Hey guys,

I haven't been putting up as many brochures as I'd like lately, so here's something COMPLETELY different!

This scan comes from Car magazine (UK) from an article on the Tokyo Motor Show that was run in their January 1967 issue. Just to let you know, I don't have this issue, but I borrowed this cool book from my mate at work that has select articles from the 1960s and 1970s... and when I picked up this 150+ page book, THIS was the first page I opened up to! Freaky!

It's got some VERY interesting info... including some incredibly rare and expensive cars... and their musings on what these vehicles might do into the future.

For the sake of completion, I've put up both sides of the page; I've had to do some tricky copying and pasting as well as the book is hardcover and didn't want to scan the centre area, so if it looks a bit weird there, that's why.

The first page (page 54 of the magazine) includes a Daihatsu (probably Campagno-based) coupe designed by Vignale and a Hino race car. They mention in the text that Hino had just been bought by Toyota, too.

The bottom two cars are perhaps the most iconic Japanese cars of all time (sorry Bellett owners... you know it's true though!); the original Mazda Cozmo L10A and the Toyota 2000GT in a gorgeous brown (I love brown sports cars... why is this so?). Interestingly, the caption states that the 2000GT has a 1488cc DOHC six-cylinder motor. So guys... what's the "2000" in "2000GT" stand for again?

The captions for the next pictures are also on page one.




The next page is more interesting for us Isuzu-heads!

It shows the Nissan Prince Royal, a 6373cc V8 limousine built solely for Emperor Hirohito. It was noted that it would not go into production, however my research shows that a total of 8 were built; not exactly production numbers mind you! They were an impressive looking car and weighed 3.2 tonnes!

The next vehicle is the Daihatsu Fellow, one of the then-ubiquitous 360cc-madated Kei cars; the Fellow was always pretty blocky, taking the maximum measurements of the Kei-car segment to the extreme!

The next two cars are what we're after though; one is clearly an Isuzu Florian, but with no grille we've ever seen on a Florian, while the other is a 117 Coupe.

The captions note them in reverse order with picture "7 - Isuzu 117 Sport first seen at Geneva is by Ghia - unlikely to go into production". WRONG!!!! It continues "unlike 8 the factory-adapted saloon version. Both are built around the existing all-independent Bellet (sic) chassis". Well, WRONG again, Car magazine!





I have to admit, I think that THIS Florian grille might actually be the most attractive Florian I've seen; the twin headlight surrounds look similar to those of the Bellett while the split front grille breaks up the wide front nicely. The blinkers are fitted above the bumper. Is this a pre-production prototype? Most certainly, as the Florian is being referred to by it's project name which was 117... as we all know, the 117 Coupe retained that code; for what reason I don't know. Perhaps they thought it sounded cool?

Check out this grille!



Sadly though, I'd be surprised if this grille was meant to do anything except PREVENT the public from seeing the final production grille. Nothing ages a car more than the public seeing it months or years before it's due; just ask Ford when the EA Falcon was scooped by Wheels magazine some time in 1985, over two years before it was due out!

The cut of the front guards, which still appear to fit the unique headlights that were on the first production model supports this theory. This way, when the vintage TV-headlighted Florian was released later in 1967, it was a fresh looking car!

Interestingly, they mentioned that Mazda showed off estate (wagon) and twin-carb versions of the Bertone-styled Luce 1500 (known just as 1500 here) and that "while Mazda was giving the Luce a sporting image, Isuzu was trying to get rid of one on its Bellet (sic) - producing the Bellet B with oblong headlamps and a subtly redesigned rear suspension using a rigid rear axle with semi-elliptic springs in place of the other model's independent, semi-trailing arm system".

It doesn't shed anymore light into why the Bellett B exists, although we're all fairly certain it was to bridge a gap between the outgoing Bellel and the new Florian. The text goes on, "So as not to lose its sporting following completely, though, it also had on show a very neatly done fastback version of the 1600GT tourer...".

So the PR91G Fastback was there! Pity there are no pics! Perhaps it's Googling time.

It continues, "...and two prototypes: a lovely Ghia-designed and built 117 Coupe and a four-door 117 saloon based on the coupe - an approach completely opposite to the European".

I'm not sure it really went down that way; I'm fairly certain the basic Florian mechanicals and footprint would have been established before the brief to make a sporty version was sent to Ghia; if it has been the other way around, you'd expect the Florian to be a better handler than it was!!

