Aluminum Samurai Part 2

(ANNOUNCER)>> THE LAST TIME YOU SAW OUR SAMURAI WE TORE IT APART AND LAID A NEW FOUNDATION WITH A 100 PERCENT HAND BUILT FRAME. BUT WHAT GOOD IS A SEXY SKELETON WITHOUT A BEAUTIFUL BODY. TODAY ON XTREME 4X4 OUR SUZUKI BUILD CONTINUES WITH A LIGHTWEIGHT ALUMINUM TUB, CUSTOM ROLL CAGE, ROCK SLIDERS, AND MORE!

(IAN)>> TODAY WE'RE GONNA START THINGS OFF UNDERNEATH OUR MEZZANINE WITH THE CUSTOM CHASSIS THAT WE PUT TOGETHER FOR OUR NEW REBUILT SUZUKI PROJECT. NOW IF YOU GUYS REMEMBER, THIS TRUCK WAS ALWAYS ONE OF MY FAVORITE PROJECTS HERE AT XTREME, AND LAST YEAR WE BROUGHT IT IN AND COMPLETELY REBUILT IT WITH A NEW LOW RIDING STANCE AND SOME 40 INCH TALL TIRES. BUT AFTER A COUPLE OF DAYS OF HARD WHEELING WE FOUND THE LIMITS OF OUR FACTORY FRAME AND ACTUALLY HAD A LINK MOUNT COME OFF. SO WE BROUGHT IT BACK ONE MORE TIME. THIS TIME TO BASICALLY START FRESH, BUILT A 100 PERCENT CUSTOM CHASSIS TO MAKE THIS THE ULTIMATE CUSTOM ZUK WITH A LOT OF COOL FEATURES. LIKE MOVING THE ENGINE BACK IN THE FRAME AND POSITIONING IT LOWER TO GIVE US A BETTER CENTER OF GRAVITY. A FULL DOUBLE TUBE FRAME RAIL TYPICAL OF HARDCORE CRAWLERS, BUT NOT OFTEN SEEN ON SOMETHING LIKE A ZUK. AND OF COURSE OUR CUSTOM TRAIL GEAR ROCK ASSAULT AXLES MOUNTED FRONT AND REAR. THE TRANSMISSION MOUNT IS MADE FROM SOME FLAT EIGHTH INCH PLATE. AND THE ENGINE MOUNT WILL BE A TUBULAR PIECE WITH A REMOVABLE CLAMP IN THE MIDDLE. THE ENTIRE DRIVETRAIN WILL BE MOUNTED SOLID TO THIS CHASSIS AND THE TRANSFER CASE IS RELOCATED TO THE PASSENGER SIDE FRAME RAIL.

I'VE GOT THE ENTIRE DRIVETRAIN LOCKED INTO PLACE WITH SOME GOOD, BEEFY TACK WELDS. NOW THE MAIN REASON THAT I DID THAT IS THAT I'M NOT 100 PERCENT CERTAIN THAT EVERYTHING IS GONNA STAY WHERE IT IS IN THE FRAME. I WON'T REALLY KNOW THAT UNTIL I DROP A BODY ON IT. NOW WHEN IT COMES TO THE BODY FOR THIS RIG, AFTER SPENDING ALL THIS TIME BUILDING A CUSTOM CHASSIS, THERE'S NO WAY I'M GONNA PUT A STOCK SUZUKI SAMURAI BODY ON THIS RIG. FOR THIS I'VE GOT SOMETHING A LITTLE MORE CUSTOM. NOW THE WHOLE POINT OF COMPLETELY REBUILDING THIS PROJECT IS TO CREATE THE ULTIMATE ZUK, AND ON THE PERFORMANCE SIDE OF THINGS WE WANT AN INCREDIBLY LIGHT WEIGHT RIG. NOW THE CUSTOM CHASSIS IS ONE PART OF THAT PUZZLE, AND THIS ALL ALUMINUM BODY THAT WE GOT FROM AQUALU WILL FINISH OUT THE EQUATION. NOW YOU'VE SEEN US USE AQUALU BODIES BEFORE WHEN WE'RE BUILDING JEEP PROJECTS. BUT NOW THEY OFFER A COMPLETE LINE OF SUZUKI SAMURAI BODY TUBS. THEY'RE BUILT THE SAME AS THE JEEP TUBS OUT OF FIVE THIRTYSECONDS MARINE GRADE 5052 ALUMINUM. AND THEY COME PREDRILLED AND STAMPED FOR ALL THE FACTORY ITEMS LIKE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDERS AS WELL AS THE PEDAL ASSEMBLY. NOW YOU COULD EASILY DROP ONE OF THESE ON A FACTORY SUZUKI FRAME AND BE OUT WHEELING IN ALMOST NO TIME FLAT. BUT BECAUSE WE'VE GOT A CUSTOM CHASSIS, WE'RE GONNA NEED CUSTOM MOUNTS.

