Sometimes, second best is all a person can ask for or hope for. This 1974 Mazda B1600 pickup isn’t a rotary-powered (REPU) truck which by all accounts would be the best and rarest Mazda pickup that a person can get. Since they’re so rare and expensive, something like this nice looking B1600 is as good as it gets, and that isn’t a bad thing at all. This pickup is listed here on eBay with a $9,500 buy it now price of you can make an offer. It’s located in Canyon Country, California.
1974 is also the year before these pickups got a bigger 1.8L engine, but let’s quit talking about second best and concentrate on this good-looking B1600. This truck was sold at auction less than a year ago for $4,000 and you can’t blame a person for getting a great deal on a vehicle, using it for a year, and then selling it in a better marketplace. I would do the same thing and I can almost guarantee that most of you would do the same thing, too.
For the record, this truck “Does not come with the Hodaka. I included these pictures since they are the most recent. Taken the 2nd week of September (2018) just before I drove the truck to Long Beach for the 14th annual Japanese Classic Car Show. 120 mile round trip and ran like a champ. Remaining photos are just slightly older.” This is exactly what I would use this truck for, hauling a couple of my oddball Japanese market minibikes/scooters around. I’m a bit confused at the wording on parts of the listing, such as this line: “Original Paint and Body. Completely Rebuilt. Extremely Clean for Age.”
The interior looks great and it was replaced under the previous owner’s time with the truck. One thing the current seller has done since acquiring the truck a year ago was to put in a new headliner.
The 1600 part of the model name is for Mazda’s NA 1.6L inline-four which would have had 70 hp. The seller says that it “Runs and drives just like new.” They also say, “Engine (matching), trans/drive train (including cluch [sic] & drive shaft), brakes and suspension components rebuilt or replaced.” All kinds of work was done during the time that the previous owner had this truck and after losing close to $10,000 in the last year on selling cars that I put way too much money into, I know the pain that the previous owner must have felt to have this truck sell for such a low amount. What’s your best offer on this great looking Mazda B1600?
How funny I just saw this truck yesterday and thought it would look great on my favorite web site. Too bad I haven’t a clue how to post anything on this site. Perhaps that’s the reason I still use a flip phone.
The exterior tie downs on the outer bed rails are great ! Would appreciate those on a small pick up today ! (if a small pick up will ever be made again…)
Toyota started the market. Ford imported this feature Mazda truck under the name “Courier ” to compete. Chevy “Luv” was Isuzu ! Was not until 1982 that we saw the the Ranger & S-10. Took a while for the quality to catch up.
Great feature, it as showroom condition as could be found !
All these Asian trucks were shipped without boxes, I believe they were added later by an outside company. That’s why all Asian trucks of this era have those “hooks”.
I absolutely love this, but the BIN price is a bit steep for my purse.
I seem to remember reading somewhere that those tie down hooks had a nasty reputation for ripping up unfortunate pedestrians who came in contact with them. They were subsequently banned on future models.
“Don’t stand- Don’t stand so close to me” LOL
My 83 Datsun 720 pickup had them, but in the next few years Datsun/Nissan introduced the Hardbody with smooth unrolled bed tops. So I’ve seen later 720s with the hooks and some without.
Mazda pickups were always the odd one out. Not sure why, I think American’s had a hard time with 2 Asian mini trucks. I think I saw more Couriers than Mazdas, and the joke was on the Courier buyers, it was the same truck,,I think. They literally rusted to pieces, so it’s so unusual to see one in this condition. Didn’t get much more basic than this. I wouldn’t pay $10 grand for one, however, these had their limitations. Sorely needs a 5 speed for today, as these were made for the 55 mph limit then, and 65-70, this thing will be hollerin’. I had the same year Toyota with a 4 speed.
I had a 74 Courier in this exact color. Fond memories of the years I had it.