In a previous Showa Snap we posted a photo of Kyoto Station full of Toyota taxis. A couple of decades earlier, in 1967, if you wanted to hail a cab from the station your choices were apparently limited to a 411 Bluebird, 411 Bluebird, or let’s see, 411 Bluebird. There was probably a barikan Toyota Corona or two sitting in the queue, but at least in this snapshot Nissans ruled the day.
Image: 昭和スポット巡り
That’s the old station that I remember ! Great Ekiban. By the way, all the Datsun Taxis are late model 411s, not the early round rear running light 410 and early 411 models. They also lack the low opening trunk lid and lower rear fender “crease” aligning with the below door chrome strip. There also be at least 3 non taxi 411s in the parking lot.
I think this was about the time automatic doors started showing up (& maybe Propane?). This was about the time my mother was still driving a 1963 Toyopet Corona, my aunt a ’67 Corona and father a ’65ish Nissan Cedric. I remember Cedrics and Crowns being popular Hires (an up-level cab appointed a little nicer, almost always piano black in color with gold leaf logos). It’s funny that as a kid, I didn’t even see the pickup versions of these cars.
As always, thanks so much for the snap & looking forward to the next…
P.S. Mike RL411; You have 411’s down to the molecular level! Very cool..