Isuzu Bellett
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| Isuzu Bellett | |
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| Manufacturer: | Isuzu |
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| Production: | 1963-1973 |
| Predecessor: | Hillman Minx |
| Successor: | Isuzu Gemini |
| Class: | Subcompact |
| Body style: | 4-door sedan 2-door sedan 2-door coupe 2-door station wagon 2-door pickup truck |
| Engine: | 1.3 L OHV I4 1.5 L OHV I4 1.6 L OHV I4 1.6 L SOHC I4 1.6 L DOHC I4 1.8 L SOHC I4 1.8 L diesel I4 2.0 L diesel I4 |
| Transmission: | 4-speed manual 3-speed automatic |
The Isuzu Bellett was a subcompact car manufactured by Isuzu Motors Ltd. in Japan from 1963 to 1973. It was an in-house designed replacement for the Hillman Minx, assembled previously by Isuzu under a license agreement. The name "Bellett" was supposedly to represent "a smaller Bellel".
The car was available as a 4-door or 2-door sedan, a rare 2-door station wagon, called the Bellett Express, and an even more rare 2-door pickup truck known as the Isuzu Wasp. After General Motors acquired a stake in Isuzu, the Bellett was replaced by GM's "global" T-car, initially called Isuzu Bellett Gemini and later simply Isuzu Gemini, which technically had little to do with its precedecessor. A total of 170,737 of original Belletts were manufactured.
[edit] Sedan
Launched in June 1963, the sedan began life with a 1.5 L OHV gasoline I4 engine and a 1.8 L diesel engine. In April 1964, they were joined by a 1.3 L OHC I4 engine. In 1966, the front fascia was facelifted, and in 1967, a 1.6 L SOHC engine was added. It was replaced by a 1.8 L SOHC engine after the 1971 facelift, which also marked the end of diesel-powered Belletts.
[edit] GT
The Isuzu Bellett GT', launched in April 1964, was a 2-door coupe with a 40 mm lower height than the sedan, fitted with a twin-carbureted 1.6 L OHV gasoline engine. It was the first Japanese car to be billed "GT" (Gran Turismo). September 1964 saw the arrival of a 1.5 L version of the GT, front disc brakes and some slight modifications to the front fascia. In September 1967, the base engine's power was increased, along with the addition of a fastback body style. Two years later, the 1.6 L engine was upgraded to a SOHC design, and in 1970 it was replaced by a 1.8 L SOHC engine.
[edit] GT-R
The GT-R, more specifically GT Type-R (for "racing"), was a racing version of the GT, also available to individual customers. First presented in September 1969, the GT-R featured a 1.6 L DOHC engine from the 117 Coupe, power brakes and numerous other modifications. It was visually different from other Belletts primarily by a specific paint scheme, which included a completely black hood. The GT-R achieved many successes in racing, and has gained its own fan community. Only about 1,400 GT-Rs were manufactured.
Though the GT-R was one of the first cars to be called "GT-R", the Nissan Skyline GT-R was in fact earlier, with the PGC10 GT-R being released six months beforehand, in March 1969. The Holden Torana GTR was released in October 1969. However, there was a Bridgestone GTR motorbike which predates all of these. It is also worth noting that Isuzu used the Type-R designation long before Honda adopted it.
[edit] MX1600
At the 1969 Tokyo Motor Show, Isuzu presented a concept car called Isuzu Bellett MX1600, designed by Tom Tjaarda. It was a mid-engined, rear-wheel drive 2-seater super sports car. Apart from sharing the 1.6 L engine with the GT-R, the MX1600 had little to do with any production Bellett, and it never materialized into a production vehicle, but it is said to have inspired the De Tomaso Pantera by the same stylist.
[edit] External links
- Australian Bellett Car Club's webpage (includes many photos)
- A photo of a Bellett GT-R in a classic black-orange paint theme at a classic car event
- A listing of all of Tom Tjaarda's designs with photos, including the MX1600 and Panter
- Isuzu Bellett specifications from histomobile.com
- Isuzu Bellett Specs
