Toyota BB - rare JDM box on wheels
Discussion
So, 6 or 7 weeks back I sold my cherished Integra DC5 (to a fellow PHer!) after gradually coming to the realisation that it was basically going to waste sat on my drive, and it just didn't make sense having so much money tied up in something that wasn't getting used as intended. A head over heart decision, that I don't regret, despite missing the car itself.
This was the first time in my 12 year driving history that I had sold a car without another lined up or already bought...and I truly had no idea what i wanted other than it had to be jap and under £3k.
I spent some time nosing around, and considered ignis sports, MR2s, honda preludes, all sorts really...it was kind of tough narrowing it down, so I was hoping something would jump out at me given enough patience (not a quality I am abundant in).
I have always liked boxy JDM stuff, so started more seriously looking at Honda SMXs. the thought of something i could use for road trips and camping was pretty appealing, and the japanese really packed some interesting design into that box on wheels. Unfortunately they are thin on the ground in the UK, and the ones that come up are often succumbing to rust.
Due to a lack of tidy SMX, and my decreasing patience, the toyota BB sprang into my head...I was always dimly aware of them as basically a toyota cube...but had never seen one in the wild, only ever one or two at jap shows. Nissan cubes were an option, but I've always liked more rare and obscure JDM stuff, the cube is positively common by comparison.
I joined the BB UK owners facebook group, which has a booming 182 members at time of writing! Put up a wanted ad and by a pure stroke of luck I was contacted by a lovely guy who was looking to sell up due to importing another daily from japan, and needing the driveway space.
Deposit paid back in october, and I had 7 weeks of agonising waiting while his new car made it's way here on the boat from Japan....patience almost at breaking point, weeks of being car-less, and just hoping everything panned out. FInally the day came this weekend, 5am start to get a train down to the south coast, and realise my JDM box on wheels destiny!
So, just before I introduce the car in question...my car history has definately been on the sports/performance end of the scale. the jap bug started with a mk2 mx5, i then discovered a JDM unicorn in the utterly brilliant but far too much of a project that was my Mitsubishi mirage asti ZR (former PH readers car of the week, hilariously). The taste of MIVEC and 9k RPM redline made me hunger to upgrade to VTEC, so I enjoyed rev happy and reliable Integra DC5 performance for 2 years. I had no idea what i would be like going to something with half the BHP of the DC5. and the driving dynamics of a brick....and, shock/horror, my first ever automatic!!
Here she is then, a 2000 Toyota BB (or bB apparently). ZX trim (whatever that means), 1.5l vvti engine from the yaris T sport, 4 speed auto box. It was imported from japan two years ago, and has about 52,000 miles on the clock. everything is still in KM for that authentic JDM speedo maths-on-the-fly experience.
It's bloody brilliant!!
Pretty immaculate inside and out for its age, drives very tight, and is no where near as slow or boaty as i feared it might be. it weighs about 1150kg, so i think the auto box would put it about 10-11 secs to 60. The suspension is pleasingly firm and it benefits from hydraulic power steering, so feels pretty direct and responsive for what it is. Pretty fun to blip around in, although i'm still getting used to not having control over the gearbox. Column shift and the handbrake being operated by foot pedal is very alien indeed!
It's essentially a yaris T sport mechanically, service parts seem easy enough to get hold of, and there are various bits floating around in the USA, where these were sold in large numbers as the Scion xB.
It has some brilliant little JDM touches, such as a little optional switch that changes the dash lighting through a variety of colours...it also came with a bundle of original brochures and documents, all totally unreadable to me but cool to have. Comforts wise, it has electric windows, aircon, and about 400 cup holders and cubby holes! There's a ridiculous amount of space inside, 4x wheels with tyres fitted in the boot without even having to move the rear seats. It is truly tardis like, and really isn't a big car from the outside.
JDM paper stuff!
Tax comes in at £155 for the year, and managed to get it insured for £270...I reckon it'll return about 30mpg so should be fairly cheap to run.
The only real down side i've found sofar is that it has the turning circle of an aircraft carrier...the dc5 was bad, this is worse!!!
