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Project chev-zuki!

1K views 17 replies 6 participants last post by  studlybil03 
#1 ·
I finally got some pics of the new samurai project. This is what I bought for $800.00.

Here are some of the specs
<nobr>chevy</nobr> 3.8L, owner bought alot of the mounts, water pump, and pulleys from <nobr>suzuki</nobr> lightening conversions. He didn't buy a carb because he couldnt figure out how to run the stock motors electric carb. I bought a holley 4412 500CFm rebuilt off ebay for $100.00 with an electric choke



The tranny is an SM420 with a new clutch, flywheel etc,,,,



electric fan is on and wired. It has a 3 core radiator as well.



The body is in good condition, overall. The front passenger corner has faded alot and the hood has a good dent in it. But no rust anywhere!

It has stock zuk axles with the exception of being SPOA and 4.56 gears. I am going to run the stock transfer case. Adding a spool to the rear and a lockright for the front. I run mostly mud and sand so I think the stock axles will survive for awhile. I dont mind breaking a shaft sometimes cause they are cheap. If/when I break a ring and pinion I will replace them with yota's and go further with mods like stretching the wheel base etc.
Anyway thought I'd share with you guys the begining of a new project!
shawn
Edit:
Sorry I forgot I bought a toyota mini truck hydraulic clutch set-up off ebay for $5.50, a toyota clutch and brake pedal set-up for $13.00. I am adapting those to the tranny and the zuk. I just didnt think the stock zuk cable would hold up to the heavier clutch of the sm420.
I also bought some $F-250 shock mounts for the front for like $10.00, again off ebay, I'll make my own upper shock mounts for the rear.
 
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#2 ·
that is quite the Project you got there. ALot of work, and good luck, and not to be an a$$ or anything, but i give those axles a week before you go to something stronger. But that looks like a Cool Project.
 
#4 ·
I'd like to see pic's of the 3 core radiator. Do you know what <nobr><nobr>[URL=#]<nobr>[URL]vehicle</nobr>[/URL]</nobr>[/URL]</nobr> that engine/radiator came out of? I've got the little 2.8 in mine and having cooling problems. Does that have a pusher or puller electric fan? Are ya running power steering?? I'm looking at swaping in a 3.4 or 3.8 sometime soon, just as long as it will mate to the T-5 tranny.
Looks like a nice start, with some bigger axles she should do fine. Hope the stock t-case holds up, not sure how much power it can take???
 
#5 ·
I to asked about the radiator. I was todl it came out of a Jeep with a V-8
nothing more specific. I am not sure about the fan I am fairly sure the fan is a pusher. I may have to do something different with it though because it is about 2 or 3" from the radiator.

I also had the same concerns bout the stock x-fer. Talked to both Brent at Trail Tough and Sky at Sky manufacturing. They both agreed it should hold up fine. maybe not forever but long enough to justify using it.

I'll get you some pics of the radiator when I pick it up the samurai in a week or two. I didnt know which 3.8L it had in it, so I did a ton of research. I found that this 3.8L was out of a 1981 chevy caprice classic and is the 229 motor. The main way you can tell is the distributer is in the back. The other 3.8L GM made was a buick 3.8L that is a 231. They both have the same tranny mounting pattern so techinically you could use either. I have heard the buick was a little better motor. But both are good motors and easy to find in salvage yards. The exaust manifolds on mine are within a .25 of an inch of the frame. I may have to notch the frame when I install the exaust pipes. I plan on using 2.5" pipe and flowmaster muffler on each side. If I cant afford flowmaster's then it will be cherry bombs on each side.

After I blow the stock zuk axles I plan on installing toyotas and that is when I will add some sort of power steering. Mainly right now I just wanna get the rig up and running. Make sure everything is running good, then I'll deal with the suspension, power steering, etc...
Hope that helps! Zuk JR I have looked at your web site many times in the past when I first got into samurais about4 years ago!
 
#6 ·
Cool, thanks! Would like to see how that rad is mounted as well as how much room it has. I need to get a new rad. the ones I keep putting in are from the junk yard and keep leaking. I'm tired of messing with it and just need to get a new one.
My exhaust is about 1/4-1/2 inch away from my frame as well, and I had to remount the brake lines that are mounted on the inside of the engine comp. I might need to get some exhaust wrap for around that area, because it gets really hot and might end up boiling the brake fluid.

I'm also not too sure if the 3.8's tranny mounting pattern is the same as the 2.8's? I know the 3.4L is a bolt in replacement for the weak 2.8L, but I guess I need to do a little research'n too


Thanks
 
#7 ·
www.pirate4x4.com is where I learn alot of crap at. They got a rep. for being hard on people but the tech I have learned there is unbeleiveable. The radaitor seems to be slightly narrower then the stock one but much deeper(thicker) and probaby 6-8" longer. It fits really well. Still got a couple of inches clearence between it and the pulleys.

Is your 2.8L out of chevy or a ford. For some reason I was thinking it was out of a ford ranger or something.......but if it was out of a chevy then just about anything chevy should bolt up to it.
 
