The Toyoda G1 (Toyota G1) was the first truck built by the company that became Toyota . It was 6 m (20 ft) long, could carry 1.5 tons, and was loosely based on similar class Ford and GM trucks.
74-557: The G1 was succeeded by a line of similar Toyota trucks as technology progressed. The entire series was replaced by the BM truck in 1947. Kiichiro Toyoda 's desire was to produce automobiles. Unfortunately, the A1 passenger car that was under development in 1935 was unlikely to sell well due to Japan's underdeveloped economy. Work still progressed on the A1 but emphasis was shifted to a truck derived from
148-410: A transaxle and individual rear suspension. The Chevrolet Chevette (1976-1988) and the similar Pontiac T-1000 used a torque tube and center bearing. This design was unlike any other Chevrolet model "to isolate impacts to the rear wheels, cut down on road noise, and reduce engine vibration ... also allows a reduction in the height of the drive shaft and tunnel." The continuing limited production of
222-487: A "horizontal yoke at the front end of the torque tube is supported by rubber biscuits at each side." After the merger of Nash and Hudson in 1954, American Motors Corporation (AMC) continued to use the coil spring and torque tube rear suspension design on their large-sized cars ( Rambler Classic and Ambassador ) from the 1956 through the 1966 model year. The enclosed driveshaft made for more complicated gear swaps and hampered hot rodders. The discontinued torque-tube drive
296-403: A car that would be better and cheaper than a foreign car in a few years and that Japanese people would be willing to buy, Kiichiro was thinking about working with a foreign car manufacturer. From the description, it is clear that Kiichiro aimed to make passenger cars for Japanese with cheap and high quality, and make Japanese happy. The automobile industry was hit hard by the recession caused by
370-477: A constant speed even when the shaft is no longer straight . V8-powered models of the 1963 through 1966 AMC Rambler used a double-Cardan constant velocity joint to eliminate driveshaft fluctuations, though six-cylinder and earlier V8 models used only one standard universal joint. The torque tube design is typically heavier and securely ties the rear end together, thus providing a rigid rear end and assuring good alignment under all conditions. However, because of
444-413: A fall. It was thought the fall resulted from a cerebral hemorrhage caused by chronic disease. He was 57 years old. Torque tube A torque tube system is a power transmission and braking technology that involves a stationary housing around the drive shaft , often used in automobiles with a front engine and rear drive. The torque tube consists of a large diameter stationary housing between
518-703: A leading place and took many actions for the restoration of the Japanese automotive industry. First, in November 1945, he established an umbrella organization for the automotive industry (自動車統括団体) initiatively and he became the chairman of the organization. In the following year, he negotiated with GHQ by himself, and made GHQ admit that the new organization was different from the one of the wartime. Kiichiro also invited representatives of distribution companies nationwide to Koromo. He gave speeches about policy changes at Toyota Motor Corporation and proceeded with talks for
592-477: A name to Kiichiro. However, after Sakichi named Kiichiro, he soon returned to Toyohashi. Also, less than two months after his mother, Tami, gave birth to him, she left him and her husband. She did so because she was sick of her husband, who, in her eyes, was too preoccupied with industrial inventions to pay any attention to their family life. Therefore, Kiichiro was raised in Yoshitsu village by his grandparents. At
666-482: A part of the occupation policy, the automobile company was contracted to repair United States military vehicles in Japan, which was a good opportunity for Toyota employees, including Kiichiro, to learn more about the structure of American cars. They analyzed and absorbed the advanced parts of American cars, and then used them as a reference for the development of their own passenger car. Kiichiro kept working hard to develop
740-468: A redesigned front end, greater length, a slightly longer wheelbase of 3,609 mm (142.1 in), and a new 75 PS (55 kW) Type B engine , a more powerful version of the Type A engine with a higher compression ratio . In January 1940 the engine was further upgraded to 78 PS (57 kW) and the chassis was refined. Production was 19,870 units between December 1938 and April 1942. Similar to
