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Sambar Models

Discussion in 'Subaru Sambar' started by Subaru, Dec 9, 2007.

  1. Subaru

    Subaru Member

    :confused:
    Does anyone know the different models and what differences they are in the Sambar lineup?SDX-SDX HR-V KS4-KS4 etc?Talking in the 1990-1993 vintage.

    Thanks
     
  2. this is a good question, I just bought a 1991 V-KS3 in Japan, and the rear gates had been repainted and the stickers weren't refitted, it's fuel injected. it also has a larger decal on the front which I cannot read from the low res picture.
     
  3. Subaru

    Subaru Member

    KS3 is 2wd truck
    KV4 is 2wd van
    fuel injection means it is Supercharged.
    Not sure why the V is in front of the KS3???
    I have a 2wd SC KS3--2wd truck with EFI and SC
    There is a place in Calgary that printed me up decals on my last SC-if you want their name PM me
     
  4. so here's a pic of the motor, fuel injected (I'm just skeptical that I got a 19,000 km SC for the price I did...
    [​IMG]

    and here's the front, anybody know what that decal is below the windshield on the pass side?
    [​IMG]
     
  5. Subaru

    Subaru Member

    NOT EFI--sorry :eek:
    this is EFI-sorry for the dirty pic
     

    Attached Files:

  6. ah, ICIC, thanks for the pic, just thought she was EFI due to the airbox and the plenum style intake. Ah well, can't complain!

    Thanks again.
     
  7. confuzed

    confuzed Member

    can't see the pic clear but the dealer i bought mine from had some with decals on the front had it translated ....... farm vehicle ....... might be the same it looks about the same size
     
  8. boosted mitsu

    boosted mitsu Member

    are all sambar models super charged?
     
  9. Acerguy

    Acerguy Moderator Staff Member

    No. Not at all. Only a few...especially in the early years. Some of the other trucks (Suzuki) also have the odd forced induction model.
     
  10. boosted mitsu

    boosted mitsu Member

    Acerguy, thanks! i have one coming in next month but dont know which model it is yet. :(
    If its not SC i might as well sell it.
     
  11. stan.carney

    stan.carney New Member

    Yeah, that front metal tag (営農サンバー) means 'Farming sambar'. translate.google.ca told me so and I confirmed it with a Japanese company I work with. He actually said it is "EINOU Samber" (with an e). EINOU is the latin characters for 営農. It is an agricultural association in Japan I guess. I'm told that you see different classifications of trucks, i.e. Delivery, Construction, etc... but these are almost never imported because they are classified as commercial trucks and not for private use. Farms, like here in Canada, can be either incorporated or personal it seems.

    We have imported a few 'Farming sambars' as they seem to have rougher bodies and interiors but normally run great and have lower kilometers. Which makes sense if they are only booting around their Japanese farm and the occasional run into town. Considering the average age of Japanese farmers is something like 70 it might also explain the easy driven engine but the banged up body too...

    Chewy123@shaw.ca: From what I can see in the pictures your unit looks really good and I don't me to imply that all 'Farming sambars' have rougher bodies :).
     
  12. Acerguy

    Acerguy Moderator Staff Member

    Great post, Stan.carney! Interesting stuff!
     
    Bobacuda likes this.
  13. anthill

    anthill Member

    Resurrecting an old thread: Looking at the list of Sambar models, did any of the 1991, 1992, or 1993 "Dias II sun roof supercharger" models get sold? That's a KV3 frame with 5MT and the EN07Y engine, but with only rear wheel drive.
     
  14. Yes, as a matter of fact, I owned a dias II sunsun roof 5mt with RWD only.
     
  15. clsmooth

    clsmooth New Member

    Hey guys, I'm in the market for a KV4 as my 2nd vehicle and now that I have direct access to a Japanese auction site, the cost will be about half or less, so in theory it should take me about half the time to acquire one.
    The auction site gives me some, but not quite enough detail for each Sambar being auctioned off, and I need some clarification on engine options/combos. If you can help me clarify some questions below, it'd help me make the best purchase I can:

    I know that a carbureted engine without a Supercharger = True; and that Fuel Injected engine with a S/C = True also.

