Project Samurai runs!!!!!

[glhs837]

It took a year, mostly due to picking away at it 5-20 minutes at a time, but the engine swap was a success, and the little guy ran on his own today for the first time since the awesome guy who gave it to me parked with a bad cylinder over five years ago. The donor engine was left to sit at the same time, or even longer, but with fresh oil, good plugs and clean gas, it just started right up. Well, after an intake manifold swap and swapping over the mechanical fuel pump. Been a good project with the son, been fun to watch his excitement grow as it got closer to working. Been a good teaching tool, it's such a basic vehicle. You want to see how steering works, there's the shaft that connects the wheel to the small box that two rods come out of to the front wheels. Everything is visible and easy to follow.

 

[Gilligan]

Very good! Sammis are very popular in the offroad world I live/play in because of the things you mentioned...solid, simple little vehicles that will take some hellatious abuse!

 

[glhs837]

Rode in a rental one in HI about 30 years ago, never drove one Turn around to back up and you can almost reach out to feel if your going to run into something, the back of the vehicle is only about 3 feet behind you. I was surprised at how solid the shifter felt. I was expecting something more akin to the daughters 91 Geo, but it's much more akin to the old F600 ordie trucks I used to drive.

 

[Gilligan]

Here is what Sammis like doing the most

 

[blazinlow89]

Seen some pretty mean Samurais at a few off road parks, I like them better than most Jeeps.

 

[Gilligan]

More Sami pics..

 

[glhs837]

If you know anyone who has a hankering to build a trail only one, I do have the donor truck. Was a hardtop til the previous owner sawzalled most of the roof off. No title, no charge and I would want the stock drivetrain and towbar components off of it for spares for the red one, but most folks building a trail only zuk are going with Toyota stuff to handle higher torque. dont need it cluttering up the driveway, and I'm pretty certain building it would take more time, money and effort than I have to spare, given I have too many other projects for the forseeable future.

 

[blazinlow89]

Don't tempt me, as much as I would love to take that off your hands, I don't have the time or resources at the moment. Let alone the driveway space

 

[glhs837]

Listen to the man........

 

[GURPS]

I know a guy that dumped the stock carb, and put a motorcycle carb on, it ran great ... idling through the woods ..

 

[GURPS]

.... and the little guy ran on his own today for the first time since the awesome guy who gave it to me parked with a bad cylinder over five years ago.

 

[glhs837]

I know a guy that dumped the stock carb, and put a motorcycle carb on, it ran great ... idling through the woods ..

Yep, the standard is a Harley carb, or one off a Suzuki. That intake alone is almost twice the cost of the whole project so far Never mind the cost of a Harley carb that doesn't come with it. Some guys use the four car set off a GSXR. Last little addition was getting the second door panel finished and slapped on. This coming weekend, we'll take the tires we mounted to the hobby shop and learn how to balance them.

 

[glhs837]

Allright. Runs fine, then fuel pump sprang a leak. Bad news is you cant get one local for less than two days and $50. Good news is that you can get one from Amazon in three days for under $15 Better news is that this thing is such Flintstones tech that the fuel pump is mechanical and easily accessible right under the hood. Two bolts and three hoses and we'll be back in business. Bikini top installed, check. Damn licence plate mounting screws are corroded in place though Darn, just remembered, I have to swap over the bolt on tow bar in case this thing needs rescued. Designed for easy flat towing, it was.

 

[GURPS]

Yep, the standard is a Harley carb, or one off a Suzuki.

I am not sure, he buys and sells bikes, parts bikes out ..... it was this small adapter

 

[glhs837]

From one end to the other, on the shakedown cruise Sunday AM, fuel tank sprang a leak from the return line nipple. Luckily, we have a parts truck and it's tank is fine. Nothing to stop us but 8 bolts that have been in place under the trucks since Bush the Elder took office And with 3/4 of an inch sticking up out of them, there was serious resistance No access for an impact or other socket, of course Or to swing a breaker bar..........

 

[BOP]

From one end to the other, on the shakedown cruise Sunday AM, fuel tank sprang a leak from the return line nipple. Luckily, we have a parts truck and it's tank is fine. Nothing to stop us but 8 bolts that have been in place under the trucks since Bush the Elder took office And with 3/4 of an inch sticking up out of them, there was serious resistance No access for an impact or other socket, of course Or to swing a breaker bar..........

You probably don't want to buy more tools just for this project, but they make socket sets specifically for low clearance nuts and bolts. Years ago, back when I was a mik-a-nik, I bought a set like this for doing front ends. The difference between mine and this is that mine was breaker bar length.

 

[chess]

If you know anyone who has a hankering to build a trail only one, I do have the donor truck. Was a hardtop til the previous owner sawzalled most of the roof off. No title, no charge and I would want the stock drivetrain and towbar components off of it for spares for the red one, but most folks building a trail only zuk are going with Toyota stuff to handle higher torque. dont need it cluttering up the driveway, and I'm pretty certain building it would take more time, money and effort than I have to spare, given I have too many other projects for the forseeable future.

That thing is a damn junker

 

[glhs837]

For road use, of course. But if you are building a trail rig that you plan on putting a full cage in anyway, it's just fine. Me, I got enough projects on the plate that such isnt in my future, but there are folks who do this sort of thing. If you are building this, then you dont really care about appearances.....