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ZUKIWORLD Discussion Forum => Suzuki 4x4 Forum => Topic started by: Dsmed on August 26, 2006, 05:21:03 AM

Title: Samurai to Wrangler project started.
Post by: Dsmed on August 26, 2006, 05:21:03 AM
So I recently picked up a 88 Sammy. After driving it a bit, I decided to tear it apart, pulled out the motor, trans, xfer case, wiring harness, dash, and driveshafts. Am going to yank to axles and springs Sunday evening. All this will be getting replaced with a Wrangler engine/trans/xfercase/axles/driveshafts/wiring harness/ecu. I was going to fabricate the rear end into a 1/4 eliptical rear, but decided against that after seeing other people having issues with the rear axle wanting to steer itself while off road. So I decided to go with a full coil suspension front and back. I already have the entire Wrangler set up laying in the garage and it all only has 60,000 miles and ran perfect before tearing it out and replacing it with a bigger engine in the Wrangler. So I figured, why not. I'll post a few pics of the start of the ter down. I took the entire front end off the Sammy to make it easier to access the frame for the mounts and such.
Title: Re: Samurai to Wrangler project started.
Post by: mrfuelish on August 27, 2006, 01:31:59 PM
What state are you in? i'm just guessing your in the us.
Title: Re: Samurai to Wrangler project started.
Post by: Element on August 27, 2006, 01:34:22 PM
Ever consider doing a Wrangler to Samurai?
Title: Re: Samurai to Wrangler project started.
Post by: john1974 on August 27, 2006, 01:51:48 PM
UGH!!!! what a waste of a sammy... your supposed to junk your jeep parts for a sammy!!!

somewhere the sammy gods are crying....

;)
Title: Re: Samurai to Wrangler project started.
Post by: Jookycola on August 27, 2006, 03:52:43 PM
sounds like a cool project...albeit a total sin of the Suzuki genetic code to put inferior Heep parts in a sammy. (LOL)  but just a question?

why not drop a Suzuki V6 or 1.6 DOHC/SOHC instead.  Both engines are huge improvments over the stock 1.3
Title: Re: Samurai to Wrangler project started.
Post by: Dsmed on August 27, 2006, 09:46:25 PM
sounds like a cool project...albeit a total sin of the Suzuki genetic code to put inferior Heep parts in a sammy. (LOL)  but just a question?

why not drop a Suzuki V6 or 1.6 DOHC/SOHC instead.  Both engines are huge improvments over the stock 1.3

Mainly because I already have all the Heep stuff laying around. Going this route will save me tons of money.

Just a update:

Took the body off the frame tonight, cut out all the stock mounts and fabricated the poly motor mounts for the 2.5 engine.  Wouldn't have guessed that the body minus all the interior, would still weigh so much. It took 3 of us to lift it off the frame.  And I only needed to cut (1) of the body mount bolts, the rest all came out easily, luckily enough. The engine/trans/xfer case should be all in and mocked up on Tuesday evening, then it will be on to doing the axles and coil spring set up.  I will have to relocate the rear axle back around 6 inches though to fit the rear stock Heep drive shaft. The front drive shaft will be shortened and rebalanced to fit/keep the front axle at stock location in the frame.  I'll grab some updated pics on Tues.

P.S. The stock Sammy front axle and suspension will be going into a friends Tracker for the SAS setup.
Title: Re: Samurai to Wrangler project started.
Post by: Uncivilized on August 28, 2006, 07:12:24 AM
I think it sounds cool; can't wait to see it!
Title: Re: Samurai to Wrangler project started.
Post by: nils on August 28, 2006, 07:44:19 AM
just wheelin the sammy would have saved alot of hasle too :D

j/k

nice project!!
Title: Re: Samurai to Wrangler project started.
Post by: Dsmed on August 28, 2006, 12:55:57 PM
just wheelin the sammy would have saved alot of hasle too :D

j/k

nice project!!

