The event venue was buzzing with the appearance of the Florian Aska

The Revival Café on the Miura Peninsula is a popular stopover for hobby car owners on their road trips. To celebrate its fifth anniversary of opening, the event ‘Famous Cars Gathering on the Miura Peninsula @ Soleil Hill Presented by Revival CAFE’ was held on Sunday 3 December 2023.

It was in a crumbly & leaky condition when they were inherited

As the participating vehicles entered Soleil Hill, the venue, one after another, an Isuzu “Florian Aska” appeared there. This 1983 Florian Aska LS 2.0 Turbo is an intermediate/sport model, with the other models being the low-priced LT and the high-end/luxury LJ. We immediately spoke to the owner who brought this rare car in.

“To tell you the truth, I only got it in July. I got the parts I was interested in and the body was finished last month, so I entered it.”

In addition to this Florian Aska, owner Mr. Masakazu Taga has been driving the Piazza, also by Isuzu, for more than 30 years. Naturally, he gets on well with the same Isuzu car owners at other events.

“This Florian Aska was an individual I had known all my life. When the previous owner decided to let it go, I put it up for auction on the internet to see if anyone other than my friends around me might want it, but there was no response to wanting to drive it, only extremely low bids. If it didn’t sell after the vendor’s successful bid, it would be taken apart and turned into a parts sale.　Could we lose a real working unit if we didn’t do this?　I feared that if I didn’t sell it, it would be taken apart and sold for parts, and I found myself putting my hand up.”

The previous owner had used it to commute to work, so the engine was solid, but the body, which was probably still intact from new, had a survivor feel and the atmosphere was not bad, but the A-pillar had a hole in it and was leaking badly. The car was repainted by Hatori Sheet Metal Paint Works, which is a close friend of the company. The bumpers, which had been roughened by ultraviolet rays, were finished to look like they did when the car was new.

He will enjoy two Isuzu vehicles

“Most of these Florian Ascas were diesel-powered at the time, but this was Isuzu’s first FWD car with the same transversely mounted engine as the Piazza I’ve been driving. The so-called “Dokkan Turbo” of the era, the benefit of a lightweight body weighing less than one ton, and the FF layout made the acceleration feel as if your body was being carried along, and it was very fast. When it debuted, it was the record holder for the fastest 0-400m record in the 2L turbo category.”

In fact, the Florian Aska was built as part of the GM Group’s Global Car concept, and in 1983, the car made its first appearance in the British RAC Rally, winning its class. It is also a sporty sedan with such a glorious history.

“The suspension was also missing, but when I looked up the model number, the only parts dealer in Dubai had a large stock of it, so he sent it to me and I replaced it and the ride is excellent. I also got some other four-light lights and Gemini wheel caps, so it’ll be interesting to match the steel wheels I have and give it an interim Irmscher spec while I repair the stock alloy wheels I’m wearing.”

The stickers that were removed during the all-paint job will now be reproduced and finished. The joyful life of Mr. Taga and his Florian Aska has just begun.

translated by DeepL