NOW THOSE OF YOU WITH A KEEN EYE WILL NOTICE THAT THE BACK OF THE AQUALU BODY IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN A FACTORY SAMURAI. THE SIDE IS CARRIED AROUND JUST A LITTLE BIT FURTHER. THEY DO THIS TO GIVE YOU AN EXTRA DEEP WHEEL WELL TO FIT IN OVERSIZED WHEELS AND TIRES. BUT WE HAVE A BIGGER PROBLEM WITH THIS SETUP. REMEMBER, WHEN WE ORIGINALLY BUILT THE ZUK, WE STRETCHED THE WHEEL BASE. NOW THE AXLE IS PUSHED WAY BACK AND WE NO LONGER LINE UP WITH THE WHEEL WELL OPENING THAT IS CUT IN THIS ALUMINUM TUB. NOW WE CAN FIX THAT PRETTY EASY. ALL WE NEED IS A GRINDER AND A CUTOFF WHEEL.

WHO DOESN'T LOVE CUTTING ON A BRAND NEW ALUMINUM BODY? WITH A LITTLE BIT OF TIME WITH THE ANGLE GRINDER, A HOLE SAW IN THE DRILL, AND THE PORTABAND, WE NOW HAVE ROOM FOR OUR 40 INCH TIRE.

JUST LIKE THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION, THE BODY IS GONNA BE MOUNTED SOLID TO THE FRAME, AND A CUSTOM FRAME MEANS CUSTOM BODY MOUNTS.

(ANNOUNCER)>> UP NEXT, A COUPLE OF JUNKYARD PARTS WILL KEEP THE SAMURAI LOOKING LIKE THE SAMURAI. PLUS WE CREATE A FUEL THAT FITS OUR RIG PERFECTLY.

