I found a rare car with a total production figure of a little less than 1000 units
Syota Okamoto, a Honda party member who owns a Honda “S800,” was recommended the “Life Pickup” by a fellow old car rider as a good find. He bought it because he liked its unusual style, which is different from a van, and now enjoys driving with his dog, alternating between the S800 and the Life Pickup.
I bought it immediately for 650,000 yen!
The Honda “Life Pickup” was based on the one-box type VA “Step Van” launched in 1972 and appeared as the “PA model” the following year. Honda already had a rear-wheel drive light truck called the “TN” series, but this one was also used as a delivery truck because the base Step Van had an FF layout, which allowed the cargo bed to be low and flat, making it easy to load and unload cargo.
The PA-type Life Pickup was introduced in August 1973 and discontinued in October 1974. With a production period of just under a year, only about 1,000 units were released to the world. It is said that there are only about 200 units in existence among Sub Roc riders.
Syota Okamoto, a Honda enthusiast by nature, purchased a valuable Life Pickup eight years ago after a fellow old car rider recommended it to him. Okamoto-san had been looking for a truck to carry his motorcycle for some time, and he told his friends that if he was going to drive one, he wanted a stylish old car. He found a highly original Life Pickup and bought it immediately because he liked its low floor, ease of use, cute and stylish appearance, etc. The purchase price at that time was 650,000 yen. The purchase price at that time was 650,000 yen. The price is a little higher now, but considering the market price of Subroku at that time, it was reasonable.
“The Life Pickup, which I bought for its practicality, is easier to drive than I expected, and it is also convenient to use for transporting luggage. In addition, the fact that I can manage to repair it myself in the event of any problems is also attractive,”
says Okamoto-san.
Life pickups are also attracting attention from young people
Mr. Okamoto says that they are looking for three elements in a beloved vehicle: to ride, to touch, and to look at. He says that the analog and simple structure of the Life Pickup is fun to ride and tinker with its unique looks are fun to look at, and loading the bike in the cargo bed gives it the satisfaction of being a picture in itself.
The exterior and interior remain original, but visible parts have been replaced with tartan-check by-trad seat fabric, a wood steering wheel with an appealing, well-worn taste, and a motorcycle super trap on the tail of the muffler. The engine had also been tuned for the power and torque required for mounting the bike.
The appeal of the Life Pickup lies in its old but robust construction and the fact that it is reasonably priced for an old car, so you can play with it. And this Showa-era taste is an attractive element that is not found in today’s cars. Among my fellow Sub Rokkas, I hear that young people are paying attention to this car and are driving it more and more. This is truly a joy for those of us who love cars.
translated by DeepL