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| How did you all get introduced to Troopers, and how strong is your attachment?; Seeing if the Pup and Imark Phenomenon is the same | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Nov 16 2013, 11:37 PM (230 Views) | |
| Halden | Nov 16 2013, 11:37 PM Post #1 |
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I was wondering how all of you got started on troopers? I was also wondering how strong the sentimental attachment is to them? I've noticed with Pup owners, especially the diesel owners, the Attachment to the vehicle is rather strong, they'd die for their pup if seems. Does this apply to trooper people? |
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| Gen1Trooper_Jax | Nov 17 2013, 08:41 PM Post #2 |
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I picked up my Trooper originally in 2001 when I moved up the NC mountains. Needed something to drive in foul weather as my Camaro didn't quite cut it. I then sold it to a buddy when I moved to FL in 2005. About 18 months ago, I got word that it was back up for sale, so I jumped at the chance and snagged it. My love for that old Troop runs deep. I'll be happy if its the last 4x4 I ever have to buy. |
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| johnny5ive | Nov 18 2013, 09:02 AM Post #3 |
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One of my close friends in high school had a Trooper and we used it as the party wagon from the time he got his license until we graduated and moved away. When we moved to the Ozarks I really NEEDED something that could hold up to daily abuse that wouldn't break the bank. I wouldn't classify my attachment to Troopers as a sentimental one, just the answer to a long math problem. What is rugged as hell, gets good gas mileage and can carry 7 people (with a 3rd row seat added) and can be bought for under a grand? There was only one answer when I started looking and the rest is history. |
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| zudorf | Nov 18 2013, 06:22 PM Post #4 |
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Well, let's see..... It was a cold stormy day..... It really was; but I'll save you the agony of reading the long version. That can be found on my build thread on the planet and is some interesting reading. If you're really really bored....and alone....and drinking heavily. Anyway. My Subaru took a dump and my son - who also owns an 88 Trooper - told me about one available on craigslist. I scooped it up and immediately became a fan. My son also told me about some grouchy old asshole out in Arkansas that has most any part I'd need to keep her on the road. I called the man that I would soon call my good friend; and with his gentle guidance and calm demeanor, I have been able to perform any and all repairs necessary to keep my daily driver and work truck running like new. I've found our tiny community to consist of all walks of life. The thread that binds is a questionably engineered rugged beast of a vehicle that requires a sense of survival to own. It fits me to a t. I can do anything to this thing that it may need. I have at my finger tips the resources to make it happen. She's got 195K miles on her now; and I don't see that number stopping any time soon. I got introduced to Isuzu Troopers out of necessity. I've become a loyal fan and proud owner. I've made friends all over the world and have enjoyed their company on occasion. If finding mine wasn't some form of divine guidance, I don't know what is. I have a great excuse to hang out with my son. Nuff said. |
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| elkoisuzu | Nov 20 2013, 09:14 PM Post #5 |
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Well mine started with wanting an off road truck for almost nothing that I would not care if I dented it. I was managing a propane company and a customer came in with some financial problems and wanted to know if I would trade some propane for this Isuzu Trooper. I checked it out and we made a deal. It ran nice, had a few dents and lots of dirt in it. Got it home and only after running for 45 minutes did I figure out that it did not have any oil pressure. That was an 86. I found an engine for it for 700 bucks and even though it burned oil it ran for 5 years until my nephew wrecked it. But in the meantime I started finding them and the more I worked on them the more I leaned. I always wanted to build an engine and I finally did on my 91, I have had a few others and kept them running as long as I was able. In the works is a swap from an automatic to a manual, not that I want to but I have to. I also picked up a Pup a few years ago for nearly nothing and fixed it up and use it as my daily driver, always starts and in colder weather also. Last year it started for numerous days at -15, the Trooper quit starting at -5. Am I addicted? My wife says I am, I call it my hobby. Just because I spend more hours than my son does on his video games, looking over both the planet and here. Scanning Craigslist and other sites for cheap Troopers. Nope that is just normal to me. Right now I have 2 engines and transmissions and some other stuff in the shed, just in case I come up with something.....One must be prepared. And no I don't plan on giving up either of my Isuzu's in my lifetime. But thanks for asking. |
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| Ramzoom | Nov 21 2013, 09:24 PM Post #6 |
