- This 1996 Honda Acty Crawler fire truck was imported from Japan last year, and still includes the equipment rack, turn signals, and siren system.
- A small 656-cc three-cylinder engine sends 37.5 horsepower to 12-inch front wheels and rear tracks via a four-speed manual transmission.
- With five days until the Bring a Trailer auction ends on Tuesday, February 28, bidding is currently at $11,500.
In America, fire trucks are gigantic beasts that can hold up to 1,500 gallons of water and carry ladders that can stretch about 100 feet. But Japan’s narrow streets require unique solutions, leading to cool rescue vehicles like this 1996 Honda Acty Crawler up for auction on Bring a Trailer—which like Car and Driveris part of Hearst Autos.
The Honda Acty is a long-running work truck sold in Japan’s kei class, a designation for miniature vehicles that fit within small dimensions and are powered by engines with a maximum capacity of 660 cc. The Crawler was a peculiar variation of the Acty with the rear wheels replaced by treads rotated around two axles and was built to special order for five years in the 1990s.
Adapted for firefighting, this Acty Crawler comes in red with gold graphics and a unique badge on the nose. The bed features bench seats, chrome handles and racks for mounting firefighting equipment, while the siren and emergency lighting are still attached to the roof of the cabin. The 12-inch wheels are shod in narrow 145-width rubber up front, with a spare under the bed and four extra wheels included if you want to replace the rear tracks.
The little fire truck is motivated by a 656-cc inline-three mounted in front of the rear axle. The 37.5 horsepower is routed through a four-speed manual transmission with ultra-low forward and reverse gears. A rear locking differential and a Real Time all-wheel drive system help the little Crawler lurch around, and front disc and rear drum brakes are used to slow the Acty down.
The interior is simple, with gray cloth seats, rubber floor mats, a heater and a factory stereo system, along with the controls for the siren and turn signals. The selling dealer imported the vehicle into the US in December 2022, and the odometer shows 3600 kilometers or approximately 2237 miles. You probably won’t be rushing to any emergencies in the Acty Crawler—and you certainly won’t want to take it on a US highway—but the cool fire truck will definitely help you stand out at your local Cars and Coffee gathering . Bidding currently stands at $11,500 with five days left in the auction.
Associate News Editor
Caleb Miller began blogging about cars at the age of 13, and he realized his dream of writing for an automotive magazine after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University and attending the Car and Driver team. He loves quirky and obscure cars, aiming to one day own something outlandish like a Nissan S-Cargo, and is an avid motorsport fan.
