Some vehicles lead bizarre parallel lives across the world, a fact often documented and discussed on this website. The Mexican VW Beetles, for instance, ended up being quite different from the ones made in Wolfsburg. The Argentinian or Nigerian Peugeot 504s were also rather distinctive, compared to their French-made counterparts. Not to mention the Australian (and Argentinian) Ford Falcons, or almost any Fiat you can think of. But you know all these already. So here’s one we’ve not really seen on CC yet: the Japanese Jeep 4-door wagon.
Think “early ‘80s Jeep wagon” and you’ll doubtless conjure up the venerable Wagoneer, then in the process of finishing its second decade in production. Something of a living fossil, in automotive terms. But in the Land of the Rising Sun, they were still a generation behind, using a design that came straight from the mid-‘40s, as opposed to the early ‘60s.
It all began, according to most sources, in 1950. The Korean War was getting going and the US pumped millions into Japan to manufacture all kinds of hardware – from camera lenses to barbed wire – for the escalating conflict. The manufacture of military and civilian Jeeps was allocated to a branch of Mitsubishi called Nakanihon Heavy Industries (the conglomerate had been broken up, but would coalesce again in the late ‘60s or so – too complicated to go into here).
The first Japanese-built Jeeps, made from late 1952 using Willys-sourced CKD kits, were LHD models pretty much indistinguishable from the US-made CJ-3As of the time. But soon, Mitsubishi were able to make a RHD military and civilian version, based on the CJ-3B. Then the story becomes really complex, because Mitsubishi made Jeeps in three wheelbase lengths, using at least five body types, through three generations and powered by both petrol and Diesel engines.
So there are a lot of variants, each with its own alphanumeric. I won’t even try to list them all; I’ll limit this post to the LWB wagons. The first iteration was the J11 two-door wagon (above), which arrived in 1956. Nothing very unique about the body – it was identical to the all-steel wagon Willys made since 1946, save for the front end. As far as I know though, Mitsubishi Jeep wagons were never proposed in 2WD configuration.
I’m not sure why the two-door wagon was changed to the four-door in late 1961, using the same 264cm wheelbase. Maybe Mitsubishi thought that the two-door body type was the reason why they weren’t selling all that many Jeep wagons. It should be referred to as a six-door anyway, given there are two at the very rear as well. Willys made a few four-door wagons as well in the late ’50s / early ’60s, but they were apparently special-order only and are very rare today. And from what I’ve seen, the pressings are different — Mitsubishi’s version is home-grown.
The new type was named J30, or J30D for Diesel versions. Power came from the 76hp (gross) 2.2 litre F-head JH4 (i.e. “Japanese Hurricane 4-cyl.” – a purely Willys design) or a Mitsubishi KE31 Diesel, also displacing 2.2 litres, but providing 15hp less. Both versions were mated to a 3-speed Warner gearbox. Mitsubishi had been putting their Diesels in their Jeeps since 1955, and by the ‘60s it was that one that was really selling – some say 99% of Jeep wagons came out as oil-burners, so I’m guessing our feature car is one as well.
In 1970, the whole Jeep range got a bit of a refresh. All models got revamped front turn signals, as well as new alphanumerics to signify that things had changed somewhat underneath, too: the Diesel engine was of the new 4DR5 type, now 2.7 litres large and 100hp (gross) strong. The Diesel wagon became J36 and its petrol counterpart the J34. New petrol engines meant the model change its name again to J38 in 1974 (2.3 litre OHV) and, oddly enough, J37 in 1980 (2.6 litre OHC), but the mainstay Diesel J36 remained unchanged throughout the ‘70s and beyond.
There were other minor changes, but I’m not too sure when they took place. The gearbox became a Mitsubishi 4-speed circa 1973 and there were probably other oily bits that became locally-sourced, but literature on these Jeeps is scarce. The one easily identifiable evolution that took place late in the wagon’s life was the addition of a third windshield wiper, which happened around 1980.
Our valiant survivor of the day looks like it has been well-preserved even on the inside, though those door cards do seem like a recent (and questionable) addition. The dash design remained virtually identical throughout the wagon’s 20-plus model years, aside from the steering wheel, which was unfortunately updated in the mid-’70s. Other than that (and the suspicious radio set – far too recreational in such a workaholic vehicle), very little can differentiate an early ‘60s J30D from an early ‘80s J36.
The obvious oddity, for connoisseurs of the Willys version, is that column shifter – another Mitsubishi Jeep specificity. It’s more column-adjacent, really. Primitive in the extreme, but that adds to its rugged charm. Remarkable that this was still like this on a vehicle produced in the ‘80s.
The same goes for these chromed door lock covers – one on each front door, plus one for the rear barn ones. Such quaint detailing really has no business being on an early ‘80s Jeep, yet here we are.
Aside from the Mitsubishi logo embossed on the front end, there are no model name scripts of any kind on this wagon. The one thing that’s written is the word “Jeep” – twice on the hood, once over the left taillight and on all four hubcaps. Just in case there was any doubt.
As imperfect as Internet resources regarding these are, they all agree on one thing: Mitsubishi discontinued the wagons in January 1983. That was not the end of the whole Jeep range, though: the SWB versions (the J50 series, in Mitsubishi parlance) carried on being made until 1998, their design having changed very little since the Willys CJ-3B of 1953.
I’ve glimpsed two other J30 series wagons in Tokyo thus far, but this is the first time I’ve been able to really study one up close. And although I have seen three, they are not common cars at all. Soft-top SWB Jeeps are still extremely popular and have a dedicated following here, but I’m not sure these wagons were awarded the same love, though this one obviously has.
In total, Mitsubishi built around 200,000 Jeeps from 1953 to 1998, but LWB wagons only account, according to some sources, for about 5% of that total. And these did not lead a pampered life, nor were they particularly rust-resistant, so there aren’t too many left.
