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Post by Zaphod on Nov 21, 2003 9:15:59 GMT -5
I purchased my 2000 Trooper LS from CarMax, so I was limited to the colors on the lot (getting a great price has its drawbacks ;D). It's WHITE. Now, I recognize that white is popular down here in South Florida, but it's hardly my favorite. Considering I hope to move out west soon, I've been seriously considering having the whole thing repainted. I called a body shop and they quoted approximately $1,800-$2,000 to basically take the truck apart, sand it, paint it, and put it back together. They also warned me that as time passes, mouldings and such shrink and may end up showing the underlying white. So, my questions for y'all is: a) Is that a decent price for the service? b) Is this even a good idea? c) Anything to AVOID? d) etc., etc.... I'm thinking either gold or a decent green. It's going to have to serve as a BOV as well as a DD and a fun truck!
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Post by Eric on Nov 21, 2003 10:01:33 GMT -5
I had a notion about three months ago to get mine repainted orange. I thought it would look really cool all orange with black parts here and there. The guy at the body shop said, "how bad do you want to do this?" When I asked what he meant, he explained that no paint job he could do would last as long as the factory one. When I asked why, he told me that the factory paint job is baked on at something like 300 degrees, and that the highest he could do it, without melting plastic and rubber parts, was about 150 degrees. Which means that the paint job doesn't "harden" as well as it is from the factory. Not to mention, the clearcoat. Factory clearcoats, I guess, are supposedly twice as good as the average body shop job. So, I'm just going to wait until the whole body is ugly enough to justify it, and I'm going to coat the entire thing in orange durabak. It'll hide imperfections, and it's tough as hell. Get a scrape, just slap on some more. I realize this option is not viable for someone who needs to keep their Trooper looking presentable, such as yourself, but it's a thought What if you put some large graphics on the sides, or something? That might jazz it up enough that you don't hate it anymore. Check out Vinzdecals.com or edecals.com
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Post by Zaphod on Nov 21, 2003 10:27:20 GMT -5
Well, I'm conservative in a lot more than just my politics! ;D It's not so much that the truck is ugly; it isn't. It's just that it sticks out like a sore thumb, is impossible to keep clean, and is so.......PLAIN looking! Besides, taking it off-road is bound to generate looks I'd rather avoid! That being said, I think it will look a lot nicer once the accessories (bull bar, roof rack, etc.) go on, even if I do intend to get the new bumpers/bars in white, too! Hadn't heard about the baking part...
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Post by DoctorC on Nov 21, 2003 12:23:26 GMT -5
It's just that it sticks out like a sore thumb, is impossible to keep clean, and is so.......PLAIN looking! Besides, taking it off-road is bound to generate looks I'd rather avoid! ... Check out this thread on a white Trooper. My thoughts... darn that's a sweet looking trooper. forum.planetisuzoo.com/viewtopic.php?t=283
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Post by Zaphod on Nov 21, 2003 14:13:57 GMT -5
LOL! Yes, I've seen that thread! It gave me no end of hope! In fact, I downloaded most of the pics in his album! ;D Still, every time I see a colored Trooper go by I wonder wistfully if it's worth the effort. Same goes for the moonroof. Mine doesn't have one, and it really, REALLY REALLY hurts! But that's another thread...
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Post by Eric on Nov 21, 2003 18:31:50 GMT -5
Man, that's sweet-looking!
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Post by BuckHunt on Nov 22, 2003 1:18:48 GMT -5
you can modify things OTHER than the paint that will make it not seem plain =)
coughtirescough
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Post by Zaphod on Nov 22, 2003 16:22:42 GMT -5
you can modify things OTHER than the paint that will make it not seem plain =) coughtirescough LOL! Let's see: ARB Rear Bumber Sarco Rack ProComp Lights PIAA Foglights Winch (?) Tires Lift Rear Ladder Port- and Starboard-side Rocket Launchers etc., etc..... I looked under the hood last night (during my sordid "WTF happened to all my oil?" incident) and, upon seeing the entire inside of the truck white, decided to forget the whole idea. WAY too complicated, and with the money I'd blow I could get a good chunk of the list above. Anyone know of a good rocket-launcher dealer? ;D
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Post by BuckHunt on Nov 22, 2003 18:21:14 GMT -5
You are obviously forgetting an aft tank mine dropper. My opinion on changing the looks, you can stick with everything stock and simply fit bigger tires (or preferably lift + expanded tire size option ;D ), and your ride instantly looks like testosterone. rear ladders aren't made for our 2nd gens, except POSSIBLY (bad memory) by JAOS, and if you can buy anything from them, you can probably also make a donation to considerably lower the national deficit. I have my opinions about Surco racks. good for looks...kinda, i'm not a big fan of the wide side braces that go around it... anyways, there are 2 forerunners on campus that have them, both you can tell that either they were carrying something heavy in the rack that slid around, or a tree got hold of it, because the back of the racks are obviously very bent. they are afterall made of aluminum. I could give u info for a guy i got my rack from... all steel, built to whatever size you want, and cheaper + better looking than 90% of the mass production racks to boot. If you can tell what order the things in this post are listed, i'm pretty biased. I've also seen a good dark tint job done on a white trooper, it was very nice looking on it.
