Ohta PA History
Catalog record
This is a brief catalog introduction with limited source documentation. A licensed, identity-checked lead photograph has not yet been added for this page. Detailed year, configuration and ownership coverage must be identified separately; this page is not a complete vehicle catalog.
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Reorganised as Ōhta Jidōsha Kōgyō in 1947, the company returned to passenger-car production with the PA (Passenger Automobile), introduced from mid-1948. The PA was a compact two-door, four-passenger saloon measuring just 3.6 m in length, with modern pontoon-style bodywork — a clean break from the pre-war cycle-wing look — powered by the 760 cc E8 overhead-valve four-cylinder producing around 20 PS.
Body construction still relied heavily on wood framing and hand-formed sheet metal, reflecting the factory's limited press tooling. Despite the traditional construction, the PA's proportions and relative sturdiness made it a preferred choice among Tokyo's taxi operators, who valued its economy and durability over cramped city streets.
The PA was joined in 1951 by the larger, four-door PB variant, which offered more interior room while sharing the same basic platform and powertrain. Together the PA and PB carried Ohta's passenger-car output through the Korean War reconstruction period.
Body styles
- 2-door Sedan
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