Pzuzu The Isuzu Build (RIP)

[Stomis]

The rattles/buzzes/etc can get annoying. That big lifted Tracker I had acquired a rattle a few years after I did the exhaust and I sorta lived with it for a while. Then finally it really bugged me so I looked...
...and it was the rear mount and I fixed it with parts in my toolbox in 5 minutes.



Good to hear.

Didn't Isuzu later use a D44 rear axle? Friend of mine robbed a 6 lug D44 with discs and a 4.xx ratio out of a Japanese SUV. I think it was an Isuzu.

Yep rodeos and amigos had the dana 44s. Either way its good enough for 33s

 

[Stomis]

So after fighting these exhaust butt clamps all morning they will not f'ing seal. I tried putting exhaust tape to take up the space in the one area they leak (at the joint) and I think it made it worse.

So Im over them and on to a proper solution. I cant put flange and regular u clamps on them because I wont be able to remove the y pipe. The way they separate I need to be able to remove the crossover clamp completely to pull the y pipe back.

So I was cruising some yota forums and found my solution. V band clamps. Theyre basically like a flange but with no donut.

You weld these on each pipe.

And then clamp them with this

And wahlah you get a butt joint that actually seals with no over lapping. Screw these summit butt joint clamps. I musta got lucky last time I used them...

 

[Stomis]

Well my exhaust stuff still isnt here. There was some sort of mix up with payment method. When the stuff wasnt here friday I went on their website and found they were waiting for me to mail them a check for some reason. So I got that resolved and now it should be here tuesday


Aside from that boring update Im thinking about shoving a 3.8 SC in this thing down the road. Initially I was just gonna pull the motor, hone the block, new bearings, rings and timing set when/if anything went wrong.

After talking with one of the machinists we use at work he said Id be much better off repowering it and Im leaning towards hes right. The beauty of it all is I can keep my trans/tcase if I switch my bell/front case half out to an early pattern that had the 2.8L 60* v6 in front of it.

On top of that Ill probably gain gas mileage and definitely power

 

[AJMBLAZER]

3.8 Buick uses that bolt pattern?

Didn't know that.

 

[imiceman44]

3.8 Buick uses that bolt pattern?

Didn't know that.

3.8 buick uses ctandard chevy pattern so if Isuzu also uses it then he's golden.
By the way I have a 0 miles Crate 3.8 from GM goodwrench still trying to figure out what to use it in after I sold my MGB roadster that was destined to get it.

 

[AJMBLAZER]

Then he can't use one with that 2.8L 60 degree bellhousing...

I may be missing something here.

 

[imiceman44]

Then he can't use one with that 2.8L 60 degree bellhousing...

I may be missing something here.

I reread his post and from what I understand, the isuzu used at one point, the 2.8l v6 so they have a belhousing to use with that tranny and the 2.8 was a chevy pattern in the S10 which is the same as the isuzu pickups.
So I think it is doable.

 

[AJMBLAZER]

The 2.8L V6 had an odd pattern that was not the common Chevy pattern. Common swaps in the early S10's were the 3.4L V6 which was an upgrade and "non sucky" 60 degree V6 or just eliminating the whole mess in favor of a 4.3L or SBC with the standard pattern.

Back then Isuzu pickups were different. Wasn't until the second S10 body style that the Isuzus became the same.

 

[imiceman44]

The 2.8L V6 had an odd pattern that was not the common Chevy pattern. Common swaps in the early S10's were the 3.4L V6 which was an upgrade and "non sucky" 60 degree V6 or just eliminating the whole mess in favor of a 4.3L or SBC with the standard pattern.

Back then Isuzu pickups were different. Wasn't until the second S10 body style that the Isuzus became the same.

OK I remember the 3.4 being the upgrade and the fact you couldn't put the 4.3 instead without changing the tranny.
Now how would you be able to put the 3.8 then because I know for a fact the 3.8 is a chevy pattern?
And as for the isuzu and chevy being the same, the S10 is actually an isuzu design, even the chevy LUV was an isuzu.
For some years they had each their local running gear but the trcuk was a rebadge from Isuzu, chevy never built a mini truck from scratch.

 

[AJMBLAZER]

Not so sure on that Isuzu designing the S10 thing but whatever. Irrelevant.

 

[Stomis]

The 3.8 Buick is an oddball. It has a 60* bell pattern with a 90* cylinder separation. Isuzu has its own pattern and always has. The GM 4L30e autos they used were dual pattern isuzu and 60* GM. The early manual troopers used the same trans I have now but with a 60* bell. That bell on my trans would allow me to use a 2.8, 3.1, 3.4, or any variety of the 3.8

Im not dead set on the super charged model as they go for 3x what I could get a Camaro 3.8 for.

 

[imiceman44]

The 3.8 Buick is an oddball. It has a 60* bell pattern with a 90* cylinder separation. Isuzu has its own pattern and always has. The GM 4L30e autos they used were dual pattern isuzu and 60* GM. The early manual troopers used the same trans I have now but with a 60* bell. That bell on my trans would allow me to use a 2.8, 3.1, 3.4, or any variety of the 3.8

Im not dead set on the super charged model as they go for 3x what I could get a Camaro 3.8 for.

