--- title: "Skip the Kei Car and Import This Slammed Chevy Rollback Truck From Japan" date: "2026-10-03" modified: "2026-10-03" authors: - name: "Stephen Edelstein" job_title: "Weekend Editor" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/stephen-edelstein.md" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/forget-a-kei-car-import-this-slammed-chevy-rollback-truck-from-japan" categories: - "Culture" - "For Sale" - "News" tags: - "Chevrolet" - "Japan" --- # Skip the Kei Car and Import This Slammed Chevy Rollback Truck From Japan ![1997 Chevrolet C3500 rollback in Japan]() *\Passion Co., Ltd.\* Kei trucks are the antithesis of big, brawny American trucks, which makes them great conversation pieces as well as useful tools. They can fit places a full-size pickup never would, and consume a fraction of the fuel. They are a bit limited when it comes to payload, though. Thankfully, there are other options for trucks that reflect Japan's [unique automotive culture](). First spotted by [patina.cars]() on Instagram, this 1997 [Chevrolet]() C3500 dually rollback is [currently for sale]() through Passion Co., Ltd., a dealer in the city of Oshu in northern Japan's Iwate Prefecture. And it's everything you could want in a custom truck. It's slammed on air suspension, with clean-looking chrome five-spoke wheels that complement a very clean exterior. The shaved bumpers and trim, along with the billet grille, accentuate the simple-yet-handsome lines of this rig. Mainstays of GM's 1990s lineup, the GMT400s are some of the best-looking trucks the company has ever produced. ![1997 Chevrolet C3500 rollback in Japan]() *Passion Co., Ltd.* The GMT400 generation was introduced for the 1988 model year, and some versions lasted into 2006 outside the U.S. The styling made the previous-generation squarebody trucks look as antiquated as they were, and today it shows that adding [bigger grilles](), more complex headlights, and muscular fender flares doesn't necessarily improve the looks of pickups and SUVs. Their long production run and sheer number of variants also make this generation a great canvas for customization. This heavy-duty C3500 has the 454-cubic-inch (7.4-liter) V8 that was also used in the [454 SS performance truck](), which drives the rear wheels through a column-shifted automatic transmission. It can be yours for 7.8 million yen (approximately $52,000 at current exchange rates), plus the cost of shipping it from Japan if you desire (the truck is lefthand drive). ![1997 Chevrolet C3500 rollback in Japan]() *Passion Co. Ltd.* It may not be as easy to park, but depending on where you live, this might be easier to register in the U.S. than a kei truck. Despite the federal 25-year rule, some states are still [blocking kei vehicles](). And if you're not sure about the legal status of a kei truck in your state, you could always haul it on the back of this truck until the laws change in your favor. ## Author Stephen has always been passionate about cars, and managed to turn that passion into a career as a freelance automotive journalist. When he's not handling weekend coverage for The Drive, you can find him looking for a new book to read. ### Author social links [Twitter]()