find any neat artifacts in your deli?

[nishby]

Trailer hitch on the front only was quite likely for a front mount bike rack. Lots of van drivers do this so they can keep an eye on the bikes, and they catch a lot less road crud. Also avoids exposing good bikes to rear-ending (I speak from experience)...unless of course, you're the one doing the rear-ending.

I'm thinking of doing this to my Deli, but it's down my list of mods a ways. I'm not sure yet whether or not there is a substantial enough mounting surface at the front as bike racks produce A LOT of prying force (tongue weight) on the hitch.

As for artifacts, not a thing other than two spare mystery mats and a hub cap that doesn't fit my rims.

[Green1]

Trailer hitch on the front only was quite likely for a front mount bike rack.

not likely in this case as it wasn't a receiver it was a welded on plate with a ball on it. pretty much useable only for towing...

[nishby]

Ah yes, a plate wouldn't take the leverage. So the mystery remains. A dyslexic driver?

[Chewy]

Could be for pulling a boat out of the water in 4wd. Had to do that on a little island I lived on once upon a time because the slope was steep and there wasn't enough weight in the back for traction. Also helps for negotiating tighter spaces as the steering is placed very near the pivot point. But hey, you could guess forever on that one :P

[Green1]

Could be for pulling a boat out of the water in 4wd.

That's the usual guess, but once you got it out of the water, don't you think you'd want a hitch on the back to tow it away?

[loki]

I think it was used to move small trailers, boats or whatever, around a small yard, much easier to park them when front mounted. An RV dealer or a small boat dealer would have something like that, probably had a canter or something for towing them on the road though.

[FalcoColumbarius]

Or aeroplanes into and out of hangers.

[freestyler]

Found a learner's license test, a mix tape, sticker, 2 coins, a golf tee, and a one inch tall little police figure. Here are the pics. The police guy rides shotgun with me, he fits snugly inside the left drivers' vent.

[lrp374]

I was doing my first complete interior clean up since I bought my delica in Dec. I had found a very nice Japanese map behind the glove compartment which I think is pretty normal as well as a few cigarettes, gum etc. Today I got the grand prize. Money and what I think is a small package of tissues. It was wedged under the passenger seat.

Larry

[Jaz]

Tissue pack marketing is a big thing in Japan - a lot of companies print out their logos and branding etc on packets of tissues and hand them out. They've got value, so people accept them and use them, and of course the companies brand/advertising hangs around for longer.

Good find!

[Dave]

I found a lot of these in mine when I got it:



They're called White-tails and they're venemous, but not typically leathal. They're only small but very aggressive and don't shy away like most spiders. I've had several follow me around

I managed to get rid of most of them but there are still a few living in the van somewhere as their cobwebs keep reappearing here and there!

[Erebus]

Spiders. Hmm, gives whole new impetus to the agricultural cleanings that are normally required both to get out of Japan and into Canada. Did yours slip through, or is NZ not as strict?

[konadog]

Maybe those are NZ spiders...

[Erebus]

Or Aussie. I hear they have really nasty spiders there. I'm glad I live in Canada. We may have sucky weather, but other than rattlesnakes in a couple of parts of the country, we really don't have nasty wildlife. No black mambas, scorpions, hyenas, etc.

And don't bring up bears and cougars, most people will never even see one, much less have a close encounter.

[Green1]

If we have any Japanese spiders in our van, the first -30c day of the winter should pretty much take care of 'em.