Anybody that has ever been involved in the building or restoration of one of the world's top five 4x4's to ever exist knows that resources and parts for these machines can be few and far between. They were only imported into the United States from 1985-1995 and have a cult following.
IF you follow or are interested in the Samurai you know that Petroworks (based out of California) is going to be a site you visit constantly and purchase from frequently. I haven't owned a Samurai for about 10 or 12 years but I still always keep an eye out for them.
I had to fly from San Diego to south Florida yesterday and I ended up sitting next to this woman that was pretty chatty/friendly. I'm accustomed to this because women invariably want to speak with me. About the third time she mentioned owning a small business I politely asked what type of business her and her husband were involved in. She replied "Do you know what a Suzuki Samurai is?"
They own Petroworks. That obscure business that UPS'd gobs of goodness to my front door so many times in the past. What are the odds?
She swapped seats with her husband and he and I bullschitted for five hours straight. Discussing everything from guns to planes to (of course) 4X4's and places to wheel in California.
Moral of the story? Not all Californian's are dickheads.
I've spent some money with Petroworks as they have excellent products and service. Zuksoffroad is another that is top notch.
My latest project was to build a set of 4.30 Samurai 3rds and I'm impatiently waiting for my tires to wear out so I can order ones that are more biggerer for my Samurai.
I've spent some money with Petroworks as they have excellent products and service. Zuksoffroad is another that is top notch.
My latest project was to build a set of 4.30 Samurai 3rds and I'm impatiently waiting for my tires to wear out so I can order ones that are more biggerer for my Samurai.
Yeah. Rocky Road Outfitters always had good aftermarket schit too.
He told me he had a couple near pristine, bone stock Samurai's for sale and had I met him prior to departure I'd have driven one home. Based on how he described them.
I've spent some money with Petroworks as they have excellent products and service. Zuksoffroad is another that is top notch.
My latest project was to build a set of 4.30 Samurai 3rds and I'm impatiently waiting for my tires to wear out so I can order ones that are more biggerer for my Samurai.
Yeah. Rocky Road Outfitters always had good aftermarket schit too.
He told me he had a couple near pristine, bone stock Samurai's for sale and had I met him prior to departure I'd have driven one home. Based on how he described them.
I had never used them until I built the 3rds and they make/sell a solid pinion spacer with shims that replaces the crush sleeve. I ordered a pair and received them quickly and they are great quality. I've picked up a few more things from them as well.
I used Petroworks wedge and the Trail Tough kit for my power steering install. If you ever throw PS on one the wedge is the only way to fly.
I want a TinTop but every single one around here is chopped up or rusted out. Makes me sad.........
deflave; Top of the morning to you Travis, I hope all is well in your part of the world - I suppose the snow has melted there as it has here?
Thanks for the info, I've looked over the site and will forward it to a hunting buddy who is on is 3rd??? Tracker. One two door and now his second four door if memory serves.
The engines are usually super stout and easy to rebuild and/or work on - it's the body that gives the grief - we salt roads for half the year on this side of the medicine line.
Up here in the southern BC Interior there's a huge following of both the older solid front end Samurai and the independent front end Tracker types.
Typically the Tracker's front end will stay on a washboard log haul road better through the switchbacks than a Samurai, but otherwise there's a lot to be said for the simplicity of a solid front axle.
There's a few guys up here who work on them exclusively and like I said we see a whole lot of them up in the mountains - "quads with heaters" is the local Okanagan parlance for them.
Thanks again and Merry Christmas to you and yours Travis.
There are several local guys here who have yards full of old Samuris for parts. They were a fun toy, like a miniature Jeep, but would suck for daily transportation. I wouldn't drive one from California to Florida were it free and in mint condition.
There are several local guys here who have yards full of old Samuris for parts. They were a fun toy, like a miniature Jeep, but would suck for daily transportation. I wouldn't drive one from California to Florida were it free and in mint condition.
There are several local guys here who have yards full of old Samuris for parts. They were a fun toy, like a miniature Jeep, but would suck for daily transportation. I wouldn't drive one from California to Florida were it free and in mint condition.
Why?
Because it would similar to driving a small tractor 2000 miles?
