Mazda Porter
Encyclopedia
The Mazda Porter and Porter Cab was a series of small trucks produced from 1961 to 1989 (as the B360/B600 until 1968), mainly sold in the domestic Japanese market. Export versions of the Porter were labelled E360. The Porter was replaced by the Autozam Scrum
, a rebadged Suzuki Carry
.
kei passenger car. It had a 356 cc OHV V-twin producing 13 PS (BA) and weighed 535 kg (1,179 lb).
The 1962, export only Mazda B600 was similar to the B360 except that it received an enlarged 577 cc version of the air-cooled V-twin. Later versions shared the P600 Carol's 586 cc RA engine.
In September 1963 the B360 gained the 4-cylinder, 358 cc 20 PS DA OHV engine from the Carol. It also received a facelift and new modelcodes (KBDA33/KBDAV), and a DeLuxe Van version was added. Top speed went up from 67 to 79 kilometre per hour. In October 1966 the B360 received another facelift, giving it a much more modern look.
(KBDB33) or a small van
(KBDBV), the first Porter (E360 in export markets) was produced from November 1968 to April 1976. The car was closely based on the B360 predecessor, but with all-new body panels.
The initial engine was the carry-over four-stroke, 20 hp 358 cc I4
from the B360. The engine was changed to the Chantez
' 35 hp 359 cc water-cooled, two-stroke two-cylinder in April 1973, which required some cosmetic changes (KBAA/KBAAV). In 1975 the Porter was modified to fit new, larger license plates and the engine downgraded to 32 hp to match new, stricter emissions regulations.
The wheelbase was 1995 mm (78.5 in) with leaf spring
s in the rear, weight was 475 kg (1,047 lb) and maximum cargo capacity was 300 kg (661 lb) when first introduced.
-derived AA engine in April 1973, which offered 30 PS at 6000 rpm, five less than in the Chantez. In January 1975, the Porter Cab too was lightly modified to fit the new larger license plates - hitherto, kei cars had carried smaller license plates than regular cars (230 mm (9.1 in) x 125 mm (4.9 in) rather than 330 x 165 mm). The Porter Cab, with its peculiar cowlings around the headlights carried an instantly recognizable "surprised" appearance.
Like the Porter before it, the Porter Cab was labelled E360 in export markets.
regulations were changed for 1976, due to shrinking sales in the category, Mazda did not think it a worthwhile expenditure to develop a new, clean 550 cc engine. Instead, they discontinued the Chantez
passenger car and the Porter pickup, and began buying Mitsubishi's 2G23 engines to equip the Porter Cab. The Porter Cab was stretched by 200 mm (almost entirely behind the rear axle, with the 1835 mm (72.2 in) wheelbase remaining) and widened by 100 mm (3.9 in). Dimensions were now 3195 mm (125.8 in) x 1395 mm (54.9 in), and the 546 cc Vulcan S two-cylinder developed 31 PS at 5,500 rpm. The headlight bezels were squared off, lending the car a more conventional appearance.
The second generation Porter Cab was only available in a bright blue color with light grey trim (bumpers, headlight bezels) and black interior, until the 1983 facelift after which only white was available. The facelifted version gained the cleaner Vulcan II engine (G23B), although power output remained the same. Trim pieces were now in a darker grey, interior brown.
In 1985 there was another minor facelift, with trim pieces now in black and a black band between the headlights. The engine switched from a timing chain to a timing belt, and the interior changed to gray. Air conditioning was now available as an option. In 1987 the Mitsubishi Minicab
received Mitsubishi's new three-cylinder engine, but the Porter Cab had to soldier on with the old two-cylinder. In June 1989, after twenty years of continuous production with nothing more than facelifts, the Porter Cab was finally retired. It was replaced by the Autozam Scrum
, a mere badge-engineered
Suzuki Carry
.
Autozam Scrum
The Autozam Scrum is a kei class microvan and pickup truck sold in Japan by Mazda. Originally part of the company's Autozam marque it was first introduced in June 1989 . Mazda still sells the Scrum under its own name. The Scrum is a re-badged version of the Suzuki Carry and used Suzuki engines...
, a rebadged Suzuki Carry
Suzuki Carry
The Suzuki Carry is a kei truck produced by the Japanese automaker Suzuki. The microvan version was originally called the Carry van until 1982 when the van was renamed as the '...
.
B360/B600
The predecessor of the Porter, introduced in February 1961, the Mazda B360, was available as a pickup (KBBA33) or light van (KBBAV) version of the R360Mazda R360
The R360 was Mazda's first real car - a two-door, four-seat coupé. Introduced in 1960, it featured a short 69 inch wheelbase and weighed just 838 lb . It was powered by a rear-mounted air-cooled 356 cc V-twin engine putting out about 16 hp and 16 ft·lbf of torque. The car...
kei passenger car. It had a 356 cc OHV V-twin producing 13 PS (BA) and weighed 535 kg (1,179 lb).
The 1962, export only Mazda B600 was similar to the B360 except that it received an enlarged 577 cc version of the air-cooled V-twin. Later versions shared the P600 Carol's 586 cc RA engine.
In September 1963 the B360 gained the 4-cylinder, 358 cc 20 PS DA OHV engine from the Carol. It also received a facelift and new modelcodes (KBDA33/KBDAV), and a DeLuxe Van version was added. Top speed went up from 67 to 79 kilometre per hour. In October 1966 the B360 received another facelift, giving it a much more modern look.
Porter
Available either as a pickup truckPickup truck
A pickup truck is a light motor vehicle with an open-top rear cargo area .-Definition:...
(KBDB33) or a small van
Van
A van is a kind of vehicle used for transporting goods or groups of people.In British English usage, it can be either specially designed or based on a saloon or sedan car, the latter type often including derivatives with open backs...
