This Jazzy Japanese Minitruck And Minibike Just Sold For $40,700

Summer is just around the corner and what better way to enjoy the weather than with a new-to-you mini truck and a bike for carving up the dunes? If you had a decent chunk of change, a penchant for 90’s artistic motifs, and were at Mecum’s 2024 Houston auction, this might be you!

Yes ladies and gentlemen, that beautifully treated 1998 Honda Acty Pickup with a 1992 Honda Z50J Baja Monkey strapped down in the bed. Separate, they’re adorable. Together, they’re destroyers of dull days.

This specific truck sold for a whopping $40,700, perhaps because Texans are suddenly exuberant at the thought of being able to legally register a Kei truck. But why this one?

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Debuting In The Days Of Disco

Let’s dive into the history of the cab and see what’s been assembled here. According to minitruck.net, the Acty debuted in 1977 as the follow-up to the T360 minitruck. It features a cab over design and has lasted four generations. Minitruck.net says the Acty utility has led it to be a favorite of people from all walks of life because of its general utility and “midship” engine location. The truck was so well-rounded that the Sinbaru Machinery Corporation even converted a handful into fire engines!

This 1998 model falls under Acty’s refreshed second generation. Acty Truck, Van, and Street all were bumped up to a more powerful 656cc 3-cylinder engine. The video says it has a 5-speed manual and 4WD. That aligns with what we can spot on the bumper, which says “REALTIME 4WD:”

If you want to get even spicier, there was the Acty Attack, which in addition to 4WD, had locking differentials and a 4-speed manual transmission, with “ultra-low” forward and reverse gears. Handy!

Getting even wilder, there’s the Acty Crawler. This has the same features as the Attack but added a special 6-wheel configuration with tracks on the back four tires. It was a built-to-order option, available from 1994-1999.

Monkey Business

Honda says the Monkey’s design began with the Z100, used for an amusement park ride at Tama Tech in Hino, Tokyo in the fall of 1961.

It packed a 4-stroke, OHV 50cc engine, 5-inch tires, front and rear brakes, and a 3-speed automatic centrifugal clutch, making it easy for anyone to hop on and ride.

The Z50J came out in 1974 with, “completely new styling, and rear suspension to enhance performance. Block-pattern tires were adopted from this model, making it suitable for outdoor use.”

Per Bonhams, the rims were upgraded to 8″, and that new suspension made it ride like a “proper motorcycle”.

Hagerty also appears to be a fan of this ride.

“The Z50 Baja is one of the most desirable special edition minibikes out there, thanks to a rare body kit option that Honda made available to turn the standard Baja into a Honda Africa Twin replica… Stateside, one recently sold for $4,950 at Mecum’s Las Vegas 2020 auction.”

So now that we know the history, let’s look at what’s been changed.

First, the Jazzy paint pattern has been copied over from the bike to the Acty’s factory white paint. I don’t know about you but I’m a sucker for Jazz-inspired styling. Growing up, the paper cups that were stocked at my grandmother’s lakeside cottage featured the Jazz motif. Since then, every article featuring a Suzuki with the siren song of a pattern instantly leads to beach vibes… and then the realization I don’t know how to surf.

With this Acty, that’s not a problem! You’re here for the dunes. And these chonky tires are going to make sure you don’t get stuck.

The color aesthetics don’t stop with just the paint job, they extend to the blue chock rocking in the middle of the bed, and the bed itself has been thoughtfully sprayed with liner. Let’s hope this truck is meant to be used and not just sit on Radwood lawns.

I also appreciate the new white rims on the truck, keeping in sync with the Monkey. It works on Ford’s Heritage Edition Bronco and it works here, too.

Rounding things out, there are new LED headlights (hopefully they’re the right shape and size for the housing and are correctly aligned), a cargo rack, and a subwoofer, because whoever is buying should be able to appreciate their tunes where carving up the sand.

So add all that up and it’s a cute combo.

Shopping For Your Own Jazzy Duo

So how much would it take to make your own Acty/Monkey pairing?

I found a grade 4 1995 Acty 4×4 with 40,000 miles for theoretically under $5,800 delivered.

As Mercedes explained, there are a lot of factors and possible hidden costs when it comes to importing so take that listed price with a grain of salt.

[Mercedes’ Note: Car From Japan is a legitimate site linking buyers to sellers of vehicles. The price you see is an estimate to purchase the vehicle, take care of the export procedures in Japan, and get it on a boat to your selected port in the United States. From that point forward, you’re responsible for clearing it through the port, Customs, and getting it home. A Customs broker can help navigate that portion of the vehicle’s journey. In my case, I paid an additional $375 for a Customs broker to handle the forms, $177 in port terminal fees, and $75 to have an escort get me into Baltimore’s port. – MS]

I also found a 1991 Honda Z50R (which replaced the American Z50A in 1978) in what appears to be great condition. It’s listed for $2,999 down in Miami.

Together, that’s $8,799 for a truck and minibike, leaving you $31,901 for new tires, paint, interior restoration, a cargo rack, and other shenanigans. Or, you could go all-electric. For just over $6,000 you could do this with a Toyota RAV4 EV and the new Motocompacto. Bonus points if you track down a Ford Ranger EV. Just be please careful about getting sand in the electronics.

Photos: Mecum Auctions, Honda, Bonhams, Car From Japan, Cycle Riders