    However, does...
    1) Carb with S/C = True?
    2) Fuel Injection without S/C = True?
    Questions:
    3) What year (if any) did Subaru switch from carbureted to fuel injected on the Sambars? Or, can you get a mix of the 2 starting from a particular year?
    4) If not, how can you tell, by just looking at exterior pictures, if a KV4 is fuel injected? (Paint-matched bumpers, alloy wheels, those additional square fog lights in the bumper, etc.)
    5) Also, how you can tell, by just looking at exterior pictures, if a KV4 is supercharged? (Again, paint-matched bumpers, alloy wheels, those additional square fog lights in the bumper, etc.)
    [HR][/HR]
    2000 Subaru Impreza RS Coupe
     
  16. SpikeFiend

    SpikeFiend Member

    S/C will be fuel injected.
    Newer models can have fuel injection without S/C.

    I've attached a VIN decoder. It doesn't tell you what's offered as combos, but you can work back from something you find.
     

    Attached Files:

  17. clsmooth

    clsmooth New Member

    Thanks SpikeFiend, that's actually really helpful. I'm looking for a FI + S/C setup, so looking to see if the 'transmission' includes a S/C will really help me narrow one down...
     
    Mike farrell likes this.
  18. SpikeFiend

    SpikeFiend Member

    I would definitely recommend the supercharged option. Not only does it have more power, but the transmission gearing is taller as well which makes for a much nicer highway vehicle (though perhaps not as adept at off-roading as some of the other makes). I've had my Sambar up to 135 km/h on the speedo (and it only goes to 140), though true speed is probably less than that.

    If you plan on lots of highway driving, I'd also suggest keeping your tire diameter close to stock... I noticed a significant decrease in torque going from the 145/80 R12 tires to 155/80 R13 tires. In the spring, I'll be looking for some 165/65 R13 tires, as they have almost the exact same diameter as stock (on a rim size that actually still exists).

    As a side note, the Vans seem to have SC more commonly than the trucks do.
     
  19. clsmooth

    clsmooth New Member

    Yes, I do want a S/C'd one for the extra power and as I do a mix of hwy and city driving. I'm registered on an auction site and the setup I'm looking for is a S/C + FI, 4WD, 5 speed manual. Preferably blue and preferably with the glass roofs.

    That reminds me, the glass roofs, do Sambars that come with them indicate standard equipment with certain trim levels (and potentially the power train setup) or was it an option when new? I would like to think the glass roofs would mean the Sambar's S/C'd for example, but I test drove a local Sambar for sale that was a carb'd 1990 that also had the glass roofs (Ironically the only thing going for that beater...)
     
  20. SpikeFiend

    SpikeFiend Member

    I can't say for certain if the sunroof only comes in certain configurations. Are you going to try and import the truck yourself or are you going through a dealer/importer? Most of the importers I've looked at in Alberta (that seem decent) say they will take your requirements and search the available market to find a match. That might be easiest, especially if you're serious (because they usually ask for a $1000-$1200 advance). If you're going that route, make sure the company has a counterpart that they work with in Japan who can personally inspect the vehicles and send back pics (versus just trolling auction websites).

    You've got it easy being in Vancouver, since that's where all these things arrive from Japan!

    These guys are based out of Edmonton, but give a pretty good breakdown of import fees, ect. Most of which is paid for import fees. Your van should only cost $500-$1000 CAD at auction (probably on the lower end), and then tack on $4000 in import fees to get it here. Once it arrives, you'll probably have to spend some $$ to get an out of province inspection (and upgrade it accordingly, new headlights with DRL setting among other things). The importer should be able to give you a heads about stuff like that.
     
  21. clsmooth

    clsmooth New Member

    I'd like to try and import one myself through a broker in Japan. Local dealer's put too much of a markup on them in my opinion, and $4000 in import fees is unheard of in Vancouver. Average is around $1000 - $1500 not including shipping. I also have family in the automotive business who can perform inspections so retrofitting anything or getting one approved isn't an issue either...
     
  22. SpikeFiend

    SpikeFiend Member

    I think you might be a bit optimistic, but all the power to you. If you go ahead and import something yourself, come back here and post all the details. I'm sure a lot of people would like to know more on the process (which I think the government purposely obfuscates to make it harder to import).
     
  23. Dave in Japan

    Dave in Japan Member

    Hi Gents,

    Just to add to what SpikeFiend has already told clsmooth about Sambar vans:

    The following should help, but note that this refers only to the Sambars built from March of 1990 through to February of 1999, the ones with the four cylinder 658cc “Clover Four” engine (code EN07) and the V-KV3 and V-KV4 chassis. The earlier ones with the 544cc two cylinder are a different kettle of fish, and very rare. (I have only ever seen one or two on the road here in Japan.)