(KBDBV), the first Porter (E360 in export markets) was produced from November 1968 to April 1976. The car was closely based on the B360 predecessor, but with all-new body panels.
The initial engine was the carry-over four-stroke, 20 hp 358 cc I4
Straight-4
The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft....
from the B360. The engine was changed to the Chantez
Mazda Chantez
-Chantez:The two-door only Chantez , introduced in July 1972, had a longer wheelbase at than most of its competitors and boasted the powerful 2-stroke "AA" engine also seen in the Porter. With , top speed was and the 400 meter sprint was dispatched in a "nippy" 20.6 seconds...
' 35 hp 359 cc water-cooled, two-stroke two-cylinder in April 1973, which required some cosmetic changes (KBAA/KBAAV). In 1975 the Porter was modified to fit new, larger license plates and the engine downgraded to 32 hp to match new, stricter emissions regulations.
The wheelbase was 1995 mm (78.5 in) with leaf spring
Leaf spring
Originally called laminated or carriage spring, a leaf spring is a simple form of spring, commonly used for the suspension in wheeled vehicles...
s in the rear, weight was 475 kg (1,047 lb) and maximum cargo capacity was 300 kg (661 lb) when first introduced.
Porter Cab (1st generation)
The Porter Cab (KECA53) was introduced in March 1969. It was a small, cabover pickup truck on a 1835 mm (72.2 in) wheelbase, equipped with a live rear axle and a 23 PS at 5500 rpm, 359 cc water-cooled, two-stroke two-cylinder. This, the CC, was Mazda's first two-stroke engine. Top speed was 90 kilometre per hour. In 1970 new doors were developed, with sliding windows were exchanged for roll-down items, incorporating a quarter window. A ventilation vent was also added to the front. Like the Porter, the Porter Cab received the ChantezMazda Chantez
-Chantez:The two-door only Chantez , introduced in July 1972, had a longer wheelbase at than most of its competitors and boasted the powerful 2-stroke "AA" engine also seen in the Porter. With , top speed was and the 400 meter sprint was dispatched in a "nippy" 20.6 seconds...
-derived AA engine in April 1973, which offered 30 PS at 6000 rpm, five less than in the Chantez. In January 1975, the Porter Cab too was lightly modified to fit the new larger license plates - hitherto, kei cars had carried smaller license plates than regular cars (230 mm (9.1 in) x 125 mm (4.9 in) rather than 330 x 165 mm). The Porter Cab, with its peculiar cowlings around the headlights carried an instantly recognizable "surprised" appearance.
Like the Porter before it, the Porter Cab was labelled E360 in export markets.
Prices
| Porter Cab Standard | ¥308,000 | March, 1969 |
| Porter Cab DeLuxe | ¥335,000 | introduced July, 1969 |
Porter Cab (2nd generation)
When Kei carKei car
Kei cars, K-cars, or , are a Japanese category of small vehicles, including passenger cars, vans, and pickup trucks. They are designed to comply with Japanese government tax and insurance regulations, and in most rural areas are exempted from the requirement to certify that adequate parking is...
regulations were changed for 1976, due to shrinking sales in the category, Mazda did not think it a worthwhile expenditure to develop a new, clean 550 cc engine. Instead, they discontinued the Chantez
Mazda Chantez
-Chantez:The two-door only Chantez , introduced in July 1972, had a longer wheelbase at than most of its competitors and boasted the powerful 2-stroke "AA" engine also seen in the Porter. With , top speed was and the 400 meter sprint was dispatched in a "nippy" 20.6 seconds...
passenger car and the Porter pickup, and began buying Mitsubishi's 2G23 engines to equip the Porter Cab. The Porter Cab was stretched by 200 mm (almost entirely behind the rear axle, with the 1835 mm (72.2 in) wheelbase remaining) and widened by 100 mm (3.9 in). Dimensions were now 3195 mm (125.8 in) x 1395 mm (54.9 in), and the 546 cc Vulcan S two-cylinder developed 31 PS at 5,500 rpm. The headlight bezels were squared off, lending the car a more conventional appearance.
The second generation Porter Cab was only available in a bright blue color with light grey trim (bumpers, headlight bezels) and black interior, until the 1983 facelift after which only white was available. The facelifted version gained the cleaner Vulcan II engine (G23B), although power output remained the same. Trim pieces were now in a darker grey, interior brown.
In 1985 there was another minor facelift, with trim pieces now in black and a black band between the headlights. The engine switched from a timing chain to a timing belt, and the interior changed to gray. Air conditioning was now available as an option. In 1987 the Mitsubishi Minicab
Mitsubishi Minicab
The Mitsubishi Minicab is a kei truck and microvan built and sold in Japan by Mitsubishi Motors since 1966.-First generation:The Minicab cab-over pickup truck was launched in 1966 to replace the 360, which by this time had adopted the same model name as the Minica sedan...
received Mitsubishi's new three-cylinder engine, but the Porter Cab had to soldier on with the old two-cylinder. In June 1989, after twenty years of continuous production with nothing more than facelifts, the Porter Cab was finally retired. It was replaced by the Autozam Scrum
Autozam Scrum
The Autozam Scrum is a kei class microvan and pickup truck sold in Japan by Mazda. Originally part of the company's Autozam marque it was first introduced in June 1989 . Mazda still sells the Scrum under its own name. The Scrum is a re-badged version of the Suzuki Carry and used Suzuki engines...
, a mere badge-engineered
Badge engineering
Badge engineering is an ironic term that describes the rebadging of one product as another...
Suzuki Carry
Suzuki Carry
The Suzuki Carry is a kei truck produced by the Japanese automaker Suzuki. The microvan version was originally called the Carry van until 1982 when the van was renamed as the '...
.