bellett.net

The Isuzu Bellett B was an engima.

From the front it appeared to introduce the unique squared-off headlights that later appeared on the PR10 Bellett 1300 of about 1970, while the rear sheet metal appeared to attempt to update the Bellett bootlid's drastic rear taper with something flatter, with an increase in boot space. But the car did not replace any Bellett model and appeared to run concurrently with the mainstream model.

While some have wondered if the Bellett B may have been a fleet-special for taxis or hire cars, the B came in both 1300 (PR30) and 1500 (PR40) forms as well as standard and Deluxe with is unusual for a stripped-out fleet special, however to lend credence to that theory is that the Bellett B featured, of all things, a leaf-sprung, solid rear axle when the standard Bellett made a feature of it's independent rear suspension, a rarity and a novelty on a car of that era (Datsun 1600/Bluebird/P510 excepted).

After some research, I have determined that the Bellett B could NOT have come after the original Bellett's run finished as there is a traceable lineage of original Belletts all the way until 1974 when it was replaced with Isuzu's General Motors T-car, the Isuzu Bellett Gemini.

As you will see, this brochure follows the bizarre Magical Mystery Tour theme of another brochure from a Bellett sedan circa 1967 that is featured elsewhere on this website. The other brochure features an 1966.5/1967 alloy-grille/hexagon-taillight sedan, the Magical Mystery Tour drawings throughout the brochure and most importantly, the exact same seat and door trims on that original 1967 Bellett Deluxe as what is featured in the Bellett B Deluxe in this brochure. Snap! It is circa 1967. Furthermore, later Belletts featured woodgrain dashboards that filtered into the standard range (down from only GTs and then Deluxes in the earlier models), plus headrests, some with "Bellett" embossed on them. Flow-through ventilation was a feature from about 1970 on the GTs and 1971 on the sedans and there appears to be none of those features on this mysterious Bellett B.

*Update*
Following the recent discovery of the Japanese dating conventions, it can be verified that this brochure was dated July 1967 (Japanese date Showa 42.7 - visible on bottom right hand side of specs sheet).

Here's the awesome cover of the Bellett B brochure.

Nothing out of ordinary here, although the front on the 1500 grille badge was not seen on Australian Belletts until the (locally) final 1969 model. The bumpers and over-riders appear to the be same as the late 1960's model cars Belletts and the headlights, while unusual, can be found on later PR10's like the one owned by a fellow forum member.




Page 2 and 3, shown here merged into the one picture, show the significantly revised rear sheetmetal of the Bellett B. Gone is the chopped rear wheelarch of the standard Bellett sedan, replaced with a gentle arc, while the bootlid is a lot more horizontal. All the changes appear to be from behind the rear door and back. The boot looks truly huge and would be much deeper with that flatter bootlid and more vertical rear panel. The rear of the car is not unlike a Datsun 1600/Bluebird/P510 while the profile is not dissimilar to the Mitsubishi Colt 1000 sedan of the same era.

Please note the start of the Magical Mystery Tour weird-arse drawings!



Pages 4 and 5 feature the interior. Judging by the dashboard and appointments, this could be any late 1960's Bellett sedan, although the mention of a 3-speed, column-shift manual appears to be a surprise, careful study of another circa 1967 brochure shows the 3-speed was offered on the regular Bellett sedan as well, although certainly not in Australia.



Pages 6 and 7 do not have any adjoining pictures, so they have been presented separately.

Page 6 has some excellent interior shots with that crazy Deluxe trim, incidentally the EXACT same trim as offered on an original-shape Bellett Deluxe of around 1967, another supporting reason as to why this car must be from that era.

This is the trim from a circa 1967, original-shape Bellett Deluxe:




Here's the page from the Bellett B brochure:



It's as simple as riding a magic carpet with your dog.



The technical page and this drawing, centre of page, is what causes the most sensation. The Bellett B clearly has a basic, cart-sprung, leaf-spring rear end, not unlike the Wasp or the Express, but probably closer to the Florian or Isuzu 117 in it's actual execution. All other Bellett B statistics seem to be as per the original sedan, save for the fuel filler being located behind the numberplate, of course!




The final page deals with the specs. Here it shows that the Bellett B is indeed larger than the original shape Bellett, but not by much! The only major differences are:

Length - 5mm longer
Wheelbase - 30mm longer
Rear boot length - 20mm longer (although boot height at the end of the car would be greatly increased)
Rear track - 25mm wider (front track unchanged)
Height - 25mm higher
Weight - 20kg lighter than the standard-shaped 1500cc Deluxe equivalent

Bear in mind that the greatest of these differences, the wheelbase, equates to merely 3 centermetres of difference, or just over one inch! It doesn't quite seem enough to warrant the creation of a whole new hindquarters! Although the lack of IRS appears to have helped in saving weight; the Bellett B 1500 Deluxe is a full 20kg lighter than the Bellett 1500 Deluxe of the same era. Perhaps this lack of complexity was the result of a cost-saving exercise; certainly other cars have been offered with features only to have them removed... but as discussed the IRS Bellett was still available at this time and all the way until 1974.




