Interesting Vehicles from Afar

[RickR]

33 minutes ago, Atari 5200 Guy said:

Hey @RickR!  Here’s a cool older Isuzu.

 

I think you understand my taste.  I love this one. 

[Atari 5200 Guy]

You’re like the pre 90s cars, right?  Like the Datsun B210s, Mavericks, El Camino, things like that?

[Atari 5200 Guy]

I finally found the Kei trucks made by Nissan.

 

Edited December 17, 2023 by Atari 5200 Guy

[Atari 5200 Guy]

Let’s see…

 

[Smell Dawg]

On 12/16/2023 at 3:19 PM, Atari 5200 Guy said:

Hey @RickR!  Here’s a cool older Isuzu.

 

 

Love that.  Reminds me of a much later model Isuzu, below.  Don't know why the old cheapo-italo design speaks to me the way it does, but I've always dreamt about finding one of these just to use for daily office commuting 😄

 

[Atari 5200 Guy]

1 hour ago, Smell Dawg said:

Love that.  Reminds me of a much later model Isuzu, below.  Don't know why the old cheapo-italo design speaks to me the way it does, but I've always dreamt about finding one of these just to use for daily office commuting 😄

 

Now I’d drive that!  That does give off an Italian vibe. It also gives off that DeLorean vide, too.

Edited December 18, 2023 by Atari 5200 Guy

[RickR]

It reminds me a lot of the 80's Volkswagon Scirocco....which is another sweet car that you just cannot find anymore.

[RickR]

And a gen1 Volkswagon GTI would be another one I'd probably buy if I could find one in decent shape.
 

Edited December 18, 2023 by RickR

[Smell Dawg]

2 hours ago, Atari 5200 Guy said:

Now I’d drive that!  That does give off an Italian vibe. It also gives off that DeLorean vide, too.

Ha, are you making that reference tongue-in-cheek??  I wandered over the ol' Wikipedia and, yes, both the early Impulse and DeLorean (among many other famous older designs) were indeed by the same individual - Giorgetto Giugiaro.  No surprise he's also responsible for the early Esprit and many Lancia designs!

[Atari 5200 Guy]

Very interesting.  Yes, I guessed because the front design of that Isuzu looks identical to the front of the DeLorean.  The rear end of the car sort of has a Lancia vibe I just wasn’t sure which one. It also sort of resembles the Pinto.

[Atari 5200 Guy]

2 hours ago, RickR said:

It reminds me a lot of the 80's Volkswagon Scirocco....which is another sweet car that you just cannot find anymore.

Cool car. I have never seen this one.

[Atari 5200 Guy]

Not from afar but I always thought the Pontiac Fiero was a cool car.

[Justin]

On 12/16/2023 at 3:55 AM, Atari 5200 Guy said:

Close.  Here’s a hint.

Well then it's a 1st gen MR2. No hate intended but I'd much rather have an original MR2 than an obviously fake F40 🙃

[Justin]

6 hours ago, Smell Dawg said:

Don't know why the old cheapo-italo design speaks to me the way it does, but I've always dreamt about finding one of these just to use for daily office commuting 😄

ItalDesign was and is the bomb 

[Atari 5200 Guy]

8 hours ago, Smell Dawg said:

Love that.  Reminds me of a much later model Isuzu, below.  Don't know why the old cheapo-italo design speaks to me the way it does, but I've always dreamt about finding one of these just to use for daily office commuting 😄

 

What was this car called?

[Atari 5200 Guy]

1 hour ago, Justin said:

Well then it's a 1st gen MR2. No hate intended but I'd much rather have an original MR2 than an obviously fake F40 🙃

I agree with you.  Those kit cars were very popular.

[Atari 5200 Guy]

6 hours ago, RickR said:

And a gen1 Volkswagon GTI would be another one I'd probably buy if I could find one in decent shape.
 

That reminds me of this:

 

[Smell Dawg]

15 hours ago, Atari 5200 Guy said:

What was this car called?

Isuzu Piazza ("Impulse" in the US).
 
I learned about when I saw it as a background vehicle in a movie (I think it was "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure", of all places)!

Edited December 19, 2023 by Smell Dawg

[Justin]

2 hours ago, Atari 5200 Guy said:

That reminds me of this:

 

lol oh no, let’s keep this clean Mike. Yugo GV “great value!” (Zastava Koral) built by a Yugoslavian arms manufacturer, was based on a shortened version of the Fiat 128 dating back to 1969 and very similar to the Fiat 127 and designed initially for the Yugoslavian market. Malcom Bricklin couldn’t help but import these as the cheapest car in America until they no longer met safety standards. They were built in Kragujevac, Serbia through 2008. Interesting to read the history of but not to drive. Without a doubt I’d opt for the solid GTI.

Here’s the 1971 Fiat 127, if you squint you can see the Yugo in there:

[Atari 5200 Guy]

1 hour ago, Justin said:

lol oh no, let’s keep this clean Mike. Yugo GV “great value!” (Zastava Koral) built by a Yugoslavian arms manufacturer, was based on a shortened version of the Fiat 128 dating back to 1969 and very similar to the Fiat 127 and designed initially for the Yugoslavian market. Malcom Bricklin couldn’t help but import these as the cheapest car in America until they no longer met safety standards. They were built in Kragujevac, Serbia through 2008. Interesting to read the history of but not to drive. Without a doubt I’d opt for the solid GTI.

Here’s the 1971 Fiat 127, if you squint you can see the Yugo in there:

I had a family friend who owned that same red Yugo (now I know where the name came from).  Slap a powerful motorcycle engine in a small car and let’s see what happens.  The car did drive well and fast but everything felt cheap. I had legos made of better plastic.  I was just saying looks-wise that VW shape reminded me of the Yugo.  Trust me…I’m trying to keep it clean 😉

[Atari 5200 Guy]

Do you know what a four door Yugo is called?  
 

A “Wego”

[Atari 5200 Guy]

Man, it seems like older Japanese cars go for lots of money and I’m talking six figures.  But this Isuzu looks cool.

 

[Atari 5200 Guy]

I wonder why Japs thought rear view mirrors worked best from the hood of the car?  I don’t see how that’s practical.  

[Atari 5200 Guy]

13 hours ago, Atari 5200 Guy said:

lol oh no, let’s keep this clean Mike.

I guess we could put a PG-13 or the T for Teen rating on the first post.

I got this!

 

FIXED!!

Edited December 19, 2023 by Atari 5200 Guy

[RickR]

1 hour ago, Atari 5200 Guy said:

Do you know what a four door Yugo is called?  
 

A “Wego”

There is (was) a real car called the "Wheego".  Here's a playlist on it, and also sharing this youtube channel called "Aging Wheels", which covers old and strange cars with a lot of humor.