Suzuki Blitz 4x4 build

[kooder01]

Im going to keep this tread up to date with the build of my blitz conversion on my Samurai.

The Donor

It has a calmini 4 or 5 inch lift kit kitted already, the wheels were sold before I bought it.

The blitz body has come from a mate as payment for a load of work I have been on with on his mini (steel flip front conversion and paint!) here are a couple of pics of the body, some of  them show it on a chassis that my mate started and sold on.

 

[kooder01]

Few pics of it pre strip down

 

[kooder01]

let the stripping begin

 

[kooder01]

Managed to get the chassis scrubbed up to find out if there are any repairs needed

From what I can tell so far I only have a couple of little holes to repair on the OSR bumpstop mount

Also managed to get the trans box off and the SU carb off the inlet manifold, as its going back on the road with a twin choke weber on it.

 

[kooder01]

Finally got the chassis stripped bare apart from the axles, Ill drop them off just before I get ready to paint it all

Here are a couple of pics of the stripped chassis.

Also the guy that fitted the Calmini kit to it must not have know what a torque wrench was. When I drove the SJ and as I was stripping it down I thought I was going to have to drop a leaf out of the springs, just to supple it up a little. It turned out that the shackles were so tight that the springs couldnt move! Needless to say when I slackened the shackles the springs relaxed and hey presto we have some spring movement!

 

[kooder01]

I was going to leave the axles fitted until I had most of the chassis stripped / cleaned. However I dont fancy having to deal with what ever is covering the chassis twice, so I though best to drop them out and do it all at once.

The only thing that can touch this stuff is a angle grinder and a wire brush attachment.

When I started to drop the oil out of the front axle, I was presented with this

 

[kooder01]

Finally finished cleaning all of the underseal off the chassis today (thank god!), I haven't found anything too serious, some surface stuff that as you can see in the pics I have cleaned down to good steel then covered in a little Kurust just as a little insurance once its covered back up.

flipped it right side up then covered the clean bare bits in kurust

 

[kooder01]

I have got the welding done on the bump stop on the OSR. Also fabbed up  2 pairs of rockslider mounts and welded them to the chassis. Couple of pics for ya

What I was aiming to repair,

Template made

the grotty stuff cut off and cleaned up

New piece cut and shaped

and stuck on with the hot stuff

on to the rockslider mounts. found a piece of 40x40mm box section in the garage and measured out 100mm bits and cut the "back" out so I could clean the channel to weld in the captives

Holes drilled, cleaned nuts (ohh er) ready for welding, then the nuts welded on

Stuck those on too
OS

NS

Then got a full coat of stone chip over the chassis

Then also a good coat of black gloss too

 

[kooder01]

 

[kooder01]

 

[kooder01]

 

[kooder01]

Excuse the mess in the garage! defo in need of a tidy up!

Managed to get the front springs and shackles back on and the front axle sitting on the springs. The paint was still a little soft on the u bolts and plates so that can wait for later in the week.

 

[kooder01]

just a quick update, got the front crown wheel and pinion swapped and the diff housing repainted and installed, just making a start on the OS hub and brakes now.

old ring on the left, new one installed

old pinion on the left too

all back together

painted and installed

 

[kooder01]

I have got the OS hub painted and installed, nothing much to report on that really but heres a few pics anyhow

After that lot was put back on, I thought I'd get the other side sorted aswell, so that were given the once over with the angle grinder wire brush and a couple of coats of paint too.

 

[kooder01]

Also since my last update I have picked up some of the bits for the Blitz and some bits my mate had laying about the the garage where its stored.

 

[kooder01]

Got a bit more done today, the NS hub is on and the steering link bar.

 

[kooder01]

So while its been raining and snowing I have got a few bits done that will hopefully turn it into a rolling chassis this week!!

here's a few pics of what I have been up to

Back axle stripped

Rear leafs and shackles painted

Rear springs and axle casing in aswell

Then I swapped out the ring a pinion on the rear diff and got the first coat paint on that aswell and the inclined rear shock mount too

So a bit more painting this week, then onto the half shafts so I can get it back on its wheels!!

 

[kooder01]

another small update for you all, Got the back axle back together and it is now back on its wheels!!

I have fitted the drums so I can get it rolling, I have most of the bits waiting to carry out the rear disc conversion too, just need some hoses, discs and pads.

Also got the front to rear brake lines on and the compensator. Also the fuel line too, its not clipped in properly yet as I have to add the axle breather lines yet.

I couldn't resist trying a couple of the new wheels and tyres on for size, plus it gave me a chance to measure up the height of the chassis so I could work out the total height of the blitz once its finished, the good news its big, the bad news is that it wont fit in the garage when its done :roll: , so it looks like the garage is going to be modified. Just needs a new set of doors and the frame lifting 300mm.

The only little concern I have is that the rear bump stops are mighty close to the tyre, but then again there is the bulk of the weight still to be added, so that should lower the chassis. Just something Ill have to bear in mind I think.

 

[kooder01]

I got most of the axle breathers on, Its a shame that its doesnt come in blue! Im running it as a single hose with t's off to the transfer box, gear box and the vent, with a 90 for the front axle. I probably will need elbows onto the transfer box and the gearbox too as I think it will be tight for space.

Seen as Im collecting the blitz body next week  , I thought it would be good to get on with cleaning the tank up and making a new tank guard up. However the dreaded tin worm has got to the tank :evil: , so egay came to the rescue with a good one with a good sender (mine's shot) for £40 delivered.

So on with the tank guard. I managed to get a couple of sheets of 1250x500x5mm sheet for 40 sheets from a local fabrication firm. Then cracked on with marking out the bits for the guard.

Then on with the cutting, and boy did it take ages! 4 cutting discs and a band saw blade later, plus 4 hours this was the result

and this was the result, I think its turned out good, would take a grenade to go off to damage the tank!

all thats left to do on it now is round off the edges, drill the mount / drain holes and paint it.

 

[kooder01]

Through the week I got the guard finished off, did a trial fit then got it painted up.

The only other BIG update is that the Blitz kit is now bolted down on the chassis too!

I have already started on sorting out the work that my mate had done on it all ready, the ali dash is now out as I struggled with my knees getting in and out so the original dash out of the Sami is going back in it. Plus alot out of the wiring has been chopped about on the loom that is in it too. So rather than spend ages trying to figure out which bit does what im going to use the original one as that worked. Also the heater looks a bit of a bodge, held in with bungie chords and all the duct work is a mis match of gaffer tape and silicone!