taxes led to their extinction. 

Having seen it up close, I can attest to how huge it is. It would definitely be a head-turner if it ever goes out on the road: all other cars would look positively tiny beside it. However, its length is also a curse: HDB carparks would become out-of-bounds to such a behemoth. I have no idea when it will ever be registered, but if it happens, you would not be able to miss this one!