Am I nuts?

[Stephen]

Call Kent at Six States in Orem, he is a stand up dude with tranny skills!



You will, I really think this is something you should incorporate into the build if possible, at least get a motor thats setup to add it later.

Thanks for the referral. I'll throw the PS stuff into the spreadsheet to consider at the tail end of the build.

 

[Brett]

Here's my take. You've mentioned doing a long trip off road and what not. Can a Samurai do it? Can it hold everything you'd need for longer trips, plus fuel to get you there and back again? I think that's my thoughts when I see them, short range and no room for anything.

If I were you, emotions aside, I really would look into finding something larger, roomier and with more power. Toyota, Jeep, Land Rover, anything or anything. I don't see a Sami as an long range traveler, but that's me.


PS, all those parts and upgrades you're talking about........they're great, but it's like what I am doing with my XJ. It's still a patch job, just a bigger bandaid. Food for thought.

 

[Stephen]

Here's my take. You've mentioned doing a long trip off road and what not. Can a Samurai do it? Can it hold everything you'd need for longer trips, plus fuel to get you there and back again? I think that's my thoughts when I see them, short range and no room for anything.

If I were you, emotions aside, I really would look into finding something larger, roomier and with more power. Toyota, Jeep, Land Rover, anything or anything. I don't see a Sami as an long range traveler, but that's me.

I've thought about that as well, and here is the conclusion that I've come to: If only one person is in the vehicle and I have a rack, then I can haul all I need. If you add person two, you're screwed. Since my wife has no interest in the long haul stuff, I think I'll be OK. Additionally, with the EFI swap, 15 gallon tank and a Jerry can, I should have enough fuel for most trips that I would consider taking. But i guess the only way to find out is by trying it out. The way I see it is if people take D90's and CJ's on expeditions, as Sami isn't that much smaller.

PS, all those parts and upgrades you're talking about........they're great, but it's like what I am doing with my XJ. It's still a patch job, just a bigger bandaid. Food for thought.

I think of it more as major surgery

 

[zukgod1]

I think you should build it.

I would however as already mentioned do a 16v swap VS rebuilding the anemic 1.3. I think Brent can get you a good one with the harness and adapter plate for less than you are planning on for a rebuild.

Now with that said I had WELL over $5k in my zuk when I sold it. I think it was closer to $9k (shhhh don't tell the wife). I ended up selling it and building an XJ just due to the fact that when we would head to the trail there was NO room for our stuff.

I still say build it though. I'm looking for another one to build up. Screw the fam I'm going to have fun.. 2 seats that's it!!!

 

[Tacoma]

I've thought about that as well, and here is the conclusion that I've come to: If only one person is in the vehicle and I have a rack, then I can haul all I need. If you add person two, you're screwed. Since my wife has no interest in the long haul stuff,.....

Wait, what? Someone let their daughter marry you????? WTF! :wtf:

hehehheheheheheheh



I think Samurai's are too small for anything but buggies.... but, if you're stoked on 'em, build it. And, having lived in trucks and vans while workign all over America, I think you could just barely pack well enough to make a...say, 5-day trip in a Samurai. With gas stops along the way.

 

[Stephen]

Wait, what? Someone let their daughter marry you????? WTF! :wtf:

 

[Gravy]

What I'm hoping to end up with is a rock solid vehicle that will last me for another 10+ years. It needs to be a reliable DD and a reasonably capable trail rig. After owning it for ten years it has seen lots of little patch job fixes and sporadic upgrades. I'd like to gut all that stuff out and build it solidly and completely in one swoop.
For your consideration, I've attached my parts list. Feel free to critique and offer suggestions (or discounts ). Obviously its all preliminary numbers, but its a rough idea.

for a dd and trail rig that does more expeditionary type stuff... I might try a bigger vehicle..... but if I was 4 feet tall I would keep that sammy and save money on phone books

 

[I Lean]

You know how I feel about XJ's in general, right? You should buy this one: http://www.rockymountainextreme.com/showthread.php?t=58954

 

[Maverick]

Honestly, I don't want power steering. I know, I'm strange. But its just one more thing to go wrong. And since I'm just running 235/75's, it's not really needed. I'm still running the 1.3L and I have another hacked up Sami (thanks Greg!) with an EFI engine in it. So I plan to just rebuild that and swap it in. If I didn't already have a donor I'd go with a 1.6L.

What other vehicles have you wheeled? (helps to understand your perspective)

I think that 235/75's won't do it for you for another 10+ years. 10 years is a long time. 5 years is a long time. That's a lot of money to spend on a sammy.

The sami is great but you don't really owe it anything...you owe you. Go with the rig that fits best with your prioritiesnow and in the foreseeable future. What else will $5500 provide? Any rigs out there that are almost done for $3000 that another $2500 would upgrade to be trail ready?

I had similar plans for my sammy. Then I graduated from college and bought an XJ.

 

[leorn]

From a toyota guy, I wish I had built a samurai to begin with for one reason only. Weight. With essentially the same toyota drivetrain and wheelbase, it would shave around 500lbs.

Having said that, your goals do not seem to be involved enough for weight to become a factor, and the only reason I can see for you to build a samurai would be sentimental.

 

[SAMI]

I think that your ideas are doable... I just don't understand them.

Now, if it was a long wheelbase samurai then I would be all over the idea of additional funds being dumped in.

I too loved my samurai, but i got over it.. I loved the blue 4runner even though i didn't build it.. got over that.. I absolutely love my '99 4runner now.. But, i'd part with it if i had too, or of something better presented itself.

I think that alongside planning and routing a rebuild, you should atleast keep an open mind to other rigs.. Keep an eye out on craigs, KSL, and forums for rigs that could fit your needs.

Another thought. Just because you have some cetain equipment(EFI 1.3) doesn't mean you need to use it. You can always find a buyer for that stuff, and "upgrade".. use the term loosely.. to a 1.6 or somethin..

 

[sixb]

That 5500.00 plus what you can sell your sami for would buy a very sweet rig from what I've been seeing in the classifieds lately.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Saw this and thought of you Steve:

 

[Tacoma]

Not bad! a street-legal UTV.

 

[moabax]

Not bad! a street-legal UTV.

x2

If you are married are you sure it is only going to be YOU on those long trips. 10 years from now you could have x number of kids. Then you will have to get something bigger. Look for something that will fit your needs for the future, you never know.

 

[Brett]

Not bad! a street-legal UTV.

And true too

 

[Tacoma]

I keep coming up against that argument: Zuk v. UTV.

UTV costs more, carries less, requires trailering, etc.
Zuk is not those things, and it's a gas-sipping commuter vehicle too! Makes sense to me. You can't cut up a UTV later and put 1-tons under it.

 

[solidfrontaxle]

You can't cut up a UTV later and put 1-tons under it.

....Or CAN you? :guilty:

 

[Greg]

I keep coming up against that argument: Zuk v. UTV.

UTV costs more, carries less, requires trailering, etc.
Zuk is not those things, and it's a gas-sipping commuter vehicle too! Makes sense to me. You can't cut up a UTV later and put 1-tons under it.

The gears are turning. Can I start a thread for you? Don't want to hijack Stephens build thread.

 

[Stephen]

Saw this and thought of you Steve:

DUDE!!! That is awesome! Where did you find that? I'd like to see some specs.
It make me sad that my project is in the 'Save money' phase.