A quick story for you to illustrate to the uninitiated what these little gems are capable of.
Aforementioned hunting partner and I are out trying to get a spring turkey for our youngest daughter one spring many, many springs ago.
We're all piled into a two door he had at the time - daughter riding shotgun - but with a .22 since we shoot birds that way up here in the uncouth north - and me in the back.
As we're traversing all sorts of snow drifts, etc - it's early spring - I'm sitting in the back seat and noting the lack of a come along, winch or even a decent shovel....
Not wanting to be an alarmist or question buddy's off-roading savvy, I gently ask, "So just when do you think the snow will be deep enough that we should turn around?"
He responds, "When I have to stick it in 4 wheel drive Dwayne." !!!!
We were going places that I would have been absolutely stuck and shoveling in any full sized 4x4 pickup I've owned - 2 '87 F150's, a '99 F150 and current '03 Ram with a Cummins - any and all of 'em would not have been there in 4x4 but there we were chugging along in 2WD...
I've been running 4x4 rigs since '81 too and being off road isn't exactly a new thing for me as "off road" or a major log haul road is exactly 2 kilometers from where I'm typing.
Anyway thought I'd share that whilst my second cup of coffee kicks in and before we head into town to see the grandmas.
All the very best to you and yours again this Christmas Season.
A quick story for you to illustrate to the uninitiated what these little gems are capable of.
Aforementioned hunting partner and I are out trying to get a spring turkey for our youngest daughter one spring many, many springs ago.
We're all piled into a two door he had at the time - daughter riding shotgun - but with a .22 since we shoot birds that way up here in the uncouth north - and me in the back.
As we're traversing all sorts of snow drifts, etc - it's early spring - I'm sitting in the back seat and noting the lack of a come along, winch or even a decent shovel....
Not wanting to be an alarmist or question buddy's off-roading savvy, I gently ask, "So just when do you think the snow will be deep enough that we should turn around?"
He responds, "When I have to stick it in 4 wheel drive Dwayne." !!!!
We were going places that I would have been absolutely stuck and shoveling in any full sized 4x4 pickup I've owned - 2 '87 F150's, a '99 F150 and current '03 Ram with a Cummins - any and all of 'em would not have been there in 4x4 but there we were chugging along in 2WD...
I've been running 4x4 rigs since '81 too and being off road isn't exactly a new thing for me as "off road" or a major log haul road is exactly 2 kilometers from where I'm typing.
Anyway thought I'd share that whilst my second cup of coffee kicks in and before we head into town to see the grandmas.
All the very best to you and yours again this Christmas Season.
Dwayne
Oh yeah.
I can relate to that.
The thing about Samurai's is they are so damn light they often times won't end up where most trucks would.
A quick story for you to illustrate to the uninitiated what these little gems are capable of.
Aforementioned hunting partner and I are out trying to get a spring turkey for our youngest daughter one spring many, many springs ago.
We're all piled into a two door he had at the time - daughter riding shotgun - but with a .22 since we shoot birds that way up here in the uncouth north - and me in the back.
As we're traversing all sorts of snow drifts, etc - it's early spring - I'm sitting in the back seat and noting the lack of a come along, winch or even a decent shovel....
Not wanting to be an alarmist or question buddy's off-roading savvy, I gently ask, "So just when do you think the snow will be deep enough that we should turn around?"
He responds, "When I have to stick it in 4 wheel drive Dwayne." !!!!
We were going places that I would have been absolutely stuck and shoveling in any full sized 4x4 pickup I've owned - 2 '87 F150's, a '99 F150 and current '03 Ram with a Cummins - any and all of 'em would not have been there in 4x4 but there we were chugging along in 2WD...
I've been running 4x4 rigs since '81 too and being off road isn't exactly a new thing for me as "off road" or a major log haul road is exactly 2 kilometers from where I'm typing.
Anyway thought I'd share that whilst my second cup of coffee kicks in and before we head into town to see the grandmas.
All the very best to you and yours again this Christmas Season.
Dwayne
Oh yeah.
I can relate to that.
The thing about Samurai's is they are so damn light they often times won't end up where most trucks would.
