This time for the 1969 Isuzu Florian TS (Touring Sport) that was released concurrently with the standard second series vehicles.
Unlike the Deluxe and Super Deluxe that differed mainly in trim specs, the TS features a 1600cc twin-carb GT-style motor and revised quad-headlight front end. Ford Falcon XR6/XR8 range eat your heart out!
This brochure matches in style the brochure already on the Forum for the Florian 1600 Super Deluxe as seen here:
viewtopic.php?f=31&t=908
This time we can see our heroic Westernised Japanese man in full glory - no longer hiding behind the financial pages! He also has quite possibly the most awesome suit of all time! The double-breasted suit jacket combined with a double-breasted over coat of almost identical cut is just enough to make a fashion designer's head explode with horror, while the pants.... Well, the pants. Before we get serious, here's a close-up:
- 1969 Isuzu Florian 1600 TS brochure - Japanese - 4 panels - 01 - awesome suit detail.jpg (90.98 KiB) Viewed 145459 times
Awesome!
Perhaps of equal or more importance is the quad-headlight front of the TS:
- 1969 Isuzu Florian 1600 TS brochure - Japanese - 4 panels - 01 - front detail.jpg (60.51 KiB) Viewed 145457 times
Here is the front cover in its' entirety:
- 1969 Isuzu Florian 1600 TS brochure - Japanese - 4 panels - 01.jpg (103.78 KiB) Viewed 145456 times
Fortunately for my scan-o-meter, this brochure features the Florian TS on the inside page rather that across both pages.
The Florian TS is quite a nifty looking thing from the front with its' sporty quad headlight arrangement and bonnet blackouts.
Most everything else is the same as the regular model - no rubber strips on the bumpers, standard 14" wheels and wheelcovers... although from the rear there's a chrome exhaust to show people you're serious. However, the stand-out feature from the back is the integrated demister!
Not even the Super Deluxe appeared to get the demister. However what is truly demisterfying, aside from the demister's very existence, is the vertical heat bars! They are normally horizontal for a start, but regardless it was certainly not a very common feature on any car for 1969!
- 1969 Isuzu Florian 1600 TS brochure - Japanese - 4 panels - 02.jpg (95.28 KiB) Viewed 145461 times
Page three heralds the interior and other detail areas. The Florian 1600 TS appears to get the 1969-spec Bellett GT steering wheel, reclinable buckets with headrests and that nifty centre console of the Super Deluxe, however it loses on of the most endearing features of the Florian in their oval gauges!
The Florian TS has a trio of gauges including a seriously sporty central tachometer. However, the dials are disappointingly plain against the swoopy lines of the dashboard and look like they've been pinched from a Gemini (which I don't believe they actually have - just to clarify!).
This page also shows the crazy vertical demister as well as the disc braking system. Certainly a requirement on such a sporty machine!
- 1969 Isuzu Florian 1600 TS brochure - Japanese - 4 panels - 03.jpg (157.18 KiB) Viewed 145457 times
Finally the specs page and it appears the TS was only available in three colours, but more importantly is the revelation that it features the 1584cc G161 with twin carbies! Somone may be able to fill it in as to whether the motor is identical to the Bellett GT engine; I can never remember which cars had square ports and which had the round ones.
The final drive at 3.7:1 appears a bit longer than the 4.1:1 of the rest of the range; perhaps to give it better 'Touring Sport' abilities?
This has a Showa date of 44.4, which was April 1969 and was therefore created one month after the Florian Super Deluxe brochure shown elsewhere on the site.
- 1969 Isuzu Florian 1600 TS brochure - Japanese - 4 panels - 04.jpg (105.72 KiB) Viewed 145456 times
Mad car! Mad suit! Mad brochure!
I promise to stop hitting you all with Florian brochures soon....
