4WD version of the “Farming Sambar”, which used to be sold new by the agricultural cooperative
On Saturday 24 February 2024, the 2nd “Kei-Truck & Super Cub Meeting” was held in Ibaraki Prefecture. From the venue of this unique event organized by a group of Super Cub enthusiasts, we spoke to the owners who took part, this time in a Farming Sambar, the agricultural cooperative sales version of the third-generation Subaru Sambar.
He returned to the third-generation Sambar again after giving it up once
“I used to drive a third-generation Subaru Sambar of the same model, but I gave it away 14-15 years ago to a relative who wanted one. I liked the Sambar with this face. So I wanted to drive it again, so I looked for one, but I couldn’t find one. In the end, after eight years of searching, I happened to find a 1981 third-generation Sambar on a major used car information website and bought it.”
Mr Sudo, who was 43 years old at the time of the interview, bought the used “Farming Sambar” (which was sold new at an agricultural cooperative) that was at the event for 410,000 yen and a total mileage of 35,000 km in 2018. He will have owned the vehicle for exactly six years when it is inspected this April.
“This Farming Sambar was originally a barn unit in Nagano, Japan, and I think I saw this Sambar itself when I went to Fussa about six and a half years ago to search for a potential car to love. While I was thinking about what to do with it, it was sold and I couldn’t get it, but a few months later it was on sale at another shop and I was able to buy it.”
Is it time for 10-inch tires to be maintained?
He currently also owns a 1987 GX71 Toyota Mark II, which he bought in 2007, and a 2009 Suzuki Swift, which he increased in 2023, and he drives his hobby car, the Farming Sambar, when he attends old car events.
“I bought my third-generation Sambar because of the 10-inch tires and 4WD, but tire options have become scarce of late. There are still new bias tires with tubes, but 12-inch tires are still more readily available. So we plan to inch up to 12-inch tires in the future.”
translated by DeepL