They damn near float. Over everything.
Back when 4X4 Offroad mag. had their first readers off road rig challenge there was a guy that showed up with a lifted Samurai pulling a trailer. He did all the obstacles pulling that trailer and judges surmised that the trailer helped with that "float" you mentioned. The little sucker was up against some serious rigs of the time and almost won the competition rating.
I see few around the Flathead but like has been mentioned, most are pretty clapped out.
It's the diamond plate that almost make that rig, but throw some Iguana skulls on that thing and you'll have babes from all over the Keys gooning for your attention!
Back when 4X4 Offroad mag. had their first readers off road rig challenge there was a guy that showed up with a lifted Samurai pulling a trailer. He did all the obstacles pulling that trailer and judges surmised that the trailer helped with that "float" you mentioned. The little sucker was up against some serious rigs of the time and almost won the competition rating.
I see few around the Flathead but like has been mentioned, most are pretty clapped out.
I have a friend whose ranch I hunt and he has gotten rid of his side by sides for the Samurai's. Claims they will climb a tree and so quiet you can drive right up on a herd of Pigs.
One of the 4x4 mags had an article a couple months ago about Zuks turbo kit. They dynoed one before and after, it went from 37 horsepower stock to 75 with the turbo. I’ve always kinda wanted one to bomb around in, remember when my cousin bought one brand new when she started college. I might have to find one to cool with.
One of my hunting mentors had one. He built a lift kit for it and installed lockers. That little thing would go absolutely anywhere. One evening while elk hunting, we dropped 2 spike elk up in a clearcut. We loaded the 2 elk whole on the rear hitch carrier, put 4 of us inside and then drove to camp. The looks we got on the way were priceless.
They are super useful on trails. Saw a bone stock white hardtop for sale here the other day. Straight and clean, no salt here. Overall, I need more room and want to be able to sleep in the back so I went with a Toyota truck for my build but they'd have their place. Used to be a company in Oregon that sold like new really clean units for about $5K, back when they were just a few years old and more plentiful. .
The blue one is a proper buggy! Though the hound looks a bit embarrassed by it.
I was his owner. He pretty much lived his whole life embarrassed.
That blue one was locked up front and rear. It was quite ridiculous/dangerous to play around.
The daily driver had a locker in the rear diff. Would go ANYWHERE. Great little rig.
Mine has CJ springs in the rear and rear springs moved up front, Tracker Power steering, disc brakes, Toyota Corolla carb, Tracker starter and alternator, 4.16 t-case gears with a cradle, a mini spool in the rear and a few other things. It's very capable off-road and has good manners on the pavement.
My nephew drove my 3rd one on our hunting property. He came walking in all muddy and wet. He said it was stuck and he couldn't get out of the mud. Stupid educated AZZ. Didn't know you had to lock the front hubs. My last one I sold to my brother. He raised it a little and big tires. I need to see if I still have photos. We painted Teddy Roosevelt on the tailgate. It sure as 'ell a rough rider. We used to buy them for $750-$800 back then. Probably in the 2000 time frame. We have one left on our hunting property and we really like it. I wouldn't drive any of them on the highway over 10-15 miles though.
Flave, I had a 1987 hardtop... that thing would go anywhere! I first saw them in Nepal in 1984. I'd never seen anything quite like it, and at the time they weren't available in the USA. When they showed up in the states some years later I just had to have one. Amazing little vehicles...
Pulled this off the net, this is the exact one I had, color and all:
My third nephew had three of them, two for parts and one he'd dropped a 4.3 V-6 into. It kept him busy and out of trouble, I guess. I do know we used one of the "parts" Sammis to drag out a deer and had no issues with it. I think he's upgraded to Jeep Cherokees now, but he sure had some fun with the little Samurais.
I tried to buy one once. Lady around the block from me had one that had a blown motor. We made a deal for $400, but being late on a friday evening I couldn't get cash out of the bank. I gave her a check and said I'd be back the next day with cash and a trailer to haul it home. When I showed up she handed me the check back and told me she sold it to somebody else. Dam I was pissed. And then I saw it sit in her driveway for another year or so until I moved away and didn't go by it anymore.
