The Amigo now:
From humble beginnings:
This site is devoted to my second love... my '93 Isuzu Amigo XS 4x4. This is actually the second Amigo I've owned (the first had an unplanned collision with 5 trees after another motorist thought he needed to swerve into my lane while I was right beside him).
When I bought the Amigo in '99, it was completely stock with some minor tailgate damage and engine problems. I replaced the tailgate w/ the one from my old Amigo (same color luckily) and got the engine to run reliably. I had it for a few months and decided that I liked it enough to keep it for at least 5 or so years and decided it would be worth dropping some money into it to fit my particular interests.
It came equipped w/ the "big" Amigo engine, the 2.6L MPFI 4 banger, 31" street tires, and a very nice factory 4 wheel drive system. This is specifically an off road use only 4 wheel drive system that is geared nice and low (4.56 diffs, 2.42t-case). And that is what gave me the starting point as to how the truck should be upgraded.
The first step was to ditch the tread-bare Michelins for a pair of 31x10.50R15 Pirelli Scorpion AT's. I considered getting rims at this time, but I really liked how the factory aluminum ones looked and decided to keep them. Next, the "budget" shocks the previous owner had put on and the low-quality 2" shackle lift got tossed in favor of some Rancho 5000's and stock shackles from my old Amigo. When your vehicle has a wheel base as short as an Amigo, anything that improves ride comfort is worth the money. The 5000s are a bit harsh for a smaller vehicle, but are liveable until I do a proper lift and upgrade to longer shocks. With the suspension covered (for now), it was time to move on to the power plant.
The factory 2.6 was rated at 120 hp at the crank... which is what, 90 hp at the rear wheels. I don't know for sure, but the number definitely needed brought up. Engine upgrades are as follows...
~K&N air filter w/ custom ram air set-up
~NGK superconductor plugs w/ Accel 8mm wires
~Jacobs Electronics rotor
I also had the jungle of a factory exhaust cut out and replaced w/ 2 1/4 inch aluminized tubing that runs straight back to an empty catalytic converter, then to a Turbo-pack muffler before exiting behind the back drivers-side tire. If you ever have a chance to look under an Amigo, go for it and you will see why "jungle" is such an appropriate word for the stock exhaust.
All of these upgrades were at best probably only good for 10hp at the wheels, but the performance differences are like night and day over the original.