(IAN)>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MADE THE ZUK VERY POPULAR FROM THE VERY BEGINNING WAS THE FACT THAT WE WERE ABLE TO TAKE SUCH A SMALL RIG AND STILL HAVE ROOM FOR THREE PEOPLE, MAKING IT A TRUE BUDGET FAMILY FRIENDLY CRAWLER. SO JUST BECAUSE WE DITCHED THE BODY, WE'RE NOT GONNA CHANGE THAT. WE'LL STILL HAVE THE TWO FULL SIZE SUSPENSION SEATS UP FRONT AND THE SMALLER PRETEEN SEAT IN THE BACK. AND NOW WE'RE READY TO BUILD ALL THE TUBE WORK. WHEN WE HAD A FULL BODY ON THIS RIG WE HAD TO FOCUS ON AN EXOSKELETON TYPE OF CAGE BECAUSE THERE WAS JUST NO ROOM INSIDE. BUT WITH AN OPEN TOP RIG THE SKY'S THE LIMIT WHEN IT COMES TO OUR DESIGN. WE CAN DO WHATEVER WE WANT. WHILE WE'RE AT IT WE'LL ADD SOME PROTECTION FOR THE ROCKERS, SOME TUBE FENDERS FOR THE FRONT, AND OBVIOUSLY WE'LL HAVE TO ADD SOMETHING TO MOUNT A RADIATOR AND A HOOD. THE DESIGN FOR OUR CAGE WILL BE PRETTY UNIQUE. CROSSERS THAT GO FROM THE FRONT ALL THE WAY TO THE BACK, AND THEN A COOL DOUBLE TUBE HOOP RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE. WE'LL BUILD THE ENTIRE SETUP OUT OF INCH AND A HALF 120 WALL DOM. WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE USE JUST ENOUGH TUBING TO KEEP EVERYBODY SAFE AND NOT ADD A LOT OF WEIGHT. NOW EVEN THOUGH THE NEW BODY ON OUR ZUK IS 100 PERCENT AFTERMARKET, WE HAD TO HIT THE JUNKYARD UP FOR A COUPLE OF EXTRA PIECES. I CALLED THE GUYS AT TRAIL TOUGH PRODUCTS. THEY SPECIALIZE IN SUZUKI PIECES. HAD THEM SEND US A GOOD USED HOOD THAT'S IN A LOT BETTER SHAPE THAN THE ONE THAT WAS ON OUR TRUCK. AND BECAUSE OUR TRUCK WAS ORIGINALLY A TIN TOP, WE NEVER HAD A WINDSHIELD FRAME. SO THEY PULLED THIS OFF OF A WRECKED TRUCK AND SENT IT OUR WAY. NOW WHILE WE WERE AT IT WE HAD THEM HOOK US UP A SET OF THEIR REMOVABLE HOOD HINGES. THESE SIMPLY BOLT TO THE WINDSHIELD FRAME IN THE FACTORY LOCATION. BUT WITH THESE PINS ON IT WE CAN SIMPLY POP THEM OUT, PULL THE FRAME OFF WHEN WE HIT THE TRAIL. WITH THE NEW HINGES BOLTED TO THE FACTORY LOCATION ON THE WINDSHIELD FRAME, THE BODY HOLE IS MARKED, DRILLED, AND IT SIMPLY BOLTS IN PLACE.

WITH THE SHEET METAL IN PLACE, WE WILL START WITH A GOOD SET OF ROCK SLIDERS. JUST LIKE THE CAGE, INCH AND A HALF 120 WALL DOM TUBING WILL BE WELDED UP TIGHT TO THE BODY LINE. THEN WE'LL ADD SOME COOL BENT TUBE TO ACT AS A SET OF FENDERS. THERE ARE TWO THINGS THAT WE ALWAYS WANTED TO HAVE ON OUR ZUK BUT HONESTLY NEVER GOT AROUND TO PUTTING THEM ON. THE FIRST IS A GOOD INTERCOOLER. REMEMBER, WE'RE WORKING WITH A TURBO CHARGED DIESEL ENGINE. AS YOU BUILD POWER WITH THE BOOST FROM THE TURBO THE AIR CHARGE HEATS UP. IF YOU RUN IT THROUGH AN INTERCOOLER LIKE THIS ONE THAT WE GOT FROM RIP SUPER CHARGERS BEFORE IT GOES BACK INTO THE ENGINE, THAT AIR TEMPERATURE WILL DROP AND ALLOW YOU TO ADD MORE FUEL AND BUILD EVEN MORE POWER. NOW THE OTHER ITEM IS A WINCH. WE NEVER HAD ONE ON THE ZUK BEFORE, AND SINCE WE'RE REBUILDING IT NOW'S THE PERFECT TIME TO TOSS ONE ON THE FRONT. WE'RE GONNA INSTALL THIS WARN NINE POINT ZERO R/C COMPETITION SERIES WINCH. IT'S A SUPER SMALL, SUPER LIGHT WEIGHT WINCH. IT HAS A 9,000 POUND PULLING CAPACITY, BUT ON THE DRUM INSTEAD OF INSTALLING THE TRADITIONAL CABLE WE'RE USING THE WARN SYNTHETIC WINCH ROPE. THE NICE THING ABOUT THE WINCH ROPE IS IT'S JUST A LOT LIGHTER KEEPING THE WEIGHT FOR THE ENTIRE PACKAGE DOWN. AND WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE OUR ZUK SUPER LIGHT, EVERY POUND COUNTS. THE WINCH WILL BE CENTERED UNDERNEATH OUR NEW HOOD ASSEMBLY. I'M GONNA BUILD A LOWER GRILL HOOP OUT OF SOME 120 WALL DOM. BY MATCHING THE ANGLE OF THE GRILL TO THE WINDSHIELD FRAME IT'LL GIVE THE TRUCK A SPORTIER LOOK.

