As some of you may know, I’ve become a bit of an Isuzu fan over the years. Specifically, I’ve been drawn to what their best known for, which is the iconic Trooper 4×4. But I also like the brand for some of the moonshot models it has made over the years, vehicles completely outside of the brand’s normal comfort zone. For one, they’ve always seemingly had a sexy coupe in the mix, with most of us remembering the Impulse of the 80s. Well, there’s also this rarity, known as a 117 coupe with styling by Giugiaro. These were never officially imported and are scarce practically anywhere. Find the Isuzu here on craigslist in Florida for $24,500.
I know it’s not for everyone, but this rear quarter view gets me. It’s just a damn pretty car, and the slim chrome bumpers and taillights are two of my favorite features. Of course, I also love the body-color mudflaps (who else was doing that in the 1970s?) ad the chrome drip rail extending over the full length of the windows. What’s most incredible, however, is that this car remains in seemingly rust-free condition, as it harkens from the era in which Japanese sheetmetal was incredibly fragile. The seller notes the mileage as being 73,590 kilometers.
That low mileage isn’t uncommon for Japanese market vehicles, and even today, you can still find specimens like this at the occasional auction. The seller likely bought this from the likes of Duncan Imports, which has an eye for bringing over forgotten Japanese market survivors. The interior is in outstanding condition and is far more sporting than you’d likely expect from the likes of Isuzu. The dash is untracked and the seating surfaces are in excellent shape; the same goes for the door panels. If you didn’t already know this was an Isuzu, it’d likely be pretty far from your first guess in terms of what manufacturer was behind this pretty design.
The 117 is powered by a 1.8L four-cylinder that the seller rates at 140 b.h.p., but there’s a catch: I don’t believe this is the original engine. The giveaway is the valve cover design, which looks like the one found on modern vehicles like the 1980s Trooper. Now, I could be wrong and overlooking a small but significant detail that confirms this as being the original engine, but it wouldn’t be entirely shocking for a previous owner of an obscure car like this to find a way to keep it on the road without breaking the family ties. Regardless, this is a rarity in any form, and the strong cosmetics suggest it’s been well-loved. Thanks to Barn Finds reader Pat L. for the find.
Good looking car and you can definitely see the resemblance to the Fiat Dino as the seller suggests. Too bad we never saw these on our shores. Looking at the pictures I believe this engine to be original to the car. 78 would have seen EGR and Air injection in our market probably others as well. All the hose clamps are original and things are all tidy. This one definitely gets my stamp of approval. You will definitely get people coming up and making comments about your car. That’s what I experienced when I picked up the Citroen last Sunday. 2 different people stopped to take pictures at the first fuel stop.
A poor man’s Porsche?
Beautiful looking car. I’ve heard of the Isuzu 117. It’s a damn shame that it was never offered here in the USA. I’ve always loved JDM Japanese cars. The only other Isuzus I’ve seen in the USA were the I-mark (Isuzu, Holden Gemini), the P’Up pickup truck, the Impulse (Piazza). And those were cool cars. But this would’ve been something different.
I can see a 1977 model with same engine on line.
It appears they offered SOHC and twin cam options.
This looks like the correct SOHC engine for the year.
The Duncan warehouse I visited in SW VA is full of many cars I was unaware of. Well worth a visit!
I go down there every once-in-awhile,
great place to see some nice & unusual cars.
I love everything about this car. Such a great looking ride. Only recall ever seeing one once, in South Africa of all places.
I had a ’77 model while stationed on Okinawa in the ’80’s. I prefer the earlier models with the round headlights and different dashboard – much more Italian looking.
Lovely looking car. It’s a shame they were never offered here in the USA. I love old-school JDM Japanese cars.