|
|
|
|
|
So I already have a thread on here for my Volvo & I thought, why not share the work I'm doing on my Suzuki SJ too? Although there's no slamming involved or bigger engines, I thought at least a few of you might be interested. Anyway, here's the story. I had turned 18, just got my car licence and was ragging about in my mums 1litre micra 'Hollywood' when my friend turned up to my house in his new car.....  He took me down a local green lane and let me have a blast & it was awesome, I've always had a thing for little engines working hard and it really appealed to me that this had a minuscule 1ltr engine in it, so I was on the look out for one for my self. The requirement was - as little rust as possible & a convertible I went to look at a few, then this one came up for sale in Lincolnshire,  And bought it straightaway, I had no big plans for it, just drive it! And drive it I did, on my own and with my mate   (On the off chance any knows where f661 yah is, my mate would like to buy it back) The previous owner had already changed the drivers seats for swift GTI seats which were pretty good but the hinge mechanism broke and the back rest ended being twisted  So I bought some replacement seats, unfortunately they were the wrong colour and had a cigarette burn in the drivers seat. I decided to have them recovered. In the trimmers workshop there were some work in progress mustang seats in red leather........ I was smitten, so I had my seats done the same with velour inserts,  |
| |
Last Edit: Apr 14, 2015 11:58:26 GMT by fuldatramp
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Awesome little truck.
More please!
|
| |
Koos
|
|
|
|
|
Apr 14, 2015 10:00:22 GMT
|
My next issue was the tyres, they were getting low and needed replacing, I wanted something that looked more aggressive and a quick scan on the Internet and I thought I'd be able to fit 31/10.5r15's so I ordered some,  hmmmm they looked s little big right?  They were! I had no lock at all and no articulation, so what to do next?! I'll buy a lift kit!!! I bought a calmini 3.5" reverse shackle lift kit  And fitted my 31's  I was really happy at first....... except the gearing was out and lock was still rubbing, so next on the list was a rockcrawler transfer box, it was a lot better on the gearing, but was slower than before. I can remember going to the Peak District and driving up winnets pass in first gear, I just couldn't get out of it! So I got fed up with the 31's, they were too big for me and I didn't want to lift it any more, so I but the bullet and bought smaller tyres, 235/75r15's they fitted a lot better  I was a lot happier although because of the low ratio transfer box top speed was around 60mph, motorway driving was hazardous and lorries used to overtake me! |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Apr 14, 2015 10:22:02 GMT
|
Next was a common SJ problem (with the 1.3 engine), the carb auto choke failed, I was running round with it really rich all the time, it's a known problem with the aisin carbs with no real cure, most people swap to SU carbs, but it was my daily drive and I wanted a quick fix so I bought the webcon conversion to fit a weber 32/36dgv,  And it became 100% better! I then had maybe another year on the road,   I did a few off-roading days   Then I was put on short time at work at the sills needed welding up, So it came off the road and sat  |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Apr 14, 2015 10:35:40 GMT
|
So now comes the boring bit, it was laid up, and I was using my motorbike to get about, and that was when I had an accident and broke my leg, it was nasty and I was out of action for a while - read from 2009 till round about now  I still managed to do odds and sods to it but honestly I didn't do much at all!  So it sat longer than I ever anticipated!  at one point a came to it and the footwells had a couple of inches of water in, everything was mouldy!!! So to now,  I gave it a clean inside Then polished the outside  Which came up quite well to say the bonnet is faded And now comes the bit I haven't been looking forward too, the welding on the body! |
| |
Last Edit: Apr 14, 2015 10:37:10 GMT by fuldatramp
|
|
|
|
|
Apr 14, 2015 10:37:27 GMT
|
|
I saw that lurking in some of your Volvo pictures. Always seemed to be quite capable off road and looked like cheap fun. I'll await future installments with interest.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Apr 14, 2015 10:42:07 GMT
|
|
That leg looks nasty. Good luck with the welding.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Apr 14, 2015 10:54:20 GMT
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Apr 14, 2015 15:52:50 GMT
|
|
Working on cars with a leg brace on is interesting to say the least, fortunately when I was in the same situation they kept the reinforcements internal (6 breaks all around the ankle) and I just had an Aircast boot on. I have a big soft spot for the old suzukis and I have worked on quite a few, always good fun. Good luck with the recovery and the work.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Apr 14, 2015 22:45:54 GMT
|
Used to have a silver one of these (well SJ410 Sport) and they are absolutely brilliant off road (abysmal on road!). If only they didn't rust so badly I'm sure they'd be far more popular, and far more of them still kicking about. Yours looks great! Your right, they are appalling on the road, but that's one of the reasons I like it to much! My friends used to regularly lift a wheel on an enthusiastic corner! Whereas my leaf springs are much former and yeah they certainly do rust. In some countries they really hold there value but here in the UK, they're worth little more than scrap and the body's are usually ready for weighing in! Luckily because they are worth so little there's always plenty being broken for spares, the only thing is you get looked down on from landrover drivers - which always makes me laugh as the Spanish built suzukis were built in the Santana landrover factory! Working on cars with a leg brace on is interesting to say the least, fortunately when I was in the same situation they kept the reinforcements internal (6 breaks all around the ankle) and I just had an Aircast boot on. I have a big soft spot for the old suzukis and I have worked on quite a few, always good fun. Good luck with the recovery and the work. Thanks, recovery wise I'm done, just left with a few scars and a limp, and I came off lightly really! I honestly didn't much car work with my frame on, just the stereo on my Suzuki and the abs/reluctor rings on my smart car disability wagon (in fact the smart car was great whilst I was incapacitated) to be honest my leg was one of the reasons I want to get this done, I know that in the future I may not be able to drive a manual so if I'm going to drive it and enjoy it, it needs to be now! I saw that lurking in some of your Volvo pictures. Always seemed to be quite capable off road and looked like cheap fun. I'll await future installments with interest. Yeah they certainly are cheap probably about the same value as my Volvo, isn't it weird? my favourite cars are all cheap and thought to be 'rubbish' by most people?! |
| |
|
|
|
|
pOG
Posted a lot
SHATNER'S BASSOON
Posts: 1,339
|
|
Apr 14, 2015 22:59:22 GMT
|
Hey, regardless of the anti-slam and lack of POWARRR, I bet this is still a total bloody lark to bowl around in. Nice work!  |
| |
|
|
THE_Liam
Yorkshire and The Humber
If at first you don't succeed... HAMMERS.