(IAN)>> WHEN YOU'RE BUILDING A RIG LIKE OUR ZUK AND YOU'RE TRYING TO PUSH EVERY LIMIT THAT YOU CAN, MAKE A 100 PERCENT CUSTOM RIG, EVERY NOW AND THEN YOU'VE GOT TO STOP, STEP BACK, AND TAKE A LOOK. ORIGINALLY I WAS A LITTLE BIT CONCERNED ABOUT HOW THE FRONT END LOOKED, BUT NOW THAT EVERYTHING'S IN PLACE WITH THE WINCH MOUNT AND THIS NEW LOWER BAR, I THINK IT'S TURNING OUT PRETTY GOOD. MAYBE WE'LL ADD SOME OFF ROAD LIGHTS DOWN IN HERE A LITTLE BIT LATER JUST TO FINISH IT OFF. WE HAVE A REAL PROBLEM BACK HERE WITH OUR WINDSHIELD FRAME. NOW THIS IS A STOCK SUZUKI WINDSHIELD TYPE FRAME, AND THE ROOF ON THE ZUK KINDA HAS A LITTLE BOW IN THE MIDDLE. WELL THAT'S WORKING AGAINST US BECAUSE WHEN WE PUT THE CAGE TOGETHER WE DID KIND OF THIS ANGRY EYEBROW UPPER BAR. IT GIVES IT A LOT OF CHARACTER, KINDA MEAN LOOKING. THAT'S WHAT WE WANT. THE PROBLEM IS THE WINDSHIELD FRAME DOES NOT MATCH THE CAGE. NOW IF YOU'RE JUST BUILDING AN EVERYDAY CRAWLER, ALL YOU'D DO RIGHT NOW IS NOT WORRY ABOUT IT. YOU JUST REALIZE THAT WHEN YOU'RE WHEELING JUST PULL THE WINDSHIELD FRAME OFF AND IT'S NOT THAT BIG OF A DEAL. BUT WHEN YOU WANT A 100 PERCENT CUSTOM ULTIMATE RIG, YOU'VE GOT TO CHANGE THAT. WE'RE GONNA MAKE TWO MAJOR CHANGES TO THIS WINDSHIELD FRAME. WE'LL TAKE TWO INCHES OUT OF THE OVERALL HEIGHT, AND FLIP THE UPPER PART UPSIDE DOWN TO MATCH THE CONTOUR OF THE CAGE.

NOW BY JUST MAKING THESE TWO SIMPLE CHANGES WE COMPLETELY CHANGED THE LOOK OF THE FRONT OF THIS TRUCK. NOW IT MATCHES THE CAGE. IT'S GOT THAT DEEP SORT OF ANGRY EYEBROW LOOK. NOW OBVIOUSLY WE NEED TO FINISH WELD EVERYTHING AND DO ALL THE BODY WORK. I JUST WANT TO TEST FIT IT TO MAKE SURE IT LINES UP WELL WITH THE CAGE. NOW IF YOU DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS, THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS YOU NEED TO REMEMBER. YOU CAN'T REUSE THE STOCK WINDSHIELD. YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO GET A CUSTOM ONE, AND PROBABLY THE BEST OPTION THERE IS TO JUST GET A SHEET OF PLEXIGLASS TO FILL THE HOLE. OBVIOUSLY WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO USE ANY TYPE OF FACTORY HARD TOP MOUNT WITH THIS SETUP, AND THAT'S OKAY BECAUSE IF WE WANT A TOP IN THIS RIG, WE'LL JUST BUILD SOMETHING INTO THE CAGE. NOW THAT WE'VE GOT THIS SECTION OF BODY WORK DONE THERE'S ONLY ONE OTHER SPOT THAT'S REALLY BUGGING US ON THE FRONT END OF THIS TRUCK. THAT'S RIGHT HERE AT THE TUBE FENDER. WHERE THE TUB MEETS THE HOOD THERE'S JUST THIS BIG EMPTY HOLE. SO FOR IN THERE WE'RE GONNA BUILD A PANEL.

