If you’re totally OCD over titles then today’s Subaru 360 should satisfy as it’s about the mini-est minivan there is. The question though, is whether the price on this custom one-box is contrastingly too maxi.

With a claimed 300 brake horsepower at its back wheels, yesterday’s impressed with its potential for going places fast. Unfortunately for its present owner, its equally impressive price tag meant that, for 74% of you at least, one of those places shouldn’t be a new owner’s garage.

Seeing how hard pressed it seems we are to be to find an old Japanese car that’s worth twenty grand-plus these days, we’re eschewing those for a Japanese van - and one with only two cylinders to boot!

The Subaru 360 came in a number of versions, all cuter than a bug’s ear. One of the coolest however, was the van - a forward control commercial and people mover that debuted way back in ’61. Today’s wild custom is of the second generation, and this one is described - owing to its modifications - as being a one of a kind Boogie Van.

Powering the custom van is a 423-cc inline twin, which needs only half the strokes to get the job done. Remember when you could do that? The seller makes the claim that this is probably the fastest 360 van around, and that over a thousand bucks have been thrown at the cylinder heads alone. Considering that all they do is act as caps for the combustion chamber and a place to screw in the spark plugs, that seems like a lot of money just to have them milled. Performance however, isn’t this show truck’s only claim to fame.

The ad notes that the undercarriage has had everything either chromed or powder coated, and the interior is full-on custom, featuring four captain’s chairs out of a Chrysler. The lack of windows in the back may make long trips a bore for those kids helping you find your lost puppy, but the walls feature the same custom pattern as the seats so at least they can pass the time reflecting upon that. When that gets tired however, there is also a drop-down TV along with some other accouterments in there, befitting the Subie's show truck status.

Outside, the Van has been dropped, and rides on custom chromed thimbles with the black-painted finned brake drums at their center. The body paint is matte black which is all the rage these days, and the ad says there’s only 47 miles on this - its second - full restoration. Oh, and also, wheelie bars!

If good things come in small packages, then this 360 must be the best thing since sliced bread because it’s almost pocketable. Thing is, its price tag requires a wad of cash that is less than pocketable unless you’re an aficionado of cargo pants - and you’re not, right? 


The seller of this turn-key show truck is asking $28,000 to take it off his hands. For that kind of money, it’s pretty much ready to be driven to whatever show you want, requiring only the further investment into one of those creepy time-out dolls, which would probably tower over it.

What do you say to $28,000 for a one-of a kind - and kind of cute - Subie show truck, is that a deal? Or, is this a minivan that’s priced too far from the river’s edge?

You decide!

H/T to TedMurena AND JoeK for the hookup!

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