In 1968 I was passing through Tokyo International Airport and the first car I
saw was a tan and white Series IIIA Minx!!!! Unfortunately I was locked in
"quarantine" for the four or five hours I was there and flew out on another
flight. I did some reasearch and learned that Isuzu had been building
Hillmans, first as CKD, since 1953 and shifted over to 100% local manufacture
about 1956-57. They built Hillmans up until 1963 when they designed their
own. However, Isuzu produced a metric version of the 1592cc engine and then,
supposedly, built SOHC and DOHC versions. According to some of the Australian
Rootes enthusiasts, these engines will bolt right into a Rootes car and
supposedly, the Isuzu DOHC head can be installed on a 1592cc Rootes engine. I
have looked at the various Isuzu engines going back to the Chevy LUV pickup
and they sure do look like Rootes engines. I have tried writing to Isuzu over
the years about this and have never gotten a reply from either Isuzu Japan or
Isuzu USA.
It would be interesting to ask Takeshi Ebara about this.
Jan
Ian Spencer <ian@sunbeamalpine.org> wrote:
There is one Alpine SII in Japan that I know of. His name is Takeshi
Ebara <tebara@po.sphere.ne.jp> You should write to him while you are
there, He'd be thrilled to hear from you. He's beeen trying to locate
other Alpines in his country, but has not been having any luck. - Ian
Chris Mottram wrote:
>
> I am in Tokyo this week and was not surprised to find
> no Sunbeams, but there are plenty of Mini's here.
> (Isn't there some people from Tokyo on the list?) They
> are parked literally into nooks and crannies around
> here. Some interesting looking older marques that I
> have no idea what they are. As an owner of an obscure
> marque I do appreciate other "uncommon" cars.
>
> Chris
> Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail.
> http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/
--
Ian Spencer <www.sunbeamalpine.org>
'61 Series II Alpine B9104704 LRX
'61 Harrington Alpine B9104782 OD HRO
'62 Harrington Le Mans BH9115930 OD LRX
'62 Harrington Le Mans BH9116754 OD LRX
'62 Harrington Le Mans BH9117497 OD LRX
'64 Series IV Automatic B9401426 BW LRX
'67 Series V Alpine B395016967 LRX
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