Aki has recently discovered some cute 1/18th scale 50cc classic Japanese scooter models including (top to bottom) two 1958-62 era Fuji Rabbits two 1960 era Mitsubishi Silver Pigeons (specifically the Gale Pet) and two Daihatsu Hallos from the late 60s (would you believe this was introduced as an electric at the 1974 Cologne Motorcycle Show!?)
Want them? Here’s the store link. I’m not sure if they ship to the US though… and you can only order 3 per person… I need to move to Japan for a year. Oh, and here’s another collection of Japanese scooter models from Hot Wheels, of all people. Hot Wheels has other scooter toys not available in the USA including the Honda Touring collection and a Yamaha Majesty.
Thanks Aki!
PS> If you are more into pimped out public service vehicles, you can also check out the The cadet corps Hotaru dream dump industrial waste truck from Minidekotora. Dream dump?! I don’t know why, but that sounds hilarious!
13. January 2009 at 4:15 pm
HW Japan does indeed ship to the US. Here is a better link:
http://www.hwjapan.com/sh/BOF642572.aspx
I don’t believe these are actually made by “Hot Wheels”: I think that is just a poor translation of the product category.
Another store that ships to the US, and has a lot of motorcycle and scooter models (mostly 1/12, and made by Aoshima):
http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/list/124/0/1
16. January 2009 at 9:16 pm
Awesome! Thanks Artificial Science! I take it you live in Japan?
17. January 2009 at 4:03 pm
I live in St Louis, and I’m from Mississippi :D
I spent a month in Tokyo once, and fell in love is all.
17. January 2009 at 4:53 pm
:O
Whoa! Well, that’s cool.
I have been considering a move out there. Pack up the family and live there for a year or so; just a bit of immersion. Might wait until 2012 though.
Recently I was looking at Hostels there. Good deals at $40-$50 a night near Tokyo! The hard part is the $1300 round trip ticket, and that’s by MYSELF! OUCH!
18. January 2009 at 3:41 pm
We stayed first at the Sakura hostel in Asakusa—nicest hostel I’ve ever seen. Most of the time we stayed at special apartments rented out to foreigners (gaijin apaato), run by the same company. http://www.sakura-house.com/
You have to stay at least a month to make the price worthwhile, but the experience is like nothing else.