    So, to answer clsmooth’s questions, and hoping I’m right (if not, I trust someone will step in and correct me here):

    1) There were no 658cc Sambars that used a carburetor with the supercharger.
    2) There were 658cc Sambars that used fuel injection with no supercharger.
    3) The fuel injected (multi-point, by the way) N/A engines start in October of 1995.
    4) You can’t tell just by looking at exterior pictures if a KV4 is fuel injected, you have to go by the date of production.
    5) You can’t tell just by looking at exterior pictures if a KV4 is supercharged. However, if the drive system is part time 4WD, then that vehicle is not supercharged because all the supercharged ones and all the automatic ones had full time 4WD. (Full time 4WD was also an option on the non-supercharged manual transmission ones.) The additional square fog lights don’t tell you anything, unfortunately. I retro-fitted them to my supercharged Sun Sun Roof Sambar, but with others they came as stock. In fact, even the van having the Sun Sun roof option does not mean that it is supercharged,as the carbureted engine was offered as an option with the glass roof.

    In terms of engine specs, the supercharged EN07s were all the same throughout the whole production run from 3/90 to 2/99: 55ps at 6,200rpm and 7.1kg/m of torque at 3,800 rpm.

    The normally aspirated engines with the carb gave 40ps at 6,500 and 5.5kg/m at 3,500. When they went to fuel injection the power bumped up to 46ps at 6,400 and 5.6 kg/m at 4,800

    Good luck finding a nice unit. This is a picture of my 1995 Sambar:

    View attachment 13002

    Terrific little van it was, and picnicking in the back with the roof open was great. Access to the rear-mounted engine is much better than on the old first series VW Buses as a) the whole rear bumper folds down to allow you to get at the engine from that side, and b) you can open the interior access panel under the carpet in the back and work on the engine from above, too (and even the rain!).

    Mine was the rear drive type and it had a lot of grunt from a standing start with a final drive ratio of 6.116:1 and a first gear of 4.080:1. I don’t remember what the redline was but it was respectably high (7,500 was it?).

    I did notice, however, that, as is common with supercharged engines, it did feel a bit “breathy” at high rpm and did not have as strong top-end boost as what a turbo-charged motor typically gives; but, as I say, low end was great. That little van really moved.

    Turning circle was fantastic and he got me out of lots of tight spots.

    I only sold him to get this:

    View attachment 13003

    Last month of the last year of production, Mitsubishi Minica Dangan (Bullet). Rare, fast, and fun. Highly recommended and a complete blast to drive, with surprisingly good load capacity for such a small light (690kg) car.

    I’ll go on about Japanese mini trucks and mini cars all day, but I hope I have answered some of your questions.

    One point of caution I would make about the Sambar vans: I was driving my Sambar down the Tomei Expressway here a few years back and was crossing the Fuji River on the long high bridge that flies you over it with a beautiful open view to either side when we were hit by a strong gust of cross wind. I felt for a moment that it was going to blow us off the road. We had to slow down to below seventy km/h to keep good steering control, and with a pushy big truck behind us, I did sweat a bit. Granted that there was a wind warning that day, and granted that the 4WD Sambar will have more weight over the steering wheels, still, these are rear-engined vehicles with a light front end and a high center of gravity and need to be driven accordingly. (Which you guys know already, but I just thought I should mention it.)

    If you struggle to find a good unit, I can help you get one at auction (and have it inspected before you buy it); or, with luck, I can find one at one of the dealers or shops I know around here, and inspect it for you myself. (I do that for JCD (http://www.japancardirect.com/jdm-vehicles/jdm-inspected-vehicles )

    I sold mine to the mechanic who had serviced it for me. Actually, he jumped at it when he heard I was selling it, because, in the countryside here, the manual transmission ones are highly valued as good all-round work horses that can double as a (comfortable-enough) passenger van. (You can PM me at dave@japancardirect.com if you need help getting one.)

    Oh, yes: You might want to stay away from the CVT ones. I understand that those transmissions are not that strong, although I have no personal experience with owning a CVT Sambar. And two more points: 1) Those Clover Fours often seem to start sweating oil at around 80,000kms. It’s just that the gaskets let a bit of oil seep through and it gets on to the block; it is not usually a sign of serious wear or anything like that. 2) When you open the air intake to inspect the air filter, you may find that some oil is being drawn into the air filter housing. This can happen on even relatively low mileage engines. Again, this is not a problem (unless it gets really bad, of course), it’s just a quirk of these engines. Broadly they are strong and have long service life spans. (If you get stuck for air filters, I can find them here.)