814-553: A result, the company promised not to dismiss employees, instead of accepting a 10% wage reduction. Under this circumstance, the other car companies laid down their workforce. For example, at Nihon Denso (currently Denso ), which was established in December 1949, a labor dispute arose over personnel rearrangement. On March 31, 1950, four months after its establishment, Nihon Denso announced a company restructuring plan that included personnel reduction of 473 people. Under such situation,
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#1732802105065888-413: A reverse direction, in the same way that a cyclist "pops a wheelie", lifting the bicycle in the air in the opposite direction from the turn of the wheel. The essential problem is keeping the differential from rotating during acceleration and braking. The torque tube solves that problem by coupling the differential housing to the transmission housing and, therefore, propels the car forward by pushing up on
962-573: A simpler design with fewer curves. Production was 21,130 units between the KB's introduction in March 1942 and its discontinuation in March 1944. Similar to the GB, except for the changes mentioned above. A version of the KB with the wheelbase shortened to 3,594 mm (141.5 in), the same as that of the preceding GB. This shorter chassis was also intended to be used for buses and specialized trucks. The LB
1036-404: A single exchange rate of 360 yen per dollar to stabilize the Japanese economy. Due to the influence of recession, demand for automobiles declined furthermore. In addition, the price of materials for cars was risen, and cash management was deteriorated considerably. This was how the management of the company was deteriorated significantly. In response to this, Kiichiro went out to sell together with
1110-455: Is when the front of the differential lifts excessively during acceleration and drops down during braking. Its use is not as widespread in modern automobiles as is the Hotchkiss drive , which holds the rear end in place and prevents it from flipping up or down, during acceleration and braking by anchoring the axle housings to the leaf springs using spring perches. The "torque" referred to in
1184-419: The 1949 Dodge Line . Toyota Motor Corporation slowed the collection of sales proceeds due to the effects of inflation control and the setting of a single exchange rate. The reason why the inflation broke out in Japan was that the Japanese government spent a great deal of money to support soldiers returning to Japan and withdrawals from overseas and then, increased currency. From the background, GHQ decided to set
1258-473: The Bank of Japan. Toyota Motor Company could get 188.2 million yen in loans, subject to Toyota's reconstruction plan formulation. In this way, Kiichiro overcame the bankruptcy crisis of 1949. Despite the strong promotion of management rationalization measures, the company's business performance never recovered. The reason is, on October 25, 1949, GHQ issued a "Memorandum on the total removal of restrictions on
1332-856: The Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, at Tokyo Imperial University . After graduation, he remained in Tokyo Imperial University at the Faculty of Law for about seven months until March 1921. Kiichiro excelled at his studies. After graduating, Toyoda returned to his hometown, Nagoya, and joined Toyota Boshoku , which was founded by his father, Sakichi, in 1918 (Sakichi served as company president since then). From July 1921 to February 1922, Kiichirō visited San Francisco, London, Oldham (a large town in Greater Manchester, England), etc. to learn about
1406-590: The GA, except for the changes mentioned above. A bus based on the GB chassis, otherwise similar to the previous DA bus. (This DB bus should not be confused with Toyota's much later DB line of diesel buses introduced in the later 1950s.) The DB bus was introduced in June 1939 and was discontinued in September 1941. Similar to the GB. A version of the GB with the wheelbase shortened to 3,300 mm (129.9 in). A bus
1480-524: The Japanese automobile industry including Toyota Motor Corporation. Following the end of the war, the Japanese government restricted automobile production in favor of products for the military, making the production and purchase of passenger cars difficult. In 1938, the National General Mobilization Law was enacted to maximize the use of human and physical resources. This law required Toyota Motor Corporation to provide trucks to
1554-401: The Japanese automobile industry, even under the adverse circumstances of the postwar period. Kiichiro continued to put a great deal of effort into passenger cars in terms of research, manufacturing and selling. In June 1947, GHQ approved the production of up to 300 passenger cars under 1500 cc per year, so he started to work on passenger car production from this day officially. In October 1947,
