Toyota ToyoAce: the light truck that became the Dyna’s twin

The Toyota ToyoAce is a light to medium cab-over truck built since September 1954. Until a renaming contest in 1956 it was sold as the Toyopet Light Truck SKB, and since 1985 the ToyoAce and Dyna lines have been merged, with the Dyna generally doing heavier work.

Toyota ToyoAce at a glance

Based on one source: the English Wikipedia article on the Toyota ToyoAce.

History of the Toyota ToyoAce

First generation

The first ToyoAce was a one-ton semi-cab-over truck with a 995 cc sidevalve four of 30 PS. It was originally sold as the Toyopet Light Truck, a name changed to ToyoAce after a public contest in 1956. The spartan interior had hammock-style seats like a Citroën 2CV, and the K in its model code and its chassis were shared with the Toyopet SK/RK truck, the line that later became the Stout. The truck sold slowly at first because it cost much more than the three-wheeled trucks it competed with, but after a large price cut it helped change the Japanese market in favour of four-wheeled light trucks. Panel van, light van and double-cab versions followed with codes SK17 to SK19, power rose to 33 PS in 1958, and Central Motors built the van from June 1956 to July 1960.

Second generation

The semi-cab-over layout was kept for the second generation, initially the SK20, also sold as a panel van (SK20V) and double-cab truck (SK20P). The 1.0-litre sidevalve still made 33 PS, but an October 1959 facelift brought the 45 PS P engine and the PK20 code. Australian versions were badged as the Toyota 25, and 1.25- and 1.5-ton versions followed with the 1.2-litre 2P and 1.5-litre R engines. The engine was moved from the front to under and behind the seats, which allowed three people to sit abreast instead of two, and the cabin tilted for access. The split windscreen became a single flat unit, and this generation stayed on sale until 1971.

Third generation and beyond

The third generation of August 1971 took Y-series chassis codes to avoid confusion with the Stout, which kept the K series. It was much more modern and came in several new body styles, with 1.35- and 1.6-litre petrol engines of up to 83 PS and, from July 1972, a 2.5-litre 2J diesel of 70 PS. Payloads ranged from 850 to 2,000 kg, and in August 1977 a “just low” version with small twin rear wheels lowered the cargo floor. From this generation the ToyoAce also formed the basis of a passenger van, the Toyota HiAce, which gave Toyota a smaller companion to the Coaster. The fourth generation, from March 1979 to August 1985, was the last with a separate design from the Dyna: it had a 345 mm shorter wheelbase for a tighter turning circle, met stricter 1979 emissions and noise rules, and offered the 2.2-litre L diesel alongside the 2J. In 1982 Toyota added the walk-in QuickDelivery van. The fifth generation of August 1985 was based on the Dyna and the lines have been merged since.

Design and features

• Long history: in production since 1954, with the ToyoAce name from 1956.
• Market changer: a price cut helped make four-wheeled light trucks dominant in Japan.
• HiAce ancestor: the passenger van that became the HiAce was based on the ToyoAce.
• Dyna twin: merged with the Dyna line from 1985.

Toyota ToyoAce versions

• SKB (1954): the original Toyopet Light Truck.
• SK20 and PK20 (1959): second generation with the engine under the seats.
• Y-series (1971): third generation with the 2J diesel.
• Just low (1977): low-floor version with twin rear wheels.
• QuickDelivery (1982): walk-in delivery van.
• Fifth generation (1985): based on the Dyna.

The ToyoAce is the twin of the Dyna and the ancestor of the HiAce; its chassis family connects it to the Stout. More cars are in the Toyota collection.

Sources

• Toyota ToyoAce, English Wikipedia: generations, engines, body styles