    Sambars are great trucks and vans and the Sun Sun roof model is terrifically unique and fun to own.
     
  24. SpikeFiend

    SpikeFiend Member

    Does that only apply to Van models? My truck has selectable AWD (the red button on the shifter) and is supercharged. It's the "J" transmission option (EL + 5 speed 4WD + SC).

    Yep, these aren't for windy days! I'm not sure about the van, but the truck has a near 50/50 weight distribution with the engine in the rear (so you can't do a brake stand like in a Suzuki!).
     
  25. Dave in Japan

    Dave in Japan Member

    Thanks SpikeFiend and Happy New Year to you and to everybody here.

    In answer to you question: Yes, it only applies to the vans. At least as far as I know, if it is supercharged, the 4WD system will be full time, non selectable and no fun red button.

    However, on double checking, I find that I was wrong when I said that if it is automatic with 4WD then it will be full time 4WD. This is not the case for the last year of production (1998 February to 1999 February) of the cute "Classic" Sambars. Those automatics did come with part time selectable 4WD and you get the fun button.

    From the major model change in 1999 when they go to the GD-TV2 chassis numbers, you can definitely get part time selectable 4WD with the supercharger. (I guess there was a demand for that option, which I can understand as, when I was looking at buying a Sambar Domingo a few years back (the Sambar van with the 1.2 liter n/a) it only came with full time 4WD and I didn't want that. I don't mind carrying the extra drive parts around in the vehicle all the time, but I just don't want to spend the fuel to drive them when I'm not using need them.)

    With regard to the 50/50 weight distrubution in your Sambar truck: How do you find it to drive on snowy roads? Does the tail tend to come around if you slide?

    I am looking now at a minitruck for myself, if I can convince the wife. She loved the old Sambar van and I did, too, so I'd like to go for the truck version. The trick is though, that I live in the mountians now (1,000 meters up the side of Mount Fuji) and the roads down to the valley are twisty and steep in places and going down a twisty steep mountain road covered in snow is not the place for any oversteering tendencies.

    Have you had any issues with your truck in that area?

    Cheers and thanks in advance,

    Dave

    My Blogs:

    http://amoderngoldenera.wordpress.com/

    10 Miles from Everywhere: http://pricelanguage.at.webry.info/
     
  26. SpikeFiend

    SpikeFiend Member

    In RWD mode the back end flips out pretty easily, but in 4WD it's rock solid. It sold me on 4WD.

    That being said, since it's so light it gets pushed around if there's big snow ruts on the road if you're not careful. I jumped at the chance to help my brother-in-law move his BBQ (his dad's full size truck didn't have enough room b/c it had a canopy!) right when we were hit by the biggest snow of the year. I ended up doing a 360 spinout on the highway as I was taking the exit. To be fair, there was about 20-30 cm of snow and I was going around 80 km/h... I misjudged the conditions (my first time in real deep snow with the truck) and was lucky that it was late at night and no one was on the road!

    At slower speeds it's a champ, even in deep snow with crappy tires. Throw some winter tires (studded if the mountains are really bad) and some sand bags in the back and you should be good to go.

    I'm a little jealous that you've got access to all the new kei cars over there. I'd love to have a turbo AWD Honda N one. That or an AZ-1.
     
  27. Dave in Japan

    Dave in Japan Member

    Thanks for the information and driving impression / experience, SpikeFiend.

    I have become very conscious of engine placement issues and on-snow handling since moving to these mountains and since owning a 1990 MR2. (Which I no longer have.)

    I was a big believer in mid-engined sports cars for years and years, and they are a good concept...for the track. But once I spun one on a wet track and just couldn't react fast enough to recover and, like you on the snow, did a 360 (or multiple 360s) and just stopped shot of the tyre pile. Then another time I ended up on snow here in the MR2 and the rear end came around, I counter steered, the rear came hard around the other way, I counter steered, the then rear end came hard around again, and......you know the story. I avoided a serious prang due to luck and the fact that I was going up hill at the time. My skill was not a contributing factor in my survival.

