Topic: The Tuki Suzuki - Toyota drivetrain, Samurai body

[4RnrRick]

Well here it is, an offical post on my new project.

The goal of this build is this:

• Suzuki Samurai Soft Top Tub
• Tube Front Clip
• Comp Cut Rear with Narrowed Tailgate
• Boatsides ?
• Toyota Taco 2.7L 3RZ motor (150 hp)
• R150F Toyota V6 tranny
• Dual 23 spline Transfer cases (2.28 X 4.70)
• Toyota 8" axles (chromo axles, Detroits, 5.29 gears)
• 36" Irok's on 15x10 rims
• 100-108" Wheelbase
• 3400 lbs trail ready with tools and spares

I'm still undecided on the suspsension but I'm thinking links front and rear with QA1 Coils and seperate shocks.

Previous Toyota: Quasimodo - build up thread: Part 1, Part 2, which will be the 'donor' vehicle for the drivetrain!

[4RnrRick [OP]]

Hopefully it will look something like this when I'm done.



And this is what I'm starting with: a Bone stock 1987 Soft Top Samurai. I bought this for $750 with no motor. Its not a great deal, but I was tired of looking for one. On the way home from picking it up I stopped by the truck scales and weighed it - its 1750 Lbs with no motor.

I also got an extra hood with it because the other one was pretty beat up on the passenger front corner. and for an extra $20 each, I got another set of doors from the previous owner. Those will be made into half doors!

[4RnrRick [OP]]

And here is the donor trail rig that will get cut up and ripped apart for donor parts!

Quasimodo - build up thread: Part 1, Part 2

[4RnrRick [OP]]

I'm going to try to build this as light as possible for what I want it to do. It would be sweet if I could get it at 3200 lbs, but realisticly speaking I would still be very happy with it at 3400lbs.

I just weighed Quasi in trail ready condition and it was 4400lbs (2250 front & 1950 rear) with no driver and everything I normally carry on a day run (which is quite abit) now I know you guys are going to say those numbers don't add up - but thats what the truck scales said, so thats what I posted.

And for reference Chris G. Samurai weighs around 3050 with a driver and trail ready. but thats with the rear of the tub cut off, no top and no doors and suzuki moto, tranny, t-case with toyota axles.

Some people might say I'm nuts for cutting my my Toyota, but thats because I'm not rich! Unless someone steps up in the next week or so to buy Quasimodo for $18K, its getting gutted. I just don't see that happening and I have almost that much into it in just parts and materials. That doesn't even include my labor! Sure its not really worth that much to anyone but me or maybe a person that has a bunch of cash and wants to build the exact same thing! On the 'open' market, I might be able to sell it for $9-12K range, but that means for the new build I would have to buy all new parts which adds up to more than that since I like to build my junk with the best parts and I hate trail carnage. Honesty for $18K, you can find more capable rigs where the owners are willing to take a finacial loss. For me, I want all the same parts for the new build, so there is no point is selling them at used prices to just rebuy them again at retail.

So if you want to buy Quasimodo complete AND have the cash, then you better contact me via Pm or email soon before I start cutting it up.

I hope to sell off what I don't need of Quasi (exo/body/flatbed) to some local wheeler so I can still see it on the trails getting used. Also if you look in the Quasi pictures above - you see that MY OLD 4Runner body is still getting used and abused on the trail! So its not scrap iron, yet.

Lets just leave it at that because I don't want this to turn into a for sale thread.

[4RnrRick [OP]]

For the people that don't know me, I enjoy building and modifying vehicles just about as much as driving them. Here's a bunch of the stuff I have built recently, worked on, or just help out with..... Some people even say I have ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)...Whatever that is.... 

I've built my 4runner: (two motors, two cages, RIP)


I've help build Project Blu: (Wheelie_Pete's, sold))


I've built a first gen xtra cab toyota: (sold)


I've built Quasimodo: (to be parted out)


I've help build Elotsip Samurai: (toy axle swap, twice)


I've built a frame dragging Mazda on Airbags: (for the neighbor kid)


And that doesn't include my other buddys with a project here or there and the (2) Subaru's and (2) XJ's thats I bought and resold with minimal rework.

