Samurai ?

[codycr6]

I may be buying a 1992 Sammie from a friend of mine to somewhat replace my six inch lifted YJ I just sold. I just want it for sunny weekends and maybe playing around some off road. It has a spring over and some different springs(about 7 inches of lift), with 33x10.50 Buckshots. He has a hardtop on it, and the hardware for a softop(top is shot). He has allready installed 5.38 gears and Lockrights in both ends. It has a Hedman header and Flowmaster exhaust, and drives ok other than some bumpsteer. I see a few things on it I would change, mostly just some suspension and shock upgrades, and new seats. Question is, have any of you owned Sammies, and what luck did you have with them ?

 

[JDraper]

I've got one that is in the process of getting a SOA and various other goodies. One thing to be careful with is the tire size on stock axles. Anything over 32" tends to break axles when you wheel it hard. I'm going to be running 31's for that reasonSammy axles are kinda on the small size. One advantage to the Sammy axles for wheeling is a small pumpkin, so you can get away with smaller tires. For aftermarket parts check out Rocky Road , Petroworks , Dead Link Removed and Spidertrax . The Zuk can be a pretty good wheeler when built right. There are also kits for putting larger motors since the Zuk 1.3 only puts out 65HP.

 

[section525]

65HP?! A Team Alba Banshee will put out 67.9HP!

 

[Robb]

Dead Link Removed
Dead Link Removed

 

[Majisto]

Bwahaha! That's the same engine in the Suzuki Swift, and its sister car the Geo Metro. To say that engine is a dog, is an understatement You have to almost keep that thing floored to keep up with freeway traffic

 

[JDraper]

Originally posted by Majisto
Bwahaha! That's the same engine in the Suzuki Swift, and its sister car the Geo Metro. To say that engine is a dog, is an understatement You have to almost keep that thing floored to keep up with freeway traffic

Whaddya mean "keep up with freeway traffic??" It shouldn't be on the freeway in the first place! It won't hold 70 on a straight stretch of road!! Any headwind and I have to downshift to 4th and hold it wide open to do 65. It's much happier at 50.

Hey, no one ever said it was a speed demon!

 

[dogfriend]

A former coworker of mine used to have a stock Samurai and I once rode in it on a freeway stretch. I think he had it floored the whole time.

I'm sure they are great off-road, but on pavement, that thing had the worst ride of any vehicle I have ever been in.

 

[Robb]

Yep, I had an '86 Zuk when I was in HS. On interestate, floored constantly, top speed=72mph, unless I caught a draft off a trucker, then I could get it up to 80.

Comfort of ride = none! You wouldn't even know the thing had any type of suspension on it. It rode like a brick. I never rode in the back, but I can't even imagine the ride in that "bleacher" bench back there!

Robb

 

[dogfriend]

Originally posted by morrisey0
I never rode in the back, but I can't even imagine the ride in that "bleacher" bench back there!

Robb

I can because I rode back there. It felt like the back of the seat was beating on you. LOL

 

[JDraper]

Originally posted by morrisey0
.....then I could get it up to 80.....

Robb

I wouldn't even want to dream of doing 80 in my Zuk. It wanders all over the place at 65!! Besides, if you hit anything (including a fly) at that speed in a Zuk, they would have to use a squeegee to pick you up. There ain't much to a Zuk. Best use for one is offroad. I'm continually amazed at how well the sucker does, even in a stock configuration.

 

[donkey boy]

I had one for about two years. Lot's of fun and great off-road. If I ever build a off-road beater, I probably would start with a Sami.