Project Fordzuki

[Loanranger]

Added a front hoop and connecter bars to make a little more of a cage, I think I may add a dash bar and a couple grab bars in the future.

The feet for the front hoop, the front bolt is the body bolt, the rear is plated under the floor. Not the strongest, but it will hold the weight of this thing.

 

[Jim Oaks]

I love this.

I want to build a Zuki for my daughter. Have my concerns about the wheelbase though....

 

[Loanranger]

Thanks Jim, there are three ways around the wheelbase, I'm assuming your concern is it being so short. Although they are rather rare, there is a long wheelbase samurai. It's basically stretched between the doors and rear wheelwells. The second option is to make a long wheelbase, by extending the frame and tub. Just cut the frame and extend it, adding fish plates. For the tub, just find another tub for cheap, and cut the section out between the door and wheelwell, and you should be able to get roughly another foot. The third option would be what I did, link the rear and comp cut the tub. You can also either link the front, or play around with different springpacks to find one that will shift your front forward.

 

[Jim Oaks]

My thoughts were to cut it behind the door and stretch it.

I thought ALL Samurais sold in the US were 78" wheelbase?

I wonder if you stretched it 16", if you could adapt it to a B2 frame?

 

[mhughes165]

hey jim, this might give ya some ideas

http://nj4wheelers2.myfreeforum.org/ftopic211-0.php

i dont have all the other threads he ahd from builds thouhg, sorry

 

[Loanranger]

My thoughts were to cut it behind the door and stretch it.

I thought ALL Samurais sold in the US were 78" wheelbase?

I wonder if you stretched it 16", if you could adapt it to a B2 frame?

The LWB Samurai's weren't imported by Suzuki to the US, but you can find them here, like I said, they're a little more rare here. They are by no means a rare vehicle though, many were imported to Canada, UK, and other countries. I have found a couple on Craigslist, and I'm sure you could find one in Canada quite easily. Your best bet would probably be to stretch a SWB though, cost wise.

Here is a link to some guys page and you can see the difference between the SWB and the LWB.

http://images.google.com/imgres?img...LWB+Samurai&gbv=2&ndsp=20&hl=en&safe=off&sa=N

As far as stretching it and setting it on a B2 frame, though it could be done, I don't think it would be a wise decision. For one the B2 frame is heavier, c-channel, and more than likely too wide.

For your question on the automatic trans, the sidekick/tracker 8 or 16 valve engines are a popular swap, and they come with an automatic.

 

[mhughes165]

anymore now a sami that isnt rusted as hell is hard to find,

i had a tracker with teh 16 valve motor, i kidnapped the gears from a 8 valve 5spd, along with the trans, swapped everything into my 16 valve tracker, installed a locker in the back, did a body lift, trimmed the fenders out and ran some nice meaty 31's.

only downside to playing with the trackers is the use of aluminum on the 3rd members.

that tracker would easily go every where a locked fullsize on 35's would without a question and would accelerate like nobodys business

i ended up with i believe

16 valve 1.6
5spd
5.19's locked in rear
31" tsl's

 

[Loanranger]

Well, I guess at some point I bent the tierod, so tonight I decided to beaf it up a little. I cut the ends from the old tube, and used some 1.25" diameter
.250" wall DOM to make a new tierod. This is the same tube I used for my draglink.


Bent tierod next to the new tube

Size difference

Ends cut out of the old tube

Difference in wall thickness between new tube on left, and old tube on the right.

 

[compleckz]

if u bend that one, mad props.

 

[mhughes165]

if u bend that one, mad props.

no...if he bends that its time to retire his balls to his future wife and stick to internet wheelin

 

[Loanranger]

no...if he bends that its time to retire his balls to his future wife and stick to internet wheelin

Never! My balls are mine, and nobody can have them. ( Maybe a little fondling and sucking, but I get em right back. )

Actually, if anything bends now, it should be the TRE on the adjustment end, which is an easy replacement. And soon enough, I'd like to get some arms ordered to go OTT with them.

 

[mhughes165]

my buddy has some pics showing where he used benz parts todo a cheap OTT system on his sami, ill see if i cant find it

found it, hope u can get some use from it, dont mind the assholes comments afterwords, they like chebbies
http://nj4wheelers2.myfreeforum.org...edes+bens+ott+steering+axle+beef+pics&start=0

 

[Loanranger]

my buddy has some pics showing where he used benz parts todo a cheap OTT system on his sami, ill see if i cant find it

found it, hope u can get some use from it, dont mind the assholes comments afterwords, they like chebbies
http://nj4wheelers2.myfreeforum.org...edes+bens+ott+steering+axle+beef+pics&start=0

I've seen this done before, but I don't like the fact that it leaves the draglink attached to the tierod. If I'm going to do it, I want the draglink on the arm.

 

[Loanranger]

Finally got around to making some diff armor for the front diff, after denting it for the second time out at Elbe this past weekend. I had talked to a guy who was going to pick up a pipe cap and cut it down to make one for the front and rear, but a couple weeks went by, and haven't heard anything from him, so I decided to make something myself. The problem with the pipe caps, was trying to get up to the place to get them after work and before they close, so I ended up just making one from scratch. It's basically the same concept as a pipe cap, just took a little more work to make.

I started with some 1/4 inch flat plate, and cut a strip and bent it into a U shape to wrap under the front of the diff. Then I cut a half circle and beat it into submission, to curve it outwards from the diff. Welded these together at the sides, then took the plasma and removed an oval section, with half being removed from the bottom and half being removed from the front. I ground this opening flat, at a 45 degree plane to both front and bottom. Then cut another piece, kindof football shaped, and welded that over the opening. This just makes it so there isn't a sharp edge at the front leading edge. I welded it inside and out, and ground the outside to a nice radius, leaving the inside alone. Then I took a piece of 1/2 inch square solid stock, and wrapped it around the upper edge of the guard. This just stiffens up the top edge, and the remaining edges get welded to the housing. The last thing I did, was to take the plasma and cut a small drain notch at the very bottom, against the housing, so when the cap fills with water, it will drain out instead of collecting and rusting.

This is how it fits up.

 

[Loanranger]

Did some "minor trimming" of the front sheetmetal the other night, my front upper shock towers were a little low, bottoming out through potholes, and limiting uptravel during articulation. I had about 1/8 of an inch between the tire and front sheetmetal before, and every once in a while, the tire would reach up and grab it. So I knew if I extended my shock towers upward, the tires would be grabbing it all the time. So I fired up the plasma, and this is what I came up with. Room to move, and room for bigger meats in the future.

Tonight, I got the passenger side shock tower cut loose, and extended it upwards about 3 inches, so I have plenty of travel both ways now, about 4 inches up and 6 inches down. The extended shock towers are temporary, till I get around to tubing the front. I will be removing the fenders and front panel, and replacing them with tube, and keeping the grill and hood. Tomorrow I'll get the drivers side finished, and get some pics up, and get some flex pics. I tested it on the ramp tonight, when I finished the passenger side, and it definately gave it more uptravel, enough that I also need to trim a little more of the front bumper off and recap the ends.