Oriental Offerings - Reincarnated

[KruJoe]

 

Nice, a Topolino/500C, I'd say late fourties, early fifties.

 

Lovely Colt and battered Alto FX too!

Thanks Michiel - on the ball as always!

 

Izuzu Gemini is the same as our Chevette, also badged as a Holden Gemini for the Oz market

Cool beans.

But I think the front of mine doesn't look like that.

(Not that I got a pic of the front!)

The Isuzus' faces I've seen remind me of Asconas. Are

they all related or is the Ascona something different?

But this one IS an Isuzu Gemini, I'm not so sure about

the GTR badge

 

 

Thanks for that, RetroG.

 

Wonderful, wonderful stuff. Apart from that Vitara

 

Yeah, sorry about that - included just for the two-tone colour-scheme.

 

 

 

MG METRO WHEELZ

Just what they reminded me of. But I doubt very much that they've ever

seen a Metro.

Many of these have the same rims, so maybe Suzuki used the same

suppliers?? or mould style?? Dunno. Wouldn't the Metro have different

PCD/offset too??

 

Mr Regie...

Thanks for the Viva stuff - some good reading there.

That blue one is just as I remember them as a kid!

 

626s:

You mean this one?

 

 

I think I saw one today, but couldn't stop (taking the Mrs somewhere).

Yep. I think it's the same gen as this:

 

 

I like that Strada pick-up ^

Has that one made it into production? Or are they still selling the

Bravo / Brava - based ones that were on sale in Europe?

I can see the nod back to the Ritmo /Strada with all that plastic!

 

Ratdat, Volksy, Regie

 

Yeah, I'm sure you're right in that it's a Laser badged 323. It gets a little

confusing here when we have so many different generations of Mazdas,

both Aussie and Asian models, as well as all the Ford wierdness from

all over!

I think this is the back end of the 323 version:

 

This guy is just scary:

 

 

Please tell me that's not a real promo pic!

 

 

 

So, on with todays spots.

 

I was well chuffed this morning... passed this in the jam outside school:

 

 

I pulled into the school gate, whipped out the cam and got it as it passed!

The first of them I've seen. Made my morning

 

Got this in the same manner this afternoon:

 

 

Lucky, because it were shiftin'!

 

Outside my building (belongs to an ex-student of mine):

 

 

The sun was rather sparkly again today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

^ Badged BX SCi. Don't remember those...

 

Dunno what to choose as "Catch of the Day" today...

What's your vote?

 

KJ

 

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[Mat.T]

yellow datsun 620 for me please!

 

The Ford laser is a KA which later got facelifted (KB) both based on the same model 323. I rather like the granada/cortina fronted one

[Spottedlaurel]

Stop it KruJoe, you’re posting too many insanely fantastic cars! How can the rest of us possibly keep up…

 

I see you’ve got a version of the Corona there that we never saw.

 

[michiel]

Glad don't I live there, I would have been run over by a bus or truck on my first day... ooh an old Subaru wagon, and ooh, a coupe, and oh yes, is that a Galant GTO????

[mk2_craig]

Some appealing sights there, I've picked this one out in particular:

 

 

Not because I'm enormously keen on mk2 Minis, though my favourite of the two cars here. Just check out the difference in size!! Wouldn't wanna crash, etc etc.

[r.welfare]

Stop it KruJoe, you’re posting too many insanely fantastic cars! How can the rest of us possibly keep up…

 

I see you’ve got a version of the Corona there that we never saw.

 

Plenty of these Coronas in Oz. Remind me of the mid-80s Ford LTD. 2-litre or 2.4 4-cyl engines which I guess are related to Celica units, RWD, tough and simple. They sold them in Oz until the late 80's, I believe locally-assembled.

[gtd2000]

 

What on earth is that! And why does it say 'I AM SEX' behind it!!!!

We had one of these as a hire car in Malta about 10 years ago......didn't choose it particularly, a car was part of the package and that was it

 

It was identical to that one same colour to. Had a ford badge on the steering wheel and Kia badges on the outside. I'd never seen one before and after a week I never wanted to see one again. Absolute devilspawn....

For those that have had sleepless nights over this car in the original KIA incarnation it is known as a KIA Avella. KIA made the car for various markets badged as a Ford (Festiva/Aspire etc.).

 

What you might not realise is that it is basically a Mazda 121 DB hatchback variant of the Mazda 121 DB "Bubble" but the main difference that I know of is that they use the 8v variant of the B3 engine (in the US anyway) as opposed to the 16v version that we are used to in the UK.

 

So as a recap:

 

Mazda 121 DA became the KIA Pride

Mazda 121 DB (Bubble - AKA Autozam Revue) became a hatchback KIA Avella and Ford Aspire/Festiva.

 

It was basically replaced by the KIA Rio - not sure why we did not get this car in the UK though because you can get them in Ireland...

 

The Aspire has a very good reputation for longevity over here in the USA - contrary to it's bargain basement econobox roots.

