Kurogane Nova 1500 History

When Kurogane absorbed Ohta Jidosha in 1957, it inherited the Ohta KE/VM light truck range, briefly continuing that line under the Ohta name until 1959. The Nova 1500 was the rebranded successor, wearing the Kurogane badge and using the 1.5-liter inline-four E-15 engine producing 62 hp with a 2-ton payload rating.

The Nova 1500 ran from 1959 until 1962, when Nissan Machinery assumed Kurogane's operations and the independent brand ceased to exist. Like the Mighty, elements of the Nova 1500's platform fed into subsequent Nissan light-commercial vehicles.