Hi guys. Two months ago I was bored at work and had to take a 5 minute break to get the spirit back. By accident I found an ad for an Frontera Sport in mint condition which I found damn awesome. Had never noticed that car before, something that is quite strange cause I am quite into cars, but they are very rare as 3 door here in Norway so that could be the reason. Anyway, I went back to work but after some time I just had to have another look at the ad. I got addicted.
It seems as most people at the forum got a Isuzu branded car so here an introduction to the European market:
At the late 80's small GTi's dominated as youths car preferace in Europe. Based on insurance companies' evaluations this was the reason for to many accidents so they increased the premium to a unbearable level. Car companies had to find another type of cars to tempt youths with. At the time GM owned both Isuzu and Opel/Vauxhall. Opel were no big on terrain vehicles and Isuzu were not a trusted trademark in Europe so GM decided to brand the car as Opel Frontera. In the Isuzu markets the car was branded as Wizard/Mu or Rodeo/Amigo, but in Europe it was only called Frontera with the ending Sport when it had 3 doors. To suite youths economy they equiped the 3 door with Opel's 2 litre 115hp petrol engine C20NE. From what I can see the sales numbers were not high and it seams as they tried another approach in 95' when they introduced the Mistral model. I guess this model should try to hit the yap culture with purple bullbar, side steps and stickers, and a heavier taxed 2.8 litre diesel, the Isuzu 4JB1-TC. In difference from the other markets they had a factory installed intercooler and another air filter box at the engine compartments right and the battery at left, and were pumping 113 horses.
At the time I found the mint condition Frontera I had a BMW E39 I had to get rid of so before I got money to buy the Frontera it got sold.
The one I found first had the C20NE, probably an under-powered engine for the car. When I got rid of the BMW I found a Mistral. It had a shabby body, but the chassi without rust, it had only done 237000km and the rust on the shabby body was not worse than that I can stop it with some evenings' effort. So it's not the sweetest rig on the forum, but I share it with you anyway since it is the Opel version.
Modifications and Accessories: Increased the boost from 0,7bar to 0,9bar(13psi). A quarter turn + on the fuel pump.
Suspension: Original
Body Lift: No, think I will keep it this way
Tyres/Wheels: Enkei at summer (quite proud of these, Enkei is bad ass), black painted white-spoke rims at winter.
Traction Aids: (LSD, auto lockers or Air/electric lockers etc) Not sure, but the back is working hard when turning full at solid ground with the 4 wheel drive engaged.
Bullbar: Original Mistral bar, bad black paint. Have to redo this.
Spot lights and Lighting: A pair of extra high beams
Communications/GPS: No
Dual Batteries: No
Engine: 4JB1-TC
Exhaust: Original. Will make 2,5" with free flow silencers as soon as I get some time to weld it.
Sound system: Have to put in some stuff before the winter.
External: (any other bits you've done,snorkle, rock, sliders/bar work, roof rack, boonet scoops flares etc)
Internal: (any interanl mods, like false floor, water storage, storage slide etc)
Others: Mistral sidestep painted black. Have to redo this cause the previous owner did not grind it before putting on the paint.
Future plans: The first thing I will do is to grind and put on some acid and paint on the bodywork's rust. When I get on
a 2,5" exhaust I will install a exhaust temperature sensor and increase the fuel pump some more. Am considering to
give it a complete paintjob next summer cause I think they are quite neat in red. But the winter is coming and me I my girlfriends other
car is a Opel Calibra with a body kit. That's useless in the winter so we have to depend on the Frontera the comming 5 months. Therefor my first concern is only to make sure that the rust will not grow during the winter.
Pictures:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-onAy ... AG0634.jpg
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-QOT6 ... AG0635.jpg
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Y1d- ... AG0637.jpg
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-X6cF ... AG0636.jpg
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-nIuL ... AG0638.jpg