Help me to identify this mystery Subaru...

I was driving along when a little car whipped past me in the opposite lane. It looked about the size of a Geo Metro, and had been lowered at the front. I started to crack up at the nasty flat-black primer paint job on the hood and the big sticker on the windshield, but then I glanced in the mirror as it passed me, and saw the familliar

S U B A R U

in red reflector letters across the tail-light section reflector. It was definitely a hatchback, and was a good 3-5 inches lower and about half the length of my WRX. What is this mystery Subaru? It looked 10-15 years old. Did Subaru make a mini? I want to buy one and drop a 1.8 liter engine in it! (j/k)

:banana:

 

Did it look like this?


if so, thats a Subaru Justy.

 

a dropped Justy...thats actually kinda cool

 

That is the right size, but it had a rounded back and a lower hood. It had reflector material across the entire hatchback, with the SUBARU letters reversed out of that plastic.

 

Could be a Justy with minor body work. Unless it was a... naw, couldn't be a 360 could it?!

 

I'd love to have that justy. Man that thing looks like fun!!!!

 

Subaru made a model called the 360 starting back in the 50's.

I saw one on the street recently in San Francisco, they make Minis look like a big car.

Here's a link to view one.

http://www.microcar.org/carspecs/subaru360.html

 

Hey yakker, where in SF did you see the 360? I don't think I'v seen it before. I wanna go hunt it down

 

Hey Choku,

It was about 3-4 blocks east from the east entrance to golden Gate park. I can't remember the street. I'm from the east coast and was there vacationing. My wife and I were riding our bikes from Van Ness to the park. I made her stop so I could check it out. She says: "so what? a mini" "NO It's a Subaru"
"can we go now?"

Good exterior condition lemon yellow, interior had seen better days though. The steering wheel would look right at home on a school bus.

You guys have some monster hills there, I want to relocate and open up a clutch and brake shop :banana: ka-chiing!

 

I didnt even know they sold the 360 in the U.S., lol

 

Well, after all of your helpful advice and some Google image searching, I have determined that the car I saw was a Justy with a "shaved" rear bumper and big wheels. It was definitely not a 360, which is as cute as a Subaru has ever been... Probably had a kick-*** power/weight ratio. :banana:

 

Thanks for the heads up yakker! Yeah, transmission shops around here make a killing hehe...
The 360's here in the States are kinda borderline illegal if ya know what I mean, whitelegacy
And meiler, the 360 is actually grossly underpowered -- somewhere in the neighborhood of like 40hp or so haha