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Post by BuckHunt on Nov 22, 2003 18:23:00 GMT -5
also wanted to add, if you ARE looking for a ladder, check with matt @ www.independent4x.com he makes ladders for 1st gen troopers, he could possibly make one to fit a 2nd gen. as well, www.stinkyfab.com could contact the owner of that site (through the site) and he may be able to fab you up something nice.
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Post by Zaphod on Nov 24, 2003 11:09:47 GMT -5
The ladder I had looked at WAS the Indy4x4 rack, but I hadn't realized it was for pre-'92 Troops.
I'm not even sure if I want/need one. The reason for it is a concern of being able to get up to the roof rack in a somewhat comfortable manner. When carrying a spare, a full jerry can, or somthing equally awkward and/or heavy, having a steady place to stand becomes a safety concern. It's really nothing more than that.
As for the Sarco rack, I'm actually more of a fan of the types of rack you see on the average SUV. However, those lack the ability to hold such items as spares, jerry cans, etc, AND they don't offer mounting points for overhead lights. As such, I've decided to go with the safari-type rack.
As to the aluminum being bent on the sides, that's something I had not considered nor heard of elsewhere. I honestly don't think I'll be dragging my rig through anything that damaging, but if you know of a place that makes a better, LESS EXPENSIVE rack, then I'm all ears.
The rack is likely going to be one of the first things I buy, if only because I plan on using the Troop to move me to wherever it is I'll be ending up.
You're right about JAOS: rediculuously expensive, and WAY too bling-bling for me. I want my rig to be stylish enough where I can drive it to a dinner party, yet rugged enough so I can do some moderate off-roading without concern. I DON'T want it to look like a drag-racer from the ghetto/bario.
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Post by BuckHunt on Nov 24, 2003 11:27:59 GMT -5
Dont expect a rack to be cheap, by any means!
the total cost of my rack was over 500. For the whole yakima getup, it was about 260 or 280. the basket was 280 shipped. i dont remember how much most baskets are, except way too much. the one i have is all steel, strong/small welds, good design, and on its own can hold over 1200lbs.
That is the tower mounts above the doors, crossbars, locks, and these little clips you ahve to buy to make it fit your specific vehicle. shop around and you could probably find all the stuff closer to 200, or find used 58" crossbars and Q towers, and just get the #34 clips (that fit trooper) separately.
i'm getting off subject - do you have a roof rack already? I mean like plastic rail thingies? If you do you can just put a basket up on top of that. putting lights up there looks good. I've seen grand cherokees around campus with a yakima/thule type roof rack with lights attached to the crossbars. If i see any this week i'll let you know how it looks attached.
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Post by Zaphod on Nov 24, 2003 13:56:53 GMT -5
Yeah, but how much weight can one throw onto the roof of a Trooper?
Negative. All I have is the plastic/rubber inserts running along the edges of the roofline. Nothing above roof grade, so I'd need the whole thing, from the roof up.
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Post by BuckHunt on Nov 25, 2003 0:25:59 GMT -5
1200 is WAY more than i would put up there of course, but it does say some for the integrity of the basket. I would carry basically anything I could safely fit length, width, and within reasonable height (say no more than a few inches over the top of the basket were the cargo no topheavy).
I've stood in it and jumped up and down. i doubt i'll be carrying 170 pounds of jumping dillhole anytime up there, so if it takes that, i'm sold.
to give you an idea of what kind of crap your roof could take -- I didn't always have my handy dandy made to order steel rack. My previous rack was a smaller rack from cabelas.com it was round steel tubing. I wouldn't say it was flimsy, but nowhere near as strong as my current. I took my troop in for an oil change this past spring break before a (strange) trip to the fabulous town of Helen, GA. The shop that changed my oil not only could not tell me what oil they had put in it...i'm getting way ahead of myself, i didn't ask about the oil until about 15 minutes into my cross examination of 2 employees and store manager (not trying to sound like a tough guy, but you have to stand up for yourself). when i was on the street in front of the place (Matlock Tires, Maryville, TN) I noticed the front of my cabela rack was bent downwards... strange I'm thinking. Pull up next to it, get out to examine. the thing is crushed about 2" downward 5 inches back from the very front. They had crushed it against some sort of safety bar while lifting it up on a hydraulic(i suppose) lift. the mechanics in the work bay didn't want to own up to it so i got the manager. We got things sorted out completely about 3 weeks later. $858 in damages (lots of it for 2 dime size dents on either side of the roof where my tower mounts contact the roof above the driver and passenger doors). total damage to cabelas rack - funny looking smash up front, a hammer wouldn't reshape it so was replaced w/ current basket. yakima rack damage = front crossbar ever so slightly bowed (a matter of probably 3-5mm) and front left cross tower was - while still usable - deformed internally so that an adjustment allen wrench type bolt couldn't be accessed. I was mad so i had everything replaced regardless of condition at their expense. This post is too long. My point, the yakima rack can dish out some poop for something that looks like mere plastic.
If you dont wanna spend a load, look for the Overlander type mounts... do a websearch for something like trooper overlander mounts, they will attach to point under your roof's weather strip. not too awfully expensive, less than a hundred i'm pretty sure. Should do the trick, even if you needed cross bars still, thats like $50 new for 58" crossbars, can get them a lot cheaper off ebay.
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IsuzuRS
Full Member
"Your not really 4wheelin unless you get it stuck."
Posts: 70
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Post by IsuzuRS on Nov 26, 2003 4:03:34 GMT -5
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