Welcome to my JDM van. Shammy finds a new home!

Having imported a car from Japan before with the Figaro, I figured I knew it all. Yeah, right. I got a couple of curve balls with the Delica and might find a little niche business bringing in ‘junk’ from other countries that turns to gold in the US of A.

A big thing is finding the right transit company to get the car from the port to my doorstep. Although I used a broker to find these guys, I will definitely use them again. Not only were they affordable, timely, and professional, but the endless Will Farrell and John C Reilly and the endless quotes from Talladega Nights made the experience enjoyable and memorable.

It had been almost three months since I bought my van at an auction in Sapporo, Japan. My decision was based on a roughly translated auction sheet and a half dozen grainy pictures. And here it is.

It was nice to get a look at the undercarragie. Sapporo is known snow and skiing. And it looks like this van got a good undercoat treatment and was kept in above average condition.

Not this is the only moment I thought I would never see the van again in one piece. So, whereas Jesus could walk on water (apparantly), the guys from Rikki Bobbi could literally drive on air.

Finally, in the driveway with a couple of layers of filth from the nearly 7,000 mile land and sea journey. I was hoping to get in the first wash at it was getting into early evening, but that was not to be.

The sprinkles turned into rain. That rain into a torrent. Thunder rolls in the skies and the wind picked up. So I did what you would expect me to do with a van that has only had its tires touching the solid concrete of my Greenacres driveway for less than an hour. I went storm chasing!

In hindsight I should have figured out the dash controls first. Like where the wipers were. And it’s not as though you need a title or license plates to drive a couple of miles around the house. We are in the county, of course.

As I let the sweet smell of stale diesel fill the air, I got a little nod from on high. They say don’t go chasing waterfalls, but I think rainbows are a different story.

It started getting late and was time to get back to the house. But at least I got to check out the groovy double fog lights. I’m not quite sure how I found that button on the dash. And there are some mystery switches I’m going to have to spend some time deciphering.

In the next day or so, I got in a real wash (and replaced those red aftermarket mud flaps with a set of the originals). I also had on my list to stop at the licensing department so I could safely take it out of the neighborhood (and fill up the tank, since the fuel l light was on).

Starting in this model year, Mitsubishi went with mirrored privacy glass for the side windows. Along with those two inch pop-out tabs common for the time. Not only does it reduce the need for tacky curtains on the inside (while providing nice passive ventilation), but it also gives the viewer some great cloud reflections.

Inside is really like a modern car. Standard dash and gauge lights. They also started in this model year to include dual front air bags and four-wheel antilock brakes. Of course, all six of the passengers will die, but that’s why I’m always the driver.

The main reason for going with the cold weather Chamonix package (other than the helical limited slip rear end and dual battery configuration for the 2.8 intercooled turbo diesel) was the really cool seat upholstery and graphics. It just makes you feel like you are in a cheesy teen-exploitation ski movie from the mid-1990s.

And with a hatchback that runs the entire width of the van, it’s hard to fight the urge to run down to Home Depot and shove a 4×8 piece of plywood in what is turning out to be a pretty bad-ass mini van from the Land of the Rising Sun.

I get a lot of questions on the seats. Yes, if you pull out the headrests, all for the most part lay pretty flat for sleeping. The seat belts tuck under and out of the way. Although it’s just as easy to do half a side as well.

The interior makes this the Swiss Army knife of minivans. I personally like to turn it into a small living room. I can see myself getting a nice parking spot on the end at Logan Pass in Glacier Park one of these summers. Just sit there with the slider open, sip my coffee, and let 1,000 people who want my parking spot ask when I’m going to leave. (Spoiler: the answer is always never).

But I think the best thing about the entire Delica experience is that now Figgy has a younger brother to keep him company. They have no problem sharing the same room. The problem is that when the Daihatsu Copen become importable in 2027, we might have to make some hard decisions. Like Nancy having to park her on the street.

GoatBoy out, but not forgotten!