mattocka
New member
(First Thread/ Post on Expo-Portal)
I've been an avid follower of the overlanding scene for the last few years thanks to BJ'sFJ, he gave me the exploration bug after desert camping during our highschool years.
This is my 1987 Suzuki Samurai TinTop camper build. I currently live in LA and I wanted a rig that would fit the criteria below:
1. Manual Transmission
2. Japanese manufacture
3. Fuel Economy above 16 MPG
4. Overall Vehicle length <12 Feet
5. Cost Under 10K
The size requirement stemmed from tight street parking in LA, while the Japanese manufacture and fuel economy arose from trips down to Baja where Jeep parts can be harder to source should something break. Most importantly: the tight budget of a college grad. This sadly excluded the FJ40 platform on price, the FJ60 on fuel economy, and the FJ80 on both fuel and transmission offering.
The POU (philosophy of use) for this rig was to enable me to quickly set up a campsite after a long day of rock climbing in Joshua Tree.
THE BUILD SO FAR:
After several months of researching online forums, it seemed the logical choice would be a Suzuki Samurai. I chose a hardtop (TinTop) model for the extra insulation, roof stability, and most importantly: vehicle security. I’ve seen many soft top Jeeps with sliced bikini tops where I live.
I found a gently used 1987 Tin Top in San Fernando Valley last November with 84K on the clock. Due to many Sami’s being trailered as RV toys, it was not hard to find examples under 90K miles.
When I first bought the Sami, the PO had made a rats-nest of wiring the horn so I promptly tore out the non-stock wiring and replaced it to my standards. Next was the seats. I sourced the ZOR Pacifica seats from Zuks off-road. Some cutting was required to have it fit correctly. The mid-row Chrysler minivan seats now work wonderfully.
After restoring the interior and gauge cluster, I upgraded the headlights with Harley Davidson HID lights.
Next was the rooftop tent (RTT). After extensive research, I opted to “buy once, cry once” and purchase the Auto Home Columbus Variant small. Not cheap but an investment that has since paid for itself!
After being high centered on a trail from a Jeep’s rut, I realized a lift would be a mandatory upgrade. So I went for a mild lift to maintain as much fuel economy as possible. I reached out to Gary Munck at Petroworks in Fallbrook. I went with the Old Man Emu 2.5 inch lift with the shackles included. Leaf springs are a tough install.
Now lifted, my attention turned to tires. The doughnuts had to go. I went with 235x 75 r15. However, wheel rub was an issue on the driver side fender. So I cut the bumper off and welded on a 3-inch extender bracket to help the tires clear. The immediate drawback of larger tires was fuel economy dropping from 21mpg to 19 (discovered the hard way), and my sami topping out at 55mph (lost my 5th gear).
Since the rear seat sucked on the Samurai, I removed it and built a custom wood cargo drawer system with my father. The idea was to be flush with the wheel wells to enable more efficient storage. I used a router to embed tie-down points to keep my cooler from shifting too much during the ride.
Lastly was a folding cooking table to allow easy meal prep once camp had been set. I chose the standard unit from FrontRunners in Agoura Hills, awesome group of people up there.
UPCOMING:
Up next on the list is the installation of a 15-gallon fuel tank from Petroworks. This extended range tank with fuel jerry-can should bring my total range to 382 miles.
Once the fuel range has been sufficiently increased, I will be looking for lights to mount and eventually front/rear bumpers. While the Samurai platform excels in confined spaces, it is inherently underpowered with a 1.3L engine pushing 68 horses. To offset the lack of power I have plans to re-gear my transmission to 4:16:1. The 4:16 gearing with 235" tires should bring my sami back to near stock performance with a useable 5th gear.
If anyone else on Expo uses a Samurai, PM me! I would love to see your build and swap stories.
Cheers!
I've been an avid follower of the overlanding scene for the last few years thanks to BJ'sFJ, he gave me the exploration bug after desert camping during our highschool years.
This is my 1987 Suzuki Samurai TinTop camper build. I currently live in LA and I wanted a rig that would fit the criteria below:
1. Manual Transmission
2. Japanese manufacture
3. Fuel Economy above 16 MPG
4. Overall Vehicle length <12 Feet
5. Cost Under 10K
The size requirement stemmed from tight street parking in LA, while the Japanese manufacture and fuel economy arose from trips down to Baja where Jeep parts can be harder to source should something break. Most importantly: the tight budget of a college grad. This sadly excluded the FJ40 platform on price, the FJ60 on fuel economy, and the FJ80 on both fuel and transmission offering.
The POU (philosophy of use) for this rig was to enable me to quickly set up a campsite after a long day of rock climbing in Joshua Tree.
THE BUILD SO FAR:
After several months of researching online forums, it seemed the logical choice would be a Suzuki Samurai. I chose a hardtop (TinTop) model for the extra insulation, roof stability, and most importantly: vehicle security. I’ve seen many soft top Jeeps with sliced bikini tops where I live.
I found a gently used 1987 Tin Top in San Fernando Valley last November with 84K on the clock. Due to many Sami’s being trailered as RV toys, it was not hard to find examples under 90K miles.
When I first bought the Sami, the PO had made a rats-nest of wiring the horn so I promptly tore out the non-stock wiring and replaced it to my standards. Next was the seats. I sourced the ZOR Pacifica seats from Zuks off-road. Some cutting was required to have it fit correctly. The mid-row Chrysler minivan seats now work wonderfully.
After restoring the interior and gauge cluster, I upgraded the headlights with Harley Davidson HID lights.
Next was the rooftop tent (RTT). After extensive research, I opted to “buy once, cry once” and purchase the Auto Home Columbus Variant small. Not cheap but an investment that has since paid for itself!
After being high centered on a trail from a Jeep’s rut, I realized a lift would be a mandatory upgrade. So I went for a mild lift to maintain as much fuel economy as possible. I reached out to Gary Munck at Petroworks in Fallbrook. I went with the Old Man Emu 2.5 inch lift with the shackles included. Leaf springs are a tough install.
Now lifted, my attention turned to tires. The doughnuts had to go. I went with 235x 75 r15. However, wheel rub was an issue on the driver side fender. So I cut the bumper off and welded on a 3-inch extender bracket to help the tires clear. The immediate drawback of larger tires was fuel economy dropping from 21mpg to 19 (discovered the hard way), and my sami topping out at 55mph (lost my 5th gear).
Since the rear seat sucked on the Samurai, I removed it and built a custom wood cargo drawer system with my father. The idea was to be flush with the wheel wells to enable more efficient storage. I used a router to embed tie-down points to keep my cooler from shifting too much during the ride.
Lastly was a folding cooking table to allow easy meal prep once camp had been set. I chose the standard unit from FrontRunners in Agoura Hills, awesome group of people up there.
UPCOMING:
Up next on the list is the installation of a 15-gallon fuel tank from Petroworks. This extended range tank with fuel jerry-can should bring my total range to 382 miles.
Once the fuel range has been sufficiently increased, I will be looking for lights to mount and eventually front/rear bumpers. While the Samurai platform excels in confined spaces, it is inherently underpowered with a 1.3L engine pushing 68 horses. To offset the lack of power I have plans to re-gear my transmission to 4:16:1. The 4:16 gearing with 235" tires should bring my sami back to near stock performance with a useable 5th gear.
If anyone else on Expo uses a Samurai, PM me! I would love to see your build and swap stories.
Cheers!
!
