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1988 Samurai Turned Buggy

trailtough.com

Automatic Transmission Conversion Kit - Trail Tough

Automatic transmission conversion kit for Suzuki Samurai with 1.6 engine. It is now easier than ever to enjoy the incredible offroad benefits of an automatic transmission when using a 1.6 engine or 1.3 with the "Lucky 13" in a Suzuki Samurai. These new kits allow you to use either the 3 speed...
trailtough.com trailtough.com
 
YotaAtieToo said:
trailtough.com

Automatic Transmission Conversion Kit - Trail Tough

Automatic transmission conversion kit for Suzuki Samurai with 1.6 engine. It is now easier than ever to enjoy the incredible offroad benefits of an automatic transmission when using a 1.6 engine or 1.3 with the "Lucky 13" in a Suzuki Samurai. These new kits allow you to use either the 3 speed...
trailtough.com trailtough.com
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I ended up running the numbers on Grimm Jeeper. I’m going to keep the manual. It’s simple and the 3.65 1st gear is better than the 2.83 in the 4 speed.

I think I’ll end up with about a 127:1 crawl in 1st gear with 5.29’s, 3.65 1st, and 6.4 in the case.
 
FleshEater said:
I ended up running the numbers on Grimm Jeeper. I’m going to keep the manual. It’s simple and the 3.65 1st gear is better than the 2.83 in the 4 speed.

I think I’ll end up with about a 127:1 crawl in 1st gear with 5.29’s, 3.65 1st, and 6.4 in the case.
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Manual will always have a better crawl ratio but it needs it. The auto will crawl way better with the same tcase gears. My 6.4 case is not even close to low enough with 32s and 3.73s.

The 1.3 sucks for idle torque. It will be worse than your 8v with the 4.24 case.
 
YotaAtieToo said:
Manual will always have a better crawl ratio but it needs it. The auto will crawl way better with the same tcase gears. My 6.4 case is not even close to low enough with 32s and 3.73s.

The 1.3 sucks for idle torque. It will be worse than your 8v with the 4.24 case.
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Good to know.

Maybe I’ll pull an auto and swap it into it. The auto will bolt up to the 1.3l?
 
FleshEater said:
Good to know.

Maybe I’ll pull an auto and swap it into it. The auto will bolt up to the 1.3l?
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Almost, the bottom 2 bolts are slightly further out on the 1.6, look up "lucky 13" on trail tough.

I can see maybe running the engine and trans as is first. You mentioned pulling them, so I wasn't sure your plan.

Keep an eye out for a 2.0/4spd auto :smokin:
 
YotaAtieToo said:
Almost, the bottom 2 bolts are slightly further out on the 1.6, look up "lucky 13" on trail tough.

I can see maybe running the engine and trans as is first. You mentioned pulling them, so I wasn't sure your plan.

Keep an eye out for a 2.0/4spd auto :smokin:
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Plan was to seal everything up and get it to stop pouring oil everywhere.
 
YotaAtieToo said:
Ya, that's what I thought too, but every te I'm in 1st year going 7 mph up a hill, I 2nd guess it :lmao:
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Can’t you just adjust your throttle a little to keep your revs up higher at idle? I did that with my 8V to keep it around 750 RPM.
 
FleshEater said:
Can’t you just adjust your throttle a little to keep your revs up higher at idle? I did that with my 8V to keep it around 750 RPM.
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I'm talking like 1st gear 7500rpm up a hill and it won't pull 2nd :lmao:

And I'm serious when I say they make no torque, you'd have to turn the idle to 3000 rpm to do anything.


You should look into the 16v head on a 1.3 block like the_ham_sami. Seem like almost the power of a 1.6 16v but the stronger bottom end of the 1.3.



Or, throw the 6.4 gears in and one of your sets of 30 or 32s and see how you like the gearing with that engine and trans now before you sink a bunch of time and money into it.
 
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YotaAtieToo said:
I'm talking like 1st gear 7500rpm up a hill and it won't pull 2nd :lmao:

And I'm serious when I say they make no torque, you'd have to turn the idle to 3000 rpm to do anything.


You should look into the 16v head on a 1.3 block like the_ham_sami. Seem like almost the power of a 1.6 16v but the stronger bottom end of the 1.3.



Or, throw the 6.4 gears in and one of your sets of 30 or 32s and see how you like the gearing with that engine and trans now before you sink a bunch of time and money into it.
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$50 is all I’m sinking into it for a full gasket set.

If I’m not happy I’ll swap it later. I just want to get something built. Dealing with drivetrain later is peanuts to doing all the tube work, and links front and rear.

Also, after trying to lap in new valves on a 16V head I have zero love for anything in that engine. So I can’t say dicking with ANOTHER 16V sounds like a good time right now. If I had another 8V laying around I would swap that in, no problem.
 
FleshEater said:
$50 is all I’m sinking into it for a full gasket set.

If I’m not happy I’ll swap it later. I just want to get something built. Dealing with drivetrain later is peanuts to doing all the tube work, and links front and rear.

Also, after trying to lap in new valves on a 16V head I have zero love for anything in that engine. So I can’t say dicking with ANOTHER 16V sounds like a good time right now. If I had another 8V laying around I would swap that in, no problem.
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Ah, I was thinking it would be way more than $50 :laughing:

If you have a decent 8v head, it should bolt on, or atleast swap intakes for efi.
 
YotaAtieToo said:
Ah, I was thinking it would be way more than $50 :laughing:

If you have a decent 8v head, it should bolt on, or atleast swap intakes for efi.
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This has a Toyota carb on it that runs amazingly well for not being tuned or cared for at all.

As much as I like EFI, I’m sticking with it as is for now. I can’t tell you how fucking much I love the idea of just a simple build. As little shit as possible to worry about.

Got rid of more factory shit. Kid spent all night talking to his girlfriend, so I gutted the interior. Maybe pull the drivetrain Saturday.
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FleshEater said:
This has a Toyota carb on it that runs amazingly well for not being tuned or cared for at all.

As much as I like EFI, I’m sticking with it as is for now. I can’t tell you how fucking much I love the idea of just a simple build. As little shit as possible to worry about.

Got rid of more factory shit. Kid spent all night talking to his girlfriend, so I gutted the interior. Maybe pull the drivetrain Saturday.
4B075734-EA58-4842-AD08-016E32550427.jpeg
559BC27B-07B1-44C1-B2D6-D463C42D990D.jpeg
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Same carb I have, it's pretty decent. Simplified the shit out of the intake also.

Last Sami I was around that was gutted, my buddy used a 1x6 fence board for a dash :laughing: I kinda want to steal the idea.
 
I sold a Sami to a guy who built it into a 4door.

It was a 30 footer as far as Fab work, but he did a decent job as far as shortening the rear doors to make it look somewhat factory.
 
I used to like tube front clips, did one on my first Sami. Now I kinda like the front clip look better. The durability and clearance of the tube can't be beat tho.
 
Pulled the transmission off the engine and got the engine on the stand.

I’ve never seen a clutch eat the fly wheel bolts like this. Assuming someone installed the clutch backwards? I’ll check crank play after I get it all torn down. Hopefully all is well.
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SHARPMACHINE said:
Weird wear on the bolts. Is there sign on the clutch of what did it?
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I vaguely looked at the flywheel condition but didn’t pay attention to the clutch. Researching leads me to believe they put it in backwards and the springs wore them down.

I’ll look closer sometime today.

I did notice how weak the throw out bearing was. Like I could easily move it by hand, which I found really odd.
 
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