Posts: 1,363
|
|
|
|
|
I'd love to find a good one of these but it's hard to find one that hasn't been turned into a focused off-roader, I'd love one like yours with a subtle lift and AT tyres.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hey, regardless of the anti-slam and lack of POWARRR, I bet this is still a total bloody lark to bowl around in. Nice work! Absolutly, it was great especially with the roof off in the sun! It's quite easy to do a conversion so the doors can be removed, but tbh with the roof off its enough for me! My friends 410 was always good for ragging about, his had the 1litre which was a damn good engine, loads revvier than my 1.3 and with the 4speed box it meant it was on song everywhere it went, the 1.3 engine is a bit of a plodder compared, more power but not as much fun! I'd love to find a good one of these but it's hard to find one that hasn't been turned into a focused off-roader, I'd love one like yours with a subtle lift and AT tyres. Thanks my remit from the start was to keep it standard looking ( as I like them standard anyway) and to make all the modifications reversible so it can be put back to normal if I ever decide to, your right though, there are plenty of hacked about examples, and if they're not hacked they're rotten! I still occasionally look on eBay at others but I'd say the majority have a hole cut in the wing or bonnet for a snorkle and if it has one fitted it's usually a drain pipe or tumble drier flex pipe type, that's the problem with them being cheap, they're not cared about, but they're defiantly worth it for a cheap laugh, |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
May 29, 2015 16:54:57 GMT
|
Not much to add,, I've just been slowly progressing, I had a poke around and oticed some more rot in the rear drivers side wheel arch  it was uncomfortably close to the petrol tank, so I decided to drop the tank and empty it, with the guard off I realised how corroded it was,  So I sent it off to be galvanised and powder coated, I plan to use this mostly on road but with the occasional bit of off-road action, so I wanted to make sure even if the paint came off it would be corrosion resistant - whilst I was at it I got a new set of stainless bolts to secure the tank as the old ones were pretty crusty, I was pretty happy with the tank guard when it came back,  I then cracked the mig out and put some new metal in that arch,   After I had finished I noticed I was out of gas...... That would explain the poor welding, oh well! Next job was the rear drum, the back plate was corroded and the cylinder needed replacing as it was weeping, whilst I was taking it apart I replaced the bearing, the copper line and all the consumable bits So from this  To this  To this  |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Jun 13, 2015 21:58:48 GMT
|
Bit more done today..... This hole,  To this,  A skim of filler and it will be invisible.... Well, Then the towbar, I welded brackets on to accept mudflaps,  Then towbar and bumper are off for painting,  |
| |
Last Edit: Jun 13, 2015 21:59:12 GMT by fuldatramp
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
And for today's SJ job, picking up my towbar and rear bumper, the towbar has been galvanised and powder coated and the bumper just powder coated, I had to grind the capping off the box section on the tow bar so the galvanic liquid could get in & out in the galvanising process I bought some plastic capstone replace the steel which don't look too bad,   I love getting stuff back from the powdercoaters! |
| |
|
|
|
|
jules
Part of things
Posts: 75
|
|
|
|
|
Out of interest can I ask how much the galvanising and powdercoating cost to get done ? Would like to get a few bits done.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The bumper and the tow bar was £60, I had my fuel tank guard done previously, Which was £30 for galvanising and powder coating, I've only recently started having bits galvanised before powder coating, that bumper I've just had powder coated was previously coated in around 2007. Where the road spray from the wheels has been hitting it, the coating has lifted and it started rusting underneath flaking the powdercoat off, you get the same issue with chips if your not careful - powder coating is great whilst it remains sealed The problem with galvanising is that the surface finish isn't as good, you have to have a structurally sound bit of steel to use (thin stuff warps - that's why my bumper was just powder coated again) and your item needs to have holes in it so the galvanic liquid can run through the inside for example of box section or tube (which has the advantage of being galvanised your item on the inside too), if you leave sealed sections the heat of the process can cause the air pockets to 'blow out' *edit* I should also add although powder coating is good it does have its drawbacks if the metal has previously had rust it will show through as a sort of mottling,, I had some Bullbars done you can see the uneven mottling below the cross section  |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
So today I had a few hours in the garage, I needed some brackets to mount my sill trim covers on so that's what I started on,  I had to get some strip steel from wickes, it was expensive for what it was but it was the right width for what I needed, I cut it into 115mm lengths, I bent it and drilled and tapped it accordingly  Then I welded it in place, first on the lower edge then I plug welded the body   Once they were all welded I gave it a lick of Hammerite,  I really need to clean and paint the whole under carriage, also I want to repaint my petrol tank before refitting, what paint should I use POR15? |
| |
|
|
|
|
