- DeLorean??!!
- Latest - June 2011 update
- JAPS show details
- Piazzas Missing In Action??!! Update
- Fuel Tank Sender Units
- Replacement Front Wings
- Wonderful 1:43 diecast models!
- Piazzas on the WorldWideWeb
- Exposure!
Latest
A DeLorean at a Japanese Car show??
I know you're probably all thinking we've gone mad(der) here at IPTOC, but this opportunity was too good for us to let it pass.
Thanks to a chance encounter between our founder member, Jon, and the owner of a DeLorean, together with special dispensation from the JAPS organisers, we are pleased to announce a special event indeed.
COME TO JAPS AND HAVE YOUR PIAZZA PHOTOGRAPHED NEXT TO A DeLOREAN!!
Those already in the know will have made the connection already; both cars were designed by GIORGETTO GIUGIARO and share many common design cues, both inside and out. Other Giugiaro "wedges" were the Mk1 VW Scirocco, the VW Corrado and of course the Series1 Lotus Esprit!!
Given that 2011 marks the 30th anniversary of the DeLorean, this marks an even more auspicious occasion!
JAPS 2011
Japanese Auto & Performance Show
Sunday 10th July 2011
10am until 4pm
Entry is £8 per person at the gate
IPTOC look forward to seeing you there! Usual chit-chat and banter, plus a Piazza-based raffle and an opportunity to catch up with old members and meet new ones!
All Piazza enthusiasts are most welcome, whether current owners or not!
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HBL Front Brake Discs
Yes, we're back to the long-running saga of the Handling by Lotus front brake discs again. Having been advised earlier in the year that these were available again, we thought we'd place a little order - to test the water so to speak.
ONE disc turned up in just under a week, with the remainder being placed on backorder. OK, we thought, fair enough; they've probably got to come from the other side of the world.
Now that was in May, and I received news last week that the backorder for the remainder has been CANCELLED by Isuzu Japan and the discs reclassified (AGAIN!) as No Longer Available!!!!
Needless to say, we are doing our best to find out what, why and how, and will report back to you all in due course. For now though, they are again made of Unobtainium!!
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Please take the time to read not only the updates on this page, but also the short(ish!) piece about parts requests on the PARTS page. It really is important that the function and aim of IPTOC is fully understood by everyone who owns, or is interested in, an Isuzu Piazza; it would appear there are some very suspicious people amongst you! Just remember, IPTOC really is one place where you can get something for nothing!!
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Piazzas Missing In Action??
Having trawled through available info, we now have some detail of Isuzu Piazzas which are still on the road or SORNd which are unknown to IPTOC.
So - can the eagle-eyed amongst you please keep an eye out for the following Piazzas:
D879 HUL - silver pre-Lotus - taxed
D887 HUL - grey pre-Lotus - SORN
D860 GYP - black pre-Lotus - SORN
D970 GYP - red pre-Lotus - SORN
D981 GYP - blue pre-Lotus - SORN
E81 BDM - Handling by Lotus - taxed - FOUND!!!
We still only know of the definite existence of about A QUARTER of the Piazzas remaining in the UK, and it is imperative that we find as many as possible so that we can assist in any way possible in keeping these cracking cars on the road!!!
If you're not a Piazza owner, but know where there is one hiding, again - PLEASE email in with the whereabouts (and if possible contact details of the owner).
Equally, anyone who has a "spares" car or who has in the past broken a car for spares - if you have the registration and/or VIN numbers I would be grateful for them so that I can score them off the original 1662 official imports!
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Fuel Tank Sender Units
Fuel gauge showing empty? Yellow low fuel warning light staying on? Typical symptoms of a faulty JR Piazza/Impulse fuel tank sender unit.
After a prolonged period of unavailability, I can confirm that these are now available again and, as per the HBL front brake discs, are priced very competitively (well, in comparison to what they were!). As a unique part to the JR Piazza and Impulse and unserviceable when they fail, it's good to know that cars with this issue can now be fixed again. Contact iptoc@hotmail.com for more details.
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Replacement Front Wings
One of our more resourceful and enthusiastic members has been doing a great deal of work in trying to make replacement body repair sections (such as inner flitch panels, outer sills etc.) available for members to repair the rotten spots on their beloved Piazzas. However, he has also been investigating the production of replacement front wings in fibreglass.
Given that new metal panels are now not available from ANYWHERE (and their propensity to rust!) and that new fibreglass wings would cost around £130-£140 each, we think this is a cracking idea!!
Please contact iptoc@hotmail.com to register your interest; there is a considerable sum of money involved in the setting up of the moulds for these, so we will only go ahead if there is enough demand.
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WONDERFUL 1:43 DIECAST PIAZZA MODELS!
Some have you may have seen some diecast models by Norev recently, listed on eBay for anywhere between £40 and £50 EACH plus postage and packing!!
However, IPTOC have stumbled across a brilliant and reasonably priced source for these beautifully detailed model cars - have a look at http://www.minicapopo.jp/product-group/50
to get an idea of the appearance of the models and the prices in Japanese Yen.
Then simply email the wonderful Junya at info@minicapopo.jp and he will quote you an all-in price for the model(s) you require.
I ordered a full set of the currently available Piazza ones, and they were delivered within a week!!
AMAZINGLY DETAILED MODELS AT PRICES MUCH BELOW THOSE ON eBAY!!
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PIAZZAS ON THE WORLDWIDEWEB!
Being a bit of a sad git, I like to try and keep abreast of anything Piazza that's going on in the world, and have found these little snippets on the internet that may amuse some of you just as much as they have me!!
Firstly, the Internet Movie Cars Database has been updated, showing details of various films featuring Isuzu Impulses (the US version of the Piazza) - take a look here:
Secondly, have a squint at these movie clips on YouTube, they're pretty damn good!!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rqcpdPBz4M
www.youtube.com/watch?v=RyH4dHg7Dpc
www.youtube.com/watch?v=FaP7B8a35_s
and an original Japanese advert nestles about 2 minutes 30 seconds into this interesting (ahem) collection of Japanese TV ads!
If anyone has any idea who owns these films or the copyright, please drop me a line as I would like to have MPEG copies for when YouTube and Piazzas are nothing but distant memories!!!
EXPOSURE!!
ISUZU PIAZZA TURBO features in PRACTICAL CLASSICS!!
Yes, Practical Classics have finally recognised the Piazza as the future classic that it is and, with assistance from IPTOC and the use of Brian Hester's car, put together a Buyers' Guide which featured in the issue published in April 2007.