- Seller: Dale D (Contact)
- Location: Buena Park
- Mileage: 48113 Shown
- Chassis #: PD300103468
- Title Status: Clean
- Engine: 1251
- Transmission: Manual
Here’s a true orphan brand story that ties directly to a fascinating piece of motorsport history. This 1967 Hino Contessa 1300 Coupe, designed by Giovanni Michelotti, is now here on Barn Finds Auctions. Showing 48,113 miles and wearing a clean title, this Contessa embodies a short-lived but ambitious chapter in Japanese automotive history, one that helped pave the way for some of the most famous Datsun BRE race cars. This example was recently given a careful mechanical “wake up” after years of sitting, and it runs and stops again as intended. It’s currently located in Buena Park, California.
Hino isn’t a name most enthusiasts associate with sports cars. Better known as a truck manufacturer, Hino made a serious push into automotive production in the mid-1960s, licensing Renault’s Dauphine-based designs as a starting point but adding their own engineering refinements. The Contessa 1300 was the high point of their short-lived passenger car program, with the sleek Michelotti-designed coupe serving as Hino’s halo model.
The Contessa 1300 was rear-engined and rear-wheel drive, powered by a 1,251cc inline-four paired with a manual transmission. Though not a high-horsepower machine by American standards, it had excellent balance and handling—something Hino was eager to prove on the track. To bolster sales, Hino sent two Contessa coupes to none other than Pete Brock, fresh from his work with Carroll Shelby and Corvette racing. Brock’s newly formed BRE team delivered an immediate 1-2 finish at Riverside in 1966, demonstrating the car’s capabilities.
Unfortunately, Hino’s sports car ambitions were short-lived. Toyota acquired the company soon after, ending production of passenger cars entirely. Pete Brock, however, needed cars to keep racing—and that’s where Nissan stepped in, leading to BRE’s legendary run with Datsun 510s and 240Zs. In that way, the humble Contessa played an indirect but pivotal role in Japanese racing history.
The seller of this Contessa, a longtime enthusiast of unusual cars, shares that they couldn’t resist buying it after seeing how unique it was. The car wasn’t running when purchased, with inoperative brakes, but it’s since been revived through the seller’s standard “long nap” routine. As part of their research, they even took it to visit Pete Brock in Henderson, Nevada, where Pete and his wife Gayle shared additional insights about Hino’s brief but important history in motorsport.
With fewer and fewer Contessas surviving, especially in the U.S., this is an unusual opportunity to own a car with genuine ties to a major turning point in Japanese motorsports history.
Lots of nice comments on this car here. GLWTA
https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1967-hino-contessa-1300s-coupe/
There are several videos here:
Part 1 https://youtu.be/ftsUjJCQKyA
Part 2 https://youtu.be/uyDZs_Vt2Zo
Part 3 https://youtu.be/ftsUjJCQKyA
History https://youtu.be/hXQ_5b2Q6m8
Interesting beastie, that; the front end styling has something of the Corvair about it, I think.
Thinking the same thing… Corvair headlight bezels. The side profile, IMHO, reminds of a gen 1 Ford falcon. The rear trim/taillights are very cool…I can envision some funky LED modifications.
I am seeing the same thing. Corvair front, 1st Gen Falcon side, and a little Renault blended in between. Very unique appearance. I like it.
Seen from the side it looks as if someone sawed a foot or two out of the center of a first generation Ford Falcon.
Italian styling, Japanese engineering and construction, American tuning. What’s not to like? But at 33k? I knew of Hino as a truck builder. Until now I wasn’t aware that they imported their cars to the US. It loos like a fun car to drive but with the up front expense and God knows where you would get parts and for how much I would be afraid to drive it. It will probably just sit in some collector’s garage. That’s sad in a way.
Pretty sure Hino never exported anything to the US. Note the RHD and fender-mounted mirrors here, suggesting this was originally a JDM (or maybe Aussie) car privately exported to the US, prolly somewhat recently.
I had never seen or heard of these before. Thank you Elizabeth and Barn finds for this peek into the past. Looks like BMW, Corvair, Falcon and NSU all scrambled up and cooked just right. Very cool and something I’d love to drive at least once.
Renault’s Dauphine-based design? No, a Corvair-based design.
I was thinking Simca influence.
Wheels almost look like wheels I had on my Trans Am. Nice car
John
Reminds me of an NSU Prinz 1200TT. I knew a guy who raced these back when I was like 5.
The Hino Museum outside of Tokyo has one on display next to one of the engines they made for the famous Zero. Lot of oddities in this company’s history.
These are truly unique cars. I have a very nice Coupe and project car sedan with lhd. Not well-known in the States, they’re highly coveted by enthusiasts in Japan.
“project car sedan with lhd” I don’t suppose that’s the one that a museum (I think) in California was selling about a year or so ago, is it? I wanted to jump on that so badly, but it was (and is) too much of a project for me to take on.
Very much Corvair influenced, even to the pronounced ridge along the sides and front.
A lot of Renault influence in the running gear.
Any one else see a hint of Triumph 2500 about the rear styling?
I’m probably one of the few people who saw these as drivers. A few around on 1960s New Guinea. Even saw one raced at a the local speedway.
Chris In Australia, Aha! I did recognize the C pillar design and was not able to recall where. Thanks for solving my mental brain malfunction! Today to you!
Sorry Chris! That was supposed to say G’Day to you and spell check changed it and I did not catch it before posting. (I’m old and sometimes multi-tasking doesn’t work so much anymore.)