I have had a Suzuki Samurai sitting around for about 3 years now.  It had a blown motor and the trans was stolen (long story) so I decided not to invest anything into it...

After looking around the internet at "Adventure Trailers" I decided that the rear half of the perfectly good Samurai shell is a great candidate for the tub and axle for my adventuer trailer.  Insane, you say?  Well, not if you grew up watching as much McGyver, A Team, and Mr Wizzard as I did.

Tonight, under the cover of darkness, I had my buddy tow the samurai 3 miles from its storage location to the place where it will undergo its transformation.
When I say tow, I mean pull with a 25' tow strap behind his fullsize chevy.  I was in the samurai praying that the brakes still worked and hoping there were no other parts that I had loosened or removed.  I was also attacked by a small bird who thought it was a good idea to build his summer home in the glove box.  Although scary, the trip was uneventfull.

I will post pics of the samurai tomorrow.  Here is a rough idea of what I want to do (gotta love ms paint).
Thats not my truck.  Just a pic I found online.


I will update this thread with my progress.
I am open to suggestions and feedback.
If anybody is interested in the hacked-off front half of a suzuki samurai or parts of it, let me know.

great idea, always love matching truck & trailers, and hankered after doing the same with a SWB soft top Vitara rear end (sidekick/tracker)  for off road camping gear

will watch with interest

don't know if you've seen this?   http://www.k9rdj.co.uk/campingtrailer.html

I wonder how many back ends you could get from people that have converted their Samurai's over to two seats and chopped off the back...

I've built a couple trailers just like that over the years... They work great on the trail. The main issue you will find with towing it on and off road is that you need it to have a tongue just as far forward as the stock front bumper was. that way it will not jack knife easily while backing up and it will be stable going down the road.

I hope i got the tongue long enough...
I already started the bastardization...

Heres the sami


Heres where the attack bird was living


Buzzzzzz




Fabbed up the crossmember for the tongue


Got extremely frustrated with a POS welder and modified it with a sledge hammer


Got what I should have a long time ago


And heres where I left off for tonight

Cool Project!!

Where are you? I'll come get your leftovers!!

Didn't get to do too much today.

Finished to tongue and coupler. 


Started on boxing in the tub.



I am located in central NJ.  I am going to be looking to get rid of the upgraded shackles and reinforcement plates, the crossover steering upgrade, Hardecore 4x4 gas tank skid plate, and the rest of the truck (front end).

I am also looking to trade the rear diff for one with 5x4.5 bolt pattern so I can use the same wheels and tires that are on my jeep for the trailer.  I guess the sami is 5x5.25?  I would have to dig it up, but I think I also have a brand new black top for the truck.

Are you going to put a covered box in front of the wall you just put on there?

 
 
 :'(   :'(   :'(   :'(  :'(

that sammi was in better shape then what I looked at buying.   cool project, but I wouyld have gone with a rustier one, or major front end damage

 
 :'(   :'(   :'(   :'(  :'(

that sammi was in better shape then what I looked at buying.   cool project, but I wouyld have gone with a rustier one, or major front end damage

I was thinking how sad it was to chop a perfectly good sammy tub & frame in 1/2... then I read reply 6 last paragraph... something about same wheels as... WHAT??!! Now I'm just disgusted. 

I have to admit that I probably should have just sold the sami shell and started from scratch.  But that is in hindsight because I have purchased a second angle grinder, a nice MIG welder, and a chop saw during this project.  If I have them when I started, I would have built from scratch.  I may sell this one when I am done and then build a completely custom trailer from scratch.  We'll see.  I am happy with the way it is turning out though. 

One important thing to note is that I am playing this entirely by ear.  I had no actual PLAN for what this thing would look like when finished.  It is becoming a fabrication learning experience as much as it is a purposeful build.


Heres today's progress.

Finished installing the pannel that will be the front of the main bed.



I decided to partially enclose the front end of the trailer with box tubing.  This is the area that will be used for water and gas contailers.




Alooominum front pannel for that.  Painted the tubing and the pannels.



Added angle plates to the tub where the rack will mount.  I am still not sure how this will work out.  I'm trying to decide if the bed will have a tonneau type cover under the rack or if the whole trailer will just be tarped... or    



Heres one idea:



I wanted to be able to tie down a kayak on the top of the trailer.  But I dont know now.
I can do that with a complete rack with its own bar bottom, but then I am limited to a certain height for what I can slide into the bed under the rack and covering the contents to shield them from the elements becomes tricky.

I can build the rack with no bar bottom and a hinged rear crossbar, but then it will be less rigid.

Gotta think on it.

I like the idea but why did you have to cut up that Samurai? It was is great shape! Good luck on the finished product but please, please Save the Samurai... and start from scratch next time!

-Eric

PS. Going to move thread to the DIY section.

I like the idea but why did you have to cut up that Samurai? It was is great shape! Good luck on the finished product but please, please Save the Samurai... and start from scratch next time!

-Eric

PS. Going to move thread to the DIY section.

he should have just used a jeep anyway.........

I am also looking to trade the rear diff for one with 5x4.5 bolt pattern so I can use the same wheels and tires that are on my jeep for the trailer.  I guess the sami is 5x5.25?  I would have to dig it up, but I think I also have a brand new black top for the truck.

he should have just used a jeep anyway.........

Yes, they're more plentiful and it's much less painfull to see one of those cut up! 

Is there anybody on this forum who wants me to keep posting updates?  I know I cut up the poor samurai.  I'm sorry.  I regret it.  I should have found a home for it...  But its too late for that.

Today I built the rack.  I decided to go with an open design that I can tie a canoe/kayak down on, but with no floor so I can still carry larger objects in the bed.  I am going to have a snap-on soft cover made for the bed.  It will have cutouts to go around the rack posts.  I have a lead on a guy who does really nice work.  He did my fiance's dad's boat cover (huge).

Here's the rack.


Naturally, since last night was the first time I left the trailer outside... it rained.  Heres the very wet trailer.  You can see that I filled the gas filler area with "great stuff" expanding foam from cheapo depot.  It will get sanded and body fillled later.


I had to dry the rain off the trailer to sand/weld etc. so I broke out the Industrial Strength Bastardized Samurai Trailer Dryer.


Welded the rack on.


Had to use a tailgate straightenamafier before welding on the rear section of the rack.


And heres the rack finished ( i think ) and where I left off today.



I have been thinking about building a platform for one of those cool rooftop safari type tents.  I have to find a tent to build it around though.  My current tent is 7x8 wich is way too big.  I would like to find a 5x7 or even a 4x6 tent for cheap and then go from there.

I have no idea what is on the ajenda for tomorrow...