The Outfitter I Moose hunted with in BC had a fleet of Trackers and Samurais. All were bone stock with all season tires. We took that little Suzuki places I would of been scared to take a 4 wheeler. Never had a issue I was impressed to say the least. They can drive thru a substantial amount of beaver damned water as well. A quartered bull moose and 2 adult males really slow them down though.
One of the 4x4 mags had an article a couple months ago about Zuks turbo kit. They dynoed one before and after, it went from 37 horsepower stock to 75 with the turbo. I’ve always kinda wanted one to bomb around in, remember when my cousin bought one brand new when she started college. I might have to find one to cool with.
The turbo's are a game changer I think.
Bigger engines make them unbalanced though. The thing about a Samurai is they are perfectly balanced. They just float over schit.
One of my hunting mentors had one. He built a lift kit for it and installed lockers. That little thing would go absolutely anywhere. One evening while elk hunting, we dropped 2 spike elk up in a clearcut. We loaded the 2 elk whole on the rear hitch carrier, put 4 of us inside and then drove to camp. The looks we got on the way were priceless.
The blue one is a proper buggy! Though the hound looks a bit embarrassed by it.
I was his owner. He pretty much lived his whole life embarrassed.
That blue one was locked up front and rear. It was quite ridiculous/dangerous to play around.
The daily driver had a locker in the rear diff. Would go ANYWHERE. Great little rig.
Mine has CJ springs in the rear and rear springs moved up front, Tracker Power steering, disc brakes, Toyota Corolla carb, Tracker starter and alternator, 4.16 t-case gears with a cradle, a mini spool in the rear and a few other things. It's very capable off-road and has good manners on the pavement.
The Outfitter I Moose hunted with in BC had a fleet of Trackers and Samurais. All were bone stock with all season tires. We took that little Suzuki places I would of been scared to take a 4 wheeler. Never had a issue I was impressed to say the least. They can drive thru a substantial amount of beaver damned water as well. A quartered bull moose and 2 adult males really slow them down though.
I tried to buy one once. Lady around the block from me had one that had a blown motor. We made a deal for $400, but being late on a friday evening I couldn't get cash out of the bank. I gave her a check and said I'd be back the next day with cash and a trailer to haul it home. When I showed up she handed me the check back and told me she sold it to somebody else. Dam I was pissed. And then I saw it sit in her driveway for another year or so until I moved away and didn't go by it anymore.
Flave, I had a 1987 hardtop... that thing would go anywhere! I first saw them in Nepal in 1984. I'd never seen anything quite like it, and at the time they weren't available in the USA. When they showed up in the states some years later I just had to have one. Amazing little vehicles...
Pulled this off the net, this is the exact one I had, color and all:
That boss as fugk. It's funny how prevalent great 4x4's are in schit hole (foreign) countries but not imported here. They say the 1988 lawsuit is the reason Suzuki pulled the plug on North America and I'd bet that's mostly true.
Late 80's goodtimes. Did a long part of the Rubicon one year deer hunting in one. Buddy's girlfriend's, his now wife. Rode that thing hard. The Suzuki that is. Killed a lot of beer cans, no deer on that trip.
Late 80's goodtimes. Did a long part of the Rubicon one year deer hunting in one. Buddy's girlfriend's, his now wife. Rode that thing hard. The Suzuki that is. Killed a lot of beer cans, no deer on that trip.
There are quite a few around here, including the version with the tray top. Cockies like them for wet weather and the irrigation fellows like the three cylinder jobs because they are so light you can pretty much lift them out of a wet patch if stuck...which is unlikely.
The lunatics that climb rocks and mountains with them do serious rebuilds and make them just about play tunes.
I find them to be too cramped for shooting, although plenty have been used around here for rabbits.
Thanks for the photos of that wonderful little jacked up go kart. Nothing there to filter out the feel of the road, or not road. Bored with cars that have become cocoons.
Late to this thread cause I been away from my computer driving my Zuki. Quad with a heater. First pic is a few years ago with a called lynx on the hood.
I'm on my 4th Suzuki, one a Samurai and three of them 4 door Sidekicks. Plus my son had a Samurai while he was home and going to college that he let me borrow.
