Dream Machine #001: Daihatsu Hijet

I first became aware of the Daihatsu Hijet Van while watching some forgettable Hong Kong action flick. A group of bank robbers all piled into a black one to not only pull the heist, but to out run the police.

I know now that quite a bit of artistic liberty was taken as to the performance of the van. Although it is quite an under-performer it still has a cult following and is an awesome van to own.

As obvious by the pictures you can see this van is small. It's not a mini van, it's a  micro van. The specs read like that of a high powered golf cart, a 1.0 three cylinder or the upgraded 1.3 four cylinder. It's a mid engine vehicle with the motor sitting under the front drivers seat. With the 1.3 motor the top speed is around 45 miles an hour. It is possible to put on larger tires and reach speeds up to 60 mph, though some question the safety of such an upgrade.

The Hijet ruffly translates to Midget in English, and although the similarly styled JDM Toyota Hiace sounds the same in name, Daihatsu was first to manufacture their van. As stated above the Hijet comes in different flavors, besides the 3 or 4 cylinder option all wheel drive is a choice as well.

Why this vehicle has a cult following has more to do with performance than it being cute. Although it seems criminally under-powered it is a mid engine vehicle with rear wheel drive. Couple with the fact that it weighs so little makes this thing a drift monster. Don't believe me, look it up on youtube and watch the little guys tear up the street (and their tires.)

So, why do I want one? Well I can't say I would drift in it, but when I open a shop it would be cool to have one as a parts runner. Believe it or not the Hijet can handle quite a load, you wont get there fast, but you will get there. Besides that it looks so JDM I would love to drive one around town just for the double takes.

Although you don't see them on the road that often, they do occasionally pop up for sale online. Usually broken in some way. As you might have thought parts are a bitch to find stateside. It helps if you have a direct line to someone in Japan that can ship parts. Something to look out for is that the truck version of this vehicle is also called the Hijet, so when you see one for sale online it might be the truck version.

As an interesting foot note a Hijet was featured on MTV's Pimp My Ride. West Coast Customs did their usual tacky paint job, but the interior was cherry. Watch it here.

For more information on owning or buying a Hijet check out Micro Van Owners Club.