The Daewoo Damas and the Daewoo Labo were the Korean versions of the Suzuki Carry, the small cabover truck that Suzuki introduced in 1961. The Damas was the van and the Labo the pickup, both built on the same Japanese kei commercial design that Suzuki sold around the world under a long list of names.
Daewoo Damas and Labo at a glance
| Original model | Suzuki Carry |
|---|---|
| Type | kei truck and microvan |
| Introduced | October 1961, as the Suzulight Carry FB |
| Engine of the first cars | 359 cc air-cooled two-stroke two-cylinder |
| Power | 21 PS (15 kW) |
| Top speed | 76 km/h |
| Maximum load | about 350 kg |
| Van version | glassed FBD Carry Van, September 1964 |
| Export engines | up to 1.6 litres in export versions and derivatives |
| Korean versions | Damas van, Labo truck |
The English Wikipedia article describes the Suzuki Carry, the car Daewoo built in Korea as the Damas and Labo. Based on one source.
History of the Daewoo Damas and Labo
A Japanese kei workhorse
The Carry was born in October 1961 as the Suzulight Carry FB, a pickup with the engine under the front seat and a very short bonnet. Its 359 cc air-cooled two-stroke twin gave 21 PS and no more than 76 km/h, and the front and rear suspension used rigid axles on leaf springs. A glassed FBD Carry Van joined the range in September 1964, and a panel van had been offered since 1962.
Cabover and Giugiaro
The second-generation L20 of 1965 brought independent front suspension on torsion bars, and the third-generation L30 of 1966 made the Carry a full cabover with the engine mounted horizontally under the load area. In July 1969 the fourth generation arrived with a body designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, sold in Japan as the “Fast Carry” for its less utilitarian look; it carried 350 kg, reached 95 km/h and about 233,000 were built in under three years. Later generations kept the same formula through the 1970s and beyond.
The Korean badge
Suzuki sold the Carry under a long list of names in different countries, and the Korean version of the light van and truck was the Daewoo Damas and Labo. The same basic vehicle was also offered with Chevrolet and Ford badges, which makes the Carry one of the very few light commercial vehicles to have carried both American marques.
Design and features
- Cabover layout: the engine sits under the seats or the load floor, leaving a short body and a big cargo area.
- Tiny two-stroke engine: 359 cc and 21 PS in the first cars, with a top speed of 76 km/h.
- Two bodies: a van for passengers and a dropside pickup for work.
- Many badges: the same design was built in several countries and sold as a Daewoo, Chevrolet or Ford among others.
Daewoo Damas and Labo versions
- Damas: the Korean microvan version.
- Labo: the Korean pickup version.
- Carry Van: the original Japanese van form, replaced by the Suzuki Every name for passenger versions in 1982.
The tiny Tico was Daewoo’s other small car, and the Lublin was its larger van. More cars are in the Daewoo collection.
Sources
- Suzuki Carry, English Wikipedia: design, engines, generations
