Saleofcar.com :Suzuki

Suzuki Samurai (1988)
for sale

Price: US $5,400.00

Description:

You are looking at a No-Reserve auction for a 1988 Suzuki Samurai LWB (Long Wheelbase). Those models were not imported to the U.S., so this one was modified to the exact specifications as the LWB versions with a body & frame stretch. All the body work was professionally done, and is TOP NOTCH. I have an actual LWB Suzuki Jimny from Canada in the back yard as well, and the dimensions are the same. Because of the major work this vehicle underwent, it was given a salvage title designation, but it has absolutely never been wrecked. Every square inch of it is SUPER solid & straight.
The original underpowered 1.3 liter engine was removed & replaced with a 2.4 liter Nissan Z motor. It is DRAMATICALLY more powerful than the stock Suzuki motor, yet still gets very decent fuel-mileage. The z24 has 103 horsepower, with 134 ft lbs of torque. It's very zippy, and has no problem maintaining 75mph+ interstate speeds. The factory motors will barely get out of their own way, and have trouble going more than about 55mph from what I've read. The whole swap was very simple, and professionally done. It's neat as a pin under the hood, and looks factory (except it reads Nissan Z on top of the engine valve cover).
The Nissan and the Suzuki engines both use a Hitachi electronic feedback carburetor. These carbs have very little actual computer controlling to them, though. Essentially all the computer does is operate the Air/Fuel solenoid (to control the ratio) and keep the stoichiometry perfectly balanced between rich & lean. It adjusts based on input from the 02 sensor. If you would like to get completely away from electronics, you could always bolt a Weber 2-barrel on it, which these engines do very well with as well.
The Nissan 5-speed transmission connects to the OEM Samurai transfer-case via an off-the-shelf drive-shaft (nothing custom). It's a perfect fit, and far beefier than the original Suzuki sized drive-shaft & flange. The front drive shaft is removed currently in the photos only because of some tinkering requiring extra room for wrenches. I'll put it back in before the vehicle leaves to go to the next owner. The Samurai transfer-case is in perfect working order, and the 4-wheel-drive works just as it should. These vehicles are VERY capable, and this one has brand new Old Man Emu springs & shackles all the way around. It rides & handles very well with this setup.
The headlights (high & low beam), brake-lights, & tail-lights all work, as do the wipers. The brakes are excellent, steering is tight, alignment is good, tires are worn evenly (not chopped), & have approximately 75% tread remaining. The fiberglass topper was lengthened along with the body, so all the glass was replaced with smoked plexiglass cut to the new larger size. The rear hatch window has cracked & broken since then however, so a new one will need to be cut & installed. Any glass shop can do it inexpensively... it's just a flat piece (no curvature to any of it). The body is totally rust-free, as this vehicle came from out West in Oregon where it obviously never got exposed to salt (most of the Samurais here in the Midwest are rusted away badly).
Here is a walk-around video taken by the previous owner of this rig, where you can see the excellent condition it's in:
here
The speedometer is not currently hooked up, but you can determine your speed by the tachometer. There is currently no radio/stereo installed in the dash. The turn signals aren't working right now for some reason... could just be a flasher unit or something simple, but I haven't looked into it yet. A manual choke lever/cable should be installed, because right now I have to pop the hood & actuate the choke on the carburetor by hand when it's cold outside. It's no big deal at all to install, but just bears mentioning. All 5 tires and rims match & are near new. The battery is brand new, and there are newer cables & ground straps. Belts & hoses are fairly recent with no cracks or soft-spots. There is a high-performance dual-coil ignition setup on the engine as well, making for a clean-burning engine with no hesitation & lots of power. This one doesn't have hinges on the cowl, but they can be installed to allow the windshield to flip forward that open-air driving experience like on Jeeps, Land Cruisers & Land Rovers!
I welcome anyone with a valid driver's license to stop by for a test-drive/inspection. I can be reached afternoons/evenings at: (641) 512 5229. I require a $250 security deposit within 5 days of auction's end, and full payment within 2 weeks unless arrangements are otherwise made beforehand (i.e. a payment plan, etc). Deposits are considered non-refundable. If picking the vehicle up in person, I ask for cash in hand (paper green money), otherwise if having it shipped, a cashier's check from a National Chain (such as Wells Fargo, or Bank of America) is acceptable. I would be happy to send front & back pictures of the title before any payment is made. The vehicle is titled in my name, and currently licensed & registered.
It's very reliable and road-worthy. You could absolutely fly out and drive it home if you like! It has Suzuki Sidekick seats with head-rests which are very comfortable & adjustable. I have a flip-down back seat from a Jeep Wrangler just sitting in the back right now (not shown in the pictures), but would consider letting it go with the vehicle for a few extra bucks if the buyer is interested.
This vehicle is very versatile with the component-style top. You can have just a pickup half-cab, no-top, or the full length SUV hard-top depending on what your using it for any given day which is really unique and practical. Soft-tops are also available for these rigs, if you prefer that style. The trouble with most little 4x4s is that the short wheelbase really limits the amount of room you have for passengers & gear, but this thing has a lot more space inside than a regular Samurai or Jeep, so you can load all your gear in there, as well as multiple friends or family members, and go on some unforgettable adventures!
Thanks for looking!
If you have any trouble viewing the slideshow at the top of this page, please be sure to go directly to: picasaweb.google.com/oldcargeek or click on the thumbnail image below, where you can view 90+ photos of this vehicle and all the other rare, classic 4x4s that we have:
Suzuki Samurai Extended with Nissan Z Engine
_{update: 2015-11-19}