Bonsai Sized: 1991 Subaru Sambar 4X4 Fire Truck

If you’ve got to extinguish some huge warehouse fire, obviously you’ve got to get out the old hook ‘n’ ladder and start hosing down everything in sight.  But what do you use when it’s a small fire, like a barbie doll house, a small hibachi flare up, or an out of control Bonsai fire.  The answer is simple, you pickup a small fire truck.  Like this 1991 Subaru Sambar 4X4 Fire Truck offered for $14,400 in Charlottesville, VA via craigslist. Tip from Sean.

The Subaru Sambar was introduced in 1961 as Japan’s first Keitora (軽トラ) or kei class truck and it was based on the Subaru 360 platform.  This fifth generation Sambar is a long way from the original 2-cylinder
powered version, but it still puts the motor behind the rear wheels and looks really cool as a converted fire truck.

Out back on a sliding gurney there is a small 2-stroke engine powered water pump that the seller claims will deliver thousands of gallons of water (per minute…second…hour?).  The fire fighting portion of the car was decommissioned years ago, so it will need some attention before you start a  mobile waterslide business. 

The right hand drive will take some getting used to, but this thing is not yet 25 years old, so the title status is questionable.  Next year you should be able to legally register it and find out how the 660 cc 4-cylinder engine and available 4WD does on the highway. 

See a cooler ex-fire truck? Send it here: tips@dailyturismo.com