[stoterstangen90]

 

Nice. Is it a 16valve or a Turbodiesel? (ourane)

[MrRegieRitmo]

That's my pick! ^

 

A BMW Datsun ?

[KruJoe]

Keen eyes as ever, Regie!^

 

Just come back from a night out - went straight from work - great fun...

 

Here's a taster:

 

 

And this to be puzzling over:

 

 

No net search cheats!

 

More in my morning...

G'night

 

KJ

[Ratdat]

WTF?! I never knew there was badge engineering between Honda and Isuzu! That's a 6th gen Civic saloon isn't it?

[michiel]

AAAARGH! I don't know what the white one is!

[Spottedlaurel]

AAAARGH! I don't know what the white one is!

In KJ's last post? It's an A10 Violet coupe, though it could be an Auster or Stanza as it has a different grille to that we usually see in Europe.

[michiel]

Pfff... thanks! Wrong decade for me anyway, I feel a little better now

[Ratdat]

In KJ's last post? It's an A10 Violet coupe, though it could be an Auster or Stanza as it has a different grille to that we usually see in Europe.

With that grille it'd be an Auster. The Stanza version got the single headlight grille (the one that looks a bit like a JDM oval headlight 330 front). Facelift Austers have the square headlight grille like the ones we got but with extra lights inboard of the main ones.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

THIS THREAD COMMANDS RESTECP

[KruJoe]

'

 

 

Thank you everyone for all the encouraging comments. Great motivation

(as if any were needed) to seek out more prime shite!

 

 

 

Some appealing sights there, I've picked this one out in particular:

 

 

Not because I'm enormously keen on mk2 Minis, though my favourite of the two cars here. Just check out the difference in size!! Wouldn't wanna crash, etc etc.

The scary thing is that those Fortuners (Vigo-based SUV) are not

especially enormous - probably no bigger than an early Disco!

 

Is it not a Mk1, with those rear lights and this face?

 

 

Though it does have the later door handles. Confused now - you're

prob'ly right.

There's a Vigo in the background ^ next to the 323. That's what they call

the locally-made Hilux.

OK, then, here's the 323 and it's barried neighbour:

 

 

 

Welcome to you, Gtd2000:

Thanks for the info on the Kia/Ford/Mazda shite-boxes. We got the 4dr

bubble 121s here, too, but without the roll-back roof.

 

 

Nice. Is it a 16valve or a Turbodiesel? (ourane)

Dunno - would the tail-pipe be a give-away? (Not that it'd necessarily be

fitted with the right one.) Most BXs here are older-looking models

(colours, un-smoked lights), and have smaller petrol engines. Did

UK/Europe get these Sci badges? What does that mean?

 

I just noticed the 305 wheels on it, too.

 

 

Regie:

I like these, too. FWD only, right?

 

 

Look like they might be pillarless, too?

 

WTF?! I never knew there was badge engineering between Honda and Isuzu! That's a 6th gen Civic saloon isn't it?

 

Well done, Sir. Have a biscuit.

I read this on Thaivisa.com:

Honda and Isuzu had some kind of exchange deal around '97 where the Honda Civic was

badged as an Isuzu Vertex, and Honda sold a pick-up identical to the Isuzu Spacecab

called the Honda Tourmaster. I'm not really sure what the point of that was.

I have also seen the aforementioned pick up badged as an Opel Campo here.

 

I read somewhere else (can't find it now) that it was beacause Honda

didn't have a suitable pick-up for the Thai market (neither did Opel, it

would seem), and Isuzu were without a car at the same time.

As they are now.

 

 

I like the look of this one:

 

 

I got the front! YAY!

 

 

^ Does that remind anyone of any Opel / Vauxhall? I thought Ascona-ish?

 

 

 

Interesting debate on the white Datsun...

 

 

Love these rims:

 

 

That badge on the wings reads... STANZA

 

 

 

 

A few more from the last day or two..

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think you know what's coming... as previewed in Pompei's Corolla Coupe

thread...

 

 

My "Catch of the Day".

 

 

 

 

^ Made my day, that!

 

Off out again now - got friends in town this weekend.

 

Peace.

 

KJ

[michiel]

Good God, will it ever stop? Sure hope not...

[Guest]

 

Might be wrong, but those look like period Tom's Igeta racing wheels!

[MrRegieRitmo]

I got the front! YAY!

 

 

^ Does that remind anyone of any Opel / Vauxhall? I thought Ascona-ish?

It's got the same 'face' as the Opel Kadett C which makes sense as the Kadett C is the German sister of the Chevette on which this Isuzu is based! Confused? Or saying that, we can just simplify it, take Chevette out of the equation altogether & just say that it's based purely on the Kadett C - but that wouldn't be as much fun would it!

 

 

Is that the Chinese Santana? I take it they were identical apart from the front?

[KruJoe]

'

 

Where's SL?

 

 

 

Is that the Chinese VW Santana? I take it they were identical apart from the front?

