Just before the Cultural Revolution, in 1965, Tianjin Auto Works came with a small 1 ton pickup truck.
The Tianjin TJ120 was inspired by the East German (DDR) Framo V901. This car was also named IFA or Barkas.
The first TJ120 was presented in March 1965.
The Framo used the 900cc 3-cylinder engine from the IFA F9 and the Wartburg 311.
The Tianjin TJ120 was driven by the 1005cc V2-cylinder which was in use in the Shanghai SH58-1 threewheeler.
In the first production year of the TJ120, 1965, 55 were made, in the second 212. In total 809 TJ120’s were made during the period 1965-1970.
Tianjin TJ120, drawing Bilibili.
The TJ120 was succeeded by the 2 ton truck TJ130 in 1978, first called Tianjin TJ130, later called Yanpai.
In 1988, the English MGA company (Coventry) was asked to update the TJ130. The Tianjin Automotive Industrial Corporation paid 7 million pound for a new cab design. Steve Harper was involved. In February 1991 the first prototype was ready and shown in Tianjin.
The vehicle was later renamed Yanpai (Wild Goose).
You can find the Bilibili video about the TJ120 here: https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1JYQ7BLErb/?spm_id_from=333.1387.homepage.video_card.click.
The Tianjin Auto Works also made also the TJ210 cross country vehicles, and the TJ740 car. The TJ360 15ton dumper wasmade in the Second Motor Vehicle Factory.
