Bought another 4x4,been busy, some pics.
 

Nothing great for pics but Ive noticed that quite a few guys have spun off into offroading on here. Some may know Ive always been into it and have/had an 87 k10 pickup I converted into a square tube flatbed with lockers front and rear, longer springs to make it flexy, etc, etc.

Well the truck was just too wild on 36 TSLs and I decided I wanted to step down to a more tight spaces friendly rig on 33s that would make the local wheeling more of a challenge rather than walk through everything.

At the beginning of the summer my DD (99 stratus) started weeping from the water pump so I took it as an opportunity to look for a new DD trail rig.

2 days later I bought this. 1994, SOHC v6, 5 speed, rear discs.

http://i794.photobucket.com/albums/y...r/SDC12992.jpg

I had really wanted a Toy FJ60 or FJ80 but the FJ60s are too old and "hollow" like my square body chevy and FJ80s never came stick in the US.

I put a high clearance exhaust on it and drove it for a couple months. Then I built some roofracks. Then came the big mods this last month.

The truck came from keyport and was used for launching a boat or jetskis. The last 2 feet of the frame rails were swiss cheese. So I took out the sawzall.

http://i794.photobucket.com/albums/y...r/SDC13089.jpg

And put this in its place, 3/16sth wall 2x3 box tub, 45*d together so no ugly caps.

http://i794.photobucket.com/albums/y...r/SDC13101.jpg

http://i794.photobucket.com/albums/y...r/SDC13092.jpg

Welding has been getting progressively better since I picked up a gun senior year of highschool.

Then these badboys came. Tire prices have gotten ridiculous... $1150 for 5 33s... Goodyear Duratracs are awesome though. Man are they the best of both worlds for on and offroad driving.

http://i794.photobucket.com/albums/y...1004111743.jpg

Now she sits like this.

http://i794.photobucket.com/albums/y...r/SDC13126.jpg

1in body lift, 2in suspension lift on 33.2x11r16s.

Its only just begone. Im going to go make a rear plate bumper today. Then I have to make a front and get the 12,000lb winch from the chevy on the front of the trooper.

This winter I plan on narrowing the dana 44 from the front of the chevy and doing a solid axle swap on the trooper. I dont trust IFS as far as I can throw it...

Suspension will be jeep coils, ford radius arms, DOM steering. Lockright up front, ARB in the rear.

O and before anyone gets concerned, no I didnt leave the frame splice like that. It was ground down and rewelded 3 times then fish plated inside and out with 1/4 in plate.

Lookin good! What axles came on these? If I remember correctly the Rodeos came with D44, not sure if these might get that too?

Definitely digging this project, love the roof rack too!

That's wild man, nice work on the frame.

Nice, looks like a fun project.

- Justin

This makes me miss my old Rodeo. :( Those isuzus are tough trucks. I took that thing to hell and back.

As a side-note, my buddy had a 92 Trooper that was functionally identical to that one, and I recall him trying to kick the back out around turns despite it having an open rear diff. It was scary stuff. These were I think one of only two or three cars to get a do not buy label by consumer reports for flipping. http://www.theautochannel.com/news/d...news01559.html

Coming along nicely, gonna be a nice trail rig

The rodeos did yes. The early troopers had a isuzu 10 bolt which is sheet housing like a toyota or 9in with a thirdmember with 10 bolt guts in it. Mine and later have the Isuzu 12 bolt which is a pretty stout axle. Same concept just bigger guts.