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 My
first experience in off-roading was riding dirt bikes as
a teenager. As I got older I decided on an S-10 Blazer,
which did fine for ski trips and short excursions into the
outback, but nothing extreme. Then, several years ago while
on a camping trip at Tellico with my family, I realized
I wanted to get back into four wheeling. The search began
for a good rig to build.
I found
an '88 Samurai in the Auto Trader that already had a 3"
spring lift and 31x10.50 Wild Country mud tires on it. It
also had a Weber carb, a cam, header and an MSD ignition
system. Before I headed into the outback I added a Warn
8000i winch, a rear Lock-Right locker and a GRSII transfer
case from Petroworks.
This
setup really worked well and got me though most of the trails
I rode. After wheeling this combo for a while, it was again
time to upgrade the Zuk.
Next
on the list came larger tires. I choose 32 x 11.50 Swamper
SX's, which really made a big difference. As we all know,
larger tires seems to lead to more lift, so it was off to
Mike Dugan at Zuki
South for a spring-over conversion and a front locker.
While
in Mounteagle, TN for the Off Road Sportsman Challenge,
I started having major problems with my engine. I was losing
oil at a very fast pace and was in need of a complete bottom-nd
rebuild. While shopping around for someone to rebuild my
old 1.3, I ran across a 1.6 Sidekick block and next thing
I knew, Mike was doing the swap. If it weren't for Mike,
I would never had been able to build such a great rig.
 As
one thing leads to another I, again, wanted more out of
my trail rig, so I combined Summit
Off-Road Missing Links with the a set of rear springs
up front and CJ springs in the rear for more flex. As far
as wheel travel is concerned, it was one of the best mods
I have ever made. The ride is so much better on and off
the road and wheel travel is great. The current setup really
proved itself while in Moab last year, as the Zuk went whereever
I wanted to go. All this fun comes with a price; you will
never be satisfied with your rig.
I have
added several upgrades, such as a spray-in bedliner, a CO2
tank for on-board air, RCI racing seats for more trail comfort,
a roll cage for more protection, power steering to turn
the big meats, a Mega-Flow air intake and birfield rings
for more beef at the front axles. Out are the 32 SX's and
now I ride on 33 x 12.50 Swamper SSR's mounted on custom
backspaced beadlocks.
So what's
next? It's hard to say with so many great innovations coming
along for the Samurai, but I'm sure I'll think of something.
A quick
thanks to all the folks who have helped me with the build-up
of my rig and also helped refine my driving skills. Also,
I'd like to say a quick hello to all the new friends we
made while at the Y2K ZookiMelt in Attica, Indiana. If you're
ever headed down South, just give us a shout and we'll gladly
hook up for some serious Southern wheeling! Anyone up for
Tellico?
MORE
PHOTOS!!
 
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