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Almost... Toyota Corona!

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Strange but true - one of many versions. I can see where you're coming

from with the shape of the boot and rear light, but you see the orange

above the front bumper? That's the distinctive indicator strip feature.

 

I may well be wrong, but I think it's the saloon version of this (Isn't it a CarinaII?):

 

 

As far as I know, there's nothing Chinese on the road here. I might be

wrong as far as large commercials are concerned. Oh, and I think they

might be trying to sell the tiny HiJet-style pickups now, too, and cheap

scooters.

 

And MrRegie, thanks for clearing up my Isuzu/Opel puzzle - good work.

 

KJ

[ChinaTom]

You're right - nowt Chinese. You are all RHD there and there is still some law somewhere in the system that prevents manufacturers from making RHD cars here. I heard that Great Wall had sent a load of Pick-ups out to Thailand, and I believe that there is a Chinese JV factory somewhere making those deathtrap breadvans (Hijet jobbies) in RHD. Most go to Africa I think.

 

Reg, just for your Santana knowledge, here are the Chinese derivatives:

 

Santana. 1600 and 1800s. There is an estate too, but it is not popular.

 

Santana 2000 - all 1800s

 

Santana 3000 - all 1800s

 

Now folks, what the heck do we have here? To my knowledge, tried, but never launched. Anyone know more?

 

Tempted to say photoshop, but I'm sticking by it.

 

And finally - the Geely Taxi with models not quite as sexy as normal.

 

[Milford Cubicle]

LEONE!

 

Cracking stuff as ever.

[ChinaTom]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Honda-Pa ... enameZWDVWanother Honda / Isuzu / GM project?

[mk2_craig]

Is it not a Mk1, with those rear lights and this face?

Though it does have the later door handles. Confused now - you're

prob'ly right.

Can't claim to be the Mini expert. The fact that it has no external hinges but the early rear lamp clusters suggested mk2 to me, though I appreciate that Mini owners do tend to bugger around changing things to make more recent shells look older.

 

That "Corona" looks very similar to a UK spec Carina II by the way... only there were two generations of Carina II this one being the earlier of the two.

[gtd2000]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Honda-Passport-4WD-1996-HONDA-PASSPORT-4X4-NO-RESERVE-New-Car-Trade_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ31840QQihZ005QQitemZ150180720275QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVWanother Honda / Isuzu / GM project?

I've seen a few of the Isuzu "Oasis" vans on the road over here Stateside:

The Isuzu Oasis is a minivan produced as result of an agreement between Isuzu and Honda from 1996 to 1999. It was the only minivan produced by the company.Under the agreement, Honda would purchase Isuzu Rodeo and Isuzu Trooper vehicles to be sold as the Honda Passport and Acura SLX, respectively, while Isuzu would purchase Honda Odyssey and Honda Civic vehicles to be sold as the Isuzu Oasis and Isuzu Gemini, respectively the Odyssey was a huge success when compared to the Oasis. Though the Oasis was essentially the same car with a lower sticker price and a better warranty, Honda's more prominent brand recognition propelled the Odyssey to greater sales. The Oasis was sold from the 1996 model year to the 1999 model year in North America. The Odyssey was redesigned for 1999, but Isuzu still sold the original body with minor changes all the way through 1999. Later Oasis models came with a 2.3L VTEC engine similar to the engine found in the sixth-generation Honda Accord.

[KruJoe]

'

gtd2000 < look out guys, this new boy knows his onions!

 

 

Just got in from another long day out with friends. Tomorrow's an early

Monday morning, so not too much tonight.

Been out in the sticks a bit today and pickings were rich, but I'll save a few for a rainy day.

 

More badge engineering today, lets begin with some more GM gems:

 

 

I followed one like this through town last week and it sounded like it had a

big lazy V8.

 

 

 

 

^ Daewoo Cielo (Belmont re-hash) on Bangkok plates.

 

 

^ Hatchback - they decided to put a Nexia badge on this one...

 

 

 

^ Holden Calais?

 

 

I've never seen an "Acura" before. Is it real? These are always Civics

here.

 

 

 

 

Remember this?

 

 

That's nothing...

 

 

How about this beauty for a bit of DIY identity confusion:

 

 

Hyundai wheel trims...

 

 

Lights and bumpers from something else...

 

 

Hilux grille? Just noticed the mad wipers, too! Proper shit!

 

 

Time for "Catch of the Day".

I'll let you all work this one out for yourselves

 

 

What d'ya think?

 

 

 

KJ

 

 

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[retrogeezer]

Looks like the back of a 60's Vauxhall but with different lights....That Mk1 escort is dreadful...poor thing!

[pogweasel]

It's not a sixties Mercedes is it?

[wuvvum]

Those lights do confuse things a bit - my immediate reaction was FB Victor, but then it looks like it has centre-parking wipers à la 1960's Merc. And the fins are too squared off for a Victor. So I'd go with Merc, but I wouldn't put money on it...