It's Back!

Earlier this summer I decided to have my old college car restored (click HERE for the original post).

Yep, after nearly a month in the shop awaiting and refurbishing parts, rebuilding the fuel tank, replacing fuel pump and barely functioning water pump, timing belt, and full tuneup, the 1989 Isuzu Impulse Turbo is back. I needed to replace the driver and passenger side window tint film damaged when the window regulators were repaired. A Transhine complete car and engine detail finished the project and the Isuzu is once again a fully functional part of the family. I've got a couple of minor issues that I am working on now to pretty much bring the car up to a high state of tune and completeness:

1. I need to replace a missing passenger side door trim panel and have already located a suitable replacement piece.
2. I just installed a subtle chrome exhaust tip to clean up the fairly rusted and timeworn stock exhaust tip which is still visible in the picture below. The exhaust could also benefit from some minor spot welding.
3. I'm expecting receipt very soon of a stock Isuzu replacement retractable antenna. I had a Mazda antenna fitted several years ago to replace the broken stock unit but the new antenna never totally retracted since it wasn't designed for the car. You can see what I mean in the pictures below. Problem solved.
4. I need to re-upholster the leather shifter handle and boot which has deteriorated from years of wear and tear.

Other than those items I do believe I have one of the very few really clean and operational Impulses in the area.

Here are a few low resolution camera phone shots of the repaired and detailed 1989 Isuzu Impulse Turbo on its first evening back:

The Isuzu still looks great for her age! Italian design must have something to do with it... :-)

Old College Car Pulled Out of Storage

Original Giugiaro designed Piazza/Impulse (1982)

Photo courtesy of Italdesign/Giugiaro

1989 Isuzu Impulse Turbo "Handling by Lotus", last of the Giugiaro Impulses.

Car looks great in spite of all the years and mileage... internals need a lot of work

I've had my old college car in storage for the better part of the last five years and the car had only been driven sporadically in the several years prior to storage. The 1989 Isuzu Impulse Turbo was the first car I owned from "new" and has been a faithful workhorse from college to graduate school and on to post-graduate study. With an Italian Giugiaro (http://www.italdesign.it/) designed body (designer of Maseratis, the BMW M1, Alfa Romeos, the original Volkswagen Scirocco, and countless other iconic cars), a forward thinking interior, and suspension tuning by Lotus, I still think the Impulse is a pretty car. About the only complaint now as then is that the 2.0 liter 4 cylinder turbo Isuzu motor is a bit underpowered.

With well over 100,000 miles on the clock the car served me well. I always kept the car in very good shape, but time and age started to take a toll on the car. As issues multiplied I decided to park the car until I found the time and resources to put her back on the road. Well, most of you know that I have been going to Steve's Auto Clinic in North Hills, California for my MINI performance modifications. Steve's work has been honest, good, and reasonable, so I opted to have Steve give the old Isuzu a thorough inspection. The Impulse no longer started so I had to put it on a tow truck and had it hauled up to North Hills.

The initial problem was a rusted fuel pump and excess rust in the gas tank which necessitated a rebuild. I had put preservative in the fuel, but time still didn't do the fuel system any favors. Lots of Impulse parts are now "unobtainium" so the gas tank could not be replaced.

We're still trying to figure out how to rebuild the power window regulators since those are also not available and both driver and passenger windows are broken. After taking care of those two items a couple of electrical glitches need to be repaired and then a full engine service will be undertaken. Barring any other unforseen problems one of the few remaining cared for examples of the "Handling by Lotus" Isuzu Impulse Turbos will be back on the roads in Southern California!