My other toy!

[afbond03]

So back in Nov. my wife let me pick this 86 Suzuki Samurai up for her to drive during the winter months. Turns out a 370z doesn't do good in the snow, whodathunkit right.
Anyways, after she drove it an hour home without heat she um yea, no longer wanted to drive it so she decided it could be my toy and she would drive the Jeep on bad days, cool fair enough.
So I've put in a radio, and all new speakers to help cover some of the rattling. Installed new window seals, and basically fixed some minor things here and there. Also got the heat working.
Well I decided on a 4" spring under lift for it, still waiting for some parts to come in to get it on.I bought some new wheels and picked up some used 32" AT.
It finally got warm enough this past week to get some painting done, so as of now here it is:
Before:
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c184/afbond03/2010-11-15131524.jpg
After:
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c184/afbond03/IMAG0033.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c184/afbond03/IMAG0034.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c184/afbond03/IMAG0038.jpg
This little thing is a BLAST to drive, sure have missed having a 5-speed.
After I get the lift and wheels and tires on I will probably leave it alone for a little while and daily drive it.
I will eventually go all out and make it a little wheeler I am sure.

[alwaysxj]

I loved my sami but the wife could not stand it. she said it smelled and sounded like a snowmobile.

[bigjim350]

Looks like a fun little toy. But man do those front shackles sure hang down low. Im sure the new lift will take care of that though.

[cantab27]

we have heaps of them there little trucks down here .... go for good $ the tidy ones ...
heres a build on one here ...
http://www.offroadexpress.co.nz/Forums/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=22123

can get a heap of info on mods for ya , just holla ...
very cool wee toys ,, couple of guys on here run them as well

overeasy ,,plus xj4.3l

[OverEasy]

Man, nice little tin top! Looks clean.

Who's lift did you end up going with, getting 4 new springs? One thing you may want to look into would be doing the GM alt. upgrade for it. With speakers, stereo, lights, heat. . . on it will start to kill the factory alt. The GM upgrade is a fairly cheap and easy upgrade to do and it wont leave you stranded.

If ya have any questions about it or need to source anything feel free to ask! I love these little things! they can be a blast!

[easttxhunter]

i was looking for a sami before i bought my xj. wish i had both.

[bluedragon436]

i was looking for a sami before i bought my xj. wish i had both.

I wish I could find one to pick up to play with too... but I will just continue to build up my XJ..

[afbond03]

Man, nice little tin top! Looks clean.

Who's lift did you end up going with, getting 4 new springs? One thing you may want to look into would be doing the GM alt. upgrade for it. With speakers, stereo, lights, heat. . . on it will start to kill the factory alt. The GM upgrade is a fairly cheap and easy upgrade to do and it wont leave you stranded.

If ya have any questions about it or need to source anything feel free to ask! I love these little things! they can be a blast!

I did 4 3" rear Trail Gear leafs. Then a Trail Tough RUF kit and shackles.
Yea, I def. plan on getting around to the GM alt.
Eventually will do power steering as well.
Right now I just want to get it where I can drive it around and people be like, "damn, that is badass."
So far I've bought most of my stuff from LowRangeOffroad and haven't had to many issues, prices are fair enough.
Only thing I don't get is why the heck turn signals for these things are so damn expensive.

[LizardRunner]

looks like a lot of fun, a mini xj

[afbond03]

looks like a lot of fun, a mini xj

Yep, cheaper too. So far atleast.

[OverEasy]

I did 4 3" rear Trail Gear leafs. Then a Trail Tough RUF kit and shackles.
Yea, I def. plan on getting around to the GM alt.
Eventually will do power steering as well.
Right now I just want to get it where I can drive it around and people be like, "damn, that is badass."
So far I've bought most of my stuff from LowRangeOffroad and haven't had to many issues, prices are fair enough.
Only thing I don't get is why the heck turn signals for these things are so damn expensive.

Nice! They don't really take much to be Badass! Sounds like you're off to a great start with it! LOL, The turn signals are expensive. You might try ... Petroworks, Roadless Gear or Hawk Strictly Suzuki. They have used parts sometimes for decent prices. Hmmm... Maybe even Trail Tough, Brent and Linda are good peoples to deal with!

Do you need a set, one or two? Front or rear? I may have a extra one depending....

[afbond03]

Do you need a set, one or two? Front or rear? I may have a extra one depending....

I just need the drivers side turn signal. The current one is corroded out.

I've been watching eBay to. I guess since I am not driving it everyday yet it hasn't pushed me over the edge to fork over the money for it.

[XJ4IV]

LOL hat was my first 4X4, mine was an 87 and white but still had full hard top, mine was called the mailman cause it was white and looked weenie like that, anyhow I did a spring over lift and tossed some 265 tires under it for a nice lil ride, only issue was VERY high centor of gravity , it needs wider axles with a 5 inch lift! but COOL lil rig man I wish I could find another one for the kids to mess around in while we are out wheelin!