I should think a vintage-looking RHD Diesel four six-door Jeep wagon, with a bizarro column shift, triple wipers and back-up lights, would take pride of place in any fantasy garage. It’s such a wonderful combination of weird and familiar, just irresistible.
It’s interesting that it was born pretty much around at the same time as the Wagoneer (well, just a few months before it, but who’s counting?). I suppose the need for those extra doors was keenly felt on both sides of the Pacific, but the end products were as different as two Jeep wagons can be.
What is that truly horrid vehicle parked next to the Jeep? Those tail lamps! I can’t unsee them!
Toyota Alphard
Yes, it is an Alphard. But this one has added bling to it, so it’s even worse than usual. The whole design seems heavily influenced by those Gundam anime robots — that’s a strong trend in Japanese automotive design these days. Makes neo-retro look tasteful.
Nice!
The original wagons had column shifters for quite a long time, but not like this!
I don’t see how this shifter could even work. The linkage doesn’t seem to go through the dashboard? Is it something like a servomechanism or switched remote control?
Column shifts were very popular for work-type vehicles back in the day in Japan. Our duty van, a Toyota I think, in 1992-93 had a *FIVE* on the tree.
Excellent find! It looks just like a 60s pressed steel toy. As the debossed simulated woodie wagon panels add that extra level of chintz. Quite a juxtaposition in simplicity of design, to the galactic-inspired van beside it.
The door lock covers might have a practical purpose in the extremely rare occasion Tokyo might experience freezing rain or ice.
Discontinued in 1983; not coincidentally, that was when Mitsubishi launched the Pajero (Montero), a modern SUV that was their own original design exportable worldwide. But – 1998 for the short wheelbase models! Wow.
I knew Willys/Jeep licensed their design to several companies across the globe in the early days – the Mahindra Roxor sold in the U.S. is another such vehicle – but am surprised Mitsubishi was allowed to use the Jeep trademark. Do any of the Jeep licensees still call them Jeeps? That can’t sit well with FCA, who would’nt even allow Mahindra to use 7-vertical-slat grilles on U.S. models and tried to prevent them from selling them at all.
Roxor imports to the US will be ceasing soon, as FCA won the suit against Mahindra.
What a killer find. Talk about the same but different!
It’s great to see one of these up close. I had no idea of the Mitsubishi Jeep’s longevity until a wrote an article on a Montero, and in the process found some information on these Jeeps. But since I didn’t have the time to delve into these Jeeps in depth, I never pursued the details. Interesting to learn of this vehicle’s origins with the Korean War as well.
It was quite a leap from this to the Pajero/Montero!
Great find. I like the CJ-3B style front end on it even better than the one on the Willys Wagon. And of course the four doors.
The dashboard obviously got a major restyle at some point. Maybe in the late 60s or early 70s?
The second to last shot with the Toyota(?) van makes a killer comparison. A wider version would have been even better. It looks like something from a Buck Rogers movie. It really bring home that we are living in the future, at least us old-timers.
That Toyota Alphard van does make for quite the comparison, doesn’t it? Those vans seem as ubiquitous there as Siennas are over here if not more so and are one of the more “out there” designs. It’s a shame the grille is just out of frame, it makes a modern F350’s grille look small and demure…
I barely cropped that pic — here it is with a tiny bit of additional Alphard. What a nightmare those things are.
But you know the funny thing: they might not be the worst. The Mitsubishi Delica and Nissan Elgrand minivans are just as horrible. Might do a post on these at some point — they’re everywhere here like you said, sad to say.
That Alphard with all the bling and the Delica and Elgrand with similar shiny bits are usually extremely luxurious inside, kind of like the Mercedes and VW “Executive” trim vans that Europe has but we don’t. Often chauffeur driven as well if I am not mistaken. Sort of the equivalent of a Cadillac Escalade car service or similar in the US. There was some rumbling of the Alphard coming over here as a Lexus, the grille is large enough 🙂 and the interior can certainly be luxurious enough.
Glad you liked it, Paul (thought you might!)
As I wrote in the post, the dash never changed fundamentally. The steering wheel was replaced and they added a bit of padding to the top, but otherwise, nada. The instrument binnacle stayed the same, etc. (1967 brochure shot below).
Even in 1956, when these were first built?
I got to study a ’61 Jeep Tuxedo Park with its original F-head Willys engine at a gathering the other weekend, it had a wonderful sound as it drove away. Wondering why the majority of these Japanese Jeeps had diesel motors. Was it a commercial thing, as in this country? Wonderful old vehicle, I would drive this over the Toyota every day.
Love it! I have a bit of a thing for the early Jeep wagon, and this one improved on many of its shortcomings.
It is tempting to wonder what might have happened if Jeep had decided to pursue something like this instead of the Wagoneer. I’ll bet these would not have been anywhere near successful in the 80s, never mind how much they may appeal to purists.
I’m surprised they didn’t orient the wipers for RHD while they were at it.
Good point!
Another mystery of the orient…
Simple, basic design allowed these to live on for decades. When Brooks Stevens was given the assignment to develop the Jeep pick-up trucks and station wagon, W-O specified no deep-draw stamping tooling. That would be no more than six inch offset draws. All panels are relatively shallow, seams designed straight for easy assembly. The faux wood panel pressing were for added strength as much as decorative. Although the hood and cowl look deeper draws, they were rolled first for the shape, finished stamped with the shallow-draw dies.
Wonder if these revived, mounted on a current Jeep chassis would sell as a retro-Jeep?
Here’s a pic of the exposed column shift set-up. I remember it well—now. Note starter pedal centered over transmission hump . . .
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/86/d0/ec/86d0ec21ca86f6a36f70ad82f8826037.jpg