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#17328021050651628-486: The Japanese government, so the control made customers buy these trucks and buses personally. Those who wished to purchase were approved by a long procedure. To be specific, they applied for purchase at a dealer with permission of local police officers, next, obtained a survey from the dealer, and then, applying for a vehicle dispatch to the manufacturer was required. However, the possibility of accepting general orders has become extremely low. This situation became worse after
1702-656: The KC mechanicals. In addition, 4-wheel drive was added via a 2-speed transfer case. Water propulsion was by a PTO driven propeller. Brakes were hydraulic. Kiichiro Toyoda Kiichiro Toyoda ( Japanese : 豊田 喜一郎 （ とよだ きいちろう ） , Hepburn : Toyoda Kiichirō , June 11, 1894 – March 27, 1952) was a Japanese businessman and the son of Toyoda Loom Works founder Sakichi Toyoda . His decision to change Toyoda's focus from automatic loom manufacture into automobile manufacturing created what later became Toyota Motor Corporation . Kiichiro Toyoda persuaded his father, who
1776-416: The KC switched to a Hotchkiss drive . The engine cover was still metal but other body panels were made from plywood . The body design was extremely boxy, with only simple curves used on the engine cover and a flat radiator with no grill. As the war dragged on and material shortages grew worse, more of the body was built from wood, the headlamps were reduced to one, and only rear brakes were used. However, once
1850-411: The KC wasn't used for heavy cargo, its cargo bed was narrow and the rear wheels were singles instead of the normal doubles. Also, the cabin was very basic, having plywood sides, no doors and a canvas roof. The starter truck was unique in having running boards, due to its narrow cargo bed. Hasegawa made a 1:72 scale plastic model of the KC starter truck labelled as "Starter Truck Toyota GB", even although
1924-629: The age of three, Kiichiro moved to what is now Higashi-ku, Nagoya , Aichi Prefecture, where Sakichi lived. In terms of education, Kiichiro entered Kyodo Kanji Ordinary Elementary School and then changed to Takadake Ordinary Elementary School (currently Nagoya Municipal Higashisakura Elementary School). After that, he entered Aichi Normal School Elementary School (currently Aichi University of Education Nagoya Elementary School), Meirin Junior High School (currently Aichi Prefectural Meiwa High School), and Second High School. In 1920, he graduated from
1998-581: The automobile industry, which was in its infancy at that time, would greatly develop in the future. Therefore, in 1933, an automobile manufacturing department (later the automobile department) was newly established in Toyota Industries Corporation. In 1936, it was designated as a licensed company under the Automotive Manufacturing Act. In 1937, it became independent as Toyota Motor Corporation. Kiichirō became
2072-443: The axle and transmission due to suspension travel. Later American Motors Rambler models (1962 through 1966) used a flange and cushion mount in place of the ball and socket. Since the torque tube does not constrain the car's body to the axle in the lateral (side-to-side) direction, a panhard rod is often used for this purpose. The combination of the panhard rod and the torque tube allows the easy implementation of soft coil springs in
2146-415: The banks in the city every day to get finance account. After all, no financial institution provided the funds for company. However, Shotaro Kamiya, who was a managing director of sales, persistently requested the financing provision from Sogo Takanashi who was a branch manager of the Bank of Japan, Nagoya Branch. After that, finally, the syndicate consisting of 24 banks was established through the placement of
2220-433: The controlled prices of automobiles remained unchanged until April 1950, the profitability of the automobile business remained extremely difficult. Not only Toyota Motor Corporation but also Nissan Motor Corporation and Isuzu Motors Corporation deteriorated in business performance. For the four and a half months from November 16, 1949, to March 31, 1950, the loss was 76.52 million yen, so Toyota Labor Union judged that
2294-477: The early 1930s, Kiichiro proceeded with the development toward the domestic production of automobiles. In 1933, Toyota Industries Corporation set up an automobile department and began full-scale development of automobiles. However, the development of the car did not proceed smoothly. For instance, no one had experience in automobile manufacturing, so he gathered those who had experience in automobile manufacturing from across Japan. Also, it took six months to manufacture
Toyota G1 - Misplaced Pages Continue