This Sidekick is lifted 3 inches total between larger tires and lift kit. It does not 4 wheel as well as a Samurai but does what I need and I can sleep/camp in it easier. Took the pic below at the point where I had dragged a mule deer to a road. No vehicle tracks but mine in the snow.
Zuki hiding in the grass from bears while I pick wild berries.
This Sidekick has low mileage and apparently had never been in 4 wheel drive till I bought it. Pic of the frame and wheel well below taken when I replaced shocks two weeks ago. Paint/undercoating intact. Rare to find one with no rust like this and I grabbed it at a fair price. An older person had it and kept it in a garage for ten years or more when he could no longer drive. A town kid bought it and put a sound system in it and had it long enough to fix the stuff that had gone bad from sitting. He wanted a cool car, and did not know how to put it in 4 wheel drive when I bought it from him. I gave the big speakers he had put in the back to my grandsons.
I was looking at those 4 Dr sidekicks for a minute. Figured they were about perfect for a hunting wagon. Decent mpg, off-road capable, enough room for a dog and gear....
Never pulled the trigger though. About the time I got over the fact they look gayer than Roc Hudson eating a hotdog I resigned myself to just buy more fuel and drive the truck. [quote][/quote]
My third nephew had three of them, two for parts and one he'd dropped a 4.3 V-6 into. It kept him busy and out of trouble, I guess. I do know we used one of the "parts" Sammis to drag out a deer and had no issues with it. I think he's upgraded to Jeep Cherokees now, but he sure had some fun with the little Samurais.
Buddy had a minty Samuri. Commuted to work. Drove it down a rutted highway at 55, got passed by a few semis. That was the last trip for the Zuk.
Wheeler or putt about, sure. Not a DD rig. Cherokee on same POS highway, was fine.
Wonder who will be the first to buy a Jimny?
Most of the local Samuri are rotted away. Clean ones got chopped and turned into hybrid cage buggies. Think Rocky Road Outfitters and Cal Mini had stuff for em.
My dad had a couple of the Trackers, hard and soft top. He liked em (bought new).
I've had a hankering for one for a while. But I've ran old Toyotas so I'm familiar with this small rig non linear thinking. I almost went Samurai shopping a year and a bit ago but ended up with an Grizzly atv instead. A quad without a heater.
I like the bike but still like the Suzuki idea. Doesn't help that just down the street buddy's got a very nice stock 80s Samurai and other buddy on the corner an early 90s tracker. Not the rig for a ton of highway driving for sure but in the bush they just rule. And fine for bootin around town too and give the real truck a rest. Yep, I may end up there some day. Like said its rust that's fugn curse and they're getting fewer to find. Good ones are still around though actually I've seen the snow bird motor home crowd sell nice stock ones fairly regular and their life was mainly being towed and they run from winter driving so are in decent shape. I know a couple guys that scored a Suzuki from snow birds.
I bought one new in 1986. Put 60k trouble free miles on it before trading for something bigger. I had a friend with a Scout and we took some ladies wheeling above Boulder, Co one afternoon. It was raining lightly when we started, really cut loose late in the day. The creek we crossed early on the trail had risen substantially when we headed back. About mid-stream the Zuk started to float and I ended up downstream a ways before getting to the opposite bank. The chick that was with me was not happy. Never saw her again.
Everything has pros and cons. The pros for a Suzuki outweigh the cons for my uses. Enthusiast may be too strong for me but I like to hunt and fish and want good four wheel ability at lowest reasonable cost. Zuki is easy on gas and as somebody said, it has a weight to traction to power ratio that gets it through a lot of places other vehicles get stuck.
Mine has driven me casually where larger 4 heel drive pick-ups have not been able to go in slick snow. However, one time a heavy fall of snow piled up so deep within hours that it trapped me 20 miles out till a tall-tired 4x4 came by and broke trail for me.
It also goes through narrow places and I drove a quad trail for a mile this summer to reach a lake. It can get me into bad places with no way to turn around, etc. A pro is that the short wheel base goes through wash-outs etc. without hitting the bumper on either end.