#8 ·
Yeah, I've been on Pirate before
But haven't posted much there, just read alot.
The 2.8 is out of a Jeep Cherokee Chief, it is the GM 2.8 (the bad one) and it runs good, just need to work out the cooling problems and I think the carb needs tuned. Lot more torque and hp then before
but needs to smooth out a bit.
I really wanted to put a 3.4 or 3.8L in, but the 2.8 was free and figured that I could swap the 2.8 for the 3.4 or 3.8 easy after I get the hard part done.
Thanks for the info on the rad. I'm running the stock rad that came out of the Heep with a 12" pusher fan (that was on Tim Porters V8 Sami)
 
#9 ·
I'm not for sure but I think those had a 60deg. pattern instead of a 90 deg. mpounting pattern for the tranny's. I got some more searching to do on this stuff so if I come across anything I'll let you know!

Free motors can make for some very ceap/good swaps!
 
#10 ·
This is what I could find real quick like for you. I'm sure you already know it. But anyway Maybe someone else can use the info in the future

3.8 out of a front wheel drive or rear whe<nobr>el drive O</nobr>ldsmobile? The older RWD 3.8's used the BOPC bellhousing pattern and the newer 3.8's used in FWD cars use the GM 60 degree bellhousing pattern, for the FWD motor a 700R4 from an S-10 with a 2.8L will bolt up, for the RWD motor, and BOPC TH400 or TH350 will bolt up, and there is an inexpensive bellhousing adapter to adapt it to the <nobr>stand</nobr>ard Chevy pattern, as well as the varios manual transmissions. As for t-cases, well, pretty much anything you want if you search around enough, but facory combos will probably be limited to the NP203/205/207/208/231/241

If you're looking to put this in that Nissan 720, and if that Nissan 720 runs the divorced t-case (my '84 does) then you could use any 2wd GM automatic or manual with the stock T-case, I used to wheel with a fella running a 327/TH350 in front of the stock Nissan case with stock (lifted) IFS front and stock rear axle, running 38" Gumbos, the only things he broke a lot of were ball-joints and wheel bearings.
 
#12 ·
Hey Shawn, -Shawn- here. Why don't ya get rid of that "8" and go smaller. It's not always the HP that counts. Lighten that front end. Why do you think they make the blocks and heads in aluminum? Remember, it's the front axle that goes in first. Why do you think Sammies always come out on top!
 
#13 ·
In reply to:

I'm not for sure but I think those had a 60deg. pattern instead of a 90 deg. mpounting pattern for the tranny's.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, you are right. But, I know the T-5 manual tranny that I'm using was used in Mustangs and on other GM/Chevy/Ford engines, but they might of all been 60 deg.? I was looking at E-bay and they have a crate 3.4 (2.8L block, but 3.4 internals) and it will be a nice swap and bolt right up to all my mounts and exhaust. I'm really thinking about going that way, rather spend the money on that then a new carb on the 2.8 Then I can turn around and sale the 2.8L for a little cash
But for now, the 2.8 is going to stay, I can't really see myself getting a 3.4L till around fall/winter time
Thanks for all the info
 
#14 ·
You can run a HD 3-row radiator out of a '68 Mustang. Actually when looking thru his spec books (at the rad. shop), I found one that was even narrower, though. It fit perfect in between the pass. side frame rail, and the steering box. As a matter of fact, I made it fit in there with a TOY box, with adapter block, with stilll 1/2" or so to spare....New with lifetime warr., only cost me $142..not bad I thought. I'm running a 4.3. Goodluck

John
 
#15 ·
Yeah, I was told by another member that the older Mustang rads will fit good.
I'll have to look into it.

The rad I've got now just fits in there, it hit my steering box, but I'd like to get the mustang one so that I can run power steering.
Here is a pic of how my rad sits... (sorry the pic's are bad, my battery was about dead)

 
#16 ·
It's a 3.8L V-6

On my last samurai I had a 1.6L 8V with GRS1 and lower gears. It just didnt have the power to clean tires well in deep mud or even go up the dunes very fast. For what I wheel the V-6 will work just right I think.
 
#17 ·
Sounds like that 3.4L would be a good way to go. I was also reading that the ford mustang and other ford V-6's had that 60deg. pattern. A 4.0L V-6 out of a ranger would be a good swap. Or a 3.4L out of a 91-95 Camero also has the same pattern. The Buick 231 with front wheel drive would be an awesome motor. Those are the ones that came with Kenne Bell Super Chargers. At any rate I see a ton of the non-super charged buicks for sale in the $500.00 range. I guess the tranny's in them were really crappy but the motors were good, so if you found one with a blown tranny it wouls work well for you.
 
#18 ·
In reply to:

i give those axles a week before you go to something stronger

[/ QUOTE ]

If you only knew, I do a 6000 RPM drop on asphalt and lift my driver side tire 24 inches...Hasnt popped yet, but I do have <nobr>toyota's</nobr> sitting around just waitting for something to fualt...no problems out of the stock transfer case either..

In reply to:

You can run a HD 3-row radiator out of a '68 Mustang.

[/ QUOTE ]

Precisely what I run, damn good radiators to. To compensate all that water you want to run a mid 90's Taurus or mercury sable electric fan, they pull at around 1600 CFM's...thats the setup I run at least, Runs 180's in sand all day long...
 
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