This JDM Toyota van is high aces

Jeff Glucker

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Japan nails the rad van segment. There are tons of amazing options offered over the years, and they typically are given equally amazing names. Things like the Bongo, Star Wagon and Space Gear, and also the Toyota HiAce. If you want to add some of this wonder into your world, we’ve found a great example for sale. Check out this 1995 Toyota HiAce for sale in Anaheim, CA.

The seller says it’s powered by a 3.0-liter turbodiesel. That engine pairs with a five-speed manual gearbox, full-time four-wheel-drive, and charming boxy styling. The wheel and tire package is well chosen. Apparently, this HiAce is also fitted with fresh brakes, a new clutch, new belts, and new headlights. It’s a rad-as-hell rig with an asking price of just under $14,000. That’s if you choose to leave the roof racks with the seller, otherwise, they want $14,900.

Is it worth the dough, seeing that it as 95k miles on the odometer? I have to assume a Toyota diesel can run forever. And the interior layout here is fantastic with its swivel and lay-flat seats. If you were inclined to build a self-contained adventure van, this is a great starting point.

About

Jeff Glucker

Jeff Glucker

Jeff Glucker is the co-founder and Executive Editor of Hooniverse.com. He’s often seen getting passed as he hustles a 1991 Mitsubishi Montero up the 405 Freeway. IG: @HooniverseJeff

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13 responses to “This JDM Toyota van is high aces”

  1. Zentropy Avatar
    Zentropy

    That’s all kinds of cool. After 35 years of shifting with my right hand, though, I’m not sure I could ever get used to RHD.

    Reply
    1. mdharrell Avatar
      mdharrell

      After (at the time) 25 years of LHD with various configurations of manual transmissions, it took about two city blocks to get used to pretty much every aspect of RHD with a stickshift except the center-mounted rear-view mirror. For the following couple of weeks I kept looking up and to the right before it stuck that the mirror was, in fact, over the other way.

      Reply
    2. Maymar Avatar
      Maymar

      Admittedly, I’ve only really been driving stick for less than 15 years, but I got used to right-hand shifting within an hour or so. Turn signals took weeks though.

      Reply
      1. mdharrell Avatar
        mdharrell

        My RHD vehicles all have the turn signal stalk on the left, so that hasn’t been an issue. On the other hand (so to speak), my LHD ’69 Sonett had the signal stalk on the right for no obvious reason, made worse by the fact that there was also a stalk on the left, for the horn…

        Reply
    3. outback_ute Avatar
      outback_ute

      Advantage, left handers!

      I don’t think it would be that hard though, it’s not a precision task.

      Reply
      1. mdharrell Avatar
        mdharrell

        “…it’s not a precision task.”

        Maybe not, but I like to think I’m improving.

        Reply
        1. outback_ute Avatar
          outback_ute

          Have you tried left foot braking? Quite a difference when used to using a clutch with that leg.

          Reply
          1. mdharrell Avatar
            mdharrell

            In 2007 when I started driving again after having broken my right hip, I used my left foot for the clutch and brake in my MGB for a couple of months, as I had reached the point where I was allowed to exert gentle pressure with my right leg (such as operating a gas pedal) but not more than that. It worked well enough to get me around but that’s about all I can say for it. Aside from that the only circumstances in which I operate the brake pedal with my left foot is occasionally during very low speed maneuvers in an automatic, such as parking. I know some drivers like this technique but I haven’t seen the appeal.

    4. mdharrell Avatar
      mdharrell

      After (at the time) 25 years of LHD with various configurations of manual transmissions, it took about two city blocks to get used to pretty much every aspect of RHD with a stickshift except the center-mounted rear-view mirror. For the following couple of weeks I kept looking up and to the right before it stuck that the mirror was, in fact, over the other way.

      Reply
      1. 0A5599 Avatar
        0A5599

        Reply
      2. outback_ute Avatar
        outback_ute

        Had the same experience with the mirror, well on the opposite side!

        Reply
    5. crank_case Avatar
      crank_case

      Driven RHD all my life, switching to LHD when driving on the European continental mainland has never been a problem for me. Probably helps that each time I was driving with the steering wheel on the side appropriate for the side of the road being driven on.

      Reply
  2. outback_ute Avatar
    outback_ute

    The rack and tent (why, when you have a van?!?) probably knock 5mph off the top speed, which is pretty low, aka flat to the board for us highway speed.

    As a 2wd van these are ultra durable but old-school in terms of power and efficiency, or perhaps that should be because they are old-school. Even as a 4wd I think a lot of mechanical parts would be shared with the pickups, which would make servicing easier.

    But I’d be investigating what $14k worth of lifted (4wd even?) Econoline could get you, and enjoy the extra space, these things are narrow. Not to mention the safety elephant in the room.

    Reply