My new DD, my baby, my other "grail".

[IPD]

Flew out to San Diego on Saturday to pick this up. Drove it back to Phoenix. No proper pics yet, but here's the ones from the CL ad.

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f17/inperfectdarkness/00M0M_9ILNEXLd0ht_600x450_zpsw8olhmzx.jpg~original
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f17/inperfectdarkness/00S0S_2Uv8kbZ5Ggl_600x450_zpswvv6b6jm.jpg~original
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f17/inperfectdarkness/01313_iAKnWogRUlV_600x450_zpsueiuiesm.jpg~original
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f17/inperfectdarkness/00E0E_7FchBD1vJdX_600x450_zpssijsrrrf.jpg~original
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f17/inperfectdarkness/00s0s_jc7eTb11aBI_600x450_zpsyl6glaxf.jpg~original
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f17/inperfectdarkness/00202_iiLBZxMWRew_600x450_zpsnbuy6lbe.jpg~original
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f17/inperfectdarkness/00D0D_fk1MsYGKOIV_600x450_zpsvhsunmtg.jpg~original
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f17/inperfectdarkness/00g0g_aqYQtQVeLKn_600x450_zpsmtxr0sde.jpg~original

Got it with 82,250 miles on it. Runs like a top. Paid a downright obscene price for it. Not going to lift it or anything like that. Plan to keep it mechanically stock, just drive & enjoy. I'm elated that I finally own what is--I would argue--the one of the finest examples of off-road engineering of it's time. For shits & giggles.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plHhQWURXdA

[anyonebutme]

That video............wow.

[IPD]

Hey, let's not act like the 3/s tech videos were any better....

P.S.
I probably won't get new wheels for this for a long time. Damn tires had only 2000 miles on them when i got it. I'm thinking about vinyl wrapping the body though, and putting "everblack" or similar on the cladding.

[j2k4]

How will you be incorporating the required purple, Carlos?

[IPD]

How will you be incorporating the required purple, Carlos?

JDM Vehicross Brochure (http://www.vehicross.info/showthread.php/20434-JDM-Vehicross-Brochure)

someday....it will get a vinyl wrap, and in a stock color too.

[Rom3BreaK]

I was always a fan of those, went as far as to look up any for sale after seeing one in the wild for the first time, but the good ones were too rich for me.

It's got that ugly/attractive kind of look to it that I'm always drawn to, reminds me of the juke.

[CoreyB]

Congrats on the purchase. I know you have wanted one forever. One of the most horrendous looking vehicles ever made though....

[IPD]

Congrats on the purchase. I know you have wanted one forever. One of the most horrendous looking vehicles ever made though....

I don't see it. Aztek, perhaps. Multipla, sure. Juke especially. But the VX isn't ugly at all to me--not even remotely. Body dimensions are perfect. Could use some minor tweaking up front, sure. And the dash is rather dated--of course. And It can't be the body cladding...because if you hate that, then you would also hate this:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/82/Jeep_Wrangler_X_--_10-06-2010.jpg/1280px-Jeep_Wrangler_X_--_10-06-2010.jpg

The thing is, I like my vehicles to look futuristic, not like watered-down throwbacks. Isuzu started a trend with this vehicle--by manufacturing a vehicle nearly identical to a concept car; heretofore unprecedented. Nissan took the idea and ran with it in the 2000s. Unfortunately, the ceramic die process meant that less than 5000 ever made it to the states, so they're as rare as hen's teeth--especially in the condition I found this one in.

I do wish more vehicles (besides cramped sports cars) showed more creative flair in cosmetic design. Unfortunately, there's a lot of people who "hate" a design--no matter how it ends up, so manufacturers always stick to unimaginative, boring designs that don't off-put people--but also don't excite anyone.

Not that :corey:'s taste matters anyways. He still thinks Tom Brady is innocent...so we know how much creedo his opinion has.

[CoopKill]

WHat kind of mileage does the Chevy get?

[Ange]

cool car. never seen one

[IPD]

WHat kind of mileage does the Chevy get?

I was getting about 20-21MPG on the way back from San Diego. But it was also balls hot, so I dunno if that affected the MPG. I don't think that's too terrible for a 16 year old, 2-ton vehicle.


...but please, let's not consider this as having ANYTHING to do with Chevy. There's no way Chevy would have the audacity or forward thinking to design something cosmetically beautiful like the VX, put recaro leather seats in it stock, or make a full-time AWD, torque-on-demand system like Isuzu did. About the only thing GM on this is the radiator & a few other small bits.

[IPD]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LCa-U9Aa1k

...although they voice-over could be a LOT better than stephen freaking hawking...

*edit*

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSkacZvcB7Q

AMC eagle. yep. Now I see it.

[j2k4]

Carlos - review this, then scroll down:

Was The Dodge Stealth The Most '90s Car Of The '90s? (http://jalopnik.com/was-the-dodge-stealth-the-most-90s-car-of-the-90s-1728076424?rev=1441150290927&utm_campaign=socialflow_jalopnik_facebook&utm_source=jalopnik_facebook&utm_medium=socialflow)

[CoopKill]

I was under the impression the v6 (vortec?) was GM product

[IPD]

I was under the impression the v6 (vortec?) was GM product

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isuzu_V_engine

[ICPREY]

This one is local to me, need another for parts?lol. Rare find!! A must see!! (http://lancaster.craigslist.org/ctd/5244098978.html)

[IPD]

Not that I need another currently, heh. I actually paid less for one with 1/2 the miles--but even still, that seems a solid buy. Colin, I didn't know you were in PA these days. You need a set of 18" Volk GT-C's? lol!

[ICPREY]

Yea I've been in PA for almost two years now. I miss the Georgia winters,but you have to go where the job is. I'm good on rims right now considering I have my motor/trans pulled for a clutch swap and valve stem seal replacements.

[HilbillyHomeboy]

What are the odds? There's a guy in the FB group looking to trade one of these for a running VR-4, clean SL, or late model M5 SOHC.

Jeremy

[IPD]

Wow. He must be touched in the head. No way I'd trade this thing. Not for any VR4 in the world. I've seen a dozen 3/s's in Utah since I got here, and NO VX's.

[J-Groove]

Awesome that you found one! I know you were looking for a while.

There is one I see locally from time to time, black, lifted a bit, and done up for off road. Looks awesome!

-John

[IPD]

Finally got some pics. Here's what HE looks like after some CF GTS light covers, rain guards, hitch, floor mats & dash mat are installed. (Sun was glaring, so hard to get good pics).

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f17/inperfectdarkness/20151015_151903_zpsh9vdas3b.jpg~original
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f17/inperfectdarkness/20151015_152224_zpsudvnjnpo.jpg~original
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f17/inperfectdarkness/20151015_152008_zpslxjymmpa.jpg~original
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f17/inperfectdarkness/20151015_152143_zpsq3ogil94.jpg~original
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f17/inperfectdarkness/20151015_152017_zps3ks5af6j.jpg~original



------

Next up is undercoating it so it won't rust in the Utah winter. Tint & wheels when I can get them. Going to line-X the cladding in jet-black (UV protectant). Undecided on the paint, but will either be vinyl wrap or (what I'm increasingly leaning towards), colored line-x (minimal grit, UV protectant, gloss finish, maybe even some metallic flake or something).

[2fnloud]

That cladding will look great coated in Line-X