My original soft top was not good in constant coastal rain, poor visibility out the plastic side windows. When I hunted in deep cold, they cracked like paper thin glass. Fun summer beach rig however that my teen daughter loved.
Re the light weight, it is dicey in deep flowing water because it is so light it will float downstream sooner than a heavier vehicle. My first little soft top Zuki was so light that one time when we slid off the road in mud, three of us just picked up one end and put it back on the road.
It is so light that it will run on crusted snow sometimes and will often run on slightly packed snow machine trails. Bad idea. Do not do that. I learned the very hard way. If you ever break through or need to turn around, you wind up with the body sitting on top of the snow and 4 wheels not touching the ground. I dug out all of the snow under the vehicle and built a ramp up on to the packed snow again and never let off the gas for three miles back to plowed road. I'm a slow learner and drove 40 feet onto crusted snow one more time.
I totaled my last Suzuki on freeway black ice, am glad no truck hit me while I was ricocheting between the Jersey barriers on both sides.
Just sold an '87 Samurai soft top that was running for $300. No title for it and the inside was stripped out. But, after I picked up a '64 Willlys, I quit using it so I sold it for $100 more than I paid for it. Never failed to crank and run, just had to use jumper cables at times. Just a hunting lease rig.
Just sold an '87 Samurai soft top that was running for $300. No title for it and the inside was stripped out. But, after I picked up a '64 Willlys, I quit using it so I sold it for $100 more than I paid for it. Never failed to crank and run, just had to use jumper cables at times. Just a hunting lease rig.
Just sold an '87 Samurai soft top that was running for $300. No title for it and the inside was stripped out. But, after I picked up a '64 Willlys, I quit using it so I sold it for $100 more than I paid for it. Never failed to crank and run, just had to use jumper cables at times. Just a hunting lease rig.
That Willy's run good or is it more of a project?
The Willy's was/is in great shape. I'm the second owner and the original owner kept it parked inside all of the time. Runs like a top. I replaced the water pump, put on a new alternator and a hi-torq starter. Converted vacuum wipers to electric. Original paint and seats:
Thanks, found it about 8 miles from my house One of the few good things about living in the Texas panhandle = Dry climate and little/no rust.
Mainly use it for hunting, but drive it to work about once a month during the year and usually take it to Tractor Supply or other places close to the house. Little 4 cylinder runs nice and smooth. I did have to rebuild the carburetor once thanks to ethanol gas. But, great thing about these is that it's very simple to work on. I was able to do it in elk camp, ha. Had an extra rebuild kit for it in the tool box. Only run alcohol free gas in it now.
Had a very low mileage JeepCJ with the V-6. 3 speed tranny allowed 25MPH at idle in low gear. Never liked it and let my BIL have it. It is still on our deer property. I could go to all of our blinds in a Caddy now since the oil company came in and improved our muddy trails. Ain't as much fun.
Yep ^ or WTF was I thinking. Be an amazing rock crawler if that's all you want. But with all that reduction is prolly a 45 mph rig flat out now. I get it, pretty cool toy but if I get one I'd want it stock to start and not have to worry about what Bufus did before me.. modest 3 inch lift, tires about 2 inches taller than stock and fairly narrow and call it done. Maybe mess with the plant down the road, a turbo or I saw a 2.0 litre engine swap from a 2000s Tracker that the guy raved about. Easy swap he said. A VW diesel wouldn't suck either.
That rig with 4:10's, a 6.5:1 low range (20% high side reduction 1.7:1) and 36's would put the high range reduction back to roughly factory (-4%) and the low side @ 128% reduction.
Myself I'd want 4:30's in the axles instead of 4:10's, but that kind of critter ain't my cup of tea.
Something I've noticed: when people say a vehicle will "go anywhere", they have no idea what they're talking about.
Enlighten us.
Just look at the number of guys who've written about their "go anywhere" vehicles with either one or no lockers.
Open differentials and bragging about going anywhere is the offroading equivalent of bragging about shooting long range but not owning a range finder or knowing how to dial.
Something I've noticed: when people say a vehicle will "go anywhere", they have no idea what they're talking about.
Enlighten us.
Just look at the number of guys who've written about their "go anywhere" vehicles with either one or no lockers.
