The Tuki Suzuki - Toyota drivetrain, Samurai body

[Shoyrtt]

Looking good Are you planning to put the latch/handle on the inside of the tailgate or the outside?

[4RnrRick]

would you consider yourself good at sheet metal work??

Not really.... I know just enough that I'm dangerious.

Rick, do you use body caulk or anything special?

No I didn't, but I might. I just needed to get some paint on the bare metal. I think there is something in the sami paint or factory sealer or something that when it gets hot from welding it must release something that causes new steel around it to start rusting.

Are you planning to put the latch/handle on the inside of the tailgate or the outside?

I'm reusing the factory inside and outside latches. While its only on the driver side, it seems to work fine so far. I still need to fine some tailgate support cables, but functional it works great.

[joeshmo]

looking good rick, when are you planning for your first test drive?

[Roc Doc]

Hey Rick,

Just checking in to say Hi and wish you and your family a merry Christmas.

And remember, "don't sow your pearls before sows."   

Nice work as always.

doc

[4RnrRick]

looking good rick, when are you planning for your first test drive?

Ah,  when its done....  I was shotting for January - but I don't see that happening. So I've decided to slow down some and focus on the details and just go with the flow.




Thanks Doc - Right back at ya!





Close ups of the relocated tailgate hinge.






Top of the wheel well....




I don't have a sheetmetal break, so I used a die grinder to help make the sharp bends I needed.






And the inner driver side wheel well

[Duffil]

After seeing this pic:


I wonder if you have plans to either drop the rear section of the tunnel and tie it into what is left to the factory unit, or maybe bring it all the way back into the rear section.  What are your thoughts on it?

[4RnrRick]

I haven't got that far yet design wise. kinda depends on how low I can mount the seats. I might have to notch out eash side for the seat sliders. So instead of finishing all that, I decided to just move onto other things.

[MiniSimp]

Looking good Rick, take a break! Merry Christmas!

[fatt_matt]

this build is one of my favorites, it'll be an awesome rig!

[THK Matt]

this build is one of my favorites, it'll be an awesome rig!

I agree

[MT4Runner]

No I didn't, but I might. I just needed to get some paint on the bare metal. I think there is something in the sami paint or factory sealer or something that when it gets hot from welding it must release something that causes new steel around it to start rusting.

I recall Crash saying he had rust problems on the Secret Squirrel build, as well. 

Does it get confusing keeping up the thread here and on Zukicrawlers?

Happy New Year!!

[4RnrRick]

Yes, Now I understand what Crash was refering too....

BTW - This build up thread is also posted on a few other sites other than the ones you mentioned....No its not confusing.

[vikingsven]

Looks good Rick. Keep up the good work and don't let the TG/PBB incident slow you down.

[4RnrRick]

I said early on..."Oh yeah, narrow the tailgate and convert it to fold down, comp cut the sides and sheetmetal it all back it - piece of cake...." Man this is taking me WAY longer than I thought it would - It sounded so simple and quick to do. Man was I wrong. I'm almost there!

[MiniSimp]

I said early on..."Oh yeah, narrow the tailgate and convert it to fold down, comp cut the sides and sheetmetal it all back it - piece of cake...." Man this is taking me WAY longer than I thought it would - It sounded so simple and quick to do. Man was I wrong. I'm almost there!

Yep, general rule: What ever time you think it will take you to complete a project, double it.

I have a feeling that your end result will be worth it though.

[Duffil]

I am sorry I have to ask this, but I am ignorant of good sheetmetal work.  What did you use to slice the scrap off of that plate?  cutoff wheel and a shitload of grinding to smooth it out?

[jedrattle]

I said early on..."Oh yeah, narrow the tailgate and convert it to fold down, comp cut the sides and sheetmetal it all back it - piece of cake...." Man this is taking me WAY longer than I thought it would - It sounded so simple and quick to do. Man was I wrong. I'm almost

 

I have been thinking about doing this to my 4runner. I am just wasn't sure how to pull it off until I saw this. Man that looks like some work!!  Looks good though!

[THK Matt]

wow, thats thing is lookin good rick

[4RnrRick]

I am sorry I have to ask this, but I am ignorant of good sheetmetal work.  What did you use to slice the scrap off of that plate?  cutoff wheel and a :pokinit:load of grinding to smooth it out?

Cutoff wheel to get the big pieces off...

then a grinder wheel to hog it down close...

then a flapper wheel to smooth it down to surface level...

Then more some spot welding to fill in the holes and connect the two pieces better...

Then more flapper wheel...

And finally a orbital sander to give it a consistant surface texture...

[4RnrRick]

Well here is the current plan for the coilover location. I will have to attach them to the lower links, but I can handle that. I will just have to add some little anti rotation gizmo's to keep the links vertical, but its totally doable.







And now the interior mock up.... PRP pre-teen seat, 3 ammo cans for tools and spares, and the cardboard box is mock up for a fuel cell. right now it looks like I can eaisly fit a 12" X 12" X 20" slightly recess into in the floor which give me 12.5 gallons. I would like more fuel, but atleast this is a start.

[Ramrod]

are those tires spaced out to actual width? if so, nice

[4RnrRick]

In that picture, they are set at 61"WMS (aka: IFS rear + 1.5" spacers)

[CTENG in KS]

What type of anti-rotation gizmos are you considering?

[topar]

  I just read this build for the first time.  I will be 

[Yota4life]

Thats sick. Nice sheet metal work.   

[4RnrRick]

What type of anti-rotation gizmos are you considering?

Its hard to describe, but I've seen several things on the trail.

[CTENG in KS]

I know the desert guys mount their coilovers below the centerline of the link to keep them upright.  Reason I ask is that I may go the same route on my rear links...I will run bushings at the axle and joints at the frame, but I may need to mount the shocks to the outside of the link.  The bushings will do some and if I mount the shock eye low enough that will help too, but I am interested in options.

[4RnrRick]

Pulled the extra passenger door out of storage today and got them gutted, installed some hinges and cut for half doors.








Then I sat on my stool and stared at the rocker panels for probably two hours trying to figure out an easy way to boatside the sami right below the lower door hinge (cutting 4" off the bottom of the doors). I finally got tired of just thinking about and just started cutting into the rocker panel to see what was inside. Well I decided that it was going to be more work than I wanted to get into since to do what I wanted would require me totally redoing both body mounts. so this is what I ended up with.

[4RnrRick]

And I'm going to notch around the front body mount, so when I plate under the rock sliders supports (see mock up tube), the plate will be high and tight against the bottom of the mount.








To cap it off, I was able to reuse the factory rocker panel skin which gave me a nice outside radius to blend the welds into. I still need to finish up around the front body mount.

[Kirmet]

Followed From PBB because Ricks Builds are the bomb!