[afbond03]

Well got the lift on it this weekend. Hopefully wheels and tires will be on by the end of the week.
Tomorrow I am going to spend $75 on 4 shocks for it, yep you read that right. Don't we wish Jeeps were this cheap to build.
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c184/afbond03/IMAG0108.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c184/afbond03/IMAG0110.jpg

[4.3LXJ]

That looks much better than those mile long shackles.

[4.3LXJ]

Nice! They don't really take much to be Badass! Sounds like you're off to a great start with it! LOL, The turn signals are expensive. You might try ... Petroworks, Roadless Gear or Hawk Strictly Suzuki. They have used parts sometimes for decent prices. Hmmm... Maybe even Trail Tough, Brent and Linda are good peoples to deal with!

Do you need a set, one or two? Front or rear? I may have a extra one depending....

There is also a Samurai wrecking yard just outside of Grants Pass, OR. Been there and bought a spare frame for a good price. Lots of them there.

[BrianXJ]

looking good. Making me want one.

[saar]

Hi,

My first "jeep" was the Samurai 1000 84...
I wonder how your wife agreed to that in the first place :-)
my wife (back than, my girlfriend) could not even think about driving it...

Anyway, I don't know if you know the Samurai history, but in 87 they got wider axles and 5 speed gear. maybe you will find a 87 (or newer) one in the junk yard so you will be able to improve that one.

I like those, small and great offroad.
Saar

[TeXJ]

Nice ride, and the 370z is pretty cool too, any more pics of the Z?

[afbond03]

Should have my driveshaft spacers this afternoon. Hoping on my lunch break I can take my tires to get mounted and balanced then swing by and pick up my shocks. Hoping to get all that installed this evening.
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c184/afbond03/IMAG0109.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c184/afbond03/1.jpg
I am a Z freak. Had a 94 300zx when I lived in Hawaii. Sold it over there when I found out I was coming to Cheyenne. New I could make some good money off of it over there, which I did.
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c184/afbond03/300zx-1.jpg
After not having one for about a year here my wife agreed to trade in her Camry for a 370z. Great cars, probably going to be trading it in before to long because wife is crying that she wants a baby now and we had though about me just taking it over as my daily driver and buying her something else but living in base housing with 4 cars would be a pain in the ass. Finding parking for 3 already sucks. I will have me a 91 300zx Twin Turbo one day though, sure miss the T-Tops.

[afbond03]

Well I got the new wheels and tires on. 32x11.50x15:
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c184/afbond03/IMAG0113.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c184/afbond03/IMAG0114.jpg
Mean lil monster!

[4.3LXJ]

These little guys always look better with big feet

[Weldmen]

Its so cute. ;)

[hookedonxjs]

I loved my sammi except driving it on the freeway. My Dad was a full blown sammi freak and him and his bud would buy fix em and sell em and got stuff from a place down the road from me named petroworks that specialize in sammis. ( petro is italian for rock ) I think.

[Mudderoy]

Has anyone cut the top off of one of those and put in a roll bar? I like it!

[afbond03]

Has anyone cut the top off of one of those and put in a roll bar? I like it!

Most people don't moleste the Tin Tops like that. They just buy a convertible.
I tell ya, I have enjoyed tinkering with this thing. It has been pretty inexpensive to get it where it is and just like Jeeps you can find a write up to do anything and everything you need to do yourself.

Yes, highway driving SUCKS. I mostly wanted this to putt back and forth to work in and around town in so for the most part, I don't plan on seeing to much highway.

I feel like a kid again driving an oversized gokart.

[4.3LXJ]

I felt the same way when mine ran. It was fun in traffic, really easy to park down town. Just underpowered for the highway.

[Mudderoy]

Most people don't moleste the Tin Tops like that. They just buy a convertible.
I tell ya, I have enjoyed tinkering with this thing. It has been pretty inexpensive to get it where it is and just like Jeeps you can find a write up to do anything and everything you need to do yourself.

Yes, highway driving SUCKS. I mostly wanted this to putt back and forth to work in and around town in so for the most part, I don't plan on seeing to much highway.

I feel like a kid again driving an oversized gokart.

Not enough get up and go for the highway?

[4.3LXJ]

The stock motor only has about 60 hp. No drag racing here.

[afbond03]

Exactly what he said.
The Wyoming wind sure doesn't help either. It is always blowing you sideways.

Thought I scored some Rancho 9ks for the front tonight but the dern things are too short. They only extend out to 14".

[4.3LXJ]

Head wind on a Sammy is slow going. But tail winds are really nice.