Knowledgeable people needed. Cars in central Finland......

[Junkman]

What's the bloody hold up?

 

Hesitation and dithering doesn't make you win at life, a Florian sure would.

[M'coli]

Once again, all is right with the world - a Florian-owner is amongst our midst.  Thank you, Mr. B..

[nigel bickle]

Not got it yet!

Owner is ultra cautious about funds transfer, speaking English, driving the car, the sun coming up tomorrow etc etc. Add in obfuscation, probably a few lies ( can feel it in my waters) and it could still go tits up.

 

Best option to date is ro ro img it fromPort Turkku, but I can't persuade the bigger to drive it that far, and he doesn't want the responsibility of finding transport.

 

Just wants me to turn up, pay cash, tow away. Simples.

 

Slowly slowly....

[nigel bickle]

Ok, so I now own it, and have also paid transportation to Port Turku ( bottom left of Finland).

 

Seems the previous owner doesn't have the time to drive it 10 miles to the collection point, that seems to be the last sticking point. BV I've set the Scandinavian shipper on him , so it should be sorted shortly.

 

There's a ro ro to Harwich from there, ( Mann Lines). every 9 days, taking 5 days. Adds €780 euros to the cost, but that's still cheaper than a two way trip - and quicker too.

 

So, if he extracts his digit my kids will be heading up to Harwich with an A frame in the next 2-3 weeks.

 

Deep joy. One of the last few off the bucket list, hopefully

[carlo]

Saturday night, glass of red, and reading about Isuzu Florians on Autoshite.  Life doesn't get much better.

 

What a wonderful dashboard by the way.  Would it be asking too much for a piccy or two of the other three Isuzus?

[lisbon_road]

I drove a 1929 Dennis toastrack bus to Finland in 1989, I think. On the way back from Russia.

 

Sorry, this isn't very helpful.

[nigel bickle]

I dont tend to take a lot of pics, but Ive scrapped these few. They have all been 'featured' here, but some time back.

 

First off, the 117, as found, in Brum.

 

 

 

Currently stripped and part welded- looks a horror!

 

Then the Bellett, as it came off the boat.  

 

 

And finally, the devils spawn -the Bellel

Pictured on the truck that collected it in california because I cant believe how long it is

 

 

And in Chatham, were it burned the towcar.

 

 

Will make a nice set once sorted. All moved right up the priority list this week.

[RayMK]

Nigel, you have solved a car id that has been bugging me since 1965.  We were on holiday in Saint Aygulf, my first continental holiday with my parents, having trekked down there in dad's 1963 Victor FB estate.  Whilst there, I saw many cars that either I had no knowledge of or were matched to fuzzy black and white images in my well thumbed Observers Book of Automobiles.  A car with triangular rear lights and a Farina looking shape, spotted from my dad's car but not close enough to read the badge, eluded my attempts at identification.  I managed to put names to Simca Vedettes, a Lancia Flaminia and Peugeot 404s but the single sighting of a car with a rear end per your last photo has puzzled me for decades.  It clicked as soon as I saw it.  Isuzu Bellel.  Thank you.

[Adrian_pt]

Possibly too late but worth making contact with a chap called Lasse Wigren (you can find him on Facebook) who is a highly sound chap and goes around Finland buying up old cars which would otherwise get scrapped, then reselling them at it must be said v reasonable prices. Has a few hundred cars of which at least half are Saabs. He will know people, &c, &c...

[nigel bickle]

I have spoken to Lasse, several times.

 

He has an early Dattie that I liked, but his price was too rich for me.

 

If this goes well, there are a few cars on Nettiauto that tickle my fancy.

Seems a stack cheaper than mainland Europe, and - if the shipping works, feasible.

[Heidel_Kakao]

If this goes well, there are a few cars on Nettiauto that tickle my fancy.

Seems a stack cheaper than mainland Europe, and - if the shipping works, feasible.

Just checked that Nettiauto site for the first time and they have a few Toyota Crown estates! Colour me intrigued, will have to watch this thread with interest as I have not seen any worth importing from Japan yet.

[nigel bickle]

Brief update, chaps....

 

ITS ONLY ON THE FEKKING BOAT!!!!!!!!

 

I can finally believe this is actually happening. I'm over the moon right now. Off to collect from Harwich late next week.

 

 

Oh, and the Zuks here. Happy days....

