Square Is Fair - 1987 Isuzu Piazza Turbo

[vulgalour]

The Piazza is more stylish and better proportioned than the Princess.  Most things are more stylish and better proportioned than the Princess, to be fair.

[dollywobbler]

The Piazza certainly a strange car. I never did blog a road test on Dugong's car because I didn't have long enough in it to actually form a conclusion. Yet I managed to do so for every other car I drove that weekend. The Piazza did feel a little overwhelming, not very fizzy. It felt like a nice, cost hatchback. It was not what I expected. Oh. Perhaps I can form a conclusion.

[Bear]

I thought the comparison with the 924S very interesting, in part for the specific of the 924S. I never felt the 924S was as fast as it should have been - a seat of the pants opinion was that point to point, my Scirocco GTX was quicker than the 924S, but I probably didn't cane the Porsche enough (that's plausible, right? Someone who considers XXXmph reasonable for the stretch from Gordon to Greenlaw probably didn't cane it enough?).

Kinda want to try a 924S again just to see if there was some weird fluke that made me not aggressive enough with it.

Best bit about my Piazza was that it was so shagged, it left a cloud of smoke for every gearchange. I could look out of my office window having parked up, and STILL see the puffs of smoke like a steam train had passed through the valleys. Reversing it into the garage was like entering the set of a 1980s rock-star fantasy video, but slightly less toxic and asphyxiation-prone.

[dugong]

 

I think we should all revel in the majesty of this photograph.

 

 

A close up of the dealer sticker I'm going to have remade as a HUL tribute. It's a posh Italian restaurant now.

[dugong]

 

Current JDM Piazza brochure collection.

[dugong]

Here's an update because I've been away for a bit. I know this can't compete with post upon post upon post about knackered Citroens and 75 page door shut cleaning threads, but that's because a Piazza just ain't Autoshite. I know! I was surprised too!

 

 

Gran Turismo took place for real at Cadwell Park. Having decided at the last minute not to shred the brand new tyres on the MGF, the Piazza took its place.

It coped better than I expected and had the legs on some pretty powerful cars up the hills - of which Cadwell has many. I imagine it would be fucking terrifying on anything two wheeled. Yes, there was quite a bit of understeer, but the new bushes at least meant it went where I pointed it. I was getting roll oversteer on the faster bends and axle tramp under braking. I'd like to show you a shot of that but I'm not allowed to.

 

Then it ran out of fuel on track and ended up getting A framed back to RatDat's house by a Peugeot J7.

 

The weekend before, the IPTOC fitted a new steering rack bush which had been covered in oil from a leaking front crank oil seal. IPTOC Clive also lobbed a set of polyurethane anti roll bar bushes in. Yes, Autoshite - a bloody UPGRADE! I also swapped the wheels back for the 16 hole pre Lotus Turbo wheels it should have had from the factory, and lobbed on a three spoke JDM HBL Momo which'll undoubtedly be crap 'because it doesn't look like a Citroen wheel' or something. It also got another spare; I was so hard up I sold the HBL equivalent at Japfest 2, of which GYP was a part of. The IPTOC had seven cars show throughout the day, which is decent by club standards.

 

 

 

 

If you think the alloys are bad here, they've defeated several bottles of wonder gunk. I'll prevail in the end.

 

Back to your diesel fuelled gibbering. Nowt to see here.

[Junkman]

The Exit should be to the left.

[trigger]

Interesting, but it needs more knackered Citroen content and a 75 page door shut cleaning post.

 

Must try harder.

[dugong]

Interesting, but it needs more knackered Citroen content and a 75 page door shut cleaning post.

 

Must try harder.

Unable to comply. Cannot fire into crowd. ABORT

[Jim Bell]

That car is TOO cool man. 

 

Like a lad with a trilby hat that wears sunglasses indoors. In Japan.

 

I think you could fill a bag with money and search the world for 80 days and not find cooler.

[scruff]

Top post!! Moar please. 

[Alexg]

 A framed back to RatDat's house by a Peugeot J7.

 

 

Surely you achieved a photo of said train?

[trigger]

Joking aside, this car is awesome and those photos of you racing it are ace. 

[chaseracer]

...those photos of you racing it are ace. 

 

The right way up, too! 

[Pete-M]

Axle tramp under braking??????????!!!!!

 

WTFINGF?

[dugong]

Axle tramp under braking??????????!!!!!

 

WTFINGF?

The back axle hops about under hard braking. I used it to force a slide into the hairpin. Was frightening the first time, but pre-Lotus Piazzas are known for it.

[garethj]

Very cool.  I like the steering wheel, compared to how dire most car interiors were in the late '80s something that elegant would be great.  I can almost picture the glossy, full page advert in FAST LANE magazine.

 

A pedant might argue that axle tramp is only generated under power rather than braking but I get the idea.  Driving a car on its limit is great fun and I much prefer it if that happens at my level of skill, not Gilles Villeneuve's.

[vulgalour]

Great to see this in action, even more satisfying an image than watching a knackered Citroen with really clean door shuts bombing around.

[dugong]

Great to see this in action, even more satisfying an image than watching a knackered Citroen with really clean door shuts bombing around.

Sorry man. Site just wasn't doing it for me.

[Lord Sterling]

Sweet car Jon, you know I like this car. It turns heads, it certainly did the day you came to Brum and Chez_Mo.

 

[Inspector Morose]

Here's an update because I've been away for a bit. I know this can't compete with post upon post upon post about knackered Citroens.

I'm fucked.

[sporty-shite]

75 page door shut cleaning threads, 

 

Have I missed something?

 

</not paying attention>

[dugong]

Have I missed something?

 

</not paying attention>

I dunno, were you not? You didn't miss much.

[dugong]

GET READY TO BE BURIED FOR ANOTHER TWO MONTHS, PIAZZA.

[Jim Bell]

Back to the top for a cool car doing a cool thing.

And breaking down. What more could autoshite want?

[Junkman]

Very true. Those successful collection stories are getting a bit tiresome.

I mean, let alone the chod not imploding, but when even the British railway system* functions reasonably well, something is seriously fucked up.

[dugong]

 

New-old wheels. Waffles still unavailable. TETRIS.

[Jim Bell]

Front Pop Ups and rear Pop Outs.

What other car of this vintage had so many Pops per pound?

[sporty-shite]

Front Pop Ups and rear Pop Outs.

What other car of this vintage had so many Pops per pound?

Pop-tastic

[Felly Magic]

Front Pop Ups and rear Pop Outs.

What other car of this vintage had so many Pops per pound?

 

It's a right Pop Tart this un!