What can I say - I get bored easily......

[4RnrRick [OP]]

Please note that I'm cross posting this from another forum, so the days don't make sense quite yet....



Got the first thing I ordered for the new project in today....

8mm x 1.25 x 20mm Lg Button Head Screws
McMaster-Carr #92095A284
Package of (25) for $14.82

So now I can ditch all those damn Samurai phillips screws! But to do that ,I get the pleasure of using a Chisel or Impact screw driver to get them all out first.

I also got ordered up today (7) sticks of 1.50" x .120 wall DOM for approximately $2.53/ft.

[4RnrRick [OP]]

Last night I also got the winshield fold down kit from Trail Tough. I got this more out of a curiousity more than need. I've never had a vehicle that you could fold the windshield down and I figured by modifying the hinges with quick pins, would make it REALLY simple to remove the windshield in the summer.

Then I spent the next hour replacing about (40) Philips screws and stripping down sami some more. I also realized that I need to order some 6mm x 1.00 x 16mm Lg button heads for the smaller size of phillips. McMaster #92095A238.

I found that my impact screwdrivers suck for those screws, using a chisel was by far the easier and fastest way to unscrew those OEM screws.

Got my tube and my 1.50 die for the bender. Heres what the writting on the tube says.

PO TH3480/ 45-M-66778 TPI-ED / 1.500" OD X 1.260" ID X 0.120" WT X 18' L - ASTM A513 - 00 T5C 1020 SRA/P&P/ H.N0 ES71729 / MADE IN INDIA

Basically its 1.50 X .120 wall DOM grade 1020 with a 60,000 psi yeild / 70,000 psi ultimate. That should work nicely for this project! Oh and remember that not all this tube is for this project - only about half of it.



EDIT: Since people keep asking.... My first quote was for $2.53/ft based on 10 sticks. Well I bought (17) sticks which actually lowered the price to $2.35/ft... NICE!

(7) for me, ( 8) for Elotsip, (2) for another buddy.....

[4RnrRick [OP]]

Well I got a bunch of stuff ordered today at lunch and still got a couple more places to call, but here is the majority of it....

I've decided to go all out on the front suspension. Its getting 3 link + panhard with dual-rate 2.0 Sway-Away RaceRunner Coilovers with Remote Reserviors from www.eshocks.com. I've never dealt with coil-overs so this should be fun! The lower links will be Non-Adjustable using Flexxx Joints from www.BallisticFabrication.com and I'm using their 3/4" chromoly hiems with kevlar liners for the panhard. Not sure on the link Material, but probably the same as my rear suspension now which is 2.00 OD x .281 wall grade 1026 DOM (70 ksi Yeild) for the lower links and 1.88 OD x .188 wall 1026 DOM (70 ksi Yeild) for the upper link and 1.25 OD x .250 wall 1026 DOM (70 ksi Yeild) for the panhard. I know its a bit overkill material wise, but doing this - will make the front and rear suspensions match component wise, plus it shouldn't fail!

For the rear suspension - I'm going to reuse my current 3 link + panhard suspension but instead of using TJ coils, I'm going to swap to some 14" QA1 x 175 lb/in coil springs (commonly used on Sami's) from www.SummitRacing.com and reuse my 13" BBCS shocks.

Also my front axle seals are just OEM replacements now, so during the tear down I'm going to swap those out for some of www.MarlinCrawler.com new inner axle seals when I do some maintanence on my front axle. While I'm at it - I'm also going to swap in some Longfield Solid Axle 4340 hub gears. When I bought my 27 spline 4340 Longs years ago, he hadn't come out with these yet, and I have been fortionate enough not to have any issues with the stockers. Anyways I figure now is a good time to buy those and get them installed.

Since I was ordering from www.toyotasupperaxles.com, I also threw a 4340 toyota t-case output on the list. I've been running a cryo output without any problems, but again I figure since I'm tearing everything down, now would be a good time to upgrade that also.

