Andy Moore is one of those guys who we respect a lot. He's a fabricator for a machine shop in Idaho, so we're sure he can weld and bend tube better than we can, and he also has the time to apply those skills to his project while we flounder around trying to get our junk out of the garage. But if you feel the way we do, then you'd be even more amazed to realize that Andy has had this '87 Suzuki Samurai for three years now, and has rebuilt it each and every year.
When we asked why he went with a Zuk, he gave the same answer that many owners of Samurais give, "Cheap and light." With roughly $6,000 in parts and a few months of his own time invested, Andy built a sweet little trail rig. He has upgraded the axles, engine, suspension, and cage work on this little import and was creepy crawlin' all over the slickrock of Moab when we spotted him. In fact, he even claimed there wouldn't be another rebuild before next year, but we'll believe that when we see it. Till then we'll be wrenching and welding on our own Suzuki junk and trying to catch up.
Tech specs'87 Suzuki SamuraiEngine: 1.6L 16-valve four-cylinder out of a SidekickTransmission: Stock Samurai five-speedTransfer Case: Stock Samurai with Trail Tough 6.4:1 gearingFront Axle: Wagoneer Dana 44 with 5.13 gears, Lock-Rite lockerRear Axle: Wagoneer Dana 44 with 5.13 gears, spoolTires & Wheels: 37-inch BFGoodrich Krawlers on 17x9 steel wheelsSuspension: Three-link with Panhard bar and 16-inch Fox Air Shox in the front, three-link with upper A-arm and quarter-elliptic leaf springs, Rancho 9000 shocks in the rear