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AMU's Amigo (aka MU)

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Re: AMU's Amigo (aka MU)

Postby NastyAMU » Wed Nov 24, 2010 12:54 pm

So I got around to fixing the broken sway bar link. I was going to replace it with a stock type, but it's a PITA on the trail to undo. So I went with an increased diameter bolt (hoping not to break it again) with a spacer, like the aftermarket ones. So this is what the old and new links look like:
ImageImage
1994 Isuzu Amigo 4wd 2.6 5spd with MU nurf bars/hatchback hardtop, UK Vauxhall Frontera Sport hardtop and safari snorkel
1990 Nissan Skyline... :( now sold since I'm in the states.
2008 Toyota RAV4 slightly modded
1970 Nissan Laurel a new project
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Re: AMU's Amigo (aka MU)

Postby muzila » Wed Nov 24, 2010 6:20 pm

you could always make some disconnects for your swaybar...

There should be a PDF somewhere on the board on how to make em. If not yell out I send it to you.
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Re: AMU's Amigo (aka MU)

Postby geeves » Thu Nov 25, 2010 2:33 pm

easy way is to make that sleeve U shaped and drill a hole through it to put a R clip through to hold in place. Makeing the sleeve longer will give more travel.
I had that settup for a while but got frustrated putting them back at the end of the day lieing in mud while more mud dripped on my face so went back to factory but only have it connected for roadworthy inspections. 10 minutes in a nice warm dry garage the day before followed by another 10 the day after then 6 months no worries
Sanding your knuckles before starting work can help. That way you cant skin them
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Re: AMU's Amigo (aka MU)

Postby NastyAMU » Fri Nov 26, 2010 12:15 am

Yeah, I've been considering options for making QD's for the sway bar. I'm still torn on the removable spacer, not sure how much slack/play there would be without the bushings pre-loaded. Since I tend to corner pretty hard on the road... what can I say, I love corners. I've toyed with some sort of link in the middle, so the bushing would be pre-loaded, but I'd have to find a place to make them. That's a project that's lower on the list due to my other project car having some things that are higher priority... Maybe two project cars was a bad idea.
1994 Isuzu Amigo 4wd 2.6 5spd with MU nurf bars/hatchback hardtop, UK Vauxhall Frontera Sport hardtop and safari snorkel
1990 Nissan Skyline... :( now sold since I'm in the states.
2008 Toyota RAV4 slightly modded
1970 Nissan Laurel a new project
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Re: AMU's Amigo (aka MU)

Postby Captcol » Fri Nov 26, 2010 3:30 am

NEVER! wash your mouth out young man!
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Re: AMU's Amigo (aka MU)

Postby NastyAMU » Fri Nov 26, 2010 6:41 am

Yeah, you're right, good thing I said maybe. Since lately my projects on the toys have been overlapping. I figured should post a few pics of the two together:
Image
Image
Image
Image
1994 Isuzu Amigo 4wd 2.6 5spd with MU nurf bars/hatchback hardtop, UK Vauxhall Frontera Sport hardtop and safari snorkel
1990 Nissan Skyline... :( now sold since I'm in the states.
2008 Toyota RAV4 slightly modded
1970 Nissan Laurel a new project
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Re: AMU's Amigo (aka MU)

Postby chrisfnq » Sat Nov 27, 2010 9:37 pm

I like the original plates on front and new mexico on back.... great looking projects...
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Re: AMU's Amigo (aka MU)

Postby NastyAMU » Sun Nov 28, 2010 1:04 pm

Thanks! They definitely keep me busy!
Here's what I did today:
Image
Image
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It was a fun day, but after finally finding a trail I like, I definitely need a pair of lockers!
Image
Image
1994 Isuzu Amigo 4wd 2.6 5spd with MU nurf bars/hatchback hardtop, UK Vauxhall Frontera Sport hardtop and safari snorkel
1990 Nissan Skyline... :( now sold since I'm in the states.
2008 Toyota RAV4 slightly modded
1970 Nissan Laurel a new project
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Re: AMU's Amigo (aka MU)

Postby chrisfnq » Tue Nov 30, 2010 2:45 am

cool pics.. looks like some nice country..
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Re: AMU's Amigo (aka MU)

Postby gomulletgo » Thu Dec 02, 2010 5:38 am

Is that SR20DET plate for real? Can we have a pic of the engine bay please :)
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Re: AMU's Amigo (aka MU)

Postby NastyAMU » Thu Dec 02, 2010 1:39 pm

gomulletgo wrote:Is that SR20DET plate for real? Can we have a pic of the engine bay please :)

Yep, the SR20DET plate is for real, in both manners.
It's an actual registered plate, and here's the engine pics from the install:
Image
Image
Image
There's still a lot more to do to it, but it'll come along. But it has been running since the end of August... two days before it was put into it's shipping container.
1994 Isuzu Amigo 4wd 2.6 5spd with MU nurf bars/hatchback hardtop, UK Vauxhall Frontera Sport hardtop and safari snorkel
1990 Nissan Skyline... :( now sold since I'm in the states.
2008 Toyota RAV4 slightly modded
1970 Nissan Laurel a new project
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Re: AMU's Amigo (aka MU)

Postby NastyAMU » Sun Jan 02, 2011 5:25 pm

Well, I'm back after a short vacation. Ended up going out on a trip right before leaving, went out on a really good trail. Looking forward to going again. Also, since I'm back I finally changed my rear spring bushings and the shackle.

