There has got to be a way to get my Samurai faster than 65mph. Forget about commuting! What can I do to atleast get it to go 75-80? new engine? WHAT!
Your comments are greatly appreciated!

point it downhill...

Tailwind.  I saw a supercharger kit for a couple grand.

Or swap in a 1.6l or maybe a 1.9l turbo diesel.

And I'm chuckling about the idea of a 75-80mph commute.  I used to fly up and down the 405 at upwards of 5mph during rush hour.

There has got to be a way to get my Samurai faster than 65mph. Forget about commuting! What can I do to atleast get it to go 75-80? new engine? WHAT!
Your comments are greatly appreciated!

Drop it from a plane going 150 mph! From what I've seen here on this forum, getting a Sammy to cruise comfortably at 75/80 mph would pretty much require you to just purchase a different vehicle. These things were never meant to cruise that fast. By the time you modified it with everything it takes to do what you want, you really could have purchased a different vehicle.

...even if you could get it to go 75-80, I'm not sure it would be 'safe'

(and I like to run with scissors)

don't think the 1.6l is going to get you to 80.  I have a 22r, and I can do a little over 70 on flat ground.   But like the other guy said i don't know how safe it is to be doing alot, or at higher speeds like 80mph.  Plus I always think its hard on rigs like these, pushing it that hard for a long period of time.

No, it is not really safe above 70mph.  I've cruised a Samurai at 80mph before (the German autobahn of all places) and it was very dicey cruising at that speed.  Plus, if you have to do a panic stop (all too common on the autobahn), it gets even more fun. 

Back over 20 years ago, I had my Samurai up to 90mph (going down hill of course) and that was pretty crazy and stupid...but I was a teenager then.   

I think a realistic top cruising speed in a Samurai is 70mph and that's all I ever try to squeeze out of them now.  If I need to get somewhere faster, I will drive my Suzuki GV.

Had a 88.5 Samurai few good years ago,dropped in a 231 Buick V6 and auto tranny,60+ was good.

Brick-in-the-wind aerodynamics preclude a top speed much over 60 mph.  More power will overcome that, but the high center of gravity combined with the high center of pressure and extremely short wheelbase will make it a very difficult vehicle to drive at much more than 65 mph.

Personally, my Sammy is an absolute joy to drive on western Pennnsylvania backroads, which by their very existance have a natural speed limit of 45-50 mph.

Love it for what it is.  If you want a fast car, buy a fast car.  A Samurai is NOT a fast car.

I got mine up to 70 for a while on the drive home.  I wouldn't want to go any faster in it unless I was 100% sure there wasn't any rough pavement ahead.  Nah, not even then.  It cruises well at 60-65 on flat ground.  That'll get me where I'm going.

BTW, don't forget to compensate for large tires if you have them.  According to my GPS, 55 on the speedo is 65.  Stock tires are about 25.5" tall while the usual upgrade seems to be 31".  That's a pretty big change in circumference.  About 17.7% which, if my math works out confirms my GPS data.  But don't take my word for it.  I was never much good at math.

What did the turtle say when he was riding the snail?

Remember these Samurai's were made when the speed limit was 55mph.  The only time mine hits 70 is when I am dingy towing it!

Remember these Samurai's were made when the speed limit was 55mph.

In the US , its was and still is a lot higher elsewhere.

If your Sammy can't go over 65mph then there is something awry. If you're running stock tyres and wheels then start looking at your engine, otherwise its probably your gearing

Between 73 and late 87 most states where a 55 mph speed limit on highways.  29 states had lower then 55