Izuzu (spelling?) 1977 2 door coup, 5 sp manual

kernal1, Apr 25, 2:18am
Friend has one sitting in her garage, goes but no WOF & rego on hold.
1 owner and she believes there were only 31 brought into NZ. Regularly started, 'pottered with' etc until about 18mths ago.
Collectable! Any thoughts as to how to sell! Price approx!
She doesn't do TM, my idea that this might be a 'starting point'!
Know rust was a problem in early days but this was fixed and told all fine now.not by the sea and kept in a garage now! Lower SI area.
Thanks if anyone can offer any thoughts.

mantagsi, Apr 25, 2:35am
The problem with uncommon old jap cars is that it is damn hard to guess the value, look at the famous toyota corolla auction that keeps popping up on the MB, everyone has a different opinion. Try listing it high and work your way down, and watch out for the usual barrage of silly comments

kernal1, Apr 25, 4:08am
Thanks for you comments.I think!LOL
Following comment beyond me too! High price! Reasonable!
This car is going to be for sale BUT how does 1, maybe 2 ,females get an idea of worth! Know that all receipts have been kept.could go as far as how much petrol used.I kid not! Not a hope of answering mechanical/ tech questions!
In short obviously don't want to give it away but at same time don't want to mess round with a price far too high to get it sold!
Maybe a jap import but in 1977 our market wasn't 'flooded' and am told papers prove that it was a limited 'import' and sold by a GM dealer!

trogedon, Apr 25, 4:18am
Izusu 117 Coupe. I remember seeing one for sale at Turners in the 90 and I was very impressed by the styling - like a smaller Fiat Dino. No wonder - they had the same designer.

clark20, Apr 25, 4:41am
Is it a 117, it could be a Gemini Coupe

Mate had a Gemini coupe in 84, was a rare 5 speed, bright yellow and widened wheels, rear air shocks!, and we added extractors. Went to Waiheke I think.

kernal1, Apr 25, 5:56am
Sorry! Said female discriptions!LOL Know it is a goldy bronze!
Will see if I can get more details soon!

fiatracer, Apr 25, 2:41pm
most likely a Piazza

berg, Apr 25, 3:03pm
If its a 117 its worth plenty. Even a good Gemini coupe is worth good money these days. If its a Piazza, not so desirable.
The Gemini coupes and the 117 were both very under rated cars in NZ.

yellowsubmarine, Apr 25, 3:28pm
They didn't make Piazza's in 1977, first were made in 1980.

nightboss, Apr 25, 8:02pm
I remember the Isuzu Piazza's all lined up on Princess Wharf before the went to the dealers, saw them as the Devonport Ferry docked in city, was 1981.

trogedon, Apr 25, 9:39pm
They looked good.shame about the running gear.

nightboss, Apr 25, 9:45pm
Ooops, my memory is a bit fuzzy. It may have been Renault Fuego's lined up on Princess Wharf in 1981. Similar styles, someone will be able to help me with my senior moment.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renault_Fuego http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isuzu_Piazza

elect70, Apr 25, 9:49pm
Dont buy an orphan unless you are an enthusiast&can do own repairsas parts wiill be hard to get & cost $$Only isuzu ive seen is those piazza POSora Bellet from60 -70 swhich are a real classicnow

julian.walls, Apr 26, 6:20pm
No its a Isuzu 117 coupe they had a long production life produced from 1968-1981c ; they were designed by Italian design house Ghia The Isuzu Pizzia came later (designed by Ital)- I remember seeing those in the containers at General Motors Trentham around 1983 - the ones that came here were DOHC and computer dashboards cost new $28500- most of the later Jap imports i believe were SOHC and non digital dashboards - - most of Pizzaras have disappeared - although i did see one in Petone last week the first time i seen one in 5 years!
the 117 is Highly collectable world wide but sadly in NZ very few people know of them - I think there is only 1 in the UK! around 4 in Australia - Most are in Japan and prices are on the rise and older Jap cars have huge following perhaps advertise on ebay

Magazines - advertise on Classic Driver or NZ Classic Car - thats market that would go for it - Have you pictures!

As a guess in this country they maybe around dozen assuming they surived the rust bug!

