Well it all started as a post from TN... and i made a huge reply.. he asked why they dont make trucks as small as ours anymore! So here's my copy and paste "Maybe safety? or just lack of a group of buyers. ( I would buy a compact truck (80's to 90's sized) over any other truck today. Also, remember the lack of luxuries we have. the durable yet plasticky interior was great (in my opinion, better than being extremely heavy). Pull off my dash and man is it light. then compared to newer vehicles.. they're heavy... Then you have to include that people want less NVH in their vehicles. we barely had any soundproofing (actually... it was pretty quiet when my exhaust was off. even with windows rolled down. but when you step out, its really loud lol) Also, safety is another thing being pressed. we dont have re-bars on our front ends either. which is a total difference. I love Toyota in the 80-90's.... everything was built with much higher standards in my opinion. Slap a 2JZ in a Pickup and you'll have a mini that still holds together. Slap a 1UZ-FE V8 in a 4runner and the Aussies will rape the outback! If someone were to build a mini truck again... it'd probably be heavier than our trucks, but definitely lighter than current compacts. Slap a turbo I4 in there, 6spd man or auto, you'll get sales. produce a 4WD version and you'll have a diverse selection of options. give it a reg cab, and Dual cab option. maybe a xcab option with ACTUAL LEG room. Build a frame that's as strong as a fullsize's, yet in a smaller package. Coilovers up front and rear. 2WD's should be independent rear suspension for those who use it for highway transportation and such. Maybe they should do that as an option. This also adds versatility for a Sport truck option. Have a lineup of a V6 also. Both the I4 and V6 will need to be designed with DOHC, and quad valves. this is to improve mileage (you can get 30mpg easily on a light truck designed correctly) and give a good punch when needed. Continuous valve timing? Hell yeah! - Build the motor out of aluminum... weight savings and better weight dist. - DOHC 16V/24V I4/V6 Turbo. With today's technology, you can easily design them to produce 200-300+hp reliably. - Torque band should be meaty from down low all the way up high. At least have majority of torque between 2500-5750. - Forged internals, at least crank - Factory oil cooler - Dual core radiator - nice thick intercooler - Turbo oil line cooler - Continuous Variable Geometry Turbocharger - Possibly design a camless motor (which i really want to do).... so you dont really need the DOHC, yet you can have endless valve angle placement also, and unlimited engine control. = Camless plus CVG turbo... motor with great power AND great mileage WAYY past 30mpg Multiple gearing options would be great also. But make the diff's strong as ****, over do the engineering and man, people WILL like the strength. = 6spd manual or auto - Strong trans and diff's, tcase - multiple trans options, varying with a really low first gear to a trans built for the long haul - All fluids have a cooler Bed size, I have the short bed, AND I LOVE HOW BIG IT IS. compared to most small trucks, i can throw alot of good stuff in mine. Aerodynamic's.... It's going to be a small truck, and i have drawn up a design that would actually look pretty mean yet sleek. It was more of a fullsize SUV design, then a truck design, but then, its all on paper. dont have a scanner, but it can be done. Front end - nice and smooth, yet aggressive (but not too much!) Think about the 4WD's front end look. Windshield angle - make it sleek.... high angles = more drag. Side - have it be aerodynamically efficient. No ugly fender lines that stick out of nowhere. Fender flare lines MUST flow with the body and actually look good. Example - 4WD fenders 4WD bumper must give good entry angles and the rear end gives good departure angles. Have good balance of overhang. not too much. Body - aluminum body for light weight. Roof line could be glass/ or whatever material they use, this way, give the person more "roomy" feeling. Carbonfiber/ aluminum body construction. might be pricey, who knows. alloys are acceptable!! - Sunroof a standard option - Large windows.... we would love those - armrests on teh door shouldn't invade personal space - dashboard shouldn't kill your knees. - As for current standards.. Make the interior appealing and durable. - Leather option for the people with money - comfy bucket seats. Seriously - comfy headrests, Yes, it makes a difference - 4 speakers, 6x9's, should be ENOUGH for any small cab vehicle. - Single piece rear window that either vents or retracts - seats shouldnt be so dang tall. we want passengers to actually have space! - AC/PS is standard. Yet an option should be available to not have this on your vehicle (and thus, lowering price) - sound system should be simple laid out. Double Din configuration - FM/ AM/ CD/ USB(opt)/ Aux(opt)/ Nav(opt) buttons are on the left side. - music control buttons on the right side. - Both sides have not so big yet not so small knobs. Vol and the other stuff.... - CD slot on bottom - USB opt has the USB port next to the CD slot, same goes for AUX - NAV should be simply