The car I love

[2strokebloke]

I love a car which is little loved outside of Japan - the Subaru 360.

In Japan it was the best selling domestic car for most of the 1960's, in the U.S. it sold for only three model years, and was such a flop that dealers still had left over '70 models on their lots in 1972!
A few Americans however have a place in their heart for a missunderstood car, placed where it was not meant to be.
Critics called it, too slow, too dangerous, and too small for American roads - we just weren't ready for a 60mpg car in 1968 (and by the looks of things, most people still aren't)
Even now I'm getting guff, car collectors don't like them (apparently the only "classic" Japan produced during the 60's was the Datsun 240Z) and environment minded folk don't like it's smoky 2-stroke engine, even if it burns only four times more oil than a 4-stroker, and when compared to a caddy of the same year is cleaner when measured in GPM!
Fortunately, the Subaru 360 has always been and always will be loved in it's home country, and by a couple freaks outside of that country.

Just because something is slow, or small, or looks funny, or is dangerous (as in suicide doors, and a gas tank mounted inside the passenger compartment) or smokes, doesn't make it a bad car! After all how could 1.5 million Japanese be wrong?
Some people will never understand.

[450HPviper]

Never heard of it. Got any pics.

[2strokebloke]

The yellow car in my avatar is a 1961 standard Subaru 360.
But for your sake I'll attach a picture of my own 1969 subaru 360. Off the road now do to brake problems, I'm planning a full restoration.

[SuPeRcAr_MaN]

What is your obsession with these little Subarus? Are you also a VW Beetle fan, since you seem to like compact cars...

[2strokebloke]

Sometimes I go off on a rant...
I'm on the subject, because I have to get the parts I need to finish this car, within two weeks so I can drive nearly 1000 miles to go to a two day show, where there will be scores of other unusual and forgotten cars (Crosselys, fiats, and the like)
It is perhaps the only car that "speaks to me" if you know what I mean.
VW fan? well I usually go to the VW shows in this area, but I don't own one and currently don't plan to own one. Certainly there are alot of VW fans that also like the 360, after all it is air-cooled and rear engined, but that's about as far as the similarities go. IMHO the 360 is a better car, at least the heater actually works!
But I'm also a huge fan of the Kei Jidosha, and the 360 is the only one which sold in any number here in the U.S. if other cars came over, that would have been great! We missed out on all those great cars, like the Mazda R360, Mitsubishi Minica, and the Daihatsu Fellow.
But I'm a fan of engineering, and the Subaru engine is very remarkable.
It's output is 1.19hp per cubic inch at 5500rpm, better than most American muscle cars of the same era. It's a 2-stroke, but has a full pressure lubrication system, something no other car company has done (suzuki had CCI, but this can't truly be considered pressure lubrication)
And here I am going off on a rant again...

[SuPeRcAr_MaN]

You are a rare breed of car fanatic... I think most of us are too caught up in current and concept cars that we don't think about the forgotten cars, I guess that's why they are forgotton... But, anyway, you are a very dedicated car fan and more should be like you.

[450HPviper]

:huh: Ok, man. Whatever.

Good Luck.

[2strokebloke]

Did I mention the 1.19hp per cubic inch stock? that's alot more than a Viper makes

(and this coming from an economy car that cost less than $1300)

[grandprix92]

hey thats great. anyway, my favorite car is a lifted 95 Chevy C/K with one of those new 572 big block crate V-8s from Chevy

[1qtrmilekid]

It looks like a fun car, not my first choice but it's uniqe to your personality and thats whats important. my favorite is the new Lexus IS sport design. I test drove it last week and it won me over. I found this ad oline that said I could get a free magazine subscription if I test drove it, boy was I impressed, plus I'm getting a free magazine subscription.
here are a few links that have the free mag offer.

http://www.mediaweek.com/mediaweek/index.jsp

http://www.adweek.com/aw/index.jsp

http://www.brandweek.com/brandweek/index.jsp

:huh: :aug2:

[Jimster]

You gotta love Orphan cars.....personal favourties of mine are FSO's, Lada's and Skoda MB1000's

[450HPviper]

That is a lot of HP for cubic inches.

[2strokebloke]

That's nothing, in Japan Subaru had a 36hp engine (of the same displacement) and if you do your math, that comes out to 1.6hp per cubic inch, and this was in the days before fuel injection! (or at least before most Japanese manufacturers adopted it)