Suzuki love affair

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Well over the the years the little Suzuki Samari has been my passion for a get out in the woods rig.  I've owned five total and today have both an 88 soft top and an 87 hardtop along with a 97 four door sidekick.I've just put a new top on the 88 and made aluminum tread plate for all the cardboard panels that used to be on the doors, tailgate and back insides along with 1/8 inch rear corner protectors.This rig has a Weber Carb, Headers and two inch exhaust and wider rims with a little bigger tires than stock.  It's a great daily driver and gets me around in the woods in style and at near 30 mpg is still very drivable in todays economy.The hardtop is getting the 1600 16 valve engine, auto tranny and fuel tank from the 97 over the winter.  It's an automatic and it's also getting a 5 inch lift and 31 inch tires.  I used some 2 by 4 inch square tubing and a hole cutter to make the custom spring-over spring perches for it.  Just cut them in half on the little Harbor Freight 6 inch bandsaw.Here is the front axle after the new spring perches were welded on.  I copied this idea from one of the Suzuki aftermarket suppliers that makes spring perches that use some 1.5 by 1/4 inch strap to weld on the existing perches and the axle that doesn't stress the fairly thin axle tubes near as much as welding small one just to the axle tubes.Anyway that's my winter project now that the weather is starting to turn bad here in Idaho.  Thought you guys might get a kick how an amateur welder keeps busy.Bob from Idaho
Reply:lookin good.   gotta admit,  i'm a 'zuk fan myself.  got a couple '92 track/kick's,   but they have wayyyy more rust  :PBill BerryKeith Berry & Son Ltd.machine work, and weldingBear River Vollunteer FD
Reply:30mpg.  30mpg. 30mpg. 30mpg.  Can't stop sayin' it"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:did somebody say 'zuk?gotta love the little guys
Reply:Nice rigs Brewcaptain.  You've done some nice work on both them rigs.  I've got two grand daughters whom are in high school, one a freshman and one a Junior and both are eying the Samari's for their go to school rigs when they get their drivers licenses.They sure don't seem to mind helping grandpa fixing them up.  You don't see many of the hardtops anymore.  Last year I saw a Samari pickup in the local town near me, but couldn't find it this year.  I was going to see if I could buy it, but it's gone now.Here's my little rig out huntingBob from Idaho
Reply:I have a 93 hard top tracker that my son has been driving that has a blown head gasket. I was condsidering scrapping it until the steel prices fell . It may be a good project to work on to get him interested in welding. He really liked it and wanted to take it off road but I was hesitant without a roll bar.Mechanic work is not one of my strong points! But I recently replaced the timing belt and idler pully and it was said that thats much of the work involved in the head gasket.Have a nice dayhttp://www.weldingdata.com/
Reply:Nice rigs for sure!  You obviously enjoy them.  Economical to operate and 4x4 too!I am an old school 4x4 guy, have owned several, all full size from Motor City: 71 International, '74 Power Wagon, '87 Jimmy, '92 Dakota.  The IH was the only one that didn't have a V8 so I am not accustomed to using "4X4" and "economy" in the same sentence.  What is your purpose of putting the '97 motor in the '87 rig?  I would have expected you would keep the '97 chassis and trick that.-MondoMember, AWSLincoln ProMIG 140Lincoln AC TombstoneCraftsman Lathe 12 x 24 c1935Atlas MFC Horizontal MillCraftsman Commercial Lathe 12 x 36 c1970- - - I'll just keep on keepin' on.
Reply:I've got a little bit different affair with Suzuki, but if were posting pics of the objects of our affections here is my newest little project.Its my new 68' T500 cobra 2 stroke. I'm doing a full restoration this winter.Lincoln welders.....Lots of other cheap harbor freight crapola....
Reply:Originally Posted by bcrewcaptaindid somebody say 'zuk?gotta love the little guys
Reply:TheGrizz:That's a nice bike!  A '68 you say?  It looks like those duel front disk brakes are aftermarket add-ons.  I had a '72 Suzi Titan 500.  Pretty much the same bike, had drums F&R.    Name plate on the tank was different design though, was just a narrow plastic strip on mine, eventually removed and tank repainted - from pewtrid to blue.  I can't find a photo of it tonight or I would post it.  And yes, there was a love affair with that bike too.  I rode that 'cycle everywhere.  Had to!  Didn't own a car!  Dead of winter, 10 degrees and 170 miles to go... I rode that bike. Ran good too in the cold air! Ice storm, snow storm, rain, it didn't matter.  If I had to get to work - I rode that bike.  The guys at work called me "Hard Core".   - Let's see if any of 'em come out of the woodwork now.   Don't mean to hi-jack fawcettb's thread...  I understand the passion for keeping the old equipment in working order!  You put a lot of time in behind the wheel of a vehicle you like and you want to keep it for life!  -MondoMember, AWSLincoln ProMIG 140Lincoln AC TombstoneCraftsman Lathe 12 x 24 c1935Atlas MFC Horizontal MillCraftsman Commercial Lathe 12 x 36 c1970- - - I'll just keep on keepin' on.
Reply:yeah, the front was replaced with duel disk brakes for some reason. (that is an awful lot of brake for that bike.) l I have a 72 parts bike and I might put the drum back on the front. There were very few changes from the cobra(what I have) to the titan(the '72) so most parts except the tank(oil and gas) are identical. I would love to see pics of your old bike if you can find em. Its a labor of love finding those old parts and keeping those old gals running.And fawcettb im sorry about the slight hi-jack as well. But it all fits in with "Suzuki love affair". Lincoln welders.....Lots of other cheap harbor freight crapola....
Reply:Originally Posted by MondoNice rigs for sure!  You obviously enjoy them.  Economical to operate and 4x4 too!I am an old school 4x4 guy, have owned several, all full size from Motor City: 71 International, '74 Power Wagon, '87 Jimmy, '92 Dakota.  The IH was the only one that didn't have a V8 so I am not accustomed to using "4X4" and "economy" in the same sentence.  What is your purpose of putting the '97 motor in the '87 rig?  I would have expected you would keep the '97 chassis and trick that.-Mondo
Reply:Another Zuki owner here!Those that say "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" just don't understand!Fast-Cheap-Reliable:  Pick two.
Reply:Good looking rig Kinger.   Hope mine comes out half as nice.Bob from Idaho