laid out with the ability to choose options. - Climate controls should be simply laid out too... I like the 2001 Honda Odyssey's setup, but maybe with a bit more manual control and stuff. - On the ceiling where the upper console is located, the mirror is attached, the sunroof buttons, a display shows outside temperature. On the left side of the display is the MPG display, click the button and it shows average mpg, then current. It also includes a compass. - Instrument cluster. I have always liked the 2001 honda odyssey's instrument cluster! Easy to read, very neat and I LOVE IT! Two middle are the speedometer and tachometer. Then have a real fuel gauge that doesn't bull ****. Coolant indicator, cold to warm, then hot. Idiot lights should be more informative. a lil figure of the truck is in the bottom left corner, whereever the problem occurs, that part will light up. - for instance, the outline of the truck is there. Then engine is low on oil. Oil light turns yellow, and the motor on the truck outline turns yellow. concepts like that. Shifter location should be very sports car like, make it close and firm. On the shifter knob, whatever gear it is in.... it'll light up the number. Also, place the clock in the easy to see area! Wheels - Today's standards are like.. 20" wheels... - 18"x7" standard wheels - Nice classic 5 spoke design, polished - Low Offset - 5x114.3 Bolt pattern gives a good range of outside options too - 255/55/18 should give a really good tire size for such 2WD trucks. - 4WD - similar wheel design, cept a bit more bolder - 6x114.3 gives good range of wheels also. - different tire options ranging between 29"-33" Headlights - Sleek yet bold. bixenon projectors give good vision. standard headlights will have a different headlight. upgradable to bixenon. Fog lights will be within the bumper. Also, side marker on the fender and mirrors. Brakes - Go as big as possible Wheel well lines... make them half circles Design the frame in 3D..... imagine a ladder frame that resists twisting Wow that was alot to type.. Summary- This provides a truck in a class smaller than most current medium trucks (ranger, colorado) yet provides versatility and MULTIPLE options. This gives a crowd that's pretty wide open to many. If the smaller class will not aim too well, it can always be changed to be in the ranger/ colorado class. It was aimed to be designed in proportions of the 1989-1995 Hilux pickups. maybe a tad bigger all around. Main aim was to design something similar, but better (how much can you go better?!) - Lighter and stronger motor - overdone transmission options - up to date interior - up to date aerodynamic design - Provide the up to date compact truck yet out do the class above it. - Aim towards a crowd who needs a compact vehicle yet needs the bed space. - Gives plenty of MPG and power to satisfy heavy right foots and light right foots - Opens options for those who want a sport truck, or the ultimate 4WD vehicle - Provide a vehicle that can be beaten As for pricing... it will range from teh lowest options (say $15k) to the highest (maybe $30k with aloota stuff and accessories) Why such a compact truck would get more mpg.... less frontal space! and weight... I have so much more to add on to this..."
eventually i'll draw a minitruck concept. scan it, remove the wheels, then print it, and draw the 4WD version and stuff.
Thing is, your idea of a truck and the baseprice 15k and fully loaded 30k with all the options you mentioned isnt going to happen. The truck will cost about the amount of a mercedes top series or more. Whats the usage of the truck, its meant to be a workhorse, its meant to be driven and abused in conditions where alot of cars will fail. Try ore/coal mine service vehices. The general user isnt going to look at an aluminum body, they arent going to look for cool wheels and big sports brakes, nor a cosy interior. An aluminum body manufacturing wise is an expensive way to build them. Lotuses are glued together, audis are aswell. Some parts are tig welded. Stamped steel bodies are spot welded and bolted down, its fast economical and just fine for the normal user. Aluminum being weaker will caues other problems and its not fully corrosion resistant either. Suspension wise leaf springs are so much better in load carrying to coil springs and they dont need to have additional panhard rods, etc. Simple cost effective and has a high load capability. Enginewise they're made to be easy to service and parts to be available in stranges places, thus they're mostly basic engines. A windshield with a high angle causes more drag, true, but these trucks arent meant to go fast and a high angle windshield makes it easy to see close to the nose when offroading, rather than a long windshield. All of those are good for the urban family, which needs a truck to haul ATV's or bikes to the local dune/dirt pit or posing around town. But for the majority of the users thats secondary. Ford F150 frame which is boxed is alot more sturdy than the U frame of the tundra for example. Good ideas, definately, but it wont make a cost efficient truck for what its meant for, it would be more of an exclusive truck like the new navarro, F150 etc.
