It’s probably true that not many people originally bought Isuzu’s Impulse - you know - impulsively. Today’s ’84 could give you the opportunity to do so today, that is if its price fuels the impulse to buy.

Fully 71% of you said why the hell not to yesterday’s and its twenty-five hundred dollar price tag. The rest of you took exception to the rather anemic presentation in the ad and chose to vote otherwise. Either that or you just hate V8 stick shift wagons and America. To each his own.

Have you ever heard the term “blast from the past” and thought, wait, I didn’t eat Taco Bell last night? People who have eaten Taco Bell know what I’m talking about. Perhaps a less socially questionable blast from the past is this as it rocks old-school designer duds and a sweet ‘80s interior.

Now, the original Impulse was based on the Bellett Gemini’s RWD platform which could trace its roots back to the T-car Opel Kadett C. Hell, I guess it could trace them all the way back to Cugnot’s fardier à vapeur if you wanted to be pedantic about it. The handsome body however was fresher than a prince of Bel Air, and was penned by none other than Giorgetto Giugiaro. He had also designed the Impulse’s predecessor, the equally stylish 117 Coupe.

The design - a subtle wedge-shaped three-door coupe was part of a series Ital Design undertook in the ‘70s, all named for single digit playing cards. The Asso di Quadri was based on the BMW 320 while the Asso di Picche rode on Audi 80 hardware. The Asso di Fiori became the Impulse.

I see why Isuzu chose to change the name, but the 12-year old in me is sad that I can’t talk about a Nice Price or Crack Pipe Asso. I’m sure you can all relate. In Japan and certain other markets Piazza was the name chosen, which sounds close enough to Pizza to make me know what I’m having for dinner. Here in the U.S.we got it as the Impulse.

I remember seeing the Impulse on the cover of Rodent Attract back in the day and thinking it was one fine-looking ride. I liked the semi-hidden headlamps and the checkerboard wheels, but it was the interior that really dropped my panties.

There was so much velour in there that you might be excused in thinking the Velourasaur had been made extinct in its creation. There was also this amazing dash design - a binnacle bracketed by two pods which were adjustable for distance and covered with chiclet-sized buttons. It still looks like something Ripley uses to drive the Nostromo.

This ’84 has all of those features and remarkably, they all look to be in excellent shape. I say remarkably because I haven’t seen a decent-looking Impulse in the wild in… well, forever.This one’s claimed to be a two-owner car and to have either 112 triple-x rated miles or 112,000 and change on the clock, I can’t tell exactly from the ad.

There’s not much else to tell from the ad - other than that the seller shops at the Walmarts - but there is an engine shot and it all looks like it’s supposed to in there. That mill is a 1,949-cc 90-bhp SOHC four and here that’s backed up by an Aisin 4-speed autotragic.

Yes, yes, that’s 90-horses and a granny shifter, get over it people. Helping you to do so is a still sweet looking body that seems mar free here and an equally tidy interior. Were there more engaging models produced? The Turbo or the Lotus-massaged ones for example? Yes there were, but like I said, these things are getting pretty rare these days.

That’s not to say they’re particularly valuable, and this one is asking a meager $2,300. What’s your take on this ‘80s Impulse for that kind of money? Is that a low-enough asking to keep this car in the running? Or, is this an Impulse that you’re just not feeling?

You decide!

Seattle or go if the ad disappears.

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