While this brochure IS truly awesome, I'm quite disappointed in the lack of rear quarter shots and, of course, the fact that it sheds no light and offers no explanation as to why this vehicle even exists. Perhaps the secret is locked deep in the Japanese texts of the brochure or perhaps it has been lost to time, but the fact that the Bellett B exists is simply truly wondrous, regardless of the reason.

I think from the rear it looks suspiciously like this 1970 Alfa Romeo Giulia 1300 Ti. Maybe they were trying to hit the European market with some thing that was cheaper to manufacture.

I was intrigued by the B-type, having seen it's profile in another catalog shot and wondered about it.

On Japanese wikipedia, (thanks google translate!) Bellett entry, the IRS of the Bellett was mentioned as being intensely disliked by large segments of Japanese car buyers, for being much too easy to provoke into a tailslide. Lord knows a large slice of the Japanese market is intensely traditional.

Also on wiki.jp, under their Japanese National Taxi entry, only the PR30/40 Belletts are listed as having been approved as taxis. One might assume that there were rules about the size of the luggage compartment as well as durability concerns. After the Bellel was discontinued, I can imagine that Isuzu cobbled together the B-type so as to hold on the taxi market.

So, if one takes into consideration customer dislike of the swing axle, possible taxi market, and perhaps higher load capacity and corresponding travelling salesman market - then maybe the B makes sense. The introduction of the Florian would then have made it redundant, which explains its short life.

Here's a pic of one I found on the web:

I only just noticed this response was here, Mr Choppers, but I had to say that your intelligent guesswork there sounds 100% plausible. Good work! What you say makes total, total sense.

Why don't you think they didn't offer a diesel option. I read some where that the popular option for 1960's Japanese cabbys was the diesel Bellel if that in fact was the case surely a diesel option would have been a good thing, or was there a Diesel option and the brochure just not popped up on e-bay yet

Ahhh! Keep on wetting our appetites with discouvering yet another model !! Truly amazing find, and as chopper shows, there must be a few still cruis'n. Dave, this might be the original translation: " Every man and his dog, fly into the future on a magic carpet". Another observation, the lovely lady demonstrates not only strapping into the well known bucket seat, but also the bench seat model. Did other previuos sedans have bench front's as an option ?

B.

Hi Bruno,

Yes there was a bench seat offered on the early sedan (teardop taillight) and the 1967 sedan (hex taillight), although I'm yet to see any bench seat-action in the 1969 model onwards.

I have a 1966 with a benchy in it. It just doesn't work, however.

Dave

Did anyone else notice where the fuel filler is on the Bellett B.... Behind the rear number plate. They really did rework the entire rear end!

R.

dave wrote:...there was a bench seat offered on the early sedan (teardop taillight) and the 1967 sedan (hex taillight), although I'm yet to see any bench seat-action in the 1969 model onwards...

I can confirm that in the English-language 1969-Deluxe brochure, they advise that there is a bench-seat/column shift 4-speed option available for the 1969 Deluxe.

So that solves that.

But yeah, it's a bit off topic! But whatever.

Yeah R. I had a UC Sunbird Which had the filler behind the spring loaded number plate. Yet the whole rear end thingy style seems to be the Alfa look. The 440 Cortina I got my licence in was a benchie, 4 on the column , no, seriuosly !!

What's more surprising is the classic Bellett insignia emblem, usually seen on front or rear side panels, gets in on the foto shoot on the rear next to the filler. Is this an Isuzu statement ??

But your right, Dave, I can't see 'benchies' workin' too well for Belletts.

B.

Hi all,
Just noticed the Bellett B 1500 article and I quite like the front. Have taken in comments but as soon as I looked at the back of the car it reminded me of a Florian. Different. I have only ever seen one Bellell many many years ago which reminded me of a Nissan Cedric but I can also see the Bellell and this Bellett B 1500 similarity.

Hey 117Coupe, you can't say you can shed light on this beast (under the section on the Isuzu Statesman) and then not do it!

Dave

The 13th Tokyo Motor Show was held in October 1966 with the theme of 'My Car' and featured the debut of the Toyota Corolla and Nissan Sunny. The average Japanese family was now able to afford a 1000cc – 1500cc family vehicle and the 'my car' boom had begun. After the successful release of the new Bellett in April 1966, the Isuzu team was on a high and displayed 8 show model variations at the 13th Tokyo Motor Show. Keen to be part of the new boom and compete with the Corolla and Sunny in the family car market, Isuzu released one of the show models in December that same year, the Bellett B Series.

The Bellett B Series featured a solid rear axle with leaf springs and a longer wheel base which made for a roomier vehicle with increased leg space and luggage space. Smaller wheel arches also allowed for more rear seat space. The interior offered buckets seats with 4 speed floor change or a bench seat with a 3 speed column change. The exterior featured a new eye catching radiator grille and square headlamps.

Aimed mainly at families for leisure purposes, the Bellett B Series offered more space, family friendly features, a softer ride and was cheaper than the standard Bellett Series. It came with either a 1300cc or a 1500cc petrol engine. An 1800cc diesel engine was also available for the taxi market.

Isuzu's theme was that the Bellett B Series was perfect no matter what the TPO (Time, Place, Occasion). It soon became very popular and carried on the tradition of Bellett excellence.

Rad, thanks for that insight!

Couple of more pics of the Bellett B... just for the record