One-Owner Survivor: 1986 Isuzu Space Cab Pickup 4X4
























If as an automotive enthusiast you've been paying attention to the recent auction trends, then you may have noticed that vintage Japanese vehicles are on the rise in terms of collectability. The rise has especially favored vintage Japanese trucks, especially ones that have optional four-wheel drive. A prime candidate and rarely-seen in any condition is this 1986 Isuzu Space-Cab pickup 4X4, which also has the desirable manual transmission. Find it here on eBay in Los Angeles, California, with reserve not met. 


















After being marketed for years as the Chevrolet LUV (Light Utility Vehicle) in the North American market and Chevrolet bringing its own midsize pickup to the market (the S10), Isuzu hit the ground running and rebadged the LUV as P'up (short for pickup). Available as a two-door pickup or extended-cab (Space Cab) pickup, the P'up was sold from 1981 to 1991. This P'up is a 1986 Space Cab model, and is a rare sight in any condition today. Resplendent in a tri-tone paint job (white, tan and black), the paint is faded and will need repainting, but the truck is fairly solid overall. I dig the raised roof and the huge side and rear window, but hopefully these will never break, as finding replacement ones will be like finding the proverbial needle in the haystack. I would get the truck repainted, fit the wheels with a set of Cooper Discoverer AT/3s, and daily this truck during the nice weather.

As with most Isuzu P'ups from this era, this truck is powered by the 2.3L gasoline four cylinder. Rated at 96 horsepower, the engine is not much on power compared to today's engines, but most collectors prefer the diesel engine. Backed by the five-speed manual transmission, mileage is listed at 189,703, but the motor looks surprising clean at this mileage. I would run the motor to its last legs until an engine swap is necessitated. 
























Arguably the nicest part of the truck currently is the interior, which presents very nicely. The light interior has held up nicely considering the amount of time it's been on the west coast, though the carpet could use a bit of cleaning. The five-speed and four-wheel drive floor shifters are pretty cool looking, but I would ditch the cheap aftermarket stereo for a replacement OEM-looking one; I would then update the radio with modern guts. Overall, this P'up Space Cab is very solid, and this would be perfect to work on during the winter. What are your thoughts on this solid, western original Isuzu P'up Space Cab? 
Location: Los Angeles, CA, USA

Comments

  1. Leah CampbellNovember 2, 2021 at 9:37 PM

    Still confused in searching for the best ROPS and FOPS repair. I recommend you visit the best services providers for ROPS and FOPS in Val Caron, Canada.

    ReplyDelete
  2. wawreckersDecember 14, 2021 at 11:58 PM

    Congratulation for the great post. Those who come to read your Information will find lots of helpful and informative tips.
    car wreckers near me

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Ghost in the Machine: 1996 Callaway Supernatural 450 C9 Impala SS

Image
After my brother briefly drove my dad's 455-equipped 1975 Trans Am and found out how terrible it was on gas, he switched to a 1995 Chevrolet Caprice 9C1 decked out to look like an Impala SS. Furthermore, my dad worked at a junkyard where the owner has a 1995 Callaway C9 sitting in his yard, albeit rotting away. To summarize, I've been a huge fan of 1994-1996 Impala SSs for a long time now, especially ones modified by Callaway. This 1996 Impala SS is not only a Callaway C9, it's also been upgraded to a Supernatural 450 model. Find it here on Hemmings in Leesburg, Virginia, with an asking price of $50,000 obo. After getting his start as a driving instructor for Bob Bondurant's driving school in 1973, Reeves Callaway got his start in modifying cars by making turbocharger kits for BMW through Car and Driver's Don Sherman. After Sherman told Callaway that he had neither the manpower nor the equipment to build the turbos, Callaway founded C...
Read more

T-Topped G-Body: 1981 Pontiac Grand Prix

Image
One of the coolest options that I hope will return to production one day are T-tops. Last used in the early 2000s, T-tops were the practical and economic way to enjoy the great outdoors while driving without the fuss and worries of the convertible. It would be really cool to see a new six-gen Camaro or Mustang (heck, even the Challenger would look cool) to feature T-tops from the factory, but until then, take the wildcard route and buy this needy 1981 Pontiac Grand Prix. Find it here on Craigslist in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, with an asking price of $1,595. After a full redesign in 1978, Pontiac's G-body Grand Prix was given a major facelift in 1981. The sheetmetal was given a more aerodynamic design, the tail section was revised, and a new grille was fitted. This 1981 Grand Prix is a LJ model, and is one of 46,842 cars built for the year. Painted a two-tone blue, the grille is cracked, the landau roof needs replacing, the bumper...
Read more

Mint Baja: 1991 Chevrolet S10 4X4

Image
There are certain vehicles that one rarely sees in nice, unmolested condition out on the road. Finding one for sale, however, is like trying to find the proverbial needle-in-the-haystack. One of those vehicles is the Chevrolet S10, especially 1982 to 1993 versions. An even harder version of the S10 to find is the Baja appearance package, which is a rare sight in any condition, let alone one as clean as this truck is. Find it here on Craigslist in Dallas, PA, for $13,750. Introduced in 1988, the Baja was an appearance option that was available on any S10 that had four-wheel drive. Available in Midnight Black, Apple Red and Frost White, the Baja option included  a roll bar with off-road lights, a front tubular grille guard with fog lights, a tubular rear bumper, an under-body shield package (transfer case shield, front differential shield, fuel tank shield, oil pan/steering linkage shields), a suspension package, a Chevrolet windshield ...
Read more