Hello,

Your website is so useful! Thank you!

I am a huge Michelotti fan and today i bought a Hino Contessa 1300 PD 200. A!!! (in The Netherlands! Europe) I have never seen it in real before. There are no papers with the car, but it has the chassisnumber: 546765. I lwould really like to know when my car was built. Can you tell me this by the chassisnr? I would be thankful.

I also like to know if there are still parts for sale in Japan for this car? My rear light is broken.

Can you tell me how many other Hino's Contessa's there are in The Netherlands or in Europe? I really like the car and i am going to restore it. I know that this type of car car was built in The Netherlands. (in a place called Zuid-Sloe) I think i can provide you pictures of the factory in Zuid-Sloe from 1966. Maybe this one is not built in Zuid-Sloe? Do you know
this information?

The engine number is GR100611.

Thank you for your information.

I will send photos later of my blue Hino Contessa, i just bought the car
today and i am really happy.

Many thanks,

Peter van den Hoogen

Dear Peter,

Thanks for your impression of HinoSamurai.org. I am site owner and creator.

Congratulations! Now you are the owner of Hino Contessa and it seems you got right site now.

PD200 is a code that describes Hino Contessa 1300 Sedan with left hander (a left hand driver car). Also PD100 means right hander. Then this code has additional 6 digit number such as your 546865. All sedan built in Japan start with 500000. So, your number is 46765th sedan regardless left or right hander. KD cars are composed of something different number even starting PD100 or PD200.

To identify exact date produced of your 546865, I do not have the record. However, according to "Dealer Note" that describe all of engineering changes and date to be implemented at the production line, it seems 546865 may be the car produced in 3rd Quarter of 1966, I believe. Those days were very important time that Hino needed to decide to terminate Hino Contessa product line. Actually Hino and Toyota announced the agreement in the middle of October, 1966. Then Hino stopped to order the parts and components to the supplier right after that time. Hino, however continued to assemble the car with remaining components and last one sold was 1970.

I own Hino Contessa 1300 Coupe sincere 1969, but I could not get maintenance parts even early 70's through Hino and its dealer. At a view point of this matter, Hino was not good impression as me at that time and it seems Hino made an effort to disappear Contessa 1300 from the market by discontinuing the spare parts in Japan especially. However, Hino gathered spare parts from all dealer in Japan to the warehouse of export division in order to supply the part they exported in the reason of government trading issues. Even middle 70's, according to rumor, Hino produced some spare parts in order to reply the requirements from outside of Japan. This was good program for out side of Japan, but it was opposite face as us in Japan if it is true. Anyway, at those days we were nothing spare parts even maintenance parts. This is true story in Japan. This is a reason I and my friends started "Hino Contessa Club" at early 70's in order to help each other for sustaining lovely Contessa without Hino's support.

So, we are not able to get any parts from Hino and its channel as you guess. We see some parts through Yahoo action, but it is very poor in the reason of pricing as follows:

http://page9.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/k15138176
http://page6.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/f32537563
http://page5.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/e43735807

However, you may have parts through some people in some way. My recommendation is following two right now:

(1) I strongly recommend you to assess your Hino Contessa at first for fixing problems. Then you can talk much details. So, assessment is very important.

(2) Another thing to get parts is to join Hino Contessa Club. I tell you this matter if you are interested in.

I believe you will have no problem about parts issues because I never have any big problems to sustain my Hino to date in my life.

I do not have any detail information about current surviving Hino Contessa in your country and in Europe. You are first person from Netherland. Last summer one person from Portugal came to me.

According to Hino report, Hino made an agreement with partner, Autobielfabriek "Netherlands" about exporting complete car in late 1965. Then Hino stated to ship Contessa 1300 Sedan of 30 at Jan. 1966. After that Autobielfabriek has had assembly factory for Hino's heavy truck by "semi"-KD fashion in Sloehaven, Vissingen in the Netherlands. After that Hino and partner started to build assembly factory for Contessa in April 27, 1966 (attached pticture). Hino expected to assemble Contessa in there in KD fashion after completing the factory at October time. During that timeframe, I believe Hino exported complete 500 - 1000 Hino Contessa to Netherlands. I believer your car may be one of those cars from Japan. However I have no information about exact CKD production in Netherlands with local chassis number.

I am very much interested in your information about Contessa in Netherlands. Any input would be appreciated.

Also, if you have the issue of October 1985 of "Het Automobiel", you will see complete history about Hino in Netherlands.

I look forward to expecting further message from you. Also I would like to see your car.

Very sincerely.

Satoshi Ezawa