Isuzu 117XE Coupe

[Carsie]

Here's an interesting and pretty little coupe that caught my eye this evening. I've never come across this car before and so did a little hunting around.

It looks as though it has Italian styling as it's origin . It almost looks as though it's a clone of Fiat Dino Coupe and then something makes me think of BMW maybe it's the large glass area; wasn't there a late sixties BM that had a similar profile? Frua styling perhaps?

Anyway..here you go.

[MarkwG]

Maybe Glas you're thinking of? The later designs before BMW took over were by Frua, I think. The Isuzu is later but may have been influenced I guess.

[nigel bickle]

The top (maroon) 117 is mine -and mid way thru restoration.

Brought over by Isuzu for the 78 motor Show -it was initially silver -then painted maroon to persuade journalists they had 2 cars.

Having sat in the Patrick Collection for many years I found it near abandoned in Birmingham. sadly the paint had been very poorly applied, the bodywork lashed up with some truly horrendous rust traps. I'm about halfway through, manufacturing & welding in new steel before returning it to silver.

[Carsie]

Lunchtime...

Thanks for that Mark, I was able to do some more hunting from that info.

Isn't it funny how such meaningless trivia gets stored in the brain somewhere and yet I can spectacularly forget that it's Easter and I haven't bought SWIMBO () a chocolate egg?

I've never really taken any interest in BMs they don't really float it for me, Fiat Dino however , maybe it was the Italian Job that did it.

Back on track.

Found this out -

http://www.themotoringjournal.com/featured-cars/19...

BMW bought Glas car company in 1967 and took 1255 of the Glas 1300 and 1700 bodies on converted them to BMW 1600 GTs. There are only 5 known in the US and about 130 world wide. They ran the 1.6L BMW Ti engine and rear suspension.

The car was designed by Pietro Frua, an Italian car designer who influenced almost every design that came out of Europe in the 50s and 60s.

Well I don't know if Frua influenced almost every design but clearly he was prominent.

Looking back at the period picture that I found on the Isuzu, I notice in the background a Fiat 500, so I suspect that we're both right Mark.

Great news about the actual car, didn't know Patrick's had it so are we going to see some pics Nigel? If the metal work was anything like the Alfa's that I had ... well that's a well worn story.

So c'mon Nigel! - Great looking car, how you going to finish it? upgrades or OE? Pic's please!

Also found this which may be of use?

http://bmw-1600-gt.skynetblogs.be/index-1.html

[PZR]

Carsie said:

The car was designed by Pietro Frua, an Italian car designer who influenced almost every design that came out of Europe in the 50s and 60s.

Styled by Giugiaro whilst he was at Ghia, shirley?

[nigel bickle]

Its not looking great right now. The maroon paint was badly applied- and the lacquer is/was peeling off. That remaining is heavily microblistered. The metal work underneath was heavily bodged -predominantly with filler. it has rust in many strange places.

Currently stripped of all its lights,chrome (very carefully!) the sill trims hid fresh air -there were no sill tops!

I've welded one side up, and am replacing some of the dafter rust traps, other side still to do.

It will remain close to original. The 'standard' alloys engraved '117 Coupe' are too small & will be relpaced (but retained) It sits much nicer on mule 14'' slots. Paint will return to silver so that the engine bay, boot, interior mtach better -although it'll be a more 'modern' match.

Realistically -2 years.

[nigel bickle]

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb290/nigelbick...