It needed some work to even make it trail ready. It was already sprung over, but whoever did the job did it half arsed.  I didn't even feel safe driving it on the road, much less wheeling it.
Title: Re: Samurai to Wrangler project started.
Post by: Dsmed on September 01, 2006, 06:31:21 AM
Update:

Finished building the poly motor mounts last night. Welded them onto the frame and then sat the motor in place. The only clearance issue we had was the Wrangler transfer case had a extra support notch at the driver side end of it, it wasn't going to be used in this application so we cut it off and then ground it down so that it wouldn't hit the frame. The tranny is sitting lower in the rear end due to it resting on a jack stand in the pictures. I am picking up a new tranny mount this week so we can get the rear of the powerplant in place. Now onto a few new pics. Sorry about the pic quality, was using my cell phone cam.
Title: Re: Samurai to Wrangler project started.
Post by: Dsmed on September 06, 2006, 04:14:55 AM
Got the rear end in last night. Decided to stick with a leaf sprung rear end so that I could keep the same wheel base. I gained about 6 inches of width per side using the Wrangler axles. We also kept the SPOA on the rear. The front is still going to get the coil conversion. Well onto a few new pics.
Title: Re: Samurai to Wrangler project started.
Post by: ed oorklep on September 07, 2006, 01:18:50 PM
Nice project you've got there  ;D
Title: Re: Samurai to Wrangler project started.
Post by: Dsmed on November 03, 2006, 06:56:17 AM
So I have been working my rear end off the past few weeks. I got the body back on and painted Italian Olive Drab. Did a 2" body lift. The motor/trans/xfer case is in. The wiring harness is in from the engine bay to the dash. I still need to finish the rear harness to the tail lights.  I picked up a Jeep Wrangler a week ago for spare parts and the parts I need to finish my Sammy. I got the Jeep for $300, it was a complete Wrangler also, so I started tearing into it. I will use the stock Jeep roll cage in the sammy and adapt a front loop into it, yes I know it needs to be shrunken down in width in order to fit, thats already covered. I am using the radiator from the Heap along with the gas tank, fuel pump, leaf springs, 4.11 gears and axles, tail lights, and possibly the power steering set-up. The rest of the Jeep will be parted out on Ebay to make my $300 back. It has a brand new Best Top on it, that alone I canget at least $200 for and the half doors are going for upwards of $100 each. Not to mention that now I have a spare motor/trans/xfer case/ecu/wiring harness. Anyway on to some recent pics of the project. I get married next weekend so I'll finish it hopefully by December 1.
Title: Re: Samurai to Wrangler project started.
Post by: Dsmed on November 03, 2006, 06:59:08 AM
I still need to finish the front axle. But here are a few pics of the Heap I m rummaging through.
Title: Re: Samurai to Wrangler project started.
Post by: Amilla on November 03, 2006, 09:13:04 AM
wow, at first i wasnt thinking that this project was going to work out to smooth, but you have prooved me and im sure loads of other poeple wrong. looks prett good.
How was that heep only 300 bucks? theres quite a bit of money right there in just parts.
id have to say thats a pretty darn good find.
Title: Re: Samurai to Wrangler project started.
Post by: Dsmed on November 03, 2006, 09:22:22 AM
wow, at first i wasnt thinking that this project was going to work out to smooth, but you have prooved me and im sure loads of other poeple wrong. looks prett good.
How was that heep only 300 bucks? theres quite a bit of money right there in just parts.
id have to say thats a pretty darn good find.

I didn't think it was going to be possible myself...LOL But with a little fabrication, some metal, and a good welder, anything is possible. A great thing on the $300 wragler is that it has all the vacuum lines and all the plugs that they go to, the engine I had before was missing the entire vacuum set up, so this works out just perfect.