    As you mentioned, we do have these lovely Kei cars here. I remember noticing them when I first arrived and wanting to try one of those little turbo nutter cars with the hood scoop. It was years till I finally ended up having a chance behind the wheel of a Suzuki Alto Works (as a courtesy car, amazingly). But after that, I was hooked. Now with the Minica Dangan turbo I have tremendous fun and joy. Light, responsive, good grunt and acceleration, and really sure-footed balance. (It also hauls a temendous amount of stuff and over-weight in-laws.)

    I worry sometimes that I am betraying the sportscar / supercar ethic when I realize how much I like driving a sporty Kei as compared to the bigger, more "proper" sporting and performance machinery. I was vey fortunate to have the MR2, and I count it a priviledge to have the Celica GT-4 that I've got now, but...dash it all!, my wife's turbo Kei is the better car; and I can park it anywhere. (And it's cheap and uncomplicated.) Keis are great! Sorry to Lamborghini.

    Cheers and please excuse my rabbiting on,


    Dave

    My Blogs:

    http://amoderngoldenera.wordpress.com/

    10 Miles from Everywhere: http://pricelanguage.at.webry.info/
     
  28. clsmooth

    clsmooth New Member

    Thanks Dave for all your insight!

    So just to clarify so I'm thinking along the same lines as you, since I'd prefer a Sambar van that's S/C, injected and 4WD; this combination would come with full time 4WD and is NOT selectable/part time, and available from 1995 - 1998? This means there's no button on this shifter, correct?
     
  29. Dave in Japan

    Dave in Japan Member

    Hi clsmooth,

    Yes, as far as I know, that is correct; if you get the supercharger and you get the 4WD, you don't get the red button. ("You are non-selectable, Flight 457, proceed on course.")

    And here's a head twiter for you: Often, if you look at the rear tail pipe, the supercharged vehicle will have a sort of double pipe, with a smaller pipe inside the main pipe, like this:

    View attachment 13050

    And, usually, the non-superchaged ones have a simple pipe with no inner pipe like this:

    View attachment 13051

    But I have seen exceptions to this, like this non-supercharged one that has the double pipe:

    View attachment 13052

    The variations with the Sambar are enough to drive you bonkers.

    When you find a vehicle that you want to go for, for example when you are bidding at an auction, it might be best to retain an outside inspector to have a look at it to confirm the specification and features (as well as doing the normal checks to confirm condition of the vehicle, any damage or problems not mentioned on the auction house inspection sheet, etc.). Auction house inspection sheets sometimes do not give you complete information about the spec of a vehicle, although they are pretty good overall at most auction houses. (The guys have to go through a lot of cars in a day and do leave things out from time to time.)

    When we deal with commercial vehicles, like medium trucks for example, there are often a number of suspension options available (leaf springs vs coil springs, etc.) and these option packages are usually not reflected on the inspection sheets and are also not clear from the chassis numbers and codes. It doesn't help that some of the makers won't help us much to decipher their blasted codes! (I could hit Toyota and Mazda with a brick on this. Isuzu and Mitsubishi are pretty helpful, at least.) So we just have to send an outside inspector to the auction, he goes to the vehicle, mobile phone to ear, and we ask him: "Alright, Hiroshi, has the vehicle got XYZ?" or "Is there any valve clatter from the VVT when you rev the engine?" on so on.

    If you buy from a dealer or private seller, you can always ask for photos of specific areas to help you determine the spec and features. So with a Sambar van, a photo of the instrument panel will tell you if it is supercharged becuase there is a car icon beside the meters to the left that will say "supercharger" right on it. And, of course, a photo of the shifter and one of the front axle will tell you all you need to know about the transission and drive train the vehicle has. Most dealers that I deal with are more than happy to provide lots of good photos if you are willing to wait a day or two.

    If you are patient and double check, you should get the spec right and find a good one for yourself.

    Dave

    My Blogs:

    http://amoderngoldenera.wordpress.com/

    10 Miles from Everywhere: http://pricelanguage.at.webry.info/

    dave@japancardirect.com
     
  30. clsmooth

    clsmooth New Member

    Thanks Dave and Fiend! Realistically it'll be a couple of years til I acquire a Sambar Van as an extra vehicle. I do definitely want a 4WD 5-speed that's fuel injected, so I'll keep an eye on 96 - 98's to play it safe. If I can't get one that's supercharged, the thought's crossed my mind of building a homemade turbo setup then...

    Dave, PS, your attachments don't appear to be working...
     

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