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A Peek in the “Attic” – Part One
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The 360’s two-cycle, two-cylinder engine could achieve up to 66 miles per gallon.
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(Select image to view larger version.)
    
One of the few 1968 Subaru 360 Sedans imported to the United States from Japan.
   
Service and owner’s manuals for the Subaru 360 were more basic than today’s.
   
Details of the two-cylinder, air-cooled Subaru 360.
(Select image to view larger version.)
    
Ads and brochures for the scrappy Subaru 360 are from the late 1960s and early 1970s.
(Select image to view larger version.)
    
One of the rare imported Subaru 360 Vans is housed in the “attic,” awaiting restoration.
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The Subaru 360 in the attic is a 1969 model that has been semi-restored. It was used as a display model for the 30th anniversary of SOA in 1999, representing the first mass-produced Subaru automobile. The car was first imported in limited quantities in 1968.
Introduced in Japan in 1958, the 360 was a four-passenger, rear-engine, rear-drive automobile. It weighed less than 1,000 pounds and measured less than 10 feet long.
The 360’s 25-horsepower, two-cycle, two-cylinder, in-line engine was mounted behind the rear wheels. The 356-cc (21.7-cu. in.) engine was air-cooled, and it was capable of achieving 66 miles per gallon.
Here’s some 360 trivia:
- In early commercials for the 360, the word Subaru was pronounced with the accent on the second syllable – su-BAR-u.
- 360 wagons, vans, and pickup trucks were manufactured, demonstrating the 360’s versatility – much like Subaru vehicles today! (An example of the van is also stored in the Subaru attic.)
From the Subaru 360 Sedan Service Manual (Body Section), Fuji Heavy Industries
| Model |
K111D |
| Category: |
Sedan |
| Length |
2,995 mm (117.9 in) |
| Width |
1,300 mm (51.2 in) |
| Height |
1,350 mm (53.1 in) |
| Length |
1,410 mm (55.5 in) |
| Width |
1,100 mm (43.3 in) |
| Height |
1,120 mm (44.1 in) |
| Floor Height |
220 mm (8.7 in) |
| Minimum Road Clearance |
150 mm (6.3 in) |
| Wheelbase |
1,800 mm (70.9 in) |
| Tread (Front Wheel) |
1,140 mm (44.9 in) |
| Tread (Rear Wheel) |
1,070 mm (42.1 in) |
| Vehicle Weight |
420 kg (925.0 lb) |
| Front |
4.80 - 10 x 2P |
| Rear |
4.80 - 10 x 2P |
| Maximum Speed |
110 km/h (68 mph) |
| Minimum Turning Diameter |
8 m (26.2 ft) |
| Braking Distance (50 km/h) |
12 m (39.4 ft at 31 mph) |
| Manufacturer |
Fuji Heavy Industries |
| Type |
Gasoline Engine |
| Cooling |
Forced Air-Cooled |
| Cylinders |
Two In Line |
| Cycle |
2-Cycle |
| Bore x Stroke |
61.5 mm x 60 mm (2.42 in x 2.36 in) |
| Total Displacement |
356 cc (21.7 cu in) |
| Compression Ratio |
6.7 |
| Maximum Horsepower |
25 (5,500 rpm) |
| Maximum Torque |
3.5 m-kg (25.3 ft-lb) /4,500 rpm |
| Location |
Rear |
| Carburetor |
Solex type (Hitachi) |
| Fuel Tank Capacity |
25 liters (6.6 U.S. gal) |
| Steering Gear Type |
Rack-and-pinion |
| Frameless monocoque |
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