View unanswered posts | View active topics It is currently Fri Mar 29, 2024 11:43 am



Reply to topic  [ 5 posts ] 
1967 Isuzu Bellett Express KR10V brochure - 4 panels 
Author Message
User avatar

Joined: Thu Sep 11, 2008 9:15 am
Posts: 1991
Car(s): 1965 Wasp, 1966 Bellett, 1967 Bellett, 1969 Florian, 1973 Bellett GTR, 1976 Buick Opel by Isuzu, 1978 Gemini van
Reply with quote
This small but fantastic brochure is a single sheet, has only four panels and is hinged at the top.

As for the car... where do we begin?!??!

If you have a good, hard look at this brochure, the first thing you'll notice is that the Bellett Express is actually based on the Wasp!

It seems to have a full chassis, 14" Wasp wheels with Wasp hubcaps and the Wasp guards with the larger-radius wheel arches. The example in the brochure also seems to have the Wasp-specific front bumper... chromed, no less!

However, it has a Bellett grille (rather than the unique Wasp grille) and full-length chrome strips, something the Wasp does without.

Oh the confusion. But wait; there's more.

The Wasp was never referred to as a Bellett in any factory literature, nor did it have any Bellett badges on it from standard (the ones on mine were added after the fact)... as far as Isuzu was concerned, the Wasp was not a Bellett. But the Wasp-based Bellett Express IS a Bellett!

Attachment:
1967 Isuzu Bellett Express KR10V brochure - Japanese - single sheet, 4-panels - panel 01.jpg
1967 Isuzu Bellett Express KR10V brochure - Japanese - single sheet, 4-panels - panel 01.jpg [ 142.83 KiB | Viewed 10110 times ]


Moving to the back, the Express appears to have different tail-lights to the Wasp and they are positioned vertically either side of the tail-gate, rather than under the tail gate like on the Wasp. You'd have to think that this is fairly irresponsible for a small manufacturer like Isuzu; local Australian manufacturers such as Holden or Ford, due to economies of scale, were forced to use the same lights on their wagons as their commercial vehicles, while Holden even snuck the wagon/van/utility lights on the back of their luxury Statesman for one model cycle! Isuzu, never a large-scale car manufacturer like Datsun or Toyota could have stood to adopt this practice!

On the left-hand side of the car, Express-owners experience the luxury of a fuel-door rather than an exposed fuel cap like on every other Bellett variant. Notice the Wasp-style hole in the rear quarter to allow the spare wheel to be wound down from under the car.

I'm unsure if that's actually a pet shop or a taxidermist. There appears to be some seriously stuffed animals there.

Interior-wise, the Bellett Express has the update 1966-1967 dashboard with the nifty silver-over-blue Bellett panel in the middle of the dashboard, chrome horn ring and up-spec door trims of the standard Bellett sedan. This example also has the fold-down pull-to handle on the door, rather than the solid black plastic armrest/pull-to handle of most other Bellett sedans.

This example is a column-shift, but look at that monster transmission hump! This same huge transmission hump, along with the crinkle-finish plastic coating afflicts the Isuzu Wasp also and, like the Wasp, it would be safe to assume it can be unscrewed and removed to allow access to the transmission without the need to drop it or pull it out with the engine.

The load rating is significantly reduced than that of the Wasp which can take a full tonne in the rear.

Attachment:
1967 Isuzu Bellett Express KR10V brochure - Japanese - single sheet, 4-panels - panel 02 & 03.jpg
1967 Isuzu Bellett Express KR10V brochure - Japanese - single sheet, 4-panels - panel 02 & 03.jpg [ 278 KiB | Viewed 10112 times ]


Finally here's Isuzu's all-important specs sheet. While the KR10V Express is shown as being a 1300 only, it's possible that Isuzu offered a KR20V Express 1500 version much like the Wasp (at least in Australia the Wasp KR20 1500 was the only version available), however so far we've not found any verification on that.

Aside from this brochure, the Bellett Express remains an elusive beast with only a small black & white promo photo being the only other sighting we've had so far. If you find any more details or real-world photos of a Bellett Express, call the authorities immediately!

Or perhaps it's already extinct....

Attachment:
1967 Isuzu Bellett Express KR10V brochure - Japanese - single sheet, 4-panels - panel 04.jpg
1967 Isuzu Bellett Express KR10V brochure - Japanese - single sheet, 4-panels - panel 04.jpg [ 100.29 KiB | Viewed 10106 times ]


Tue Oct 14, 2008 12:42 pm
Profile WWW

Joined: Tue Sep 16, 2008 11:54 am
Posts: 2542
Reply with quote
one thing you forgot here dave...

the wasp uses sedan front doors with different windows and frames, but the express uses GT doors with, again, different windows and frames. you can see the different shape of the rear of the door skin between the wasp and the express when you compare them closely.
the wasp window frame differs from the sedan at the top corners. the sedan ones are a "pointed" corner, and the wasp ones are a curve.
the express used GT doors for the extra length, so seat could be folded forward (it mat have been similar to a wasp seat mech??) to allow more rear access. the window frame differs from the GT in the height, as the wasp and express used a sedan height door opening, and the GT roof is 2 inches lower.


Wed Oct 15, 2008 8:39 am
Profile
User avatar

Joined: Thu Sep 11, 2008 9:15 am
Posts: 1991
Car(s): 1965 Wasp, 1966 Bellett, 1967 Bellett, 1969 Florian, 1973 Bellett GTR, 1976 Buick Opel by Isuzu, 1978 Gemini van
Reply with quote
Could they be the same as the 2-door sedan doors?

Not sure, just thinking aloud.... (in type).

Cheers


Wed Oct 15, 2008 9:59 pm
Profile WWW

Joined: Tue Sep 16, 2008 11:54 am
Posts: 2542
Reply with quote
the doors themselves, as in the shells and skins, would definitly be the same, as the 2 door sedan and the gt doors are the same.
as for the window frames being 2 doors sedan items... ??????
i'd guess they would be, as the shape looks the same, and the height as definitly the same, so it would make sense.
have said that it would make sense, alot of other bellett-iania doesn't make any sense, so i wouldn't be surprised if they are another difference.


Thu Oct 16, 2008 12:36 pm
Profile

Joined: Mon Dec 01, 2008 2:09 am
Posts: 6
Car(s): Buddy 125 scooter - hey, I live in NYC!
Reply with quote
Ugh, usually the more one studies a car (even something as insanely convoluted as the Triumph 1300/1500/Toledo/Dolomite range) the more sense things begin to make. Belletts just seems to get more confusing the more one finds out. It's a bit like quantum mechanics.


Mon Dec 01, 2008 3:12 am
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Reply to topic   [ 5 posts ] 

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
cron
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group
Designed by ST Software for PTF.