In terms of plans, not too much really, aftermarket parts aren't abundant, although this will probably help stop me going overboard with the car. Service next week, then booked in for a full dinitrol underseal after xmas...it's immaculate underneath and I want to keep it that way. I'm not 100% on the wheels, so if a different set come up I may swap them out. I need to get a proper blackout sunstrip, there's a lot of windscreen and the flip down visors aren't really up to the task
Small DIY to-do list-
-FIt head unit
-Replace lens-less side repeater
-refurb wiper arms
-decent clay and polish/wax
-touch up a couple small stone chips
-figure out how the seats work
Watch this space
This was the first time in my 12 year driving history that I had sold a car without another lined up or already bought...and I truly had no idea what i wanted other than it had to be jap and under £3k.
I spent some time nosing around, and considered ignis sports, MR2s, honda preludes, all sorts really...it was kind of tough narrowing it down, so I was hoping something would jump out at me given enough patience (not a quality I am abundant in).
I have always liked boxy JDM stuff, so started more seriously looking at Honda SMXs. the thought of something i could use for road trips and camping was pretty appealing, and the japanese really packed some interesting design into that box on wheels. Unfortunately they are thin on the ground in the UK, and the ones that come up are often succumbing to rust.
Due to a lack of tidy SMX, and my decreasing patience, the toyota BB sprang into my head...I was always dimly aware of them as basically a toyota cube...but had never seen one in the wild, only ever one or two at jap shows. Nissan cubes were an option, but I've always liked more rare and obscure JDM stuff, the cube is positively common by comparison.
I joined the BB UK owners facebook group, which has a booming 182 members at time of writing! Put up a wanted ad and by a pure stroke of luck I was contacted by a lovely guy who was looking to sell up due to importing another daily from japan, and needing the driveway space.
Deposit paid back in october, and I had 7 weeks of agonising waiting while his new car made it's way here on the boat from Japan....patience almost at breaking point, weeks of being car-less, and just hoping everything panned out. FInally the day came this weekend, 5am start to get a train down to the south coast, and realise my JDM box on wheels destiny!
So, just before I introduce the car in question...my car history has definately been on the sports/performance end of the scale. the jap bug started with a mk2 mx5, i then discovered a JDM unicorn in the utterly brilliant but far too much of a project that was my Mitsubishi mirage asti ZR (former PH readers car of the week, hilariously). The taste of MIVEC and 9k RPM redline made me hunger to upgrade to VTEC, so I enjoyed rev happy and reliable Integra DC5 performance for 2 years. I had no idea what i would be like going to something with half the BHP of the DC5. and the driving dynamics of a brick....and, shock/horror, my first ever automatic!!
Here she is then, a 2000 Toyota BB (or bB apparently). ZX trim (whatever that means), 1.5l vvti engine from the yaris T sport, 4 speed auto box. It was imported from japan two years ago, and has about 52,000 miles on the clock. everything is still in KM for that authentic JDM speedo maths-on-the-fly experience.
It's bloody brilliant!!
Pretty immaculate inside and out for its age, drives very tight, and is no where near as slow or boaty as i feared it might be. it weighs about 1150kg, so i think the auto box would put it about 10-11 secs to 60. The suspension is pleasingly firm and it benefits from hydraulic power steering, so feels pretty direct and responsive for what it is. Pretty fun to blip around in, although i'm still getting used to not having control over the gearbox. Column shift and the handbrake being operated by foot pedal is very alien indeed!
It's essentially a yaris T sport mechanically, service parts seem easy enough to get hold of, and there are various bits floating around in the USA, where these were sold in large numbers as the Scion xB.
It has some brilliant little JDM touches, such as a little optional switch that changes the dash lighting through a variety of colours...it also came with a bundle of original brochures and documents, all totally unreadable to me but cool to have. Comforts wise, it has electric windows, aircon, and about 400 cup holders and cubby holes! There's a ridiculous amount of space inside, 4x wheels with tyres fitted in the boot without even having to move the rear seats. It is truly tardis like, and really isn't a big car from the outside.
JDM paper stuff!
Tax comes in at £155 for the year, and managed to get it insured for £270...I reckon it'll return about 30mpg so should be fairly cheap to run.
The only real down side i've found sofar is that it has the turning circle of an aircraft carrier...the dc5 was bad, this is worse!!!