Onto getting the Heap so cheap. A friend bought it to use the trans in his Heap, well it turns out that it is a different trans, this one is a four cyl and his is a 6 cyl, so he can't use it. The tranny shop took the trans out and informed him that it was different, so at that point he was stuck with another Heap sitting there. This one is starting to rust out in the rear section of the frame. He asked me my opinion on what to do with it, I offered him $300 for it complete, so that he could use that $300 towards finding a trans for his 6 cyl, he took it and ran, I took the Heap and pulled...literally, the trans was sitting in the back of it, so I pulled it home.
Title: Re: Samurai to Wrangler project started.
Post by: Amilla on November 03, 2006, 09:32:29 AM
hahah very nice man, talk about a set up working perfectly. how much more work to you have to do on it?
Title: Re: Samurai to Wrangler project started.
Post by: Drone637 on November 03, 2006, 09:51:46 AM
Looks like fun.  Keep up the pics.  :)
Title: Re: Samurai to Wrangler project started.
Post by: Dsmed on November 03, 2006, 01:16:20 PM
hahah very nice man, talk about a set up working perfectly. how much more work to you have to do on it?
I need to put the front axle in, scrap the sammy gas tank and replace it with the Heap one along with the Heap fuel pump. I need to do new front brakes, then put the front fenders and grill on. Throw the seats back in and get some 33's. Oh yeah, I still need to put the roll cage in, that'll take some time, especially incorporating it in with the frame. I'll work on the cage after the rest is complete.
Title: Re: Samurai to Wrangler project started.
Post by: Dsmed on August 22, 2007, 02:37:07 PM
Almost exactly one year to the date from when I picked up my Sammy, I just about finished the Sammy to Wrangler project. I had it on the road last night and it was running excellent. The last things I need to do are putting the cage in (it is sitting just waiting) and bigger tires.  I ended up having to stretch the front fenders about 12 inches to fit wich consisted of fabbing up some diamond plate patch panels and also mounting the hood forward then adding some braces and adding 12 more inches of another sammy hood. Due to using the jeep wiring harness with the engine and drivetrain, I ended up using the jeep gauges and making a makeshift dash.
Title: Re: Samurai to Wrangler project started.
Post by: knights87project on August 23, 2007, 05:50:53 AM
DSMED- cool project dude- just read the whole thread can't wait for more pics

the owner of the Blue Dot
Title: Re: Samurai to Wrangler project started.
Post by: Rhinoman on August 23, 2007, 06:34:58 AM
Cool. Glad to hear that its almost finished.
Title: Re: Samurai to Wrangler project started.
Post by: Dsmed on August 23, 2007, 12:03:37 PM
Here are a few pics without the top on it and before bigger tires and the cage in it.

(http://a194.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/111/l_940b91d72cbf8dbda10500f2820de5a9.jpg)
(http://a812.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/100/l_d887ad2485da9fff8f5db559a2e1d9e3.jpg)
(http://a202.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/89/l_c4b5d96ea4aa338d908c41824eba3891.jpg)
(http://a56.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/116/l_cdd5771bb8349e33e5d8c8a1b46876ef.jpg)
Title: Re: Samurai to Wrangler project started.
Post by: Carnage on August 23, 2007, 01:24:09 PM
oh man you gotta post more pics cuz it looks sweet
Title: Re: Samurai to Wrangler project started.
Post by: Dsmed on August 23, 2007, 01:59:42 PM
oh man you gotta post more pics cuz it looks sweet
I will over the next few days. I am bringing it home tonight from my buddies garage where we did all the work at. When I get it home, I will post up a bunch of pics.
Title: Re: Samurai to Wrangler project started.
Post by: Drone637 on August 23, 2007, 05:54:09 PM
Why did you stretch the nose out so far?
Title: Re: Samurai to Wrangler project started.
Post by: Dsmed on August 23, 2007, 07:02:20 PM
Why did you stretch the nose out so far?

I had to because it was either that or take off the rear end and loose any form of hauling a box.  Any way I looked at it, I had to stretch it 12 inches. I could have done 6 in the fron and 6 in the rear, but then I would have had the hassle of cutting and trueing the front driveshaft.
Title: Re: Samurai to Wrangler project started.
Post by: lil_Truck on August 24, 2007, 05:36:19 AM
Did you use the Jeep frame also?
Title: Re: Samurai to Wrangler project started.
Post by: Dsmed on August 24, 2007, 07:07:22 AM
Did you use the Jeep frame also?

Yeah I ended up using a different jeep frame that was completely solid (no rust) front to back unlike the sammy frame when I started stripping it.

