Coops samurai buggy build adventure

Drcoop · Dec 10, 2009

DAY ONE...

So I picked up this bone stock 87 Suzuki Samurai...
Runs ok, looks a little rough, but over all not to shabby..
The only main problem is the stereo... The volume button broke off?? And you cant go without tunes..

DAY TWO...

I was determined to fix the radio... And it so happens I thought you needed to pull the dash off to get the radio out. (I later found out you didnt)
In the process of doing that I sumhow managed to crack the windshield..

DAY THREE...

After a night of dwelling about how I cracked the windshield. I decided to just replace it.. I figured the easiest way to do this would be to cut the old window out??

Unfortunatly the plasma cutter got a little away from me..

Note: Plasma cutters should have better warning labels.. Im lucky to still have all my finger...

DAY FOUR....

I was still in need of a vehicle to drive. So I was determined to piece things back together..
Lucky for me I just happened to have 5 sticks of 1 3/4" .120 wall tubing laying around. That should do the trick...

and then.....

Drcoop · Dec 10, 2009

WELL ANOTHER WEEKEND DOWN...

I WAS GONA FINISH THE CAGE UP BUT DECIDED TO GET THE REST OF THE FLOOR OUT AND FIGURE OUT THE TRANS & TCASE MOUNTS. I HEAR THE SAMI TCASE MOUNTS ARE NOTORIOUSLY WEAK..

CUT THE REST OF THE FLOOR OUT..

LOOKING AT THE WAY THE XMEMBERS LAID OUT, THEY NEVER WOULD HAVE WORKED...
SO OUT THEY CAME TOO..

FABED UP A NEW TRANNY MOUNT.... :mrgreen:

AND NEW XMEMBER..

IM GOING TO RAISE THE TCASE UP ABOUT 2" TO GET A FLAT BELLY...
NEXT WEEK I'LL PUT TOGETHER SOME TCASE MOUNTS...

boardbysled · Dec 10, 2009

:clappy::corn:

unclestripey · Dec 10, 2009

Awesome.:haha::haha::awesomework:

CHOP SHOP · Dec 10, 2009

Bout time you showed again

That tranny mount has a TON of leverage on it. Its a giant pivot waiting to take two of them bolts off and crack what aluminum is still holding the other two bolt in.

Rest looks good:beer:

Drcoop · Dec 10, 2009

CHOP SHOP said:
Bout time you showed again

That tranny mount has a TON of leverage on it. Its a giant pivot waiting to take two of them bolts off and crack what aluminum is still holding the other two bolt in.

Rest looks good:beer:

Ya... Ive been thinking about that too...?? Im prob gona change the mounting a little..

Drcoop · Dec 11, 2009

Did some work tonight...

Got the tcase sitting where I want in a kinda "Jig"...

I think the angle is looking pretty decent.. Im gona raise the tranny a little though and reconfigure the tranny mount to take the stress off the 4 little bolts..

FLAT!!!!!!

Here are the two main hoops of the tcase bucket..

Tommarow Ill get it all mounted up with bushings... Then at least she'll be mobile again....

Money Mark · Dec 11, 2009

Awesome.:awesomework:

johny5 · Dec 11, 2009

im liking what your laying down

samicrawler · Dec 11, 2009

looks awesome so far, that is a nice shop too

JACKED944RUNNER · Dec 12, 2009

What is wrong with you?? You dump a Toyota for a Sami?? Looks like you are on the build again. Call me if you need someone to break your shoulder again.

Drcoop · Dec 13, 2009

JACKED944RUNNER said:
What is wrong with you?? You dump a Toyota for a Sami?? Looks like you are on the build again. Call me if you need someone to break your shoulder again.

YOU'LL BE THE FIRST ONE I CALL OF COURSE.... YOU AND THE BRO BETTER BE READY WHEN THIS MONSTRISITY OF A PROJECT IS DONE CUZ IM GONA BEAT THE EVER LIVING **** OUT OF IT... :flipoff:

WELL I GOT ALOT DONE TONIGHT...

STARTED BY MAKING THE BRACKETS TO HANG THE TCASE BUCKET FROM....

THEN GOT THE BUSHINGS ATTACHED TO THE BUCKET..

FRONT DONE!!

AND THE BACK BRACKETS...

PLATED THE BUCKET FOR WHERE THE TCASE WILL ACTUALLY MOUNT TOO..

FRONT AND BACK MOUNTED AND PLATED...

TOMMAROW ILL GET THE TCASE ATTACHED TO THE BUCKET, AND HOPEFULLY GET A FEW GUSSETS AND PLATING DONE AS WELL..

Drcoop · Dec 13, 2009

WELL I GOT TO THE SHOP THIS MORNING AND STARTED LOOKING AT THINGS.... HOW THE HELL AM I GONA GET THE CASE OUT WHEN THE FLOOR AND TRANS TUNNEL ARE IN?????

IT NEED TO DROP STRAIGHT DOWN.. NOT SWING DOWN AND OUT LIKE I WAS THINKING...
****!!! ONE STEP FORWARD.. TWO STEPS BACK..

SO OUT CAME THE PASSENGER SIDE BRACKETS AND IN WITH THE NEW...

AS EXPECTED THE BUCKETS HAD TO BE "FIXED"...

AND FINALLY TCASE IN AND MOUNTED.. THERE IS STILL ALOT OF GUSSETS AND CLEANUP TO DO, SO THIS IS BY NO MEANS DONE.. BUT AT LEAST ITS IN THERE...

Bunk1 · Dec 13, 2009

So what are the final specs going to be? Looks kick ass so far

Drcoop · Dec 20, 2009

Thanks everyone...!!

I decided to start working on the axles...
Unfortunatly the rear was holding a little surprise for me....

WARTER.....

The 3rd member is pretty much wasted.. But the housing wasnt so bad it couldnt be salvaged... So onward I went with the cleanup...

I went ahead and shaved the bottom a little.. I also wanted to try a build a look alike "diamond" housing..

A little more 1/4" plate and a lot of grinding later....

Tommarow I should be able to finish the main part of the truss and figure out how I want to do the diff breather..

Drcoop · Dec 20, 2009

Got the rear axle housing basically done...

Im pretty happy with the results..

Should be ordering links and rod ends on wednesday!!!

dove'd85 · Dec 21, 2009

build looks good thus far

hope you bolted in the third and shafts when you welded that, or something like it to keep it straight:corn:

Drcoop · Dec 22, 2009

Ive been working extremely hard at work today... But I somehow managed to find time to figure out the 4link calculator...

Any thought on these number?? (This would be the rear)

Drcoop · Dec 25, 2009

Well I busted ass the last couple days off and made some good progress...

Cut the rear off.. Got both toy axles sitting under it...

This is how she should sit.. Only about 3" taller with 37's on it.. Right at 19" to the belly when done. There isnt much room at all up front to do a four link?? Open to suggestions or pics of someone whose done it??

Im also gona have to redo the front of the frame as to get a little more room..