From what I’ve found, Mitsubishi referred to their regular cab long-bed pickups in this era as “one-ton” trucks. I can’t find any specific info on that in brochures, though. This 1985 Mitsubishi Mighty Max One-ton pickup is listed here on Facebook Marketplace in Kaukauna, WI, and they’re asking $3,000. Here is the original listing, and thanks to Lothar… of the Hill People for the one-ton tip!
Hopefully, one of you can shed some light on the unusual naming convention of this tiny truck. Some forums said that it was Mitsubishi’s response to Toyota’s one-ton pickup, and as the owner of a somewhat similar but five-year-older Dodge version, I can’t imagine this truck hauling one ton of anything but feathers. Wait, a ton of feathers still weighs a ton. It looks like there’s a ton of weight on the left front tire; it’s a bit low.
That bumper is a factory-correct option, as shown on page 7 of this 1985 Mitsubishi pickup brochure, and buyers could get a step bumper like that in either chrome or black. The paint has seen better days, although it looks surprisingly nice on the passenger side for some reason. Bright Silver is the color, and silver seems to degrade more quickly than most other colors or tones. I believe this is a base model Mighty Max pickup, as shown with a black grille. The higher trim levels have silver grilles. The seller says this is a Colorado truck and is solid underneath, a very good thing to hear on a four-decade-old Japanese vehicle, or really on any vehicle.
We don’t get to see inside the truck bed, but I’m guessing it looks well-used, as everything else does on this 15.4-foot-long truck. The interior could have benefited from a five-minute clean-up job, if not an hour or more of heavy cleaning. Rent that hot-water extraction carpet cleaner, get those seats clean. Seriously. It’s amazing what a little time will do to bring in more money on used vehicles. Bucket seats and a 5-speed manual would mean the top model in the Dodge D-50 lineup, but Mitsubishi must have used a different system.
This isn’t the 2.6 engine I expected to see, and thanks to the seller for taking the time to show the engine! They say this is a 4G63B 2.0-liter SOHC inline-four. It should have 88 horsepower and 108 lb-ft of torque when new. The brochure shows a 5-speed as not being available on the base model pickup, but the seller says it is, and it sends power to the rear wheels. It has an Australian header (very cool!) and the head was rebuilt, along with adding a “Chinese Weber” carb. They mention that this truck needs a bit of tinkering in order to be a regular driver. I paid $2,000 for my almost-perfect 1980 Dodge D-50 Sport pickup, but that was back in 2017. Have any of you heard of a little Mitsubishi pickup being referred to as a one-ton truck?
I always enjoy it when you post a link to the original sales brochures Scotty. I’m definitely a fan of Mitsubishi pickups. I temember the Toyota “One Ton” models, but not these. You’d have to look at the door sticker ( if its there) to see the GVWR rating. It’s amazing that it has all its original sheetmetal and that nothings rusted through, at least from what I can see. Noce one Scotty!!!
The Toyota one tons were for real. You could even forgo the bed and add dual rear wheels. These cab n chassis were used for campers and box trucks and many other things. I remember the Ford Couriers were used for u-haul and other type box trucks. I see no reason to doubt a one ton set up was available (say springs and such). However I don’t think all the long beds were that heavily set up. 🤷🏽♂️🫶🏼
It just shows how high the demand is for compact pickup trucks if this thing can command $3000.
Mitsubishi trucks were great trucks although just saying that name in certain areas might get you bounced out the door. I don’t know about a 1 ton, generally, 1 ton Toyotas had dual wheels on the back, and were used in UHaul applications, but not here. Not to say some homeowner didn’t get more than that at the local gravel pit one chipper Saturday morn,, but for the most part, these were 1/2 ton,,safely. In fact, many of these were licensed for 1/4 ton( 500lbs) or “A” plates in Wis.( B 1/2 ton, C 3/4 ton, etc)
I’m confused by the motor, apparently, it is a belt drive cam, with a secondary rubber belt to turn a balance shaft( good grief, TWO belts) and while not an interference motor, if the balance shaft belt breaks, it usually takes out the cam belt, and the fun stops there. The 2.6 Scotty mentions was a chain drive cam, and a much better setup. One glance tells it’s not from the Badger, they didn’t last long. Nice find.
Can’t see one of these and not think of the movie “I, Tonya”. Especially that hood up in the garage photo.
I don’t ever remember seeing one of these as any kind of heavy duty version. The 1-Ton Toyotas and Nissans had special wheels and a beefier stance.
Never been a fan of 80’s vehicles. However, had 1 ton Toyota in 89. Drove a long bed Nissan in the 90s. Loved those trucks, tough, fun to drive. More cab room than 70s versions. They will never make such a basic truck again. If you like them, you got to get them used. My high school teacher was so happy to show off her new 1980 Toyota, engine had bright brass colored bolts.
If the base model was rated one ton, it probably was meant literally – a payload of exactly 2000lbs. These weren’t longbeds – from the first Dodge D50 up to these, there was one wheelbase and bed length (6’5″ iirc) that was a compromise between the other Japanese trucks’ short and longbeds. That changed with the redesign in ’86 or ’87.
If the Wikipedia article is to be believed, Chrysler Australia offered “Recreational” half-ton (500kg / ~1100 lb) and “Commercial” one-ton (1000kg / ~2200 lb) specifications of the first-gen model, and North American variants of the second-gen model offered a one-ton variant of the longbed.
As this is an American-market first-gen with the standard “mid-bed” for that gen, and noting the Sport trim decal on the tailgate, I’d reckon this model would be a half-tonner.