Open differentials and bragging about going anywhere is the offroading equivalent of bragging about shooting long range but not owning a range finder or knowing how to dial.
These were very popular here in Oz, and there's still a fair few kicking around. When I was a kid the neighbours had a predecessor, an LJ50, which was even smaller, lighter and had a 500cc 2 stroke engine. There was a later version with an 800 cc engine too, IIRC. The neighbours' kids used to drive it down to the bus stop (about 7 miles away) to go to school, and we'd go bush in it too. Tiny, but near unstoppable.
The one you call "Samurai" was called "Sierra" here, and they are still fairly popular for off-roaders. For a long while they were also popular for delivering newspapers, given the low running costs and the ease with which you could toss a paper from the drivers seat on the open versions. Popular farm buggies as well. A mate of mine has one on his farm for a shooting buggy. A good little jigger for that, so long as you aren't tall. Slow and bloody noisy on the highway though, every one of them that I've driven, even as they upped the power on them over the years.
These were very popular here in Oz, and there's still a fair few kicking around. When I was a kid the neighbours had a predecessor, an LJ50, which was even smaller, lighter and had a 500cc 2 stroke engine. There was a later version with an 800 cc engine too, IIRC. The neighbours' kids used to drive it down to the bus stop (about 7 miles away) to go to school, and we'd go bush in it too. Tiny, but near unstoppable.
The one you call "Samurai" was called "Sierra" here, and they are still fairly popular for off-roaders. For a long while they were also popular for delivering newspapers, given the low running costs and the ease with which you could toss a paper from the drivers seat on the open versions. Popular farm buggies as well. A mate of mine has one on his farm for a shooting buggy. A good little jigger for that, so long as you aren't tall. Slow and bloody noisy on the highway though, every one of them that I've driven, even as they upped the power on them over the years.
I always thought the Samurais were a cool vehicle. I had a small Bronco II when I first started driving and while not as small as the Zuk they could fit down tight trails as well. I now have a '94 Landcruiser 80 series with an OME lift and factory lockers. It is definitely my go anywhere vehicle and always impresses me.
Thanks for posting that link! That Jimmy Su FINALLY fills the gap in the market that the Samurai left. If it is reliable and a fair price for the reality of a limited size rig, then it should sell pretty well. Some of the small rigs in the past were priced the same as a big 4x4 pick-up, and didn't get much better mileage, so people like me would buy the pick-up every time. A small rig has to have some offsetting advantage to it's small size to make it saleable.
I like A/C, roof, and a windshield when offroad, I'm not going to lie. I can do a lot around here in a small 4x4 truck but will take my ATV if unsure of the property and its conditions.
Was looking at 4-6 passenger SxS utility rigs recently and basic ones are bumping $20k new with usual add-ons like roof/winch/windshield. Elected to just order up some ARB/Old Man Emu/Warn parts for the Tacoma and will pick up another vehicle for helping with the highway chores. $20k just seems like a lot for something I can't even drive on the road.
Thanks for posting that link! That Jimmy Su FINALLY fills the gap in the market that the Samurai left. If it is reliable and a fair price for the reality of a limited size rig, then it should sell pretty well. Some of the small rigs in the past were priced the same as a big 4x4 pick-up, and didn't get much better mileage, so people like me would buy the pick-up every time. A small rig has to have some offsetting advantage to it's small size to make it saleable.
The Jimny actually is the Samurai. Suzuki never stopped making them.
The main cause for their not being imported was all the lawsuits that stemmed from a bullschit expose' on a show like 20/20 or 60 Minutes. Maybe Dateline. I can't remember which.
I like A/C, roof, and a windshield when offroad, I'm not going to lie. I can do a lot around here in a small 4x4 truck but will take my ATV if unsure of the property and its conditions.
Was looking at 4-6 passenger SxS utility rigs recently and basic ones are bumping $20k new with usual add-ons like roof/winch/windshield. Elected to just order up some ARB/Old Man Emu/Warn parts for the Tacoma and will pick up another vehicle for helping with the highway chores. $20k just seems like a lot for something I can't even drive on the road.
The SxS's are ridiculous.