The 117 Coupe didn't seem to see any changes before hit it's original, limited production guise.



The entire double-page spread is pretty awesome to behold, so here it is here!




Cheers guys!



Dave

What gives?

My internet shat itself after I posted this, so I haven't been back on until now (with a dodged internet connection...) and there's been NO responses!

I thought Florian owners like Matt and Mr Flibbles might have at least gone CATEGORICALLY INSANE over this post!

I did, and I posted it!

Hahahaha all good tho; Merry Xmas and Happy New Year!


Cheers,


Dave

I have looked dave i promise! my internet is playing up so it takes about a week to load up one image! might be quicker if I walked to your place to have a look!
However I do promise that when i can finally look at pictures again i will be all over this like a rash!

So is mine. have reset the modem 3 times and it still takes 15min to connect back on.
are the providers having a lend of us?
pay your account ontime but why would we (dodo, TPG, optus, telstra) spend any money to make sure your getting the service you have paid for...

PS great pics and copy and paste work there Dave. cheers

OZ

Hey Oz,

Let's not forget the scanning; muchos scanningos.

Must be a plague. My internet died when I tried to plug two PS3s into it so myself and my mate could both log into different Grand Theft Auto logins and play against each other.

I figured that if it didn't work, it would only allow one of us to log in from that ISP... the Adam Internet guy assures me the modem shagging out was entirely coincidental, however I'm not so sure.

Thing had sparks and stuff shooting out the back when I tried to re-boot it. It's definitely gone, however being a VOIP modem that came with the package I'm on, I went to replace it and they're $350!!! Egads!

So... I might make SURE it's shagged before I go replacing it.

Anyway, I've got a little dongle that connects via my phone login; so technically I'm using phone data but I'm not exactly streaming HD German scat pr0n so I'm sure it'll do.

Cheers,

Dave

not really connected (no pun intended, Dave) but went to nephews the other day and he has had NBN just connected. It seemed slow to me, so we did one of the speed tests on it. 11.34mb/s was result. Cost per mth $140

Another nephew was there also and he tried same speed test, but using his mobile phone on 4G network. 44mb/s !

It appears that if you want the full 100mb/s then be prepared to pay heaps for the "privilege" of fast broadband.

ok now I have stolen my inlaws internet just to see this Florian picture, I am in awe! It looks great to me, now how hard would it be to fab a front light and grille treatment up like that?

The lights would be far better than the normal Florian lights as well Mr. Fibbles!!

Hahhaah true that! If they're the trusty Toshiba-brand Bellett items, they'll never, ever die either!

My Florian was used a lot on country roads, I fitted driving lights to my Flo so I could see where the road went
One of my cars I sorely regret ever selling, as they say, "THATS LIFE".

ah what a great car and look at the couple inside sitting in the old 60s style next to each other cheers davo

I think a glow stick is a step up for florian lighting... I also regret selling any of the florians i have owned! (my current florian is stuck with me for life!)

Ripper pic.. Driving light covers , widies ,girl friend , club badges, sunnies and probably the string back gloves as well . The stuff of dreams in the 60's and 70's.
KB

Also window down (no air -con back then ) to create the most absolute, comfortable driving conditions behind the wheel.
KB

And the driver even has HAIR.

YER RIGHT Geoff!!
I could do with a bit more these days (hair that is).

YES Guys I was a nut with that car also, a spot of dirt was not allowed to settle on that car either
Those days tyres were done with boot polish, oh today it is sooo much easier with a spray can

YER RIGHT also Dave, you would not get away with that today!!
Cheers Guys.

Nice car Dave. Were you the only one with a Florian or Bellett in your group of friends.? I was. Had bought my first Bellett in '68.
Regrettably after a write off of the body and an increase in my family I "releassed" the car. Have been trying not to regret ever doing it since.
Davo. Your right. That was the in thing in the 60's to have bucket seats,floor shift and a pillow on the handbrake.

Dave. The Bellett "B" were PR 30's and 40's. All PR20's were independant rear.I think the rear suspension was there for Taxi's. I'm still researching myself as to why they were built.

Dave.

Dave,
In our group there were 2 Florians, mine was as you see in the photo, the first model, the second then owned by Jim and Roslyn Gore was the updated model. We often had a go at each other to see which one was the quickest back those days!!
Roslyn is still around, unfortunately we lost Jim earlier in the 2000's
Very nice cars and a lot of fun to drive.