2368-572: The engine. Then, in May 1935, the first A1 passenger car was finally completed. After that, it produced AA passenger cars that improved the A1 type and GA trucks that improved the G1 type. Moreover, Toyota Industries Corporation was designated with the Nissan Motor Company in September as a licensed company under the Automotive Manufacturing Act. However, Kiichiro was worried that being selected as
2442-461: The engine/transmission and then through the engine mounts to the car frame, with the reverse happening during braking. In contrast, the Hotchkiss drive transmits the traction forces to the car frame by using suspension components such as leaf springs or trailing arms . A type of ball and socket joint called a "torque ball" is used at one end of the torque tube to allow relative motion between
2516-447: The entry into World War II. Toyota Motor Corporation was designated as a munitions company in 1944, and strict control continued. Kiichiro must have had very unsatisfactory days during this period about not being permitted to make passenger cars. However, even during this time, Kiichiro concentrated on thinking about technical problems. He believed that the automobile business would definitely serve post-war Japan and continued to explore
2590-403: The executives and went to collect accounts receivable. Furthermore, he made his best effort to save money for materials, but there was a limit, and in the end, there was a deficit of 22 million yen every month. Due to Dodge Line recession, over 8000 companies went bankrupt during the year of 1949. In August 1949, the company finally proposed to cut 10% of wages and cut retirement pay in half. As
2664-518: The factory were often sent to do repairs in order to learn which parts needed the most attention. For example, broken rear axle housings were common until new welding methods were developed. Repairs were done for free and sometimes entire trucks were replaced for free. Rectifications were then applied as running changes on the production line, reflecting Toyota's " 5 Whys " problem solving philosophy. The G1 prototypes were completed in August 1935, shown to
2738-459: The first Japanese passenger car after the war, the SA model with an S engine, was released and was nicknamed "Toyopet." However, there were mainly two problems during this period. First, these passenger cars did not sell at all. This car was highly evaluated in the automobile industry at the time, but during that time, there were not many customs for the common people to buy a car for a drive. Therefore,
2812-557: The global powerhouse of modern fame today, Toyota Motor Corporation . He also instituted the spelling of the automobile company away from the family name to famously garner good luck . In response to the company's flagging sales and profitability, Toyoda resigned from his position of leadership in 1950. He died two years later, without witnessing the company's eventual successes. His contemporaries later dubbed him "Japan's Thomas Edison". In 1957, his cousin and confidant Eiji Toyoda , followed him as head of Toyota Motor Corporation and built
2886-524: The greater unsprung weight of the torque tube and radius rods, there may be a "little hopping around of the rear end when cornering fast or on washboard roads". Examples of torque tubes are the American cars of the Ford brand, built through 1948, including over 19 million Model Ts . Ford used the less expensive transverse springs that could not take forward thrust. For many of those years, Chevrolet used
2960-422: The hollow torque ball is the driveshaft's universal joint that allows relative motion between the two ends of the driveshaft. In most applications, the drive shaft uses a single universal joint, which has the disadvantage that it causes speed fluctuations in the driveshaft when the shaft is not straight. The Hotchkiss drive uses two universal joints, which has the effect of canceling the speed fluctuations and gives
3034-465: The internal organization, the company was divided into seven divisions, and the purpose and jurisdiction of each division were clearly decided. Second, he reduced the risk of mass-produced cars by being involved not only in mass-produced cars but also in the manufacture of specialty cars. In November 1938, the Koromo Factory was established, and it worked hard to manufacture automobiles. However,
Toyota G1 - Misplaced Pages Continue
3108-568: The introduction of the G1's successor, the GA. Since this was Toyoda's first production vehicle at the loom works factory, there were still many problems to be solved. When the first production examples were driven to Tokyo for the motor show, they were packed with many spare parts. These spare parts were in case something broke during the trip - luckily only a few replacement parts were required. Early sales were mostly to people who were sympathetic to local manufacturers and who were willing to endure many failures. To support them, design engineers from
