Hey everyone, I'm new to this site, but not to Samurai's. I've been wheelin junk and researching online for a couple years, but I recently purchased a half finished project. It's an 88 LWB! It started out as a frame off resto, but like usual the guy lost interest. I wasn't really planning for a project like this, but I think it will be a really cool dd. Unfortunately the tub was quite rusty, so instead of repairing the rear body, the previous owner cut it all out and turned it into a samurai truck. The work he did was very impressive considering it was his first time using a welder!

I love following build ups, but with all the projects I've completed, I've never posted anything. I'm considering taking some pics and posting in the build section this time. I would love to get some feedback and advice as I go, so here it is

This is how I got it home!  It took a while to load it up and strap it all down.

Here's a pic of how it looked when I bought it a few weeks ago.  I can't wait to get started!

This was the second trip, the first was a huge pile of axles, motors, wheels and a complete tin top.

The project is in the shop now and I'm slowly making sense of boxes full of parts and a fifteen pound bucket of bolts needed to reassembly everything. So far I've stated on cleaning up the brake components and figuring out the brake lines. I'll try and get some pics up, but it pretty basic stuff.

I'm gonna go with the diesel and I think the Acme kit is a pretty easy choice. I'm trying to do as much research for this swap as I can. It seems most people buy everything from Acme to save time and avoid hassles. I'd like to do this project as cheap as I can, but my time is also limited. I can fabricate and weld, but I think it's money well spent for the deluxe kit.

Here's some shots of the zuk in it's new home for the next few months. As you can see I've started putting some pieces on the truck. I rebuilt and painted all the brake components since I'm to cheap to replace anything at this point. The booster was all surface rust and the master was seized and full of yellow crap. I pulled it all apart, cleaned and beadblasted everything before I painted it and assembled. Tomorrow I have to buy a new flare kit and route some more brake lines. I also started pulling the diesel. When I drove it in the shop I noticed it's leaking diesel from the third injector, right where it goes into the head. That sucks, especially considering I don't know too much about diesel engines. I guess this project will teach me quite a bit about how they function and how to fix them when there are problems. Once I'm educated, I plan on turning up the boost and fuel pressure! One other thing I'm still trying to wrap my head around is why these engines have to be re timed for the swap? I guess I'm picturing that the engine goes into the zuk without disturbing the pump, or belt or anything, so no need to reset the timing, right? Or does this only apply to the people that remove those components during the swap? I guess it's no big deal either way since I'll have to learn how it's done at some point anyway.

As you can see in the last bunch of pics I'm pretty much finished up with the brake lines, flex hoses, driveshafts and suspension.  I just need to find some castle nuts for the shocks and drag links. 

I decided to pull the motor from the Jetta.  It is a 1.6 turbo diesel and I can't wait to get this installed in the truck

Next on my list is to figure out the e brake cables and lever.  I'm having a hard time finding the cables for a Samurai and it might be impossible to locate the correct ones for a LWB.  I might just buy a SWB cable and modify to work.  Also in the future I need to get a gas tank and route the fuel lines.  I'd like to wrap that stuff up before I start on the engine.

Your garage is way to clean for this type of work 

Is it just me or is your rear axle housing bent a bit in the one picture?

That thing is going to look pretty sweet when it's done, are you keeping the cab open to the box like it was stock, or is it going to be closed off, be cool to have barn stile doors or sumthing behind the seats.

Oh wow, that axle does bent!  Luckily it's just the camera angle, I double checked!

For the winter months I think I will close it in like the pictures show.  In the summer it will be open as much as possible.  I am considering closing in the cab like you mentioned with some sort or doors, or removable panel.  That would be great for rainy days when I need to use it as a pick up truck, but I also need the rear seats.  I would like to make some brackets to mount the seat in the back.  I want it to fold up as it normally would, but also have two pins I can can pull out and quickly remove the seat.  I will be spraying the complete inside of the tub with bed liner, so it should be weather proof.  What do you think of the pictures?  Any ideas for a cab panel, or barn doors?

Looks like fun to me...Boxcar...

is this the same samurai that was on kijiiji a few months back?