very good point, Maybe I can produce two concepts. See which one i can make more practical. The thought of putting a fully boxed frame in a smaller truck seems very promising, that extra strength.
sorry, I do not have the patience to read past the first paragraph of the original post, but why put a fully boxed frame in a smaller truck ? If you need strength you buy a real truck. If not you buy a mini truck to d1ck around in, they are fun, and complete house hold chores and serve as grocery getters, you cant not expect much more out of these little things...
ummmmm, the toyota pickups do have a boxed frame with the exception of the very rear. look at a s-10 frame. they are only boxed under the cab and the rest is c channel. also if you look at the fullsize trucks most have a c channel frame (like this [ )
i also remember reading in one of the minitruckin articles that toyota was talking of bringing a minitruck back under the scion name sometime around 2011.
link? i was working on my truck today and we were talking about if a company broght back a compact truck i think the smallest truck out right now is the colorado and its almost the size of a t100 or bigger
i read it in minitruckin magazine. not sure what issue. the only mini on the market is the ranger. it was set to be eliminated in 09, but when gas prices went through the roof they extended production until 2011. the article also said the scion truck would be classed with the rangers replacement, as well as the mahindra pickup that is being built in india.
someone gimme a welder, some CAD equipment... and some more stuff I believe a minitruck would find its place where people need that bed space yet economy of that small car... i think you understand where that catagory falls. gtg, its 1:23AM. Night
Sorry but I think your dreaming...Dont get me wrong I think about my trucks when I cant sleep at night but.... Anyways what kind of economy are you expecting this to get ? small cars get what 35mpg ? the chevy colorodo makes what 25mpg ? that really is not bad at all.. For the people who need that few extra mpg they need it for a reason, they are poor and every penny counts. Those people are probably not looking in the new car lots or probably any car lots, they are probably sitting at home waiting for that perfect deal on that old toyota beater that they can pay cash for on craigslist... and if said person actually needs the bed space for a reason like their job, fuel economy is not a big deal, if its getting product from point A to point B or the job done reasonably which 99% of pickups do (given they dont drive a 1 ton to deliver eggs ) then its cost effective who are they ? Im assuming the only person coming is diehard mini fans and people with money that wanna tote their bikes or 4 wheelers to the dirt, and most of those people who have money arent going to be looking into a mini most likely... I used to drive my toyota an hour with 2 dirtbikes.. IT SUCKED! only good thing was is loading and unloading is a breeze because the low bed.... but nothings better then the drive home after a crazy day in a safe roomy comfortable truck.
yeah. its nice to have a dream of something epic. but you have to figure in ease of production and longevity. trucks are for hauling stuff, second comes them being daily drivers. not everybody wants a truck the way we do. have you seen how work trucks get treated? and how bare bones the interiors of them are? we like swapping in 4runner/SR5 parts because starting with the basic truck we can afford to get and add stuff we couldnt afford in the first place. look how expensive the fullsizes are new, even base models. those ones are not fancy at all. yes a smaller truck will cut costs a bit but things arent gonna be $15k for a new one. even that is out of a ton of peoples budget. what i say, is keep at it. stick with the cad and design. try and get into that after school if you really want to. eventually you might be able to work some of the concepts into production products. but for all of that in a cheap truck...its opium dreams
IF scion makes a mini, i think it will be a major sucess. they should make it basic like the 90's just safer. everyone in all ages will be interested. i myself would buy it and slap on a TOYOTA emblem
Daily Driven MiniTrucks. Great Mileage (of course, thats what makes our trucks so awesome) Strong frames (of course!) Versatile (variety for all users) I mean.... look.. we got options... and options to fit those who need their trucks in different formats. I think that's what we are really forgetting.