3182-480: The labor union. On the other hand, since the company had promised not to lay off its personnel, the union naturally became furious and continued with extreme strikes. The strikes continued daily for about two months after the declaration, which caused production in April and May to drop 70% from its previous average. Since the company would be destroyed as it was, on June 5, 1950, Kiichiro announced that he would resign as
3256-611: The late Toyoda's successful expansion into a world-class conglomeration of engineering. He also launched Lexus . Toyoda was born on June 11, 1894, in Yamaguchi in the village of Yoshitsu in Shizuoka Prefecture , Japan (currently Yamaguchi, Kosai, Shizuoka ), the eldest son of Sakichi Toyoda and Tami Sahara. Before Kiichiro was born, Sakichi stayed in Toyohashi . At the time, Sakichi came to Yoshitsumachi to give
3330-436: The licensed company would lead to the loss of the competitiveness of the automobile industry and it would cause the destruction of the Japanese automobile industry. In 1937, Toyota Motor Corporation was established and Kiichiro was elected as vice president. Kiichiro's management was very good for mainly two reasons. First, He controlled and made the operation simpler to produce more cars on a shoestring. Specifically, to clarify
3404-553: The military and munitions industries with priority. In addition, the production of passenger cars was restricted and small passenger car production ceased to increase the production of military trucks. Starting in 1939, automobile industries had to obtain permission from the Minister of Commerce and Industry to sell passenger cars. Even after that, control was further strengthened. In 1940, Toyota Motor Corporation and Nissan were reinforced control for selling large trucks and buses by
3478-406: The name is not that of the driveshaft along the axis of the car but that applied by the wheels. The engineering problem that the torque tube solves is getting the traction forces generated by the wheels to the car frame. The torque moving the wheels and axles in a forward direction is met with an "equal and opposite" reaction of the axle housing and differential, making the differential want to spin in
3552-501: The number of automobiles produced by the United States. In addition, the ratio of overseas exports of Japanese automobiles was 55% in 1985. Kiichiro is said to have opened the path for the Japanese automobile industry, and he is credited for creating from scratch domestic cars that were superior to foreign cars. The differences between Japan and the United States in the automobile industry during World War II were quite large. In
3626-449: The passenger car was sold only 197 units during the five years since it released, even though 12,796 trucks were sold over the same period. Second problem was that the production facilities were not good. There were many machines that had been used for many years and were not well maintained, so Kiichiro was worried about whether the cars of Toyota Motor Corporation could beat foreign cars. Moreover, if Toyota Motor Company couldn't complete
3700-468: The personnel cut was inevitable, and a quasi-fighting system was established in March of the same year. Since then, labor-management negotiations have intensified into long-standing disputes. Under such tension, Kiichiro, who was originally hypertensive, became ill, so negotiations with the labor union were handled by the management army instead of Kiichiro. However, On April 22, 1950, the company announced that it would carry out 1,600 voluntary retirements to
3774-450: The poor period after the war, and it was harder to obtain cheap and high-quality genuine parts than before. The production of trucks did not reach the monthly production goal of 500 cars. In 1945, the annual production volume was 3275 units, and in the following year, 5821 units. Although the production of passenger cars was prohibited, research for passenger cars was allowed by the GHQ. Also, as
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#17328021050653848-462: The president to take on this series of responsibilities. By his retirement, the strike ended finally. Everyone was shocked by Kiichiro's resignation, and the union also had a respect for Kiichiro. After retiring from the role of president, he created a laboratory at his home in Okamoto, Setagaya, Tokyo, and worked every day to design a small helicopter. On March 27, 1952, Toyoda died after suffering
3922-419: The prewar company. This shows how much he was trusted as the president of Toyota Motor Corporation by the owners of the dealerships. In fact, Kiichiro valued relationship with dealerships, so he usually communicated with people directly and dealt with problems as soon as possible if they suggested. However, producing and selling cars was still difficult. Raw materials and parts were not immediately available in
