Getting a new trail rig!

[Darkman]

By the end of summer I will be driving a 1990 Daihatsu Rocky. I am trading twelve days labor doing landscaping and painting projects for a man who doesn't have the time to do them right now. He no longer needs the vehicle and he needs stuff done... It works out good for both of us.

Here's some pics:






It has a 1.6L I4 and what looks like a Toyota IFS, Toyota rear axle and Toyota Asian manual locking hubs. I could be wrong... might be Nissan, looks just like a Toyota rear end tho. Seems to be very low geared. On my test drive I was in 2wd, doing 25 mph @3000 rpm in 3rd gear. I think 4LO will be ridiculous. I probably won't lift it very much if at all because I am sure there isn't very much for lifts available for this vehicle  and I'd like to keep it as road worthy as possible so I could drive it to where ever  I needed to and wheel it and hopefully drive it back. I also don't have very much money, so it goes... I am considering either 235/75R15 Firestone Destination M/T's or 29"x8.5"R15 Super Swamper TSL's, I'm not sure yet. The M/T's would have better road manners but I could sacrifice some road manners to have the performance of the Swampers on the trail. Would also like to add at least a rear locker and maybe some body armor. We'll see, that stuff is big money and thats something that I don't come by very easily.

I'm open to suggestions and any usefull information you might have on this vehicle.

Thanks for checkin out my rig.

[Plop]

Never heard of nor saw anything like that. It would be awsome to find a way to lift that a little bit.

[sanddude]

Cool little project.

[BIG TODD]

Never heard of nor saw anything like that. It would be awsome to find a way to lift that a little bit.

[Bigdaddy]

bad ass!

[Ghetto Fab]

looks like a version of a tracker....

[Mudboggincrazy's Old Lady]

Never heard of nor saw anything like that. It would be awsome to find a way to lift that a little bit.

[mike93vr4]

looks sweet

[ProGrade]

according to wikipedia, toyota has controlled daihatsu since 1999 but was their distributer before that, so I would say you are probably correct on your assumptions so far.  Daihatsu's USA division shut down in 1992, but they are still in business elsewhere. unique little rig!   here's more info http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daihatsu_Rocky

[Darkman]

COOL! Thanks man. 

[ProGrade]

COOL! Thanks man. 

[HeatherLuvsMud]

That thing looks like fun!!

[Darkman]

So I was talking with the original owner of the Rocky and reviewing the dealership pamphlets and paperwork and we found out some interesting stuff...

Follow me if you can.
The 1990 Daihatsu Rocky came in 3 different model designations that year, the SE, the SX, and the Off Road (might be a DE?). Each model designation had is own set of options that were exclusive to it. For example the SE and DE (for lack of better term) came with vinyl seats and the SX came with cloth, the DE came with manual locking hubs and and a limited slip rear diff and the SE and SX came with auto hubs and open diffs, the SX had a fully carpeted interior and a 4 speaker am/fm cassette deck and the others did not... so on and so fourth...

The point I'm getting to is the one I have does not fit into any of these model designations. (here I go again) Mine has cloth seats and is fully carpeted like the SX, has the radio of the SX, has the manual locking hubs of the DE, Has the tire size of the DE, (hope it has the limited slip!) and has the motor of the SE and paint scheme of the SE... Yet nowhere on it can I find a badge stating SE,SX ... and no other Rocky image I have yet seen has the diamond plate bumpers.

The original owner seems to think it was a special "Dealer Demo" model that he purchased at Lustine Oldsmobile- Buick in Hyattsville, MD. in 1990.

Does anyone know about these kinds of things, that might be able to shed some light on what it is I have here?

[Ranger Dave]

nice looking rig

[Darkman]

Here is some updated pics of the Rocky...





















The rims are from my old '84 F-150. They are an inch and a half wider than the stock wheels. They definitly fit the wheel wells better and give it a little better stance.

[Darkman]

See my whole build thread here: http://fourwheelsolutions.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=43&t=1169&p=1415#p1415

[lousypirate]

those diamondplate bumpers are pretty sweet for stock bumpers. never seen one of those before, seems like a badass lil' trail rig

[burl]

Wanna sell this badass ride, I've got a 99 zr2 blazer id trade for it, seriously

[Blazin40s]

cooocoolcool

[Bigdaddy]

looks great darkman