zzdcar
Home
/
Reviews
/
Buying
/
For $4,200, Meet The Rodeo Clown
For $4,200, Meet The Rodeo Clown-September 2024
2024-02-19 EST 22:10:08

The advertising character Joe Isuzu gained fame for constantly lying about Isuzu’s cars’ capabilities. One thing’s for sure, no matter what Joe might have said about today’s custom Rodeo, it couldn’t possibly exceed the audacity of the truth.

Sometimes of course, as Jack Nicholson so concisely encapsulated in A Few Good Men, you can’t handle the truth. And it seemed that yesterday an overwhelming 93% of you couldn’t handle either the humongous price, or sketchy nature of our candidate . I guess we don’t need to ask about the one going for sixty grand then.

Today’s Nice Price or Crack Pipe M3 is claimed to be one of only 5 convertibles in the US. It also…

Dubbed ray gun truck #4, today’s is an audacious reminder that American ingenuity is not dead. You may tout the creation of Twitter, Doritos® Locos Tacos, or even Tesla’s battery technology as examples, but I say an SUV with wings is all the evidence one needs.

Who puts wings on cars? Well, thought it’d be a good idea, you know, for Jeremy at least. Then there’s Batman. Are you going to argue aesthetics with Batman? Finally, (cue angels on high)there’s this be-winged beauty.

You know, it’s always reassuring when considering the purchase of a customized car or truck - something that you will entrust with your safety - to have the builder come right out and say in the ad “I ain’t the best engineer in the world.” That means that you already know that the hatch hits the magnificent fins when raised and you won’t scalp yourself the first time you open it.

While possibly not topping the pack in engineering, the builder of this truck is nothing but thorough. Torn CV boot? Replaces the works and repacks the half-shaft. Previous owner scrapes the truck against a pole? Replace the crumpled bits with freakin’ fins.

Those bat-ear like extensions not only serve as unique indicators of individuality but they’re also functional as well. The trailing edge of each has been fitted with LED lights which have been hooked up to the turn signals. They’re also half coated in stainless steel, which as you may or may not know, has a reputation for avoiding stains, which is also good.

The paint is Rustoleum Red and was applied with roller and brush and rattle can - just like the Masters. The angle of the dangle in the rear below the fins, along with the gold alloy wheels, gives the truck the appearance of a pristine Dakar rally participant. Of course, do Dakar entry ever sported wings like these.

Powering the 151K truck is Isuzu’s 3.2-litre quad-cam V6, which was good from the factory for a little over 200 horses.

That mill supposedly has an EGR issue which causes the CHK ENG light to illuminate on the dash. Some people may consider that a red flag, while others may find basking in its warm amber glow to be comforting. It depends on how you swing.

The rest of the mechanicals and structure - auto gearbox, stout ladder frame and well regarded locking AWD is said to work just fine, meaning you can take wing with confidence both on the road and off. The interior - or what’s left of it - seems to be in good shape as well, and the plywood in the back will probably make the insides smell like a mountain cabin - or possibly of formaldehyde - for years.

This Isuzu is obviously a double fist pump of awesome, not just because of its amazing fins, but for the whole package. It kind of makes you wonder, if the company had introduced such an edition of the Rodeo, would they still be doing business in the U.S. today?

Still, we’re here to bury Caeser, not to praise him. And since he doesn’t seem to be around, we’ll just have to weigh in on this custom Rodeo’s $4,200 Buy It Now price tag. What do you think, is this truck awesome enough to command that cash? Or, for that much, will the seller need both a wing and a prayer?

You decide!

, or go if the ad disappears.

H/T to Michael Walters for the hookup!

Help me out with NPOCP. Click to send a me a fixed-price tip, and remember to include your commenter handle.

Comments
Welcome to zzdcar comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
Buying
At $19,500, Could This 2008 Porsche Cayman S Get You To Join The Club?
At $19,500, Could This 2008 Porsche Cayman S Get You To Join The Club?
Today’s Cayman is offered on The Mart, Porsche Club of America’s member-only online market, so you’d expect the seller to know a thing or two about the car. Let’s see if that includes how to make it a deal. There are a few things that it’s OK to fake....
Sep 12, 2025
The 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe Is Everything You Want In A Jeep But With 21 Miles Of Extra Electric Range
The 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe Is Everything You Want In A Jeep But With 21 Miles Of Extra Electric Range
When a vehicle starts up in all-electric mode, I still find myself surprised. Where you’ll usually find a little rumble and the throaty sound of an engine kicking to life, you now have a totally silent experience that keeps me double-checking to make sure the car is still on....
Sep 12, 2025
AT $8,000, Is This Fiberfab MG TD A Kit Car That’s A Complete Steal?
AT $8,000, Is This Fiberfab MG TD A Kit Car That’s A Complete Steal?
You may be surprised to learn that today’s e Fiberfab MG is not based on a VW Bug, but on a Chevy Chevette. That may make it closer to the original classic it emulates, but will it also make it worth its asking? The idea of a restomod is...
Sep 12, 2025
2021 Study Suggests Your Boring Silver Paint Job Is Hurting Your Resale Value
2021 Study Suggests Your Boring Silver Paint Job Is Hurting Your Resale Value
Choosing the color of your car is a very personal thing, and I don’t know many people who select their color based on how it will affect their resale value. It turns out the color you can impact your value, and the colors that do the best may surprise...
Sep 12, 2025
Someone Built A Cozy Cabin Of A Tiny House Out Of A U-Haul Truck
Someone Built A Cozy Cabin Of A Tiny House Out Of A U-Haul Truck
U-Haul trucks live tough lives. But what happens when one’s service life moving apartments or comes to an end? Sometimes they get built into tiny homes like this box truck-turned camper for sale on . This isn’t the first U-Haul moving truck I’ve seen converted into something new once...
Sep 12, 2025
You Can Own A Land Rover Discovery That Actually Survived The Camel Trophy
You Can Own A Land Rover Discovery That Actually Survived The Camel Trophy
Rather than create a to a vehicle that participated in a renowned event, here’s your chance to actually own one. This 1992 Land Rover Discovery for sale isn’t a lookalike; it actually survived the punishing Camel Trophy. According to , the Camel Trophy was known as the Olympics of...
Sep 12, 2025
Copyright 2023-2025 - www.zzdcar.com All Rights Reserved