3996-456: The problems of automobile quality and cost arose, and the management was put into a critical situation. To overcome this situation, Kiichiro solved those problems by taking prompt action and in-house manufacturing of automobile parts. In 1941, Kiichiro became president of Toyota Motor Industry. Toyota Motor Corporation had restricted its activities due to the war. In 1937, the second Sino-Japanese War broke out and it caused great challenges to
4070-478: The production and sale of automobiles". As a result, the production and sale of automobiles became free in principle, but about the supply of production materials, the allocation and distribution system by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry remained, and the prices of materials and automobiles remained regulated. Moreover, while the controlled prices of materials were gradually raised thereafter, while
4144-438: The public in November 1935, and released for sale in December 1935. This was just in time to meet the government deadline for licensing motor vehicle producers. 379 examples of the G1 were built before production ended in August 1936. The G1 used the 3389 cc Type A six-cylinder engine that was also used in the A1 and AA . It produced 65 hp (48 kW) at 3,000 rpm. A single solid axle housing with 2 single wheels
4218-508: The real GB had a curved radiator grill and more complex bodywork. The KC was introduced in November 1943. Production continued until March 1947, when it was replaced by the BM model. Similar to the KB, except for changes mentioned above. A military amphibious vehicle using a metal boat style hull and KC truck mechanicals. Production was 198 units between November 1943 and August 1944. The engine, gearbox, suspension and rear axle were based on
4292-477: The rear to give good ride quality, as in Buicks after 1937. Before 1937, Buicks used leaf springs, so the panhard rod was not used, though the torque tube allowed a cantilever spring suspension, which gives a softer ride than a center-mount axle on the leaf spring, as required by the Hotchkiss setup. In addition to transmitting traction forces, the torque tube is hollow and contains the rotating driveshaft . Inside
4366-539: The reason why Kiichiro did not perform personnel reduction was that he experienced the employment problem at Toyota Industries Corporation during the Showa Depression in 1930, so decided that such a situation would never occur again. Moreover, the advance into the automobile business was also a measure to prevent the recurrence of employment problems due to business diversification. Therefore, He absolutely tried to avoid personnel reduction. Kiichiro visited
4440-449: The recovery of the automobile industry. His forceful speeches impressed the representatives. These actions show how much he was passionate about the car and the automobile industry and justified him acting on the behalf of the automobile industry. In addition, after the war, many dealers of each company were released from control and became independent. Some of these dealers' companies restarted as Toyota dealerships and were able to back to
4514-488: The same engine and chassis (slightly lengthened). The financial resources of the parent company, Toyoda Automatic Loom Works , were stretched almost to breaking point and large loans were required to put the G1 into production at the Kariya loom factory. The total cost of the G1 development was well several times the annual profits of Toyoda. The G1 was sold as a Toyoda. The company changed its name from Toyoda to Toyota at
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#17328021050654588-696: The spinning and weaving industry and then returned from Marseille via Shanghai. After he returned to Japan, in December 1922, he married Hatako Iida, the daughter of the Takashimaya department store chain co-founder, Shinshichi Iida. In 1926, Kiichiro established Toyota Industries Corporation and became its managing director. Also, he became interested in automatic looms, so he set up a pilot plant in Kariya, Aichi to start development for them even though his father, Sakichi, disagreed. He traveled to Europe and America from September 1929 to April 1930, and thought that
4662-548: The technical issues despite such difficult times. Japan accepted the Potsdam Declaration on August 14, 1945, which brought the war to an end on the following day, 15th in Japan. Postwar Japan was occupied by GHQ (General Headquarters). In terms of the automobile industry, GHQ did not allow a Japanese automobile company to make passenger cars except for trucks. Like this, Kiichiro still faced difficult problems. However, he did not lose in this hard situation. He took