[spartacus]

You must be pleased! When you first put the thread up with the distance involved it just looked like a financially unfeasible plan, good effort.

[nigel bickle]

Of course its financially unfeasible.

 

And it'll never make a ' profit', but then - it'll be my family selling it so what do I care.

 

But was it actually do- able, long distance? Seems yes is the answer, ( if it lands at Harwich, undamaged, next Tues/ Wed) so once I've sorted it, and the intricacies of the Finnish system, Nettiauto will be getting a regular shooing.

 

It was a strong contender on my motoring bucket list.There aren't many left now..

[Asimo]

I like cruising Nettiauto, the prices are low compared to other Western European markets, and the selection of cars is really diverse, probably 'cause Finland has no indigenous brand.

Also Finnish winters are far too cold to use salt and probably too cold  to allow rusting at all for several months each winter.

[nigel bickle]

Ok. So I've got it.

One month on from my initial enquiry I actually have aFlorian, collected today from Harwich. 
Ok, so it's not in the best of condition, as is going to need a ton of De-ox to stop deterioration, whilst it's evaluated. But it's essentially, sound, and seems to run/ drive ok.

It landed Tuesday, and we collected this morning, without substantive issue. However, a lack of number plates( unexpected) means it needed A framing - compounded because we couldn't get the bonnet open to disconnect the battery. Eventually we cobbled a position on the ignition where it was off, but not locked- hopefully. Taped up securely and very straight lines the whole way back sees it home without incident.

Full investigation starts as soon as I'm well enough, but summarily - chuffed!



For those interested in exporting from Finland. 


It cost me €250 to get it 250 miles to the only ro ro port, Turku. Free parking there for 7 days prior, but the transporter ( which only picks up from the bigger villages) acts as a bus route, with designated pickup/ drop off points/ dates. This got my car to the Port 10 days early - so they just kept it in their yard for me for 3 days, no charge - then drove it across. Can't imagine that sort of help here!

Mann Lines ro ro sails every 9 days, takes 4. Cost me €780 - ( 600 euros plus20% Vat). Invoiced on arrival at the Docks ( presumably to check size) and paid prior to collection here.

I organised all this through ETS Logistica, based on in Tallinn. Daniil Petrovits there is really helpful, speaks very good English and couldn't help more. He quoted from the "off", and the price never changed. No additional loading/ unloading, document fees or ancillary charges. The car was stored in Harwich till collection today, free for 7 days. 
Collection was straightforward. They gave me a reference once payment was confirmed cleared, which I had to give with ID. On arrival I parked up, found the car, brought it to the front gate, hitched up, did the ID & docs thing and was away.

Frankly, it couldn't have been easier, and 1000euros in total to ship a car here from 
Northern Finland feels like a Billy bargain, 

Suspect I'll be looking to do it again sometime fairly soon.

[nigel bickle]

 

 

Here's the old girl in Harwich docks, about to endure 150 miles on the back of the 21.

 

And here's she is this morning, passing her first MOT!

 

 

Docs off to Doovla for the first refusal..... And I'm going to start using it.

[danthecapriman]

That's a really good looking car Nigel, glad it's all worked out well for you. Getting it here certainly sounded like a piece of piss!

I still love the Bellel though, such a good looking car.

[red5]

Lovely looking motor. Hugely impressed by whole purchase / collection / collection. Might have to tap some of my Finn nates up for old motors!

[nigel bickle]

You think?

 

Perhaps the way it's screwed with everything it's been near colours my judgement, but I think it looks like the bastard son of Satan.

 

Still, rare, eh!

[red5]

Yep, it's lovely. But then I like Fronterrors as well. And Vectra B's . And Protons. And...  

[jonathan_dyane]

It looks evil, in a good way...

[Yoss]

Great thread I've only just found. There's a whole heap of cars that could go on the cars I never knew existed thread. I have pictures of something that may be a Florian from one of my trips to Malta in about 1999. Didn't know what it was, now I do.

 

And the Farina? Is it based on the Peugeot or completely unique? Farina certainly got their money's worth out of that design didn't they.

 

Good work and good luck keeping them going.

[Volksy]

I think it looks like this kind of car Mr Bond would be persued by filled with evil henchmen!

[doug]

Why Isuzu based the 117 on the Florian rather than the Bellett I have no idea. 

 

 

 

 

I spotted that same 117 last week.