Japanese devotee!

[Jap man]

Hi Guys; Obviously i'm new to your forum and am very impressed with the content and layout. I don't as yet have a Bellett in my shed--(very nearly bought a 1500 sedan earlier in the year) but am so far a collector of '60S shovelnose sports Coronas. My Dad had a '67 RT40 1600S from new that we still have and it has just built from there to my 1600S and 1600GT coupes. Being that the Bellett is of the same era and styling I have a soft spot for them too. I have posted a wanted for a Bellett GT or GTR- maybe I'm dreaming, we will see! Can someone tell me were GTR's brought into Aus new, what numbers of GT's and are there many imports from Japan? I am in Tassie and curious if there are many down here, I saw the pics of the lovely white one! There was a green GT down from QLD I think in the touring class of Targa Tas earlier in the year which is the first one I have seen in the flesh. Anyway look forward to chatting with you all.

[bellett65]

Welcome aboard. You are in the right state for Belletts. There was a dirth of them a few years ago. The Green GT was al the way from Queensland. No GT type Rs were imported officially and I don't think any were privately done. Good luck in your hunt for a Bellett.

Peter

[dave]

Ah the old shovelnose.

There's a blue early model Shovelnose getting around Adelaide with the numberplate "REN-something" being a period correct R-plate for South Australia.

I spoke to the guy who owned it and almost got into an argument with him as to whether he was in the Bay to Birdwood a couple of years ago.... then a few weeks later, I saw ANOTHER blue early-model RT40 with the numberplate "REN-something".... and they were definitely different cars.

They're cool cars! Find me a ute! I saw one for sale for $400 - why the hell I didn't buy it....

Welcome on board!

[Jap man]

Thanks for the welcome guys. I am lucky enough to have a corona ute in the shed, although a major restoration job. Anything is possible with time and money though isn't it? Unfortunately i am plauged by a lack of both! To be honest some people may say I have a Corona obsession with a total of 10 in varying states, all sports other than the ute. But hey most of them have been saved from paddocks and under gum trees and are now in a shed being preserved. But now another underated Japanese sports car is needed, there is a bay with it's name written on it. Bellett GT. The hunt is on!

P.S: I know of a Bellett wasp hiding in a farm shed.

[mrflibbles]

dont add a p.s. like that here! or you'll get swamped by us all wanting it!
welcome to the site mate!

[Jap man]

Ha ha ,yeah thought that might prick up some ears.

[KJB]

And I know where there is a Corona Ute
KB

[mrflibbles]

lol you tease! nice to see two can play at that game!!!

[PR91]

welcome mate. good to see someone looking after another version of jap cars too. after all, the variety of cars that have seen our roads is amazing for such a small market (in world wide terms), and if someone doesnt care for each one, they will disappear and part of our history will go with them.

Can someone tell me were GTR's brought into Aus new

no. there's a beautiful replica in sydney that is as close as you can get tho.

what numbers of GT's

i have the exact number documented here somewhere, but simply:
17,500 odd GT's built in total, including all model types.
only 290 imported to aust. between 1966 and 1969-70. there was 55 PR90's and 235 PR91's. all were 1600 pushrod engine'd. estimated there are 50-ish left.
for interest sake, there was approx 170,000 odd Belletts in total, including the GT's.
aust. got about 16,000 sedans between 1964 and 1970-71. a guess would put the number left at well under 1,000, and most likely would be half of that.
Tassie was the last place here to receive them, and as such, Tas has some late, late sedan versions that mainland aust never saw (like the 71 sedan i've seen with the long strip speedo similar to an HK Holden).
don't know how many Wasp's were built, but we only got 1 shipment of 122 of them in 1965. no more were ever brought here as it took 3 years to sell that 122! there's only 15 or so known left, making them the rarest when they were new as well as today.

I am in Tassie and curious if there are many down here, I saw the pics of the lovely white one!

see above. and rod's GT is a nice car.

[Farmer]

Jap Man, I don't know how to do the link thingie, but if you go to 'for sale', the car listed as "69 auto F/S in Brisbane came from down there.
Just out of intrest.
Cheers, Matt.

[BrisBellett]

Hi Matt, yes my (listed) Bellett came from Tassie...Launceston. Cheers, Clyde

[Jap man]

Thanks alot for the information PR91. Amazing how the cars just slowly disappear, sad too! Did any 1800 GT's arrive in Aus, I see there is one for sale in Japan. I won't dangle anymore wasp carrotts if people are going to reply with equally smart and teasing information! Ha ha.

[PR91]

Thanks alot for the information PR91.

no probs dude.

Did any 1800 GT's arrive in Aus,

nope. only the 1600 pushrod versions. all 1800's in Bellett's were SOHC, but I've been informed that there may have been a couple of 1800 DOHC GT-R's built, but can't confirm this.
we got the PR90 that had the G160 3 main bearing 1600, and the PR91 had the 5 main bearing 1600.
the first we saw of an Isuzu OHC in any form was the G---Z series in the Gemini.