Ibishu Hopper

It's based on both, and it looks more like a Wrangler to me.

 

Ah, a removable roof? and a roll bar? Neat-o. I just want @gabester to post a dev pic of this!

 

This is a TJ Look alike, no 4 door versions
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if anything id put a turbo... inline 4 and 6
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y do u want leaf springs on a jeep? that is horrible imo no flex

 

You're right, the TJ was upgraded from the YJ with coil springs among other things from leafs. I believe leafs are progressive rate springs which would indeed limit the flex of the suspension, however minimal.

 

yeah, the more you add, the less they give v------6 inches of suspension travel

 

"Leaf springs are cool for old Jeeps but they don't work as well as coil springs do for offroading. And they sure don't ride nearly (!) as well as coil springs do."
Taken from http://www.wranglerforum.com/f282/coil-vs-leaf-spring-suspension-91032.html

 

We actually need a jurassic park skin.

 

It sorta looks like a cross between a TJ and a JK so idk

 

it's a mix of the 70s land cruiser, a Jeep TJ, and a Suzuki Samurai

 

Me want. I'm assuming it's based off the Jeep, looks impressive so far!!

 

It's my dream for a Jeep in Beam. OMG I'm so happy!

 

Is this going to have a spare tire on the rear tailgate with an optional, skinnable, tire case?
Example:
http://offroadwarehouse.com/images/F53649424.jpg

 

well, here's the thing. i daily drive my lifted 92 YJ with no antiroll bar, and i've never had any issue with it.

but i've been in TJs with death wobble, and with the anti roll bars they're super easy to flip on road.

it's much harsher on straight bumps, but the ride quality on ANY kind of curve is much better. taking the leafs apart and greasing them every so often helps keep the initial bump down.

if you read further in the thread, it goes on to say that leaf springs can be just as efficient for offroading as coils can, in a stock suspension setup. which is what this vehicle would have. i know i've used my leafs as sleds to get on terrain too tall for the wheels to reach.

can't do that with coils, or SOA.

 

Remember this post? It started that sizzling discussion about what company people wanted it to be.

 

So why would you bring it up again?

 

Oh yes, the dark times in the forum history.....
It was all over in some of my groups...

 

How's the progress?

 

Progressing...
ok?

 

I'll admit to having been a little upset when the Hopper was formally introduced as an Ibishu. After seeing the "hydrolocked" photo, and having misinterpreted the line that it was going to "mechanically ... be a Wrangler", I let my hope for a new brand of American four-wheel-drive vehicles run unchecked.

Having wished for a brand that would have produced several distinct trucks and off-road machines, I was rather unhappy when the new 4x4 went to a brand already credited with roughly a third of current official vehicles, doubly so because I couldn't find any evidence of a jeep-type vehicle being produced in Japan in the era of CHIMSILs and plastic fenders*. Most bare-bones Japanese 4x4s (Read: Toyota Land Cruiser, Nissan Patrol, etc.) went from being jeep-like to being closer to full-size SUVs around the mid-eighties.

But then I got to thinking about Ibishu itself, and how it is independent of real-life manufacturers. Who ever said that the Hopper had to follow the same trajectory as other similar models? What if the bare-bones 4x4s coming out of Japan had kept their jeep-like styling to the present day? If nothing else, the Hopper is a fascinating look into what could have been.

Then came a realization that made me eagerly accept the Hopper as a Japanese vehicle:
(click for larger image)

The thing about bare-bones Japanese 4x4s is that there were almost always other body styles on extended frames. Even when they went to being four-door SUVs, there was still a pickup variant available from the factory. Of course, my logic runs back over itself here (if the Hopper broke the mold by keeping flat-fenders, why should it follow the model of different body styles?)

So, why should there be a Hopper pickup? I'd like to make the case for it:

-Players consistently request new pickup trucks. With no new trucks in development (as far as we know at this time), the Hopper may take off the pressure until a new vehicle can be developed from scratch.

-An extended frame would do double-duty as the basis of future four door models, whether official or modded.

-The simple, slab-sided beds typical to flat-fendered Japanese 4x4s would likely be straightforward to model and JBeam, and rear components already existing on the 2-door model (like the bumper and taillights) could be mounted on the bed so new components do not have to be created. In fact, the bed itself could simply be a scaled-up version of the Pigeon bed!

Even if a Hopper pickup just isn't going to come to fruition, knowing that it might exist just outside the spotlight was enough to make me re-evaluate what the Hopper is and the type of vehicle it is intended to represent.

*At the time of this writing, I have just discovered the 1996-present Mitsubishi Type 73, a Japanese military vehicle based on the Pajero that retains front flat-fenders, but is not equipped with a CHIMSIL.

 

So you also want a JK8 and Kaiser style 4x4 . I agree