Delica diehards: Why Aussies are obsessed with this old van

If you've ever done a road trip to almost any campsite in the country, you’ve likely seen one. High-riding, boxy, and often fitted with all-terrain tyres and privacy curtains, the Mitsubishi Delica has become the camper of choice for many Aussie adventurers.

However, the Delica was never actually sold in Australia.

"Despite their 'cult' following and popularity here in Australia, the Delica has never actually been officially offered by MMAL," a spokesperson for Mitsubishi Motors Australia Limited (MMAL) told Drive. "We had a similar Express van, but these were more targeted at commercial applications."

MORE: How this ordinary used car changed my life

So why are there so many on Aussie roads today? They've been privately imported.

There are currently seven variants of the Delica with make years ranging from 1993 on Australia's Special and Enthusiast Vehicles Register, which means Aussie drivers can apply to import them privately.

It is estimated there are thousands of Delicas registered in Australia. Though detailed registration data is not readily available for every state and territory, Victorian data shows 1052 currently registered and Queensland shows 999.

If the multiple enthusiast groups on social media are anything to go by, the total number of Delicas in the country could actually be in the tens of thousands. The private Facebook group Delica Club Australia, for example, has more than 11,000 members.

Even some of MMAL's executives have grey imports as their family road trip cars, the brand's spokesperson said.

"It’s a true multi-purpose vehicle that can be customised to fit the owner’s intended purpose," they said. "We hear stories of them being used for off-road tour groups in Far North Queensland, or for family duties in the city."

Despite some talk that MMAL could bring the Delica to Australia in 2023, the spokesperson said there were no current plans to introduce the model Down Under.

"We actually imported a Delica D:5 ourselves, for market evaluation activities, in 2023," they said.

"The vehicle was well received by dealers and customers and fed back into the future planning discussion; however, the vehicle is currently sold for the Japanese Domestic Market and is built to suit the local regulations.

"There are currently no plans for the current or next-generation Delicas to officially come to Australia."

For Melbourne mechanic Alessio Roccuzzo, buying a Delica was more of a fluke than a conscious choice to become a die-hard fan.

"Five or six years ago, my friends and I used to go four-wheel driving pretty often," Alessio says. "By fluke, three of us all owned Mitsubishi Pajeros... over the years, we grew to love them. It was a proper four-wheel-drive."

When his Pajero engine failed and the car was scrapped, Alessio needed another vehicle. Seeing a Delica on the road prompted him to look closer.

"I saw a Delica driving past and thought 'that looks good, I might go have a look and test-drive one'. They drive like a four-wheel-drive, but it's a van and you can put seven people in it. It does the job better than huge trucks in the mud."

Underneath the tall body, the Delica shares its four-wheel-drive transmission, transfer case, and running gear with Mitsubishi’s Pajero SUV.

Alessio bought a 1998 diesel Delica Space Gear a year ago for weekend trips. Shortly after, he came across a second one that turned into a project.

Browsing online listings, Alessio found a 2002 petrol model listed for less than $2000 – well below the $12,000 to $15,000 average the model usually sells for.

"It was very clean, and someone had already started turning the back into a camper with a mattress and drawers," Alessio explains. "But the engine was blown. To take it to a mechanic, you're looking at a $10,000 bill to fit a new engine."

As a qualified mechanic, Alessio intended to buy the van, fit a replacement engine, and sell it on. Instead, the job hit several delays.

"The second-hand engine I bought turned out to be worse than the original," he says. "After doing the work to install it, it wouldn't start. I had to pull it out, send it back, and get my money back."

Rather than buying another used engine, Alessio chose to rebuild the original petrol V6 himself, stripping the parts and sending the block to a specialist machine shop for re-boring.

"I didn't think it would take this much work, but at the end of it, this van is going to have a new engine," he says.

Finding spare parts for an imported vehicle remains one of the main challenges for Delica owners in Australia.

"I couldn't find anything through standard spare parts suppliers – not even a nut for the Delica," Alessio says. "Everywhere was out of stock."

Searching online led him to dedicated owner communities, along with specialist suppliers including Delica Garage.

"I saw this huge community, even in America and Switzerland," he says. "There are specialist shops in Australia that stock almost everything – new, used or reconditioned."

With the V6 engine rebuild complete, Alessio is weighing up whether to stick to his original plan of selling the 2002 model.

"I've got the diesel one and now this petrol one," he says. "I finished the engine build yesterday and it should be ready by the weekend. Part of me wants to keep it because the engine is fresh... but I can't keep both."