Brandon's 87 sami

Owners Name & City-Brandon Williams woods cross


Make, Model & Year of Vehicle-87 suzuki samurai


Engine-1.3 L Stock


Transmission-stock 5 spd


T-Case-stock


Axles-stock


Suspension-stock


Wheels and Tires-15x8, 5on5.5 with goodyear wrangler P235/75R15


Winch-in the future


Favorite Trails-have not gone out yet, once my sami is licensed and everything and once I can convince someone to teach me how to use the 4wheel drive.


Other-I traded a really nice 1970 Yamaha AT1B 125CC that I restored and a laptop for this.
I havent done much due to funds since im going to school but I have doen the following:
*taken the rocker panel moldings off to do some patch work
*ripped out all the carpet and cleaned up the rust
*put bedliner on the inside and outside
*painted the fender flares, grill, mirrors, and roll bar.
*wife reupholstered the rear seat and is working on the front two
*fuel filter, spark plugs&wires, cap&rotor,air filter, all new vacuum lines, heater core hoses, belt, and more tiny things.

Future items:
*2" lift shackles
*2" body lift
*3" lift springs
*2" wheel spacers
*underdrive pulley
*rock sliders
*offroad front and rear bumpers

 

[airmanwilliams]

just got some upper shock mounts, 2" lift shackles, rancho shocks, stock leafs with add-a-leafs, spring bushings, 2 front axle pads, and a stage 1 steering. Thank you Jaron. Just need to find a place now to put it on at, a welder, and some help installing then I can fit my 32" tires.

 

[airmanwilliams]

Contemplating tossing it in guys. im thinking of going back to 235/75r15 tires and selling the 32's, 31's, and full spring over lift and just driving her how she is and not doing anymore.

 

[sixstringsteve]

what's your goal with this rig?

 

[airmanwilliams]

I wanted to make it into a fun little trail rig and maybe throw a roof rack on it and just be able to go on a drive/camping trip in the woods. Not really into rock crawling a ton and beating a rig up a ton. So im thinking of maybe just going back to the 235's that I started at tire wise, throwing a roof rack on it and being done. Im kinda just tired at not having the funds, ive simply been addicted to doing everything I can to build this and I need to break the addiction and enjoy what I have. With me and the wife thinking of having another kid soon I kinda need to focus on getting through school and paying things off.

 

[sixstringsteve]

I totally understand where you're at. It's easy to get addicted to building a rig. It's taken me 8 years to settle down with a rig that I feel meets my needs, where I don't feel the urge to keep modding it 'till it's a trailer-only rig.

Having said that, a sami on 33's with YJs is a LOT of fun on the street and in the rocks, but I totally understand your priorities.

 

[airmanwilliams]

ok steve and everyone else I just picked up a 1.6L 8V motor from a guy to rebuild and put in my samurai.

Should I keep the harley myside kit on my 1.3 and swap it over or run the fuel injection?

 

[sixstringsteve]

depends, what are you plans for it? If the 1.3 and the myside are working fine, then I don't see the need. The power of the 1.6 is nice on the freeway, and nice for bigger tires. I guess it depends on time/budget constraints and the overall goal for your rig.

 

[airmanwilliams]

well ive picked up the motivation to do some stuff again, just had alittle overwhelming time with school and home stuff. little sister is in the hospital for back surgery and taking alittle longer on recovery so things his me hard.

I got a great deal from a guy with the motor and a friend of mine hear fronted the cash for me and I will be paying him back shortly. I want the 1.6L 8V motor mainly due to it being a fairly simple swap since I can keep my intake and exhaust.

The overall goal I think for my rig is to get it on 33's, 4:10 toyota axles, 6:5 tcase, yj spring over, and have a rig I can go out on trail rides/camping trips with. Dont really see myself beating it up a ton and doing heavy rock crawling.

 

[O'neal]

Quote "The overall goal I think for my rig is to get it on 33's, 4:10 toyota axles, 6:5 tcase, yj spring over, and have a rig I can go out on trail rides/camping trips with. Dont really see myself beating it up a ton and doing heavy rock crawling".


Trail rides and camping trips can lead to serious wheelin I say keep building,wheel it,abuse it and use it.A little body mod/protection is all you need to keep the little zuk in one piece and straight.

 

[sixstringsteve]

The overall goal I think for my rig is to get it on 33's, 4:10 toyota axles, 6:5 tcase, yj spring over, and have a rig I can go out on trail rides/camping trips with. Dont really see myself beating it up a ton and doing heavy rock crawling.

That's the ideal sami setup in my mind. And, despite what you may thing, that will be able to do a lot more heavy rock crawling than you think, and it'll ride better on the freeway than any stock sami.

I say go for the 1.6L swap. Take your time though. Don't forget to get out and go camping with it in the mean time. I've had rigs down for so much time, that when I was done I realized I let an entire summer go by without enjoying it.

 

[airmanwilliams]

Thanks guys.

@steve Its still my daily driver so all the swap stuff will be done and finished on the weekends so I hope I can get out this summer with it. If you want to go with me and some other guys I plan on going up to little moab july 29th with some samurai friends to wheel/camp and then the next day we are going to go up rattlesnake to wheel.

All I need for my spring over now is extended brake lines, driveline spacers, bolts from rockyroad for their stage 1 kit, and lastly some help throwing it on somtime at someones place since my landlord has given me her last warning and said no more working on my rig here.

 

[airmanwilliams]

hit a deer on the 7th at about 11pm 3 miles south of tremonton. been a sad few days and I hope things go well with insurance when they come thif thursday the 14th.

 

[airmanwilliams]

just got done with the claims agent an hour ago and they are going to total it. I am going to get a call within 48-72 hours from an appraiser with a quote for me keeping it and what $ I get and a quote if I dont buy it back.

If anyone is in utah and want this sweet rig let me know. I know where to get all the parts to fix it for super cheap.
1.3L motor has roughly 20k miles, header, 2" new exhaust(2weeks old), harley myside carb kit, rear hybrid axle housing with a 5.12 sidekick rear diff, 5.12 sidekick front diff in samurai front axle housing, newley reupholstered rear seat, dodge neon front seats, rear roll cage, new paint, 3" deaver spring under, 31" tires, and more...

 

[doughboy0379]

Brandon tube the front and rear and make it into a buggy now

 

[airmanwilliams]

that would be sweet if I had something to pull it with or another rig to use as a daily driver.

 

[TkMeHomePlease]

$$?

 

[airmanwilliams]

once you do that engine swap ben I will trade you my samurai plus the 32" tires, spoa lift and my other spare parts.

 

[airmanwilliams]

finally heard back from insurance today and im buying my samurai back for $250 and getting $1845.21 back to fix it, register it, retitle, and pay some bills.

 

[sixstringsteve]

I can't believe they gave you that much for a sami. That's great news.

 

[airmanwilliams]

well they said the fair market value was $2185. I think them giving me credit for a new paint job raised it up a ton even though it was a cheap rustoleum paint job lol.