Three-wheeled vehicle with 1980s flair
Do you know this mysteriously shaped vehicle? It is the BUBU501, which Mitsuoka Motor, Japan’s 10th authorized automobile manufacturer based in Toyama Prefecture, began producing in 1982. At that time, it was marketed under the name “microcar”. The BUBU501 is wrapped with the “National” logo, a brand name from Panasonic’s Matsushita Electric period, and its character. Kaorububu, the owner of the car, drives the BUBU501 and participates in car events around Japan.
Name after 50cc motor and rear 1-wheeler
At that time, the BUBU50 series had many different types. This car was given the name “501” because it was a rear one-wheeler with a 50cc engine.
In addition, a microcar called BUBU504 appeared later, which was almost identical to this model. This model had two rear wheels, so it was called “504”. According to a theory, the 501 with one rear wheel has poor stability, so many accidents occurred when the vehicle swerved too quickly and tipped over. Therefore, it is said that BUBU504 was created as a slightly modified model that could run stably.
The owner bought BUBU501 from a farmer in Saitama Prefecture six years ago. He bought the car for 150,000 yen after it was left in a warehouse without running condition and repaired it to bring it back to life.
The body is made of FRP, and the windows are acrylic. The door is only on one side, the left side, and the right side are molded into the body.
The unstable 3-wheeled vehicle with one rear wheel is not good at cornering and often falls over if it is driven into a corner at too high a speed or if the driver swerves too sharply. And if it tips over to the left, …… the rider would not be able to escape.
Suspension mounting position has been changed
A friend of mine who owned my BUBU 501 once fell over to the left side at a famous Shibuya intersection. The story is that he was embarrassed there.
The owner modified the BUBU501 so that it would not fall over. The suspension was repositioned to stabilize the vehicle. He also made original adjustable tie rods with pillow balls to allow toe adjustment. The angle is said to be in the toe-out direction.
The engine is a Honda air-cooled 2-stroke single-cylinder. This engine was derived from the Honda “Lead 50”.
Because of the combination of the old chassis and the national colors, older people often approach the car. In fact, he also owns a “BUBU502” with one front wheel and two rear wheels. He also owns a “Cydes Car”, which in the early 1980s was nicknamed “Running Bathtub”.
