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89 Amigo "expedition" build

60K views 241 replies 28 participants last post by  itsmehb 
#1 ·
so 2 winters ago my dad gave me whats the first truck I ever drove legally. A 1989 Isuzu Amigo, you see, the fam owns a towing company, and this lil fella was left at a place she wasnt supposed to be, the owner didnt care enough to come after it and enough time passed that we were allowed a title transfer.



I've been around the off road scene for a decade (at 19) Ive been on dirtbikes since I was 10 years old, and around the same time my dad got invovled in the 4x4 community, with a 2000 Rodeo, that turned out being too nice of a truck for offroading so he sold it, and bought a jeep (oddly enough this same rodeo may be coming back to us and the jeep being sold)

Ive been involved in several 4x4 builds, my dads jeep, and his best friends 3/4 ton chevy(who might as well be my uncle due to the closeness, and I cant speak too highly of my fathers brother)
the jeep




the pickup




but I havent built one for me yet. I have the isuzu bug bad, I have a 2wd amigo that Im hoping ill be able to drive to college and use as a daily driver, Im almost there on that one and I think I can do it in time.


anyway, the 4wd migo, suzi, will be staying home, and I have intentions to build myself a decent off roader.

how so?
well, I do alot of looking here, getting ideas on what I want to do.

Ive settled on this

enigne
pacesetter header (does it do anything?)
delta cam
custom exhaust, straight back rather than looping around on the underside forever and ever and ever
Suspension
1.5" lift
or
3" lift
it all depends on how much I feel like spending in the long run
Exterior
I've been taking measurements, and just how we built the bumpers for my dads jeep, my bike trailer, and the car hauler, we're going to build some rocker pannel guards, a bull bar, a cooler rack, and a beefier rear bumper.
Electrical
CB Radio
7" Indy4x fog lights
Wheels/tires
at this point, I want to take the steel rims off the white amigo and put them on the gray one to spare the snowflakes, and have them powdercoated black, with 31X10.50R15 A/T's from treadwright 8)

this will probably be a slow going project, but this is a toy, not a priority.
 
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#3 ·
Nice Amigo's. It is SO hard to find the 4WD model, I have looked everywhere. Also, very nice license plate on the front bumper of Opel
 
#4 ·
step 1. have a plan.
step 2. throw your plan out the window (because they never go to plan) lol
at least you have a plan... my trooper just gets what ever i think is awesome at the time i have the money to do it ... :lol:
 
#5 ·
jeremy_worden said:
step 1. have a plan.
step 2. throw your plan out the window (because they never go to plan) lol
at least you have a plan... my trooper just gets what ever i think is awesome at the time i have the money to do it ... :lol:
now thats the way to do it :eek:ccasion5: :headbang:
 
#6 ·
Sounds good. Set your goal and see it through. Mods to plans are just plain necessary and fun. Start us up a build thread no matter the pace.
 
#8 ·
jeremy_worden said:
step 1. have a plan.
step 2. throw your plan out the window (because they never go to plan) lol
at least you have a plan... my trooper just gets what ever i think is awesome at the time i have the money to do it ... :lol:
hey that sounds like me :lol:
 
#9 ·
lol i did some looking and when i seen an idea that i liked i put it in the vault untill i had the cash to see it threw... no real plan at first.
 
#12 ·
so a real horrible realization came over me while reading the forums.
I cant get lower gears for it D: and im worried about the engine not being able to pull the stock gearing with 31" tires :( if anyone has any input, that would be great.
also tom wood should be able to fab up some drive shafts right?
 
#13 ·
Ok guys, I have a couple of questions.

I've considered buying the calmini shackles instead of an over all lift kit
http://www.pureisuzu.com/lift_shackles.htm

at least for the time being. Now, do I need longer shocks for this? longer brake lines? I adjust the front by adjusting the torsion bars correct? If so, an allignment will be needed, I assume
and will I need these?
http://www.pureisuzu.com/control_arms.htm

Next paycheck im also buying myself a set of yokohama geolander a/t's in 30x9.50-15 :) They will stay on the snowflakes since I will be going to 31"s when all is said and done and then I'll have a set of tires for my 2wd amigo.
 
#15 ·
#17 ·
nothing that improves its performance, just stuff to make it a little nicer
new radio bezel shift boot and door handle from lowzone




been wondering what I'm going to do :? since I probably wont be able to go all out like I wanted to.
Im thinking just throw a set of treadwrights on it and have fun, but the rear locker tempts me everyday
I pulled all the flooring out of it the other day and scrubbed it with a brush with degreaser on it, rinsed it off with a garden hose and put some floor mats down, its been sitting since the 2wd is a better around town vehicle
 
#20 ·
there 2 word in my head right now....

HELL YES!

Can't wait for the locker.
:twisted:
 
#25 ·
cyberdog said:
:) Heard that the hard/soft top 2dr Turbo diesels are really rare over there so really happy :)

The guy that sold it to me didnt know what he sold :)
as far as i know we never got a soft top trooper period

trooper are on completly opposite ends of the suv scale
the amigo is more sport than utility and the trooper is more utility than the sport. its all about what you need and want to do ;)
 
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