Just a Samurai guy...

[Freshmeat]

I'm here trying to pick up a carb and maybe even learn a few thing about the 'yota axles since I'll probably end up with another set. I had some I picked up recently, but decided I'd try to sell them so I can get things I'll need before I'm ready for them and hit the jackpot with a trade for a rear bumper, rock sliders, skid, and 3" drop pitman arm.

Anyway- I've only been out a handful of times. I bought the Samurai about six months ago and didn't get to take it out until December. Since then it's been a rapid fire of trail rides and I'm still learning lots of techniques. I'm keeping it open front and rear because I think it's enabling me to learn the most and it's also the greatest challenge with the local trails. Here are a few pics from the run last Sunday.

[brainlessfool]

nice little sammy, hit the rocks with it yeat?

[Duffil]

  to Marlin! Where ya from?

[Rocksurfer]

I've had a few of those cute little things.

[Wermz84]

to the board freshmeat.      Dang you introduced yourself well, and even put some pics of your rig in the first post.  I just can't find anything to make fun of...   

[rockscrambler]

  nice zuki.  see ya round the board

[Freshmeat]

No, I'm in Louisiana so it's pretty much only mud for me. We're going to Sicily Island which is a park we'll be developing this weekend and they supposedly have some good rocks there.  I'm intimidated to go, because I'm positive I'm gonna bang up a rocker panel only days before I take delivery of the new rock sliders. I really have a blast on the mud trails here, just making the climbs and everything... I know it's gonna be a whole different story, though. In the mud, wheel speed is my saving grace. In the rocks, my currently-stock gearing and low power are gonna really show.

[Wermz84]

Take your time in the rocks, and pic your lines.   something i seem to forget alot.   

[Freshmeat]

The Samurai surprises me how capable it is. The only things not stock are the home made perches, braided stainless brake lines, driveshaft spacers, and 31s. It holds up extremely well. Last Sunday we had a spot the club calls the Grand Canyon and I can't tell you how many Wranglers couldn't make it through, but I put it to about 4,000 RPM, dropped the clutch, and held on for dear life and next thing I knew I was on the other side.

I think, as light as the Samurai is, I spend more time skipping across the top of the mud than driving through it.

[Rocksurfer]

Yeah stock sammi gears and bigger tires don't mix well with rocks but you'll be surprised at how well it still does.

[4inchToyotas]

you Sami guys are some cheapo bastids...stealin from the yotas. well, at least you're not another jeep guy.

[Freshmeat]

I'm planning on the 6.5:1 t-case gear set as soon as I get a few more things stable. When I need wheel speed in the mud I can always start in a higher gear.

As for the handle, I'm known as Freshmeat on over 30 automotive forums. I initially used the handle for the local 4x4 club a couple years back when I picked up a '89 XJ but wound up selling it because it was a piece. Got my finances stable again, then went on the prowl for a rig that not everyone else has and came across two Samurais for $600. After I used the parts one to get the good one running solid and sold the parts I wasn't using I had $100 invested in the one pictured above. I've done a lot more to it and still haven't broken the $1,000 mark.

[Freshmeat]

I have a cam coming in Friday and I'm trying to grab that 32/36 in the sale section. Between those two things, teh electric fan I'm about to install, and the 2" exhaust I already have, it oughta be performing much better than stock.

[Rocksurfer]

3 more to go....

[Wermz84]

I have a cam coming in Friday and I'm trying to grab that 32/36 in the sale section. Between those two things, teh electric fan I'm about to install, and the 2" exhaust I already have, it oughta be performing much better than stock.

sounds good so far.

[Freshmeat]

All of those upgrades will swap over to the 1.6L, by the way. I'm gonna grab one at the junk yard before long and build it with probably 11:1 compression and a better flowing head with a cheap header... most of which I'll do myself. I've built too many performance cars to not want a better engine in my offroad vehicle... but I can guarantee you my days at the track are numbered, now that I'm stuck on offroading.

[Freshmeat]

Know what I mean?

[Freshmeat]

And I'm good for PMs with this message right here.

[Rocksurfer]

Yup, you should now have the MY MESSAGES tab by the PROFILE tab.

[topar]

from Virginia.  Nice Sammy!

[Wermz84]

quick, lets all pm him useless stuff!    







    j/k

[46&2]

 

Nice sami man. I have always been a fan of the samurais. Personaly I hope to find a stocker so i can slap some 29 inch mudders on it and call it good. they do awesome stock IMO. anyways, welcome and take care.

[BikerTrash]

What part of Louisiana are you in?

[Freshmeat]

Thanks for all the complements, guys. I appreciate it- I've always thought the Samurais are funky and cool, but I never realized how small they were until I had bought them both and towed them to my house. A little investigation revealed that laying down, I am 4" shorter than my wheelbase. I'm also 255 pounds. You can see in the first picture that I'm very much like a sardine in it... but it's such a blast I'm not trading it for anything.

I'm on the east edge of Baton Rouge, LA. There are a few of us Samurai guys down here and we usually split into different groups when the whole crew has to split up, because when there's one Samurai in the crowd everyone's always all over it checking it out. It's really funny how much the Jeep guys will talk about their "Jeep thing" but when I roll up in my Sami they're all trying to figure out how to pop the hood and climbing over and under it to check it out.