1953 Bandai Mazda 3-Wheel Delivery Truck In Original Box
Fabulous tin litho friction drive Mazda 3-Wheel Delivery Truck manufactured by Bandai. Comes complete with original Japanese box plus original Japanese instructions. In fantastic excellent++ to near mint condition and most likely never played with. Very unusual post-war utilitarian vehicle evolved from a three wheel enclosed motorcycle which included a three cornered motorcycle seat with handlebars! No steering wheel! Mazda produced the actual truck for only two years, 1953-54. Bandai designed the toy as a very accurate model of the full-size truck. This included the embossed seat and handlebars inside the driver's compartment. It also has a triple segmented windshield with angled supports on either end, plus an embossed pick-up bed which resembled wood planking (which again, was used for the full size truck). The toy is all tin litho; maroon cab roof, lavender trailer and front fender. The black transaxle is made from separately tabbed metal parts which enclose the friction motor. The wheels are solid rubber with orange hubs. Unlike the actual truck the toy's front wheel is stationary. It also has wrap around chrome headlight assembly and windshield frame. It also has its original celluloid windshield. A version with enclosed canvas pick-up bed was also produced by Bandai. The box features a full panel illustration of the truck loaded down with crates tied to the pick-up bed. The vehicle is shown arriving dockside with a white ocean liner in the background. The front and rear box aprons were printed with actual black and photographs. The front apron has a single photo showing an aerial view of the Mazda manufacturing plant. Three photos on the rear apron were taken of the Mazda assembly line showing different stages of the 3-wheel truck production. The original directions are written in Japanese. However a photo of a young Japanese boy playing with the 3-wheel truck along with several other toys was printed on this sheet. The Bandai logo is also easily recognized. Size: 6½". Date Sold: Jun. 2009
Price Sold: $ 900