Last but not least.... I decided to buy a "Pre-Teen" seat for my 5 year old daughter and 5 point child harness from www.PRPseats.com for the back of the sami. Yes, it will be a three seater! For years I have just put her in a car seat, but now that she is getting bigger, its time to get her a nice suspension seat that will fit her for years to come. Not to mention you can't put a price on your child(s) safety...

So now that I got all of that figured out - hopefully I will be able to make the time to actually start working on the new project!

[4RnrRick [OP]]

First items got here.... Not bad - ordered yesterday and showed up today!



Took about 30-40 minutes this morning to install the hub gears.....

[4RnrRick [OP]]

And I got another package today.....
New Rear coil springs for the sami, not bad for $86.......



Oh and here is the thread I started talking about suck down winches.....

Suck Down Winch vs suspension hieght and spring rate?
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=620196

Got the Pre-teen (5-12 yrs) PRP suspension seat and 2" wide 5 point child harness in today....

Here's my 5 year old testing it out.

[4RnrRick [OP]]

Got the 14" Sway-Away Race Runner Coilovers in the mail today from www.eshocks.com... and since I already have (2) 14" QA1 coils, I just had to test fit them. Looks like a perfect fit to me with 28" worth of coils....this picture is showing the picture of the coils just touching the adjusters. So that means I need to run a 14"+14" or a 12"+16" coils. Or If I want to run tender springs, I could run some shorter main coils..... but I rather not go there if I don't have to.



I bought some new FJ-80 tie rod ends from Napa... They are Circle 555 brand, so they should be good..... they cost $38 ea. (not cheap) But considering I've broken 4 no-name FJ-80 joints, these have got to be better than what I've been running! Plus I'm told these have a lifetime warranty....

[4RnrRick [OP]]

I also got my order from Marlin Crawler which included a new Tits T-shirt (my current one is in bad shape!), some of his uber front axle seals and the 3rz 2.7L EFI emblem...

This emblem is almost too nice to put on a Sami! 

[4RnrRick [OP]]

Got my last package of stuff that I ordered.... some Chromo Heims and Flexx Joints from Ballistic Fab.



And I actually did some work on the sami on getting the front end stripped off....

[4RnrRick [OP]]

Got the inside stripped down some and even knocked off all the sound deading stuff on the floor and tunnel since I have to modify it for the toyota drivetrain and boatsides. And let me tell you, the best way to knock that crap off the floor is using a air chisel with a nice wide blade. probably only took me 10 mins to do the whole floor. in the past I have spend hours doing it by hand!





I also got started on removing all the 1.3L engine wiring, but I'm no where near completed with that yet. But I do have most all the harness stripped out of the engine bay.

[4RnrRick [OP]]

Got the garage cleaned up. It drives me nuts starting a new project with a messy cluttered garage! .... and a couple buddy's helped me out with my garage lights, so now I have WAY more light with alot less current draw! Thanks Guys!



Then I worked on the Sami for a couple hours removing the steering, brake Master Cylinder, brake & fuel lines and other crap. I also got a bunch of extra brackets and motor mounts cut off and smoothed and primed.



You can also see in the above picture I that I got the engine wiring removed from the main harness on the top edge of the firewall. Pretty much this is what I removed... Its not much, but it definately cleaned it up.

[4RnrRick [OP]]

I have never liked how tiny and fragile looking the Samurai Steering Shaft U-joints are, so I wanted to upgrade them to somethign larger. Well after comparing the Sami stuff to my Toyota stuff, I figured out that it would be pretty simple. I took the splined piece off the sami steering box for the rag joint (which is the same spline as the steering column) and bolted that directly to a Toyota U-joint yoke that is normally attached to a toyota rag joint. Actually it was almost too simple.... Anyways now I can just use a standard Toyota steering shaft ujoints and slip splines. And if I ever do have a failure in the future - It will be much easier to locate replacement toyota parts, than hard to find sami parts.

[4RnrRick [OP]]

And there we are - this is where I'm at in the project.....

I would like to have this running and driving by January, so I don't miss too much snow wheeling! Guess we will see how I do!