First, here's a few pics from the outing before the vacation:
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Here's a hill top we took a break on, coming down I decided to take a different route... Here's the path I chose:
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Just taking a break on the trail:
Image

After getting back home, it was time to get the rear leaf spring bushings replaced with polyurethane ones. While doing that, I finally switched out the rear shackles. I'd already installed Calmini HD shackles a long time ago, but when I was in Japan I picked up these extended shackles from an MU in a junkyard (the Calmini one's on the right, the new one on the left):
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As you can see it's a much longer shackle. Considering the Calmini one is already a little longer than stock. Here's the shackle installed, you can see just how much more lift it gave:
Image
Here's a pic (granted a bad one) of the new stance. I also cranked the front torsion bars up a little bit more to equal it out:
Image
1994 Isuzu Amigo 4wd 2.6 5spd with MU nurf bars/hatchback hardtop, UK Vauxhall Frontera Sport hardtop and safari snorkel
1990 Nissan Skyline... :( now sold since I'm in the states.
2008 Toyota RAV4 slightly modded
1970 Nissan Laurel a new project
NastyAMU
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Re: AMU's Amigo (aka MU)

Postby Captcol » Sun Jan 02, 2011 8:00 pm

a noticable difference, looks good!
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Re: AMU's Amigo (aka MU)

Postby NastyAMU » Thu Jan 06, 2011 3:00 pm

Well, I've been having some rough idle issues, on occasion missing and hesitating a little under throttle. I've already been through new cap/rotor/wires and plugs (twice on plugs and wires). It made thinks better, but slowly degrades. So I've been wondering about my coil, and wasn't sure what options I had. But I decided to get the Accel universal super street coil and installed it:
Image
So far it's straightened out my idle and the hesitation.
1994 Isuzu Amigo 4wd 2.6 5spd with MU nurf bars/hatchback hardtop, UK Vauxhall Frontera Sport hardtop and safari snorkel
1990 Nissan Skyline... :( now sold since I'm in the states.
2008 Toyota RAV4 slightly modded
1970 Nissan Laurel a new project
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Re: AMU's Amigo (aka MU)

Postby NastyAMU » Mon Apr 04, 2011 11:32 am

Well, I've been feeling like a change, so this weekend I felt it was time to switch the tops again. So I took the UK top off, rear roll bars and seats out and put the Japanese top and third brake light back on:
Image
Image
I touched them up with some bed liner, so the top matches better than it did before.
1994 Isuzu Amigo 4wd 2.6 5spd with MU nurf bars/hatchback hardtop, UK Vauxhall Frontera Sport hardtop and safari snorkel
1990 Nissan Skyline... :( now sold since I'm in the states.
2008 Toyota RAV4 slightly modded
1970 Nissan Laurel a new project
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Re: AMU's Amigo (aka MU)

Postby MattWest » Mon May 02, 2011 5:19 pm

Did your truck have a factory steering stabilzer or was it an aftermarket kit? Just looking in to it now as Im having issues with steering wobble and am thinking/hoping the addition of one of these might fix it....any thoughts?

Great cars by the way!
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Re: AMU's Amigo (aka MU)

Postby geeves » Fri May 06, 2011 2:54 pm

Lifted wagons can suffer bump steer.A replacement center arm I fitted to my wagon had the mounts for a stabiliser but the original did not
Sanding your knuckles before starting work can help. That way you cant skin them
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Re: AMU's Amigo (aka MU)

Postby NastyAMU » Mon Jun 27, 2011 10:51 am

MattWest wrote:Did your truck have a factory steering stabilzer or was it an aftermarket kit? Just looking in to it now as Im having issues with steering wobble and am thinking/hoping the addition of one of these might fix it....any thoughts?

Great cars by the way!

Sorry, been gone for a little while. Mine actually can with a factory steering stabilizer, even though whenever I look for parts, the stores don't list it as having one. But there are the kits available for models without it that should bolt right in.
1994 Isuzu Amigo 4wd 2.6 5spd with MU nurf bars/hatchback hardtop, UK Vauxhall Frontera Sport hardtop and safari snorkel
1990 Nissan Skyline... :( now sold since I'm in the states.
2008 Toyota RAV4 slightly modded
1970 Nissan Laurel a new project
NastyAMU
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Vehicle: 1994 Isuzu Amigo with MU/ Frontera hardtops, Safari Snorkel

Re: AMU's Amigo (aka MU)

Postby Captcol » Mon Jun 27, 2011 8:17 pm

I talked to a few suppliers and they say there is not any listed kits for my truck
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Re: AMU's Amigo (aka MU)

Postby rod31 » Mon Jun 27, 2011 9:24 pm

oh ive seen that truck before over on the planet zoo. shes looking well. i have a lot off frends over in the uk that would kill to have that pick up bed cover :lol: you should join here http://www.fronteraowners.co.uk/forums/portal.php and put your build thread up im sure it would get alot of intrest.
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