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My best friend in high school received a 2 door 1986 hand me down from his sister..it was maroon with tan interior..we took it everywhere..usually surfing. I was in that thing all the time and loved it. Shortly thereafter another friend that surfed with us was looking for something and I helped find him a really nice original owner 88 4 door. It was white on the upper portion and that gold color on the bottom with a red pinstripe breaking the two colors..Again, I was in that Trooper all the time..I finally bought my first Trooper which was a dark grey 1988 4 door in 1996. I had bought a new Nissan and the payments were killing us..We had a new baby and needed to ease up on the bills so I found the 88 and sold the new Nissan..Drove that for a few years. My in-laws owned a clean 89 in that copper color..it was kind of a fugly color but the Trooper was so clean. Many years later I decided to find one and restore it as an everyday driver. I picked up my 1990 a couple years ago and have gone through most everything. Some days I want to push it off a cliff but now that its pretty well sorted out I have been enjoying it a lot. I have always loved driving these things...I love the box styling..the 2nd gens got too soft and refined for me. I have met (online) lots of nice helpful people..Jerry Lemond is a heck of a guy and has helped me a lot with new parts and advice...Johnny has always been available to talk to when I had question about an issue or even just some random Trooper junk I would like to do...Lots of other people through the forums and scoop purchases. I will say that driving my Trooper around town I rarely see another 1st. gen. I honestly do feel I am driving something cool and getting more and more scarce every year..Perhaps most people dont get it or just think I drive an old Isuzu but I take pride in the darn thing..I cant really forsee getting rid of it...Now I just need to get my flares installed and some other cool add ons..Truth is I dont even take mine off road..its a street hero..but I dont care..I love the stupid thing.. |
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| Deleted User | Nov 23 2013, 09:16 PM Post #7 |
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| kg4miq | Nov 29 2013, 02:56 AM Post #8 |
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We bought a house on acreage south of town a few years ago - a thirty minute drive into work every day. My daily driver was an '04 Chevy Duramax 2500HD and when diesel stayed upwards of $4 a gallon for so long, I had to look for something cheaper. There were days when, between the wife and I, we'd put over 300 hundred miles on vehicles, all just doing piddly stuff, like driving to/from work and shuffling kids to activities. About two years ago, we decided to get out of debt as well (whittled down approx. $40k in the last six months - WOOT!), so I started looking for a cheap, economical, easy-to-fix vehicle. I've always been a "fixer" of stuff, and I was actually looking for a mid-to-late '80s Toyota pickup. I stopped by a repair shop one day to inquire about a Toyota truck they had sitting out back, and the man said he couldn't sell that one, but he had a 1990 Isuzu Pickup he'd part with. I bought it and did the Weber carb conversion (BEST mod to a vehicle, ever). We sold my wife's 15-passenger van, and were looking for something with better fuel economy that could haul all six of us. In large part, due to John's video about "why I drive a Trooper," I decided to try and find a 1st gen Trooper locally. I already like the Isuzu four cylinder drivetrain, since it's so easy to maintain. Bought my first Trooper in August, after selling the Pickup, and then bought "Red" from Ernie Willis (ewillis on this forum, sassee over on PI forums), and just like that, we became a two-Trooper family. Bought another one (1991 model) yesterday (26 Nov), with a V6, just because I couldn't stand to see it disappear, and the kid I bought it from had no idea what he was doing. So, in a matter of four months, I'm up three Troopers - two '89s and a '91. And I'm working on getting a fourth one. Can't help stopping by pull-a-part at least twice a week to check on new arrivals and see if there's anything I can use later. Got a stockpile started. Yeah, it's an addiction. Edited by kg4miq, Nov 29 2013, 03:12 AM.
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| ewillis | Nov 30 2013, 10:57 AM Post #9 |
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I bought my first Trooper brand new off the showroom floor in 1994. I got back into Jeep CJ's for a while but the Zu's came back into the picture about 9 years ago and I have owned at least one Zu pretty much every since. I was up to 4 at one time but too much maintenance, took away from getting to play with them. Trimmed the herd down to the 2-98's this summer but I find myself with the first gen itch again already.......it think it will be a diesel this time though. I know where a mint 2.2T is If I can just get Gerald to sell it to me!!!
Edited by ewillis, Nov 30 2013, 10:59 AM.
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| johnny5ive | Nov 30 2013, 11:21 AM Post #10 |
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Bob Dunn's got a nice navy blue '86 that he's going to be selling. It's the one in the background of the Trooper Meet video. |
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