Land of the Rising Sun-day, Tomica Time, has returned. Today we take a look at Tomica 62-3, the Isuzu Journey Q Bookmobile. This casting entered the range in February 1980, remaining until October 1987, and is something pretty unique:
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/cbd499_f778472206984024834ffd32e9d08e01~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_88,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/cbd499_f778472206984024834ffd32e9d08e01~mv2.jpg)
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/cbd499_30867fca0db843838b701d8ddd01db8e~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_91,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/cbd499_30867fca0db843838b701d8ddd01db8e~mv2.jpg)
A bookmobile - how many small scale castings exist of this vehicle type? I can't think of any. These small mobile libraries were a thing at least in some areas in the 70s-90s, but I am not sure if they exist in any number today. This model contains ample fine line casting detail, accurate proportion, and fun decals. Scale is claimed to be 1:98, likely accurate, this is a large vehicle and the model is not especially large. From all angles, one can imagine this wheeled library out distributing knowledge in the analog age:
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/cbd499_82ffd1aed91647c8a96c05f4c171a16c~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_107,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/cbd499_82ffd1aed91647c8a96c05f4c171a16c~mv2.jpg)
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/cbd499_43790fc672d24fb494be6f822424261f~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_123,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/cbd499_43790fc672d24fb494be6f822424261f~mv2.jpg)
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/cbd499_284a8d17fe0646458f4cc7278abc41ed~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_121,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/cbd499_284a8d17fe0646458f4cc7278abc41ed~mv2.jpg)
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/cbd499_945e5370e17e49109c15080a5f0d5209~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_111,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/cbd499_945e5370e17e49109c15080a5f0d5209~mv2.jpg)
Front and rear have more than sufficient detail, with "TOMY" in the destination sign area being a nice touch:
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/cbd499_4b48b60075934762afde862acaafcf1a~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_144,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/cbd499_4b48b60075934762afde862acaafcf1a~mv2.jpg)
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/cbd499_22892c7f1c5f48bdbfc8d3a5eaa1ddee~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_162,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/cbd499_22892c7f1c5f48bdbfc8d3a5eaa1ddee~mv2.jpg)
The side window/covering is hinged and opens (further than shown):
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/cbd499_fc5fe5bc55e94da2aaa064fd2e4e65bc~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_113,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/cbd499_fc5fe5bc55e94da2aaa064fd2e4e65bc~mv2.jpg)
The base is plastic, a trend of the time, and contains much identifying and technical detail:
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/cbd499_55da1b6f97204d508ef94bc509715eb7~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_82,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/cbd499_55da1b6f97204d508ef94bc509715eb7~mv2.jpg)
This model is lucky enough to live in a nice original box - lucky indeed as I found the model itself loose mint with some other cars and then happened upon a box with some searching - I still have a host of loose mint Tomica needing boxes:
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/cbd499_9e370b3263a346818e2298e81c8bedc6~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_140,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/cbd499_9e370b3263a346818e2298e81c8bedc6~mv2.jpg)
I'm pleased to have this model in my collection, it's definitely different:
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/cbd499_43de4bb39f95422dbf3af69f323be033~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_133,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/cbd499_43de4bb39f95422dbf3af69f323be033~mv2.jpg)
Similar 1:1s from picryl.com - the Journey Q is a bus platform, and no images exist of a 1:1 bookmobile, these are bus versions of the same era:
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/cbd499_4753000ffd684c3283981e897917ec36~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_115,h_86,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/cbd499_4753000ffd684c3283981e897917ec36~mv2.jpg)
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/cbd499_28f65932fcad49399d79f64292d4ccf6~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_103,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/cbd499_28f65932fcad49399d79f64292d4ccf6~mv2.jpg)