[BLACKDOG]

Looks like a good start   Hate to see quasimoto go though, I really enjoyed the writeup in crawl? 4wdtoyotaowner?    I don't remember which one, sorry. 


Off topic, but is that agle iron welded to quasimoto's doors?  Why'd you do that?  I'm assuming to give some more rigidity to the doors?  and to slide on rocks?    How'd that work out?  it actually looks pretty cool.

[4RnrRick [OP]]

People said the same thing when I tore my 4runner down.... Its all good....

And yes - Quasimodo was in Crawl.



As for the Doors, its 1 1/4" x 1/8"(?) angle iron welded on the doors. Actually these doors are a set of spare doors I had laying around from my 4runner, so I still have the nice color match ones in storage. Anyways, the angle iron totally helps with rock rash. I've rubbed on them hard at least 3 times where I would have trashed a normal door to the point were it probably would have broken the glass. Its worked out so good that, I plan on doing something similar on the sami!

Spots kinda like this...

[MiniSimp]

I like this, you get the summary of the build here, and if you want you can go to Pirate and get all the details and theory behind it.

[oddball]

Yes interesting, looks like a good start

[Shoyrtt]

I like this, you get the summary of the build here, and if you want you can go to Pirate and get all the details and theory behind it.

X2 8)

[4RnrRick [OP]]

Did a little junkyard searching today after work....I ended up getting a FJ-80 Power Steering Box. Its reverse rotation compared to the standard Toyota IFS boxes, so the pitman arms faces forward. This will let me mount it closer to the firewall so I won't have to have so long of frame rails up front and it will let me run a bigger radiator. I got it for $150 .... I talked them down from $225.

[4RnrRick [OP]]

I also picked up a late 90's Subaru Legacy / Imprezza Brake Master Cylinder (with ABS). Its a 1 1/16" diameter, compared to the stock sami master cylinder which is 7/8" bore - it should power the vented toyota brakes with chevy rears quite nicely. This master cylinder is basically a bolt-on. It has the same mounting hole pattern, has metric fittings, and similiar sealing surface to the booster and a low level reservior switch. The only tweak that needs to be done is the sami plunger needs to be lengthed 14mm out to a total length of 82mm....

Oh and just for kicks, I found that you can buy this Master Cylinder remanufactured for about $36 + $18 core from Napa, but it doesn't come with a reservior. But the reservior on the Sami master cylinder looks really close. Well I took the Subaru one I got from the wrecking yard apart and it has a different hole to hole mounting for the reserviors, so they are NOT interchangeable. Bummer. Anyways just thought I would pass that info along.

I ended up getting this one for Free since I bought the FJ-80 steering box from the same wrecking yard.

[tom w.]

That's sweet. I read the quasi thread a lot when i converted my 2WD to 4WD.

Can't wait to see what you do to this.

[CRS]

can the fj box be tapped for hydro llike the ifs ones can?

[4RnrRick [OP]]

Yes, the box will get tapped for Hydro assist. Just have to reverse the hydro lines on the ram and your good to go. (I know that because I just helped a buddy with his...

[Duffil]

this is gonna be dope.  can't wait to see it happen!

[4RnrRick [OP]]

Just for kicks - I thought I would post the comparision HP and Torque ratings....


Stock 1.3L Sami motor:
Carb: 60 HP @ 6500 rpm & 73 Ft-Lbs @ 3500 rpm
FI: 66 HP @ 6000 rpm & 76 Ft-Lbs @ 3500 rpm.

Toyota Tacoma 2.7L 3rz-fe:
150 HP @4800 rpms & 177 Ft-Lbs @4000 rpm.


Thats more than twice the HP and Torque... Should be fun!

[4RnrRick [OP]]

I didn't do much tonight.....

But I did get a Toyota clutch master cylinder installed and the firewall re-enforced. The factory fuse box is right were the clutch master has to go, so I still have to relocate that, but that looks simple because the factory harness is extra long. I also still have to attach the clutch pedal to the master cylinder which will take a little fab work.