When most people think of a collection of vehicles from the mid 1950’s, they think of T-Birds, or Tri-Chevies or at least something with fins. Barring that, at least most people think of something with four wheels! However, I am not most people. For me, while they’re visually interesting and neat in real life, cars of the Fifties have never really “done it” for me as modelling subjects.

No, I like the weirder stuff, so when I got a collection of vehicles from the mid-‘50s, it was a bunch of Japanese three-wheeled commercial vehicles! Thanks to LS (and Arii thereafter), my lust for oddball automotive subjects can be at least somewhat appeased! Check out my collection of 5 three-wheelers from the fun and simple 1/32 “Owner’s Club” model series. You’ll never see a Big Wheel the same way again!

https://adamrehorn.wordpress.com/model-kits/out-of-box-reviews/arii-1-32-owners-club-three-wheelers/

Haha!
I remember those vehicles (very similar with Midget) made by a Czech manufacturer supplying the small stores in my home country. They have disappeared at the beginning of the '90s, but in '80s they were pretty much a daily sight!
Sweet memories literally! The one I was seeing most often - the green one - was the one supplying the gelateria in my block

Thanks, Adam, for bringing me back happy memories

Cheers!
Gabriel

Cargo trikes with lids !!!

Awesome little collection Adam, thanks for sharing.

Cheers, D

That's cool, Gabriel, that you got to see these guys in action!

I will do my best to do them justice! They are really off-the-wall subjects, and I can hardly wait to see how judges at North American shows react to them!

Glad I could remind you of some good times, too!

If there is any category for them (other than "of the wall"). I wish I'll see their faces
I can remember they were plain semi-gloss painted, smoky and super-slow. I don't know if was poor maintenance, but they were always leaning to one side!

Gabriel

I remember seeing these when I was 5 and taken on a visit to relatives in Japan. And later they were used in the US in my hometown for mail delivery!

The US ones were made by Cushman and not imports. I remember postal and even police (parking enforcement) ones.

Adam,
What a really unique collection. I somewhat do remember seeing 3 wheelers being used by the NYC postal service back in the late 50s and early 60s.

Thanks so much for sharing those kits with us, as I've been around a long time, and just don't remember seeing them.

Joel

Those are actually really nice, simple kits. I've built three of the Owners' Club Kits - the '68 Daihatsu Midget along with 2 regular 4-wheeled cars. A couple of pics of the Daihatsu here:
https://www.vintagerpm.com/132-1957-daihatsu-midget/