I can't argue with the rest but the BUICK 3.8 is a chevy pattern, I have one sitting here.
So the isuzu bell has dual pattern? interesting.

 

[Stomis]

I can't argue with the rest but the BUICK 3.8 is a chevy pattern, I have one sitting here.
So the isuzu bell has dual pattern? interesting.

Yes the buick 3.8 has the same bell as the chevy 2.8/3.1/3.4. Its a GM 60* bell pattern.

The isuzu autos have a dual pattern not the manuals.

 

[Stomis]

So my first trip out with this rig is coming up. Im going to Wharton State Forest with my fiance to do an over night camping/fishing trip.

Its about an hour drive and should be fun. Gotta put the straps and recovery gear in the truck just in case. Also might try to get my backdoor counter top built and a sleeping/gear platform that is flush with the rear seats.

 

[Stomis]

So we put camping off until next weekend. Turns out the place we're going is gonna be sweet but Pzuzu wont be involved lol. Its a 3 hour kayak ride into the camp spot and 4 hours out. Completely disconnected and only $2 a night

So yesterday I took the woman out to see Harry Potter. She had work today so I worked on the truck. One of the most essential things to an expedition vehicle is semi completed: The cargo/sleeping platform.

I did the boring work in the morning, replacing the front wheel studs and lug nuts. Then I hit lowes and got a 2x12x16 and a 1/2in sheet of plywood.

I started with this stuff

The trooper has hooks in the cargo area that I found under the plastic mat. So I cut slots on the mat so I could access the hooks as tie downs for the platform so it doesnt rattle or move.

Little cutting, fitting, remeasuring, re cutting later and I got this.

Its about 1.5 inches too tall. Since I dont have a table saw Im gonna disassemble and rip the frame pieces down. In retrospect 2x10 probably woulda been perfect since I doubled up the plywood on top.

Its nice because I had alot of unusable height space in the back of the truck so now I can stick tow straps, tools, etc under the platform and put large stuff on top and obviously sleep on it. A queen airbed should squish in perfect.

Once its ripped down Im gonna paint the frame and wrap the top with some gray indoor out door carpet.

 

[StevoandaRedK5]

I like it.

 

[Deuling]

Idk if i missed it or not but how long is it from the seats folded down to the back of that??? I feel like its too short for some reason. but you may not be as tall as me idk lol.

I was thinking of making some type of platform that can fold out and hook into the hitch and run up behind the lowered tailgate on the K5, and run some type of custom tarp to the topper with a small foldable framework for camping. This is a rough rough sketch

 

[Stomis]

Idk if i missed it or not but how long is it from the seats folded down to the back of that??? I feel like its too short for some reason. but you may not be as tall as me idk lol.

I was thinking of making some type of platform that can fold out and hook into the hitch and run up behind the lowered tailgate on the K5, and run some type of custom tarp to the topper with a small foldable framework for camping. This is a rough rough sketch

Im a tall **** lol. Thats not a bad idea, only problem I see is that in cold weather you may find yourself, well cold. I plan on making/finding some sort of inflatable filler to take up the leg room in the back seat. That plus folding the seat forward as a "riser" will give me another foot.

I really on plan on using this during the winter, or at least thats what Im thinking. We have a minimalist 2 man tent and air mattress for the rest of the year.



Like I had mentioned Im going away this thursday/friday on my kayak middle of nowhere camping excursion. I plan on picking up some metal to start tackling roof racks and maybe even a front bumper tomorrow morning before I leave.

 

[Deuling]

Well I go camping memorial weekend and laborday weekend so its normally pretty warm all the time lol. I was thinking a frame made of conduit or something light, that could all fold up for storage, but have push buttons on the blazer topper and along the framework and I could have a family friend custom make me some sort of canvas top with a zipper in the back. Then have it all fold up, chuck it in the back of the blazer and head home. or simply pop the push buttons off, take the bottom out of the hitch and throw it on the ground, and go wheelin for a bit and pop it back up when ya get back.

 

[Stomis]

My interesting weekend story:

Our whole camping trip was a huge fail. First it was 104* out, figured we'd tough it out and be on a river to keep cool anyway. Then we get there and find out the lady completely neglected to tell us we needed some sort of transport from the bottom of the river back to the top due to the fact that we couldnt paddle back up it. We had been under the assumption it was a lazy river and could paddle back up.

So we camp in the woods where we can drive to for the first night in anticipation of finding a canoe shuttle the next day. Four miles in the woods we're sleeping and my GF wakes me up saying theres something outside the tent going through our **** and she heard it panting up by the tent. So I get out with a flashlight and pocket knife to find a poor lost house cat 15 mins later. It was super happy to see people so we fed it and figured the poor thing was lost so we turned around and headed home and rescued the cat. lol what an adventure...


Back to the build:

Today I actually managed to work on something. I got my roof racks 75% framed. Tomorrow I will put light mounts, and the rack to truck mounts on it, finish framing it and paint it. Ill shoot some photos too.

What a paint in the ass it was making a 100% truly square frame w/ no true flat table...