Ok I have a debate that I have been dealing with. Basically I am at a crossroads with my 1998 Isuzu.

As it sits now it is a unique off road machine. But it is a trailer queen and with some effort could be made to be street-able again. But never for California or Utah.

I really like it and it will go just about anywhere I point it.

I could spend some money and time with it and keep hitting the trails as it sits, and after a cage is installed.

I could have it tubed out, which would make for a very fun off road toy and I could continue to beat it up without concerns for the body. But then it's no longer a unique off road vehicle.

I could have it tubed out and try to put some Isuzu skin back on but depending on how much skin could effect the over all tube buggy performance.

Or I could sell it.

The Jeep is pretty fun to drive and I can drive it to the trails. I can run on a two track and not be so concerned on finding a bigger rock to play on. The Jeep has brought me back to my off road roots which is just taking off and getting out. I can enjoy the scenery, friends and not worry about trailering. I can enjoy a two track road or deal with some obstacles and still drive back home.

So I am still unclear about what I should do. If I sell it how much should I ask? I know I will never get out of it what I have into it but what is reasonable?

Ack! Please offer your two bits so I can hopefully decide.

Thanks!

What should I do with Slinky? single choice
	Keep it and add a cage
	Tube it out for some buggy fun
	Tube it out and re-skin it
	Sell it
Votes accepted starting: 08/06/07 05:00 AM You must vote before you can view the results of this poll.

Michael, dude, you can't sell it no matter what!

Do you have any idea to how many of us you've been an inspiration.

I mean, when i just found the wire back in 2000 your's was the one that got me in to lifting. Before i saw it all i wanted to do was just take mine off-road & see if i can hang with bigger truck. But once i saw your's flexed out i wanted to some day be able to build mine in to some thing similar (if not bigger <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/nana.gif" alt="" />).

But again the final decision is up to you.

Just my humble $.02

Yeah I say keep it....It seems that lot of the legendary isuzu's are get scrapped and dissaperring. Matts RS and Joe D's solid axle rodeo, Joe's got a sweet trooper now but the rodeo was known world wide just like Matt's RS and aswell as your amigo...

When its not being wheeled It should be in a museum <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />

I voted for the cage, but really just so I could have grounds to comment.

This may be heresy to say on this board, but I don't think that we owe Isuzu or the Isuzu brand anything, nor do I think that Isuzu owes us anything.

Probably most of us bought an Isuzu initially because it was a good to great bargain for the price and had decent capabilities. In the case of Slinky, and increasingly so for the rest of us, there is little left of Isuzu origins other than the skin and the engine. Even the engine is no longer stock for an increasing number of vehicles.

I spent a Saturday 10 days ago at a Good Guys (hot rods for the uninitiated). The same questions are asked over and over there. Is a fiberglass '32 roadster body on a tube frame with an XKE rear suspension and axle, a 350/TH350 drivetrain and Nova front axle a Ford?

In my mind the real question is what do you want to do with your vehicle(s). You have already proved that your Jeep can do most, if not all the trails at Moab, with a perhaps a couple of exceptions. Do you want to do more extreme trails?

Or do you want to use your amazingly equipped and prepared Jeep for what it is more than capable of doing now?

On the other hand, are you going to be tempted to modify the jeep to the extent that it will no longer serve as a dependable DD?

It's your money and your decision.

I say cage it in a way that it could become the buggy if you go that route.

Troy

If you want a tube buggy, use Slinky. If you don't sell it and wheel the Jeep.

I'm trying to think why anyone would want to keep a rig like that full bodied with an exo. You can get the weight down by ditching most of the body and get the cage tighter too for a narrower rig.

If you roll up the windows and turn on the air, then there is room for discussion.

I had the same dilemma with the StinkBug. I wanted to be able to run all the hardcore stuff with my friends in buggies, but I really like to go exploring, camping, and just cruisin hwy 101 in my rig. In the end I managed to find another rig to part out and turn in to a buggy and now I'm pretty dang happy. I actually had another trail rig fall into my lap last week, and didn't even consider keeping it. It'll be for sale as soon as I'm done cleaning it up. I never say no to new toys, so I must like the current ones <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

I voted tube and reskin. I really love buggies that look like something, and I'd love to see an amigo bodied rig. That was my original plan for the trooper buggy, but the donor ended up being a trooper and not my amigo. I also think it could be done without compromising it's capabilities. If you look at my trooper, or the RedBull buggies, or the fabtech ford ranger, they all look somewhat recognizable, but are still able to run the hardest obstacles out there. Just keep in mind that you WILL have to replace body panels from time to time.

Dallas

Just wanted to add some examples of bodied buggies.







Dallas

Michael,
Inspired me is an EXTREME understatement! When we went to Moab the first time I was in awe! Yours was the only vehicle I wanted to see. I remember standing next to it reading the "you must be this tall to ride" sticker thinking I was short. Your magazine cover is still on my table. When Swordy asked me what I wanted my 98 Amigo to look like I said like Mikey's (and a touch of Corbins exo). Ya gotta keep it! It's it's it's FAMOUS!

Deby

I agree. By going with a tube structure you could improve clearance and capability while still keeping the Amigo body lines which I love so much. At least keep the bigger pieces of fenders and hood.