(http://a739.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/106/l_34d043efd46c3271cceb4ea2d5b1a722.jpg)
(http://a949.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/127/l_3a102ee2403c536d091d62c9f0884684.jpg)
(http://a276.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/94/l_50ce662445c7d246d32b0b7b1f240e9b.jpg)
(http://a70.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/102/l_294b70ce186782ec7749057fce2f9f95.jpg)
(http://a115.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/87/l_bde6289fb539a42bf96205412e1de4b2.jpg)
(http://a410.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/76/l_999865925f12fcc798e2ee8cfad08bb1.jpg)
Title: Re: Samurai to Wrangler project started.
Post by: rocktoy1 on August 24, 2007, 07:49:58 AM
WHY!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Title: Re: Samurai to Wrangler project started.
Post by: Dsmed on August 24, 2007, 06:59:39 PM
WHY!!!!!!!!!!!!!
why not? more availability of parts, easier aftermarket of parts, samurai was no where ready for trails or even safe to take a ride around the block. Frame was rotted. Had the Jeep engine and drivetrain plus axles front and rear and extras. Had extra Jeep engine. Got a FREE frame with tank, brake lines, fuel lines and axles. Had the entire wiring harness interior and engine bay plus computer, bought a scrap jeep for $300, made that plus way over that back in selling used parts alone. Plus got all the parts I needed for my sammy.  Do I really need any more explanation. Lastly, I have never seen this swap done personally.
Title: Re: Samurai to Wrangler project started.
Post by: olija on August 25, 2007, 10:45:52 AM
That's ugly as sin, but good on ya for gettin her done! That looks like a lot of hard work, props for sticking it to the end.
Title: Re: Samurai to Wrangler project started.
Post by: Dsmed on August 26, 2007, 04:53:11 AM
That's ugly as sin, but good on ya for gettin her done! That looks like a lot of hard work, props for sticking it to the end.

It is ugly, but on a tight budget for a trail rig and to drive on the streets every now and then, it doesn't matter how ugly it is.
Title: Re: Samurai to Wrangler project started.
Post by: ace69247no13 on August 27, 2007, 11:22:31 AM
the sammy gods are pulling their hair out
Title: Re: Samurai to Wrangler project started.
Post by: ebewley on August 27, 2007, 03:11:28 PM
Ugh...

-Eric
Title: Re: Samurai to Wrangler project started.
Post by: j2custom on August 27, 2007, 05:57:43 PM
Quote
Do I really need any more explanation.
 No you don't.  You don't need any at all.
Quote
Ugh...

There will always be haters... :P

The beauty of the build is that it is yours, it was cheap and you did all the work yourself.  Congrats.   ;D
Title: Re: Samurai to Wrangler project started.
Post by: Carnage on August 27, 2007, 06:12:49 PM
least its not a jeep body on a samurai/tracker frame amiright

=P
Title: Re: Samurai to Wrangler project started.
Post by: Dsmed on August 27, 2007, 06:59:06 PM
least its not a jeep body on a samurai/tracker frame amiright

=P

LOL very true. At least I am sticking to people looking at it and not thinking it is a Jeep like every other one on the road. At least the Sammy body stayed basically the same except for the stretch of course.

And as for the haters, yeah no big deal, everyone is entitled to their own opinion, I did not build it for the haters or the lovers, I built it for myself, for the love of off roading and the love of wrenching on a tight budget.  :)
Title: Re: Samurai to Wrangler project started.
Post by: Dsmed on August 27, 2007, 07:01:36 PM
Quote
The beauty of the build is that it is yours, it was cheap and you did all the work yourself.  Congrats.   ;D





Amen preach on.  :BEER TIME:
Title: Re: Samurai to Wrangler project started.
Post by: Dsmed on September 04, 2007, 08:33:22 PM
As it sits today, just put the tires and rims on and took the doors off. No pic of it with the doors off yet. I will be wheeling it at Wellsville this coming weekend.

(http://a803.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/75/l_d6c8acd965f493989431092b518a96da.jpg)
(http://a346.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/78/l_2cdbf188b4bdd6ed8479d0b0ea5a4619.jpg)
(http://a733.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/107/l_787f1a5e2612ddbc935e371e1d80860c.jpg)
(http://a683.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/84/l_71380cc1efc780387fc47bd245ae3bea.jpg)