THE MORE TIME YOU SPEND MAKING SURE YOUR TEMPLATE FITS CORRECTLY, THE BETTER THE FINISHED PIECE IS GONNA LOOK. OUR FENDER FILLER PANEL IS GONNA BE MADE OUT OF SOME THREESIXTEENTHS ALUMINUM WITH A SMALL BRACE TIG WELDED ONTO THE SIDE.

NOW WHILE WE HAVE OUR TIG WELDER OUT, WE WANT TO BUILD A COUPLE OTHER ITEMS OUT OF GOOD THICK, HEAVY ALUMINUM, AND THOSE ARE TWO NEW FUEL CELLS. IF YOU REMEMBER, WHEN WE PUT THIS RIG TOGETHER, BECAUSE WE HAVE THIS GREASE CAR KIT WE HAVE TWO FUEL TANKS. ONE IN THE BACK TO HOLD THE GREASE, AND WE MOUNTED THIS SMALL SUMMIT RACING FUEL CELL UP FRONT TO HOLD THE DIESEL FUEL. NOW SURE WE COULD PROBABLY REUSE THESE AND BOLT THEM BACK IN, BUT A BETTER OPTION FOR US RIGHT NOW WOULD BE, YOU GUESSED IT, BUILD ONE 100 PERCENT CUSTOM. OUR NEW FUEL CELL WILL SIT FLAT ACROSS OUR ZUK'S REAR STORAGE AREA, BASICALLY MAKING A FAKE FLOOR. IT'LL HAVE TWO SEPARATE COMPARTMENTS, ONE FOR DIESEL FUEL AND ONE FOR WASTE VEGETABLE OIL. WE'LL BUILD IT OUT OF THE SAME MATERIAL AS THE FENDERS, FIVE THIRTYSECONDS 5052 ALUMINUM.

THEN I'LL SLIP IN THE COPPER LOOP THAT'S USED TO PREHEAT THE VEGETABLE OIL AND REUSE BOTH FILL CAPS FROM THE OLD CELLS. NOW THIS FUEL CELL MAY NOT LOOK VERY BIG BUT WE DID THE MATH ON IT AND IT'S JUST AROUND TWO AND A HALF GALLONS PER SIDE. NOW FIVE GALLONS OF FUEL TOTAL MAY NOT SOUND LIKE A LOT IN AN OFF ROAD RIG, BUT HONESTLY BECAUSE OF OUR LITTLE TURBO DIESEL UP FRONT AND THE FACT THAT IT GETS GREAT GAS MILEAGE, WE WOULD ROUTINELY WHEEL THIS RIG FOR A GOOD EIGHT HOURS AND ONLY BURN A COUPLE OF GALLONS WORTH OF FUEL.