In terms of plans, not too much really, aftermarket parts aren't abundant, although this will probably help stop me going overboard with the car. Service next week, then booked in for a full dinitrol underseal after xmas...it's immaculate underneath and I want to keep it that way. I'm not 100% on the wheels, so if a different set come up I may swap them out. I need to get a proper blackout sunstrip, there's a lot of windscreen and the flip down visors aren't really up to the task
Small DIY to-do list-
-FIt head unit
-Replace lens-less side repeater
-refurb wiper arms
-decent clay and polish/wax
-touch up a couple small stone chips
-figure out how the seats work
Watch this space
Edited by designforlife on Monday 10th December 10:11
TommoAE86 said:
That is absolutely brilliant, I'm about to take delivery of my second car from Japan and really wish I'd done this sort of thing sooner! 
Do you go to any of the shows OP?
I didn't make many last couple of years but am planning on JDMcombe and japfest silverstone at a minimum...hopefully JAE too for the frst time in a few years, although they have resited it to just about the most out of the way town in the UK. I've also been told by the retrorides guys that the BB is interesting enough to ninja into shelsey walsh for the Retro rides gathering.Do you go to any of the shows OP?
Tinkshusband said:
they sold an LHD version of this in the states as a Scion xB - there was a fair amount of aftermarket stuff if i remember right.
they did indeed, and they sold a ton of them! My wife is from LA and already calls it "the scion". interestingly they sold the same first gen, but about 3 or 4 years later than it was released in japan....and the US version has a manual option, which the JDM version lacks (as far as i know)...not the way round you would expect.I'm heading out to see family in the states soon so might have to go scavenging for bits.
No-one has pointed and laughed yet...but I drove a mk2 mx5 for 6 years, so am used to all manner of jibes and abuse when it comes to what i drive...couldn't give a monkeys tbh.
The evo 9 driver that let me out of a junction on the drive home from collection was pretty enthused about it!
Apparently the bB (stands for black box apparently, despite them being available in various colours!), was marketed to japanese 20-something males as a "stereo on wheels".
Must have worked, as they sold a ton of them.
In for a basic service and check over tomorrow, then getting audio fitted on the weekend
I'll snap some more pics when the weather is better and i've given it a bit of a clean.
The evo 9 driver that let me out of a junction on the drive home from collection was pretty enthused about it!
Apparently the bB (stands for black box apparently, despite them being available in various colours!), was marketed to japanese 20-something males as a "stereo on wheels".
Must have worked, as they sold a ton of them.
In for a basic service and check over tomorrow, then getting audio fitted on the weekend
I'll snap some more pics when the weather is better and i've given it a bit of a clean.
Got my JAE 2019 tickets, hopefully the venue move will improve the show...i haven't been since the golden days of wicksteed park.
Currently browsing for BB bits...apparently the weaponR 4-2-1 manifold for the yaris T-sport fits, tempting!
(This was supposed to be a sensible car i wouldn't spend money on...lets see how long that lasts).
Currently browsing for BB bits...apparently the weaponR 4-2-1 manifold for the yaris T-sport fits, tempting!
(This was supposed to be a sensible car i wouldn't spend money on...lets see how long that lasts).
Got the BB back from it's first service in my care yesterday. Took it to my local Honda specialist, Dream automotive, who looked after the DC5, I think they are now fans of the box of awesomeness!
Just had the basics done and a thorough checkover. Considering the overall condition of the car i wasn't too worried, although a couple of bits need doing after christmas.
BB needs new front drop links, and the rear axle bushes are pretty shagged. Considering it went through MOT in October and passed with no advisories, i'm a little surprised these weren't picked up!
Got some poly uprated front droplinks coming, and some japanparts rear bushes, the OEM are about £70 each!! The pattern ones were cheap enough that i don't mind replacing them again in a couple of years if they don't last...worth a punt for 1/3 of the price.
Just had the basics done and a thorough checkover. Considering the overall condition of the car i wasn't too worried, although a couple of bits need doing after christmas.
BB needs new front drop links, and the rear axle bushes are pretty shagged. Considering it went through MOT in October and passed with no advisories, i'm a little surprised these weren't picked up!
