I really fell in love with the look of the Samurai, the fuel economy and the smallness (for wheeling) but I need sleeping space, if I'm gonna spend money on driving places off-road I want to be off the ground. Is it impossible to sleep two people in a samurai comfortably? I can't figure out how I'd do it...is a rooftop tent gonna make it even slower? I thought briefly about a trailer but that's just gonna bog it down I'd think, so much...
Am I crazy to overland a Samurai?
- Thread starter kfgk14
- Start date
evilfij
Explorer
My uncle had a zuk and I really liked it. VW Tdi converted zuk would be great for over landing. Even the stock motor has some power. In the 50s, a bunch of recent grads took new 86" land rovers from London to Singapore and an 86" land rover is about the size of a zuk.
I am sure a RTT would slow it down a little, but it is not like you are going to be cruising at 80mph where the wind will be a huge deal.
I am sure a RTT would slow it down a little, but it is not like you are going to be cruising at 80mph where the wind will be a huge deal.
WagoneerSX4
Adventurer
Sure it makes sense. They're fuel efficient, reliable, and easy to fix on the trail. Comfortable - no, spacious - definitely not, but you sacrifice that stuff in the name of efficiency and cost savings.
There are plenty of ways to increase cargo space. You can purchase a little 4'x4' HB trailer and with a few bolt-on parts make it pretty off-road capable for well under a grand. Even a sammy could easily pull one of those.
Not sure what kind of roof racks are available out there but I'm sure one could even be fabbed up to handle an RTT. I wouldn't worry about speed. Completely stock I wouldn't call a sammy freeway capable anyways, let alone with a trailer and RTT. But if you're doing overlanding right, you'll be staying off highways anyways.
But as far as sleeping inside? No way. Simple physics, unless you're a little person - it's not going to work.
My SX4 still gets 26mpg at 100km/h with an RTT on the car and my 4'x4' HB trailer behind it. I would say a sammy would be pretty gutless at speeds over 80km/h with that same setup though, especially if it were modified - even geared properly. Don't let anyone tell you you can't overland with the little guys!
There are plenty of ways to increase cargo space. You can purchase a little 4'x4' HB trailer and with a few bolt-on parts make it pretty off-road capable for well under a grand. Even a sammy could easily pull one of those.
Not sure what kind of roof racks are available out there but I'm sure one could even be fabbed up to handle an RTT. I wouldn't worry about speed. Completely stock I wouldn't call a sammy freeway capable anyways, let alone with a trailer and RTT. But if you're doing overlanding right, you'll be staying off highways anyways.
But as far as sleeping inside? No way. Simple physics, unless you're a little person - it's not going to work.
My SX4 still gets 26mpg at 100km/h with an RTT on the car and my 4'x4' HB trailer behind it. I would say a sammy would be pretty gutless at speeds over 80km/h with that same setup though, especially if it were modified - even geared properly. Don't let anyone tell you you can't overland with the little guys!
LR Max
Local Oaf
If you can keep your crap level to a minimum, then yes. Think of it as a motorcycle that keeps you dry in the rain.
Pack light. I wouldn't expect to sleep people comfortably inside of it but hammocks and a tarp don't take up much space.
If you are thinking about getting a trailer, then get a bigger vehicle. This will be easier than dealing with a trailer.
Lastly, if you don't already have a Suzuki, look for one that has had a tracker engine swap, toyota axles and steering swap, and marlin crawler gears installed in the transfer case. Basically, you have all the upgrades you need to bring the Suzuki to life and all are common upgrades.
Pack light. I wouldn't expect to sleep people comfortably inside of it but hammocks and a tarp don't take up much space.
If you are thinking about getting a trailer, then get a bigger vehicle. This will be easier than dealing with a trailer.
Lastly, if you don't already have a Suzuki, look for one that has had a tracker engine swap, toyota axles and steering swap, and marlin crawler gears installed in the transfer case. Basically, you have all the upgrades you need to bring the Suzuki to life and all are common upgrades.
Got any idea what to expect for price on a samurai in that condition, 5 grand?
Two would be challenging, for sure. My Zuk measures just about 6 ft from glove box to tailgate, I think. Mike Hiscox made a simple sleeping platform for the passenger side of his Zuk a while back, but that was for a single person.
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/61580-Samurai-Motorhome-Build-Thread?highlight=samurai
I have seen pix of Zuks with RTT on top; one was a Maggolinia. If putting something on the roof, I would choose a "tintop" over the more plentiful soft tops. I have a Garvin rack on my soft top, where I can throw my Kamp Rite tent-cot and some other stuff up there. Have noodled a little about how to use a tent-cot as a RTT...
As someone else mentioned, I view the Zuk much as a motorcycle, and source much of my stuff from the backpacking world, where compactness and light weight are highly valued.
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/61580-Samurai-Motorhome-Build-Thread?highlight=samurai
I have seen pix of Zuks with RTT on top; one was a Maggolinia. If putting something on the roof, I would choose a "tintop" over the more plentiful soft tops. I have a Garvin rack on my soft top, where I can throw my Kamp Rite tent-cot and some other stuff up there. Have noodled a little about how to use a tent-cot as a RTT...
As someone else mentioned, I view the Zuk much as a motorcycle, and source much of my stuff from the backpacking world, where compactness and light weight are highly valued.
captwoody
Adventurer
take a look at these a little over 100 lbs
http://compactcampingconcepts.com/
http://compactcampingconcepts.com/
zukrider
Explorer
Sami is absolutely doable. but mods are REQUIRED to make most people happy. driving a sami is an acquired taste. ive had 9. the tintop will make a roof rack easier. like my favorite tintop i had
the roofrack in the last pic, i made. used 3/4" EMT, electrical conduit. was very strong. the rack survived the rollover better than the rest of the body! my plan was to make a fold in half platform from 3/4" plywood. it would stow under the rack, then pull