4736-509: The torque tube, while Buick used it starting in 1906 (in the model D). The torque tube also allowed Buick, beginning in 1938, to use coil springs for a softer ride than traditional leaf springs, which can use a Hotchkiss drive , but coil springs cannot. Buick's use of a torque tube and coil springs became a Buick "engineering trademark", until it was dropped with the 1961 model year full-sized models. The Nash 600 model adopted torque-tube drive in 1941 without an enclosed joint, but utilized
4810-400: The transmission and rear end that fully encloses a rotating tubular steel or small-diameter solid drive shaft (known colloquially in the U.S. as a "rope drive" ) that transmits the power of the engine to a regular or limited-slip differential . The purpose of a torque tube is to hold the rear end in place during acceleration and braking. Otherwise, the axle housing would suffer axle wrap, which
4884-588: The vice president the same year (the president was Rizaburo Toyoda ). In 1941, Kiichiro took office as president. At the height of the Pacific theater of World War II, the Toyoda family was affected on both family business and home fronts. His children's education was delayed by civil ramifications, and his business was compelled to manufacture trucks for the Imperial Japanese Army. The family firms
4958-426: The war ended in August 1945, Toyota continued production of the KC without these former material restrictions. One special use for the KC truck was to start aircraft engines on Japanese military airfields. A power take-off was taken from after the gearbox. It rose behind the cabin and then projected forward. This was mated to the spinner on an aircraft's propeller to start the aircraft engine. Because this version of
5032-404: Was also built on this chassis. The HB was introduced in November 1939 and was discontinued in May 1941. Similar to the GB. Introduced in March 1942, the KB was the replacement for the GB. Designed to meet the military's demand for heavier trucks, its payload was increased to four tons, and its wheelbase was extended to 4,000 mm (157.5 in). The body was still made from steel but was of
5106-433: Was discontinued in September 1940. Similar to the G1. A minor update to the G1. The GA replaced the G1 in September 1936 and was discontinued in September 1940. Similar to the G1. A version of the GA with the wheelbase shortened to 3,300 mm (129.9 in). The GY was introduced in May 1937 and was discontinued in November 1940. Similar to the GA. Improved version of the GA, introduced in December 1938, with
5180-494: Was introduced in April 1942 and was discontinued in December 1943. Similar to the KB. The KC was an update to the KB in response to official government specifications for a wartime truck. Nicknamed the "Toyota To-Ki", the KC used about thirty percent less steel, which was in short supply in Japan during the war, than preceding trucks. Former Toyota trucks had a torque tube driveshaft mount, but this required steel components that were difficult to obtain under wartime conditions, so
5254-507: Was replaced by a new design utilizing an open driveshaft and a four-link axle-location system. The 1961 Pontiac Tempest was introduced as a new model, featuring an inline 4 coupled to a transaxle via a torque tube, giving it a perfect 50-50 front-rear weight balance. The Peugeot 403 and 404 models used a torque tube. The Peugeot 504 , and Peugeot 505 estate/station wagons, as well as most export-market sedans also had torque tubes, while domestic and European-market sedan models had
5328-484: Was responsible as head of the family business, to invest in the expansion of Toyoda Loom Works into a concept automobiles division, which was considered a risk to the family business at the time. Shortly before Sakichi Toyoda died, he encouraged his son to follow his dream and pursue automobile manufacturing — Kiichiro solidified the mechanical prowess the family had experienced inventing steam, oil, and electric looms, and developed and instituted what eventually became
5402-473: Was spared destruction in the days before the Japanese government's surrender. He is a key figure in paving the way for the Japanese automobile industry, and without him, today's Japanese automobile industry might have been less developed. The automobile industry plays a very important role in supporting the Japanese economy. The number of automobiles produced in Japan dramatically increased from 70,000 to 11.4 million between 1955 and 1980, and in 1980 exceeded
5476-462: Was used at the front while a single solid axle housing with 2 pairs of double wheels was used at the rear. A bus based on the G1 chassis, with a lowered floor. Bus bodies were built by several manufacturers; one manufacturer's body seated 21 passengers. (The DA bus should not be confused with the much later DA truck line introduced in the later 1950s.) The DA bus was introduced in January 1936 and
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