Miscellaneous classics #7: Mitsubishi Fuso Fighter

 

It has been a while since I wrote about commercial vehicles, and these days I have been paying attention to them more. There are a few gems that I have found which naturally most people would be hard-pressed to notice. I don't mean this in a negative way, just that these are vehicles that would be rarer than the exotic cars on the street. Since they are out there 'for the picking' and usually ignored, why not learn more about them? It was by accident that I discovered this 1990 Mitsubishi Fuso Fighter FM557F in a random corner, and it took quite a while to get more details due to the lack of identification marks...

The Fuso Fighter appeared in 1984, as the successor to the aging FK series of medium-sized trucks. Positioned between the small Canter and the large The Great, it adopted the same headlights, doors and rear panels of its bigger sibling. Some export markets featured 4 round headlights, although units in Singapore were fitted with square headlamps. In 1987, a panel moulding was attached to the top of the radiator grille, although it is noted that this feature was not necessarily applied to all units. Depending on the market, there were even variations in the logos: some units featured the word "Mitsubishi" on the grille, while other units had "Fuso". Japanese-market units had the words on the panel moulding mentioned previously, so the only way to get the actual age was to check the vehicle registry...

Compared to cars, there were a lot more truck body variations, each with its unique chassis identification. This unit is recorded as a FM557F, which could be deduced to represent a short wheelbase, and I believe the B10M label is not original. The Fighter was powered by a hefty 7545 cc Mitsubishi 6D16 inline-6 diesel engine, but as with all commercial vehicles here, its speed was capped to 60 km/h. It was 6,635 mm long and weighed 6,150 kg due to the towing apparatus, but its overall towing capacity could reach 16,000 kg. 

Production of the 1st-generation Fighter continued until 1992, where it was replaced by the 2nd generation which is still in production today. A cursory look at the heavy vehicles plying the roads here would reveal a majority of Fuso Fighters: dump trucks, cement mixers and others. However, almost all of the 1st generation Fighters have disappeared here mainly due to age, emission controls and relative lack of comfort. This could very well be one of the last survivors, as I am only aware of just 1 other old Fighter that is under restricted use in construction! Even this unit is not often seen on the road...

Older tow trucks technically do not have a lifespan limit based on the registry: they are only hindered by the owner's willingness to extend its COE, or its right to be on the road. While it is natural that people tend to use these heavy vehicles for hard work and have less sentimental value towards them, I think it is still remarkable that this unit continues to defy the odds and continue to serve its purpose. It may still be second nature to brush off these old clunkers since they do not look glamorous, but just take a minute to appreciate this relic if you do see it!

More than an old car #174: Mercedes W140

 

The 90s was a transition period: cars were becoming less angular and increased safety regulations led to many radical changes both inside and outside. Amidst all this change, the various car manufacturers also had to consider how this would impact their sales. With the well-heeled customers becoming more discerning of their tastes, various vehicles rose to the challenge such as this 1996 Mercedes W140 S420L!

The genesis of the W140 began back in 1981 with the project being helmed by Bruno Sacco. Several design proposals were studied from 1982 to 1986, and various engine designs were also considered in 1987. The overall design of the W140 took cues from other luxury cars of the period, such as the BMW E32 and the Jaguar XJ40. However, with the introduction of the Lexus LS400 in 1989 and BMW's development of their own V12 engine, Daimler-Benz were forced to make adjustments in order to ensure the W140 remained competitive: this led to cost overruns and a delay in release as a result.

However, when it finally debuted in 1991 at the Geneva Motor Show, the wait felt well-deserved. It was replete with luxuries such as heated seats, double-paned soundproof glass, leather interior and the introduction of rear-parking markers (later replaced by the Parktronic/parking assistance guide). The braking system was also improved and the Electronic Stability Program (ESP) made use of on-board computers to help with vehicle response during difficult driving conditions. 

As with the W126, the sedans were available in short and long-wheelbase versions along with a coupe (which subsequently became known as the CL class). Various engines were offered, from 2.8 litres all the way to 6 litres. All models were renamed in 1993, becoming S_ _ _ regardless of wheelbase length, body style and engine type. In 1994, there was a first facelift which featured wider headlights and radiator grille, while the rear headlights were joined by a bar running across the width. Another facelift happened in mid-1996 (like this unit) with the rear indicators now clear instead of amber, along with the introduction of front passenger airbags and xenon headlights. 

The S420L had a 4196 cc M119 V8 engine, allowing it to reach a top speed of 245 km/h with an acceleration of 8.3 seconds [0-100 km/h]. It was 5213 mm long and weighed a rather hefty 2000 kg, with an equally thirsty fuel consumption of 14.2 litres / 100 km. All things considered, it was faster than it looked: the V8 engines did its job well in providing a sedate ride for the mostly upper-class passengers. There was much criticism about how bloated it was although the sheer luxury of the interior mitigated some of the unhappiness: how could you not resist sinking yourself into those sofa seats?

Production of the W140 ended in 1998, where it was succeeded by the W220 series. More than 432,000 units were made, of which 35,191 were the extended wheelbase S420 sedans. There are still a handful of lower-end S280/S320 units which can still be found once in a while, although higher-capacity engines like this unit could very well be the last man standing. The W140 was also a popular choice for the movers and shakers of its day: well-loved by CEOs, celebrities, dictators and even gangs. Princess Diana died in one and the Japanese yakuza were so often seen in them that the "yakuza/VIP style" modifications arose from it.

Interestingly, I saw this particular unit just 1 day apart: it turned up at a carpark near my area although the owner does not reside here. It is still out and about, although finding what would probably be the last one in Singapore may prove to be a tall order. Seeing a 90s barge on the road is nonetheless a sight to behold...perhaps you may see this one day!

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!