Thread: Suzuki Samurai

A while ago we used to have a couple of done up Escudo's in the family we used for offroading. I did a bit in my Hilux recently but didn't want to bugger the thing as it's my main ride. I had a V6 terrano at my old mans work I was gonna use as a offroader, but this little Suzuki came up so I jumped on it.

The old man's built me a trailer for it so I can tow it behind the Hilux (it's not road legal). A whopping 1.3L manual from the 80's. Should be good fun. Getting a new winch for it and finishing up the roll cage with the old man. Needs a new clutch too, but getting close to having the first trip out to woodhill for a bit of fun one day.

I got my hilux stuck last time I was out there and I god pulled out by a little suzuki with road tyres... embarrasing.

It's a good alternative to a quad bike which I can't afford... and it aint really that much bigger when you get down to it. It's a tiny little thing.

Mint, those things are awesome! Apparently the Swift GTI motor is a straight bolt-in swap for more power, buts its all up higher in the revs.

Originally Posted by GravelBen

Mint, those things are awesome! Apparently the Swift GTI motor is a straight bolt-in swap for more power, buts its all up higher in the revs.

Yeah he's got a Toyota 4AGE there as well which is supposed to go in fairly easy. The old Escudo had a 3.8 commodore engine in it

Someone said the head of those swift engines being bolted to them really helps... but I don't know where I'll find half of a swift engine. I'll see how the piddly little thing will do on its own for now. Don't have the cash to pour thousands of dollars into another truck at the moment (still saving for a lever action 22 and a 17 hornet).

Your better off just grabbing a 1600 and throwing it in.
I think Ben is still selling the simple adapter on trademe to do the job.
Selling the 4age should pay for everything you need.
Cheap parts forever.

Well I finally got the Suzuki back with a new clutch in it. I was up at my dads for Christmas and brought it back with me. The trailer weighs more than the truck and you definitely know you've got it behind the truck.

So today after I changed the oil and some filters we decided to take it out on the farm and have some fun with it. It's been raining a lot lately so the ground was really muddy.

First thing I noticed is how bloody bumpy it is, and how underpowered. Who would have guessed a 1.3L wouldn't have much poke

I went cruising up a really steep hill with the hilux and it just cruised up. The rugged mud tyres and powerful turbo diesel engine just powers you on up anything really smoothly... but this suzuki bounced and banged and I had to drop down into first gear to get up the hill. Even then (as it has no mud tyres yet) it just spun up all the wheels trying to get up the hill. It's so little and it's stripped out and bare, it weighs nothing so it just bounces.

She's gonna need a bit of work before she'll even come close to the hilux in offroad ability. I'll take it out to the woodhill forest in the next few days and put it through it's paces.

Sell it and use the money to modify the surf for off-road

Nice buggy

I used to do quite a lot of 4wding in Suzuki's. A few of us got together and started up the Suzuki 4x4 club here in CHCH. There was at least 1 trip to the coast every month, then 3 weeks fixing the trucks once we got back.
My favourite truck was a Sammy I went silly with. The 1.3 got worked as much as it could be without adding a blower or hairdryer but it went well. Could really scream its tit's off when pushed. Suspension was real trick with lots of money spent on it.

I'm now after another just for farm tracks and hunting.

looks like its modest lift has been acheived solely with longer hangers,Get springs reset and new shocks with more stroke.

Originally Posted by gimp

Sell it and use the money to modify the surf for off-road

Nah mate I'm doing both after a snorkel, a winch bar and a winch for my surf eventually. I have some raised springs In the garage I'm thinking of using too.

But i'm not afraid to hack away at at crash the Suzuki. The thing is pretty rough and it's not road legal. So that's going to get all the rough treatment. The surf is for daily driving and hunting trips.

Originally Posted by veitnamcam

looks like its modest lift has been acheived solely with longer hangers,Get springs reset and new shocks with more stroke.

All the extra lift is from is the huge tyres its got... But they're only road tyres at the moment. My old man might be getting me a set through work. There's a crashed truck there with 15" mud tyres so, may have lucked out.

Just drop the pressure in those tyres. If its over 10psi offroad in a suzi its too much! Even 5psi may be too much.

That thing looks the bizzo! Mini Mud Bug.

Originally Posted by Barefoot

Just drop the pressure in those tyres. If its over 10psi offroad in a suzi its too much! Even 5psi may be too much.

They'll pop off the rims at 5psi

But good point, I have no idea what the pressure is at at the moment. I'm about to put a new set of tyres on it. I'd bought a compressor for it online too... but they cancelled it so I have to go get myself sorted with another. Gotta get another winch and some mud tyres too (as I've got a set of semis). More $$'s

Originally Posted by RimfireNZ

They'll pop off the rims at 5psi

Don't count on it.