1st Generation Toyota Dyna Truck

The first TOYOACE made its debut in the market in September of 1954 under the name, “light truck”. 2 years after, on July of 1956, it received its name, TOYOACE. Its solid build and reasonable price made it one of the most popular trucks in the country.

It has been produced from 1954 to 1959

1954

Made its debut as a 1t TOYOPET light truck SKB model.

To keep the price low, it used the same leaf-spring beam axle straight from the trustworthy TOYOPET SG model, an existing mini-hood truck, a low-floor ladder frame chassis, and a S-type side valve engine. Engine output was upgraded to 30PS/4,000rpm. It powered the back wheel through the 4-gear non-synchronic mesh. Its maximum speed was 70km/h. The official mileage was 13km/L.

The biggest characteristic was the semi-cab over layout, unlike the conventional hood-oriented body. This opened up more cargo space with the same chassis. It was 4.3m in length, which was the regulation size at the time for small cars. The cargo space was extended to 2.5m, a 26% increase compared to the SK model with a hood.

It was predicted that the semi-cab over model would make it harder to tune the engines and other parts, so a side-rail was placed on the frame so that the engine could be pulled out to the front. This was a very unique structure. The body was quite simple. No chrome plating, and flat windows were used to focus on increasing productivity. The minimal concept can be seen in the interior as well. The seat for 2 was made from Citroen 2CV pipe frames and cloth-hammock pulled together by an elastic string. The only thermal insulation was asbestos finish. The focus was delivering performance at low costs. As minimal as it was, it delivered solid performance. In terms of functionality, its specs were far above average. Given its width, a seat for 3 was also possible. However, the engine hood reached the middle area, so it made it difficult to create space for the third person.

Jul, 1956

The public names it, TOYOACE.