Some later 117 Coupes like 1977 car were being brought in during the early days of second hand Jap imports - I remember seeing several in CHCH during 1990-1992 (identified by having square headlights and bigger front bumbers) as well as such rare cars as Toyota Century V8s and Nissan Presidents

There was one in Wellington a purple metallic for sale in the foyerinside the Majestic theatre when one of the last movies was shown a James Bond film was shown in the Majestic theatre before the Majestic was knocked down in late 80s! this one was the sought after DOHC as opposed to standard SOHC and in very good unrestored condition at the time :) I was bloody surprises to see a car in carpeted foyer and specially one those - The 117 coupe was not sold NZ new although I understand 1-2 Bellett Coupe GTs 2 doors have been imported.

I collected information on them for years - visit my carmagreviews site

julian.walls, Apr 26, 6:20pm
No its a Isuzu 117 coupe they had a long production life produced from 1968-1981c ; they were designed by Italian design house Ghia The Isuzu Pizzia came later (designed by Ital)- I remember seeing those in the containers at General Motors Trentham around 1983 - the ones that came here were DOHC and computer dashboards cost new $28500- most of the later Jap imports i believe were SOHC and non digital dashboards - - most of Pizzaras have disappeared - although i did see one in Petone last week the first time i seen one in 5 years!
the 117 is Highly collectable world wide but sadly in NZ very few people know of them - I think there is only 1 in the UK! around 4 in Australia - Most are in Japan and prices are on the rise and older Jap cars have huge following perhaps advertise on ebay

Magazines - advertise on Classic Driver or NZ Classic Car - thats market that would go for it - Have you pictures!

As a guess in this country they maybe around dozen assuming they surived the rust bug!

Some later 117 Coupes like 1977 car were being brought in during the early days of second hand Jap imports - I remember seeing several in CHCH during 1990-1992 (identified by having square headlights and bigger front bumbers) as well as such rare cars as Toyota Century V8s and Nissan Presidents

There was one in Wellington a purple metallic for sale in the foyerinside the Majestic theatre when one of the last movies was shown a James Bond film was shown in the Majestic theatre before the Majestic was knocked down in late 80s! this one was the sought after DOHC as opposed to standard SOHC and in very good unrestored condition at the time :) I was bloody surprises to see a car in carpeted foyer and specially one those - The 117 coupe i was not aware they were sold in NZ new - 31 cars - wow! and it makes sense they they were sold by GM as GM ownership of Isuzu at the time - the company presently is free of GM ownership
although I understand 1-2 Bellett Coupe GTs 2 doors have been imported.

I collected information on them for years - visit my carmagreviews site

julian.walls, Apr 26, 6:56pm
One turned for sale in 1998 here - Looking through mty extensive Automotive magazine database that goes back 65 years this is what i have found
117 Coupe XE 1979 5spm see September 1998 NZ Classic Car page 142 Volume 8 issue 9 dealer list +bw photo ;reg disguised no other details appears by photo its silver metallic set up for racing including full rollar bar race harness $9995 - dealer was at the time:
Dr Heins Classic Cars LTD LMVD Wigram Air Force Base ; Sockburn CHCH PO bo 11-317 Sockburn CHCH ph 03 348 0004 or 03 348 007

This may give you a guide of excellent example went for

kernal1, Apr 27, 3:24am
Sorry! 2 females trying to sort out!LOL
It is a 1977 Gemini 5 sp coupe! Finally, via Skype, got a few more 'correct details'! 3 Owners, last one brought at 40000 kms (!) Reading on speedo tonight 15843! (Once/twice round the clock!) Just after purchase had major gearbox problems but local GM dealer finally fixed. Battery disconnected but last started, by a female (LOL) 6 mths ago! "Owner' just wants rid, suggested 'scrap merchant tonight' but surely should do better than that! Help!

nightboss, Apr 27, 3:50am
LOL. Love the way this thread went from a Izuzu 2dr something through to assuming it must be an Isuzu 117 Coupe and back to it being a Gemini.
If the ladies had found a red European sportscar in barn, how many posts before it was a Ferrari 308GTS!

Help them out by listing on here with 1$ reserve.

cummingsra1, Apr 27, 3:57am
Gotta be worth a couple of thousand at least. Rear wheel drive coupes from the seventies command a premium. Certainly not worth scrapping!

nightboss, Apr 27, 4:20am
At least it wasn't a 1976 Sprinter, two of those for sale at the same time would drive the price down.