I thought that I knew the Subaru 360 family pretty well but I have never heard of a factory catering truck. At 9′-8″ in length for the entire truck, a person could almost haul this truck in their full-sized truck for tailgate parties. The seller has this incredibly rare 1967 Subaru Sambar Mini-Caterer pickup listed here on eBay in San Diego, California and the current bid price is $5,800, a fraction of what I would have guessed this truck would sell for.
The biggest thing about this truck, other than its small size, is that the year is listed as being 1967. Subarus weren’t imported into the United States until 1968 when Malcolm Bricklin worked out a deal to bring Subarus to America under the SoA (Subaru of America) umbrella. The seller says that this rare pickup was fitted with this Mini-Caterer Model 500 option at the headquarters of SoA in New Jersey as a dealer accessory. It has to be by far the rarest factory or dealer accessory for a Subaru 360-based Sambar truck or van that has ever surfaced in the US.
As with almost everyone who has commented on this vehicle elsewhere on the internet, I wouldn’t have any use for a Subaru Sambar pickup with a mini-caterer option whatsoever, but I still want it! Could you imagine the crowd around this tiny truck at any car show? And, if it was actually being used to prepare hot dogs or other festival or event-type foods? It could be a mini gold mine.
According to a fun piece of literature that the seller shows on the auction link that’s a bit hard to read, this mobile chef outfit is equipped with: an insulated stainless steel bottle cooler and cold storage compartments, stainless steel frankfurter stove and steamtable pan with 5 compartments, stainless steel showcase with plexiglass sliding doors, an optional combination coffee urn (8 gallons water 3 gallons coffee), one 20-lb bottled gas tank, regulator, lines, and fittings – all gas burners equipped with 100% safety pilots, straw and napkin, mustard pot, bottle opener, stenciled two-tone umbrella (which isn’t there anymore), and a large serving area.
For having such a unique vehicle, the photos are disappointing. There are no photos showing the left side of the vehicle at all, no engine photos, no detailed photos of the equipment, etc. The base truck would be a late-1960s Subaru 360 Sambar, a two-seat pickup with rear-hinged doors and an EK-31 Subaru 356 cc two-stroke, air-cooled twin with 25 horsepower. The whole catering setup adds about 250 pounds but the next owner isn’t going to drive this cross-country. I can’t imagine that this no-reserve auction that’ll make it to the end if this bid price doesn’t multiply several times before then. This truck would really do well on other formats than eBay so I have a feeling that the auction will mysteriously go away right before the end. Have any of you seen anything like this Subaru Sambar catering truck?
Drool…
Proof positive, Scotty clearly has a “hot button” for oddballs. It’s almost as if we expect, nay demand, the unusual, and this is no different. Portable food service, has gotten gargantuan. With the virus, and general lack of any work ethic today among our young people, many sit-down restaurants are closing. 4 in my little town alone are closed or will close, because they simply can’t find help. People still have to eat, and these ” no touch, walk-up” deals are all the rage. My ex-wifes new husband, retired as HS principal, and just as a hobby, bought a little van and went to functions selling hot dogs only. Well, it turned into a huge enterprise, him and my ex bought an old gas station and converted it to a walk-up hot dog stand, are so successful, another stand is planned, so go figure.
Personally, I couldn’t deal with the public, and food service is incredibly challenging, but if you like meeting people, AND make a living, here you go.
Scotty, you’ve a unique ability to find obscure/fascinating cars, bikes and trucks that cause people to do a head snap. What a crazy little ride that makes sense in some huge factory setting!
Had a couple friends while in HS that drove the bus version of this everywhere; it was a hoot when we got where we’re going and got out. I’d exit first, all of 5’7”, then Lori, the older sister was 6’0 and her younger sister Eilene was 6’2”. The looks on people faces when we got out were always a laugh for us.
With 25 hp and 250 lbs of equipment not including supplies/driver, better count on vending from one location else the competition will eat your proverbial lunch.
Basically what this is, is a motorized lunch cart. Local venues only. Years ago, food vendors would use push carts and had specific places they would go every day. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAFwgCvDdzw
If the car version didn’t have enough power to pull the skin off a rice pudding, imagine how this would battle up a mild hill.
Drool 2
“Would you like flies with that?’
$7,000 now, battery sitting inside on the floor?
Someone is trying to sell it on facebook marketplace too,
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/488454882433539
there’s a reason no ‘other side view’.
I’d wanna have some cones or ‘the velvet rope’ to direct patrons. On the st it gets krazy (ask how I know) and this thing has no protection or orientation for foot traffic. Some challenges here (like if only dogs where do the veg ones go?). I see coffee but today U need tea too.
Pluses, minuses – if had for the right price some of those go away…
Auction update: this Sambar sold for $19,000! I think that was a deal.
That was a deal on that for 19k. I want one and yes I will use it as intended plus burgers,fries, ice cream etc…