This massive six-wheeled Ford RV has been residing in Tokyo for years and continues to be driven.

      Ben Steiner

      Some things simply defy logic, like flying fish or having mustard and mayonnaise in a single bottle. The automotive counterpart to such oddities must be this six-wheeled Ford F-350 RV residing in Tokyo, of all places. It’s an imposing vehicle that makes vintage Cadillacs appear small, and when placed in the midst of Shibuya’s kei vans, it's quite the spectacle.

      This vehicle is known as a Revcon Trailblazer. We've covered them several times before, and the only other model I've come across outside the United States belonged to a deposed Syrian dictator. They were manufactured in the '90s, with only about 70 units produced. Some were equipped with a 460-cubic-inch gas V8, while others had a 7.3-liter diesel engine, but it's difficult to determine which engine this one possesses. I tend to believe it’s the latter for reasons I’ll explain shortly, although I could be mistaken.

      I first heard about this enormous truck in Japan when it appeared in the Ford 7.3L Powerstroke Owners group on Facebook. Someone shared a photo of it parked at a residence along with its address, and a few commenters pinpointed its location using Google Earth. It seems the Revcon has been situated in the same spot since at least November 2009—possibly even earlier. Every Google Earth image I could find shows it parked beside a green kei van.

      This truck is undoubtedly the same one from the Google Earth screenshot above. For starters, the license plate matches (as seen here in this post), and secondly, there’s almost no chance another Revcon is located within thousands of miles of it.

      Several individuals claim to have spotted this rig during previous trips to Japan, but only one posted original photographs in the comments—Ben Steiner. He mentioned that he saw it at the GS Park Ginza Gochome Parking Lot in May 2024. “We were staying at a small hotel in the old Smart Refund Tsukiji Outer Market,” Steiner shared over Facebook Messenger. "On our way to the Imperial Palace, we stumbled upon the imposing 7.3L Revcon in what seemed like near-perfect condition.”

      Examining Steiner's photos, you can spot the turndown exhaust positioned just behind the rear passenger door. It features a dual-pipe configuration. He identifies it as a 7.3-liter engine, and since I lack additional information, I tend to trust his assessment.

      These images depict a different vehicle, one we discussed last year that was up for sale. Nevertheless, it’s clear that it’s at least as spacious as some of Tokyo’s trendiest apartments.

      Regardless of what powers this machine, it’s remarkably well-maintained for a 30-year-old vehicle. There’s much to admire, from the sleek 16.5-inch wheels fitted with BFGoodrich all-terrain tires to the still vibrant paint job. The awning arms are even in better condition than those on my 2018 model camper. It also has two roof-mounted air conditioning units, which is a step up from my RV.

      But enough about me. Just viewing photos of this rig raises more questions than it answers—it’s hard to believe such a large truck can navigate the exceedingly narrow streets of Tokyo. According to the original Revcon marketing materials, this beast measures 8 feet wide and a full 30 feet long. “My mind was racing,” Steiner remarked. “How did this vehicle make its way to Japan? Who owns it? How do they manage to drive it around here?”

      One thing is certain: the owner is likely paying a hefty sum in taxes. There’s a reason you don’t encounter vehicles this size in Japan’s most urban settings, and it’s not solely due to the width of the streets. Tim Stevens provided an excellent analysis of this for Jalopnik a few years ago, and if the figures remain accurate, the annual tax bill is over $1,000 just for owning the Revcon, given its 11,000-pound curb weight and sizable engine displacement. That’s absurd.

      I have immense respect for whoever owns this vehicle and seemingly drives it occasionally. I can only speculate about its backstory for now, but perhaps I can share an update in the future.

      If you know the owner and have a way to contact them, please pass along my email address: [email protected]