My last rig was a Boyota with tow bar. Made 1K times more sense than any quad or SxS.
I always thought the Samurais were a cool vehicle. I had a small Bronco II when I first started driving and while not as small as the Zuk they could fit down tight trails as well. I now have a '94 Landcruiser 80 series with an OME lift and factory lockers. It is definitely my go anywhere vehicle and always impresses me.
My brother sold his Samurai and bought an old Landcruiser. Biggest mistake of his car life.
These were very popular here in Oz, and there's still a fair few kicking around. When I was a kid the neighbours had a predecessor, an LJ50, which was even smaller, lighter and had a 500cc 2 stroke engine. There was a later version with an 800 cc engine too, IIRC. The neighbours' kids used to drive it down to the bus stop (about 7 miles away) to go to school, and we'd go bush in it too. Tiny, but near unstoppable.
The one you call "Samurai" was called "Sierra" here, and they are still fairly popular for off-roaders. For a long while they were also popular for delivering newspapers, given the low running costs and the ease with which you could toss a paper from the drivers seat on the open versions. Popular farm buggies as well. A mate of mine has one on his farm for a shooting buggy. A good little jigger for that, so long as you aren't tall. Slow and bloody noisy on the highway though, every one of them that I've driven, even as they upped the power on them over the years.
Can't you guys still get them?
Kinda sorta. What we called the Sierra was replaced with what is known here as the Jimny in 1998, which was a similar sort of size to the SWB Sierra but a different design. It still has a ladder chassis. It also has the coilspring suspension like the last of the last of the Sierras (to the detriment of offroad performance, some say), as well as dual range part-time 4WD, but there's no LWB or ute version, the bodywork's different and there are such features as airbags, power windows and the option of auto trans. I don't think you can fold the windscreen (windshield) flat and easily remove the doors for when you want to use it as a shooting buggy either, as you can on the Sierra. Still cheap and cheerful though, and tiny. Just recently they've announced a replacement.
Everything has pros and cons. The pros for a Suzuki outweigh the cons for my uses. Enthusiast may be too strong for me but I like to hunt and fish and want good four wheel ability at lowest reasonable cost. Zuki is easy on gas and as somebody said, it has a weight to traction to power ratio that gets it through a lot of places other vehicles get stuck.
Mine has driven me casually where larger 4 heel drive pick-ups have not been able to go in slick snow. However, one time a heavy fall of snow piled up so deep within hours that it trapped me 20 miles out till a tall-tired 4x4 came by and broke trail for me.
It also goes through narrow places and I drove a quad trail for a mile this summer to reach a lake. It can get me into bad places with no way to turn around, etc. A pro is that the short wheel base goes through wash-outs etc. without hitting the bumper on either end.
My original soft top was not good in constant coastal rain, poor visibility out the plastic side windows. When I hunted in deep cold, they cracked like paper thin glass. Fun summer beach rig however that my teen daughter loved.
Re the light weight, it is dicey in deep flowing water because it is so light it will float downstream sooner than a heavier vehicle. My first little soft top Zuki was so light that one time when we slid off the road in mud, three of us just picked up one end and put it back on the road.
It is so light that it will run on crusted snow sometimes and will often run on slightly packed snow machine trails. Bad idea. Do not do that. I learned the very hard way. If you ever break through or need to turn around, you wind up with the body sitting on top of the snow and 4 wheels not touching the ground. I dug out all of the snow under the vehicle and built a ramp up on to the packed snow again and never let off the gas for three miles back to plowed road. I'm a slow learner and drove 40 feet onto crusted snow one more time.
I totaled my last Suzuki on freeway black ice, am glad no truck hit me while I was ricocheting between the Jersey barriers on both sides.
Just saw one here in the Yakima Valley exactly like that one you had... $1500... SOOOO tempted to grab it for a kid, but I'm about 2 years ahead! Love those little rigs!
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One of the few good things about living in the Texas panhandle = Dry climate and little/no rust. ![[Linked Image]](http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b307/cartod/Motor%20Vehicles/D3F9DD2D-6D84-4C55-B260-00BB733B51E1_zpsni6ajagd.png)
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