(IAN)>> NOW WE ARE ALMOST TO THE POINT WHERE WE CAN COMPLETELY TEAR THE ZUK APART AND KNOCK OUT ALL THE FINISH WELDING. BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT THERE'S STILL TWO ITEMS ON OUR PUNCH LIST WE WANT TO TAKE CARE OF. SEE THE COOL THING ABOUT THE ZUHARI EVENT IS YOU CAN HIT ALL THE TRAILS AT NIGHT AND SPEND SOME TIMES WITH YOUR BUDDIES DOING SOME NIGHT WHEELING. BUT IN ORDER TO DO THAT YOU'RE GONNA NEED SOME GOOD QUALITY OFF ROAD LIGHTS. SO WE'RE GONNA PUT A LIGHT BAR ON OUR ZUK. WE'RE GONNA INDEX IT OFF THE APILLAR OF THE CAGE AND WE'LL WRAP IT AROUND THE WINDSHIELD FRAME. NOW WE'LL MAKE IT REMOVABLE SO WE CAN TAKE IT OFF DURING THE DAY AND FOLD THE WINDSHIELD DOWN. THE BRACKETS TO MOUNT OUR LIGHT BAR ARE A COUPLE OF OLD TJ FRONT AXLE SWAY BAR MOUNTS. ONCE WE HAVE THEM CUT AND WELDED TO THE CAGE WE'LL CUT A PIECE OF DOM TUBING TO FIT IN BETWEEN, WELDING A NUT IN ONE END AND A QUICK RELEASE STUD INTO THE OTHER.

OUR NEW SUZUKI BODY HAS PROVISIONS TO INSTALL A STOCK SAMURAI DASH. SO WE PULLED THIS ONE OUT OF THE TIN TOP BODY BEFORE WE SENT IT OFF TO THE WRECKER, AND WE'RE GONNA REUSE IT. BUT WHAT WE'RE NOT GONNA REUSE ARE ANY OF THE GAUGES. WE NEVER HOOKED THEM UP TO WORK WITH OUR DIESEL ENGINE. SO WHAT WE'LL DO INSTEAD IS BUILD A CUSTOM PANEL FOR A FEW AUTOMETER GAUGES. WE'RE GONNA RUN AN OIL PRESSURE, WATER TEMPERATURE, AND A TURBO BOOST GAUGE. NOW THESE TYPE OF GAUGES WILL NOT ONLY ALLOW US TO MONITOR THE ACTUAL TEMPERATURE, PRESSURE OF THE OIL, AND THE AMOUNT OF BOOST, BUT THEY HAVE INTEGRATED WARNINGS YOU CAN PRESET IN THERE. THE ACTUAL COLOR OF THE FACE WILL CHANGE WHEN YOU REACH THAT PREDETERMINED AMOUNT. IT'LL HELP LET YOU KNOW THAT IT'S TIME TO SWITCH ON YOUR COOLING FANS. NOW ONE THING THAT WE HAVE TO DO WITH THE DASH BEFORE WE PUT IT IN IS BASICALLY GUT THE ENTIRE BACK SIDE. ALL OF THIS STUFF IS JUST GONNA BE ALONG FOR THE RIDE AND IT'S GONNA ADD A LITTLE BIT EXTRA WEIGHT. AND OUR GOAL HERE, REMEMBER, IS TO BUILD AN INCREDIBLY LIGHT OFF ROAD RIG.

SO AFTER ALL THE WORK WE'VE DONE TODAY THERE IS ONE LAST THING THAT WE WANT TO DO, AND THAT IS COMPLETELY WEIGH THIS CHASSIS. THE ONLY WAY TO DO THAT IS WITH A GOOD SET OF VEHICLE SCALES. NOW WE WEIGHED THE TRUCK BEFORE WE TORE IT ALL APART AND IT WAS JUST UNDER 3,000 POUNDS WITHOUT ANYBODY IN IT. NOW IT'S HARD TO GET A RIG ANY LIGHTER THAN THAT, AND WE WILL STILL HAVE TO ADD A COUPLE MORE HUNDRED POUNDS BEFORE THIS TRUCK IS OFFICIALLY DONE, BUT RIGHT NOW, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THIS TRUCK IS SITTING AT 2,300 POUNDS. BUT MORE IMPRESSIVE IS THE FRONT AND REAR BIAS. WE HAVE IT SETUP WITH 55 PERCENT OF THE WEIGHT AT THE FRONT AND 44 AT THE BACK. THAT GIVES US ALMOST A PERFECT 50/50 WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION. BY THE TIME WE THROW SOME TOOLS IN THE BACK, THIS RIG WILL BE PERFECT FOR HARDCORE WHEELING.