Got some poly uprated front droplinks coming, and some japanparts rear bushes, the OEM are about £70 each!! The pattern ones were cheap enough that i don't mind replacing them again in a couple of years if they don't last...worth a punt for 1/3 of the price.
Nunga said:
Is there much of a difference between the bB/xB and the Cube interior and flexibility-wise? They tick quite a few boxes for a car that I really should consider, but something with a bit of poke would be more desirable (for example the RS Clio-powered Kangoo poppopbangbang was running for a while). Keep the updates coming please, as it is the quirky cars I find most interesting.
Having not owned a cube i couldn't say for sure, but the BB certainly seems very similar. I've yet to mess about with the seat configurations but it looks like you can fold the rear seats up flat against the back of the front seats to create a van like load area.I'm hoping you can fold all the seats pretty flat, my plan is to get a couple of foam pads made up to turn the back of the car into a bed for camping trips.
So, this weekend was pretty productive. I popped up to Stevenage to pay DK Car Audio and Security a visit. Dave battled 0 degree weather to sort out audio and security on the BB. Highly recommend him if you are in beds/herts and need any auto electrical work done.
BB is now sporting a bluetooth head unit. I actually had this kicking around before i bought the car, then found out afterwards that the BB has a reversing camera already wired. I may eventually swap out for a screen type unit so that I can use the reversing camera as it's there, but tbh this car is a damn sight easier to reverse in than my dc5 was!
So whilst poking around the bay, I found the first, and hopefully only bodge on the car. This bB is running aftermarket "Sonar" headlights from Japan...and it looks like for whatever reason the OEM indicator bulb holders aren't totally compatible with the headlight units (missing part maybe).
So to solve this, they have been "installed" with some sort of sticky grey caulking/mastic
Bit nasty, i'm sure you will agree...so my spring project will be to fabricate or 3D print some new mounts/cylinders so that the holders can twist and slot in as they should. I don't mind the odd minor bodge, but to the engineer in me this is a step too far!!
Finished off the weekend by giving the bB it's first wash, always a good time to see exactly what state the paint is in. Turns out it has faired very well, few light scratches here and there but overall exceptionally decent nick for an 18yo car. I scrubbed the inside of the rear arches and got a load of mud and muck out (prime breeding ground for rust in JDM cars), and generally had a good nose around.
Turns out this takes about twice the time to wash than the DC5, and i'm just that bit too short to reach the middle of the roof!
A decent clay and polish will be on the cards for spring, but first up will be a full dinitrol underseal in Jan.
BB is now sporting a bluetooth head unit. I actually had this kicking around before i bought the car, then found out afterwards that the BB has a reversing camera already wired. I may eventually swap out for a screen type unit so that I can use the reversing camera as it's there, but tbh this car is a damn sight easier to reverse in than my dc5 was!
So whilst poking around the bay, I found the first, and hopefully only bodge on the car. This bB is running aftermarket "Sonar" headlights from Japan...and it looks like for whatever reason the OEM indicator bulb holders aren't totally compatible with the headlight units (missing part maybe).
So to solve this, they have been "installed" with some sort of sticky grey caulking/mastic
Bit nasty, i'm sure you will agree...so my spring project will be to fabricate or 3D print some new mounts/cylinders so that the holders can twist and slot in as they should. I don't mind the odd minor bodge, but to the engineer in me this is a step too far!!
Finished off the weekend by giving the bB it's first wash, always a good time to see exactly what state the paint is in. Turns out it has faired very well, few light scratches here and there but overall exceptionally decent nick for an 18yo car. I scrubbed the inside of the rear arches and got a load of mud and muck out (prime breeding ground for rust in JDM cars), and generally had a good nose around.
Turns out this takes about twice the time to wash than the DC5, and i'm just that bit too short to reach the middle of the roof!
A decent clay and polish will be on the cards for spring, but first up will be a full dinitrol underseal in Jan.
TheJimi said:
This. Is. Awesome.
Can I be cheeky and ask for much you paid? Approx is fine.
I gave £2500 for it, i think that i got a very good example for the money.Can I be cheeky and ask for much you paid? Approx is fine.
They seem to sell for anywhere between £1800-3000 privately, and i guess to import one you would be looking at £4-5k ish landed.
When you see Cubes up for £3-5k, the bB is a cheaper leftfield option, and i think better styled.
iMitchy said:
If it's anything like my Yaris T-Sport, I'd invest in some poly-bushes.
Brand new rubber bushes disentagrate in about 6 months...
Yeah i've got uprated poly front droplinks to go on.Brand new rubber bushes disentagrate in about 6 months...
Unfortunately couldn't get poly rear arm bushes (was hard enough finding any full stop!), but when the bushes up front let go i'll polybush them.
Courtesy of the headsup from iMitchy, i now have a set of energy suspension rear arm bushes on the way.
Delivered straight to the in-laws in LA for 8 bucks wasn't too keen on throwing cheap pattern bushes on, and these were only a tenner more.
Delivered straight to the in-laws in LA for 8 bucks
wasn't too keen on throwing cheap pattern bushes on, and these were only a tenner more.Edited by designforlife on Tuesday 18th December 12:58
To be fair the 1.5vvti really isn't too bad power wise as standard...it bundles along well enough once it gets going. More than adequate for the car, although i wish the auto box had a 5th gear. I reckon 30-35mpg mixed driving should be easily achievable. Power to weight is about the same as a 1.6 mx5...although the auto box definately slays a few horses in terms of performance, along with the brick like aerodynamics 
I've heard the 1.3 is very sluggish by comparison, and have been in a friends 1.3 cube that was very slow.
Certainly not a performance car, and i'm quite enjoying the refreshing change just bumbling about in it.
I've heard the 1.3 is very sluggish by comparison, and have been in a friends 1.3 cube that was very slow.
Certainly not a performance car, and i'm quite enjoying the refreshing change just bumbling about in it.
New year means time to get cracking on a few jobs for the JDM box.
It's off to my tame underseal guy tomorrow for a week to have the underside and arches dinitrol'd, also getting him to refurb the brush painted wiper arms and fit the polybush kit.
while I was in LA i picked up a couple of bits, had to buy a bigger suitcase to bring it all home, much to the wife and MiL's bemusement!
JDM/USDM optional mesh grill. Great rare find from a guy in Long beach, and around half the price of ordering one landed to the UK. Pretty much just needs the black rear metal panel sanding back and touching up where it has rusted a bit on the bottom edge.
JDM OEM lights, absolute steal and hard to find, wanted a backup set...will polish them up and set them aside if/when I want to switch the clusters over on the front and rear.
It's off to my tame underseal guy tomorrow for a week to have the underside and arches dinitrol'd, also getting him to refurb the brush painted wiper arms and fit the polybush kit.
while I was in LA i picked up a couple of bits, had to buy a bigger suitcase to bring it all home, much to the wife and MiL's bemusement!
JDM/USDM optional mesh grill. Great rare find from a guy in Long beach, and around half the price of ordering one landed to the UK. Pretty much just needs the black rear metal panel sanding back and touching up where it has rusted a bit on the bottom edge.
JDM OEM lights, absolute steal and hard to find, wanted a backup set...will polish them up and set them aside if/when I want to switch the clusters over on the front and rear.
Got the bB back yesterday, feeling rather pleased. It was just as clean underneath as I hoped...hardly a spot of surface rust.
Pre-underseal
Post-underseal
Thats a full steam clean and dry underneath, coated with a clear rustinhibitor then topped with dinitrol...and waxoyl in the cavities for good measure.
Also took the opportunity to have the wiper arms sanded back and repainted...these were in a fairly sorry state before due to Japanese sunshine.
Finally had those rear arm polybushes and front poly droplinks fitted...it's really tightened up the handling and hasn't made the ride much harder at all. Totally bugger of a job apparently, the guy had to burn the old ones out of the rear arm.
Pre-underseal
Post-underseal
Thats a full steam clean and dry underneath, coated with a clear rustinhibitor then topped with dinitrol...and waxoyl in the cavities for good measure.
Also took the opportunity to have the wiper arms sanded back and repainted...these were in a fairly sorry state before due to Japanese sunshine.
Finally had those rear arm polybushes and front poly droplinks fitted...it's really tightened up the handling and hasn't made the ride much harder at all. Totally bugger of a job apparently, the guy had to burn the old ones out of the rear arm.
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