i have wanted to run a car in the baja 1000 for a long time. i have looked at a lot of different platforms and now that i have an isuzu i think that they have potential. i have thought about either a early 90's amigo or a trooper II. i think that i would run an early 3.1 turbo diesel with the chain drive came shaft. i dont know a lot about this engine but i have heard that they are bullet proof. i would go with a 2.6 but i dont know if it would have the power or reliability even with a heavy casting head. any way, any thoughts would be cool. i probably wont get around to doing any thing for a while but it would give me something to work for. any pics would be cool to.

http://www.bajainsider.com/driving-baja/isuzu-troopers.htm
http://www.theautochannel.com/news/press/date/19990617/press025243.html

Isuzu Victories

Amigo
o First in Class, 1998 SCORE Baja 1000
o First in Class, 1999 SCORE Baja 500

Pickup
o First in Class and Third Overall, 2002 Marathon des Batekes (African rally) P�UP
o First in Class, 1984 SCORE Baja 1000
o First in Class, 1985 SCORE Baja 500

Rodeo
o First in Class, 1992 Alcan Winter Rally
o First Overall, 1994 Alcan Winter Rally
o First and Second Overall, 1996 Alcan Winter Rally
o First and Third in Class and Second Overall, 2000 Alcan Winter Rally

Rodeo Sport
o Second in Class, SCORE 2002 Laughlin Desert Challenge
o First in Class, SCORE 2002 San Felipe 250
o First in Class, 2002 SCORE Baja 500
o Second in Class, 2002 SCORE Henderson�s Terrible 250
o First in Class, 2002 SCORE Las Vega Primm 300
o Second in Class, SCORE Baja 100
o First in Class, 2002 SCORE Desert Race Series

Trooper
o First in Class, 1994 Paris-Dakar Rally
o First Overall, 1995 Playstation Round Australia
o First Overall, 1996 Australian Safari
o First and Second Overall, 1998 Playstation Round Australia
o First Overall, 2000-2002 Australian Safari
o Second Overall, 2001 Australian Safari
o First in Class, 2002 Australian Safari
o Second in Class, 2002 Alcan 5000

VehiCROSS
o Third in Class, 1998 SCORE Baja 1000
o First in Class, 1999 Australian Safari
o First and Second Overall, 2001 Asia Cross-Country Rally

Highlights
o A Rodeo became the first SUV to ever win the Alcan Winter Rally in 1994.
o A Trooper has won the Australian Safari outright five times, including the last three years in a row.
o Isuzu amassed seven of the top ten places in the Asia Cross Country Rally in 2001.
o One or more Isuzu vehicles finished the Dakar Rally (where typically half the entries do not finish) for six years in a row.
o An Amigo became the first stock production SUV to challenge Pikes Peak.

thanks man. any advice on engine? my guess is that all of the troopers that you have listed there are turbo diesel.

They very well might have been diesels, don't know...I have no experience with diesels, but there is an Isuzu diesel forum here that might help.

ill se what i can find out.

A pic of the 1984 Isuzu Pup in the Baja!

thats pretty sweet. at the moment i am thinking about a striped down trooper. i just dont know if i want to go with a trooper II or a newer model.