The eldest Subaru, a 1955 Fuji Cabin

[2stroketurbo]

Fuji Heavy Industries is the parent company of Subaru. This 1955 Fuji Cabin is the great-great Grand father of the Subaru 360. It may be the eldest Subaru in existance. This Fuji Cabin sold at the RM microcar museum auction for an astounding $110K plus a 15% buyers fee. As with all the cars sold from the microcar museum, it is unknown if this car runs, drives, or stops. The smooth flowing areodynamic almost airplane body look make this car desirable. It is very rare.

 

 

 

[1 Lucky Texan]

cool!

[rxleone]

That thing is awesome!

[naru]

 

Fuji Heavy Industries is the parent company of Subaru. This 1955 Fuji Cabin is the great-great Grand father of the Subaru 360. It may be the eldest Subaru in existance. This Fuji Cabin sold at the RM microcar museum auction for an astounding $110K plus a 15% buyers fee. As with all the cars sold from the microcar museum, it is unknown if this car runs, drives, or stops. The smooth flowing areodynamic almost airplane body look make this car desirable. It is very rare.

 

The Fuji Cabin is not a Subaru at all.

It is not the great-great Grand father of the Subaru 360.

The Fuji Cabin was manufactured by Fuji Motor and Gasuden FMC not Fuji Heavy Industries.

Fuji Motor also made motorcycles:

FHI was a direct competitor w/thier own bikes.

Fuji Motors bought engines from Hodaka and Fuji Heavy Industries among others.

 

Here is the first Subaru

A P1500

Edited March 15, 2013 by naru

[1 Lucky Texan]

ah, so, FHI != Fuji Toshuda

 

 

The Bruce Weiner Microcar Museum

15 - 16 February 2013

    

Lot 623

    

1955 Fuji Cabin
Sold for $126,500

• ID No. 57570076

• Contact Us
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A highly sought-after, painstakingly restored example.



SPECIFICATIONS

Manufacturer: Fuji Toshuda Motors Corporation

Origin: Tokyo, Japan

Production: 85

Motor: Gasuden 1-cyl, 2-stroke

Displacement: 122 cc

Power: 5.5 hp

Length: 9 ft. 7 in.

Identification No. 57570076



The delightful, jelly bean-shaped Fuji Cabin is one of very few three-wheeled microcars built in Japan.



With Japan in devastated turmoil, many companies scrambled for survival.
In March of 1946, the automobile division of the Diesel Automobile
Manufacturing Company was divided into the Hino truck and Isuzu
automobile manufacturing companies. The aviation division became Hitachi
Aviation. Developing new aviation technology was strictly forbidden by
the Allies, as it was considered a war industry. So Hitachi Aviation, as
well as other aircraft companies, tried to survive in non-war-related
industries.



Hitachi subsequently changed their name to the Tokyo Gas and Electric
Manufacturing Company, which, in 1952, began producing 60-cubic
centimeter engines for motorcycles and had established itself as an
engine producer of mainly small two-cycle engines. It merged with Fuji
Automobile, and together, they built their own motorcycles under the
names of Fuji Motor and Gasuden FMC. They also supplied engines to other
motorcycle makers, such as Miyata, Zebra, Yamaguchi, Hikari, and Lucky.
A decision was soon made to produce a scooter with full weather
protection.



Ryuichi Tomiya was commissioned to design the car. He had been in charge
of body design at Nissan Motors Ltd. before the war, and afterwards, he
was responsible for the design of the Suminoe Flying Feather for
Suminoe Manufacturing, of which 150 examples were built between 1954 and
1955. His work was highly respected, and he was known as “the Leonardo
da Vinci of Japan.”



The Fuji Cabin made its appearance at the 1955 Tokyo Motor Show. It was a
beautifully streamlined two-seater coupe on three wheels, and it was
powered by a Gasuden scooter motor with kick start. It was a monocoque
design, strengthened by a full-length tunnel bringing cooling air to the
motor. There were two rounded beetle-wing lids providing access to the
motor and allowing warm air to exit. At first there was a single door on
the left, but the car in the Tokyo museum has two. It appears to have
been designed to be driven only by the tiny models seen in the publicity
pictures, as the interior is somewhat cramped, and some effort is
required to climb over the central tunnel and attain the staggered
driver’s seat. The steering is by a closely-placed set of handlebars.
The small but well-engineered motor incorporates a reverse gear, unusual
for the typical Western scooter-powered microcar. There is a feeling of
solidity to the entire structure, which is helped by the coat of dense
insulation material sprayed inside the cabin roof, dashboard, and sides.
The front wheels are independently sprung on rubber, and the rear is on
a swing arm with a coil strut, providing a comfortable ride. A single
Cyclops headlamp graces the shapely nose.



Competition in the marketplace took the form of the 22-cubic centimeter
Rabbit S-61scooter from Fuji Heavy Industries, at $450, and the
250-cubic centimeter Honda Dream motorcycle for $490. At $650, the Fuji
Cabin offered full weather protection and high style for relatively
little more money. It was planned to manufacture 400 to 500 units per
month, but only 85 were built. Unfamiliarity with the handling of the
fiberglass material and a limited marketing strategy were blamed.

Edited March 14, 2013 by 1 Lucky Texan

[2stroketurbo]

Ahhh. This is new to me information and I stand corrected.  How rumors get started I suppose....   thanks for the clarification