Toyota Town Ace: on this one you can go around the world 🚌 🇯🇵

Hello!

Japanese cars of the late eighties and early nineties are famous for their reliability and survivability. Even now, there are a lot of these cars on sale: despite the age of 25-30 years, they still serve their owners regularly.

Among them are those that are just perfect for travel. One of these cars will be discussed.

Meet the Toyota Town Ace.

Toyota Town Ace. Photo from the Auto.ru catalog

Universal JDM bus

Town Ace was produced from 1978 to 1996. There were three generations and many trim levels within each of them. You can choose a car for any task: for work, for family, and for travel.

In addition to standard bodies – passenger and cargo-passenger – on sale came across flatbed trucks and even motorhomes based on the Town Ace mikrik.

Flatbed truck based on Town Ace. Photo: motormania.ru

And the machine has an almost complete analogue – Toyota Lite Ace. The difference slips in the interior details, external decorative elements and trim nuances. They also say that the Lite Ace body is 10 centimeters longer, but in practice this is not always confirmed. Therefore, we can assume that the models are the same.

Both cars were assembled for the Japanese domestic market, they always have a steering wheel on the right.

Motorhome based on Toyota Town Ace. Photo: rimos.ru

Millionaire engines

The motors installed on Town Ice are fantastically hardy. Yes, some of them have their own nuances, but if you remember this, you can roll many hundreds of thousands of kilometers before a major overhaul.

There were already five gasoline engines: 4K, 5K, 7K, 2Y-U, 3Y-EU. Most of the cars imported into our country were equipped with the latest engine. However, now it is difficult to find them on sale, because diesel engines were popular at one time.

There are only three diesel internal combustion engines: a two-liter aspirated 2C, its turbocharged version 2C-T, as well as a newer and larger turbo engine – 3C-T, with a volume of 2.2 liters.

Diesel two-liter internal combustion engine. Photo: Avto.ru

Horsepower is tricky. The numbers may vary slightly even in cases where there seems to be no reason for this. Therefore, one thing is important here: all motors are weak by modern standards and their power does not exceed 100 horses, and sometimes even less. You don't drive, but the bus goes confidently along the track, even when loaded.

But regarding the optimal internal combustion engine, there is no unequivocal opinion: some praise gasoline, others praise diesel. Personally, I think that in cars of this age, the condition of the unit, the cost of its components and repairs are more important, which means you need to choose according to the situation.

The car is cabover, the engine is right in the cabin – under the front passenger seat. Photo: Avto.ru

Indestructible transmission

Town Ice was equipped with a 5-speed manual transmission or a 4-speed Aisin automatic transmission. The “automatic” here is a classic torque converter. Legendary in terms of indestructibility, in terms of reliability and resource is not inferior to the “mechanics”. That is why off-road cars with automatic transmission are often taken.

Off-road prepared Town Ace. Photo: Avto.ru

Not only for roads, but also for directions

Town Ace buses were produced with both rear and all-wheel drive. The latter are especially popular with us, because the all-wheel drive system here is the same as on serious SUVs: Part-Time with a hard-wired front axle, lowering, hubs on the front hubs.

Body with integrated frame. The layout is mid-engine, which has a positive effect on weight distribution. The geometry is not ideal, but more than suitable for off-road.

And there is also a good margin for installing large wheels, although the stock clearance is decent – 190 mm.

Town Ace off-road. Screenshot from YouTube

Salon – a traveler's dream

Three rows of seats, 7-8 seats, double-circuit heater and air conditioning – for the front and rear rows with separate adjustment.

There are configurations with two or six hatches, electric window blinds. Even a refrigerator could be ordered, which is also a heater. No, it does not work on Peltier elements, but is built into the standard air conditioning and heating system.

Salon Toyota Town Ace. Photo from the Auto.ru catalog

And there are so many options for transforming the interior in this minibus… At least arrange a coupe, at least sit at a table with friends, at least fold the rear seats to the sidewalls and get a huge trunk, at least put all the chairs into one big soft bed. Traveling is better than nothing!

Transformation salon Toyota Town Ace. Photo from the Auto.ru catalog

Is it worth buying now

There are still good options for sale, but do not forget that the cars are 30 years old. I would advise taking such a bus only in two cases:

• when a friend sells and you are sure that in the near future the car will not require serious repairs;
• when you have no illusions and understand how much effort, time and money you may have to invest in a car bought by an ad.

In general, the purchase of an old bus should be conscious – then it will truly delight you. Or maybe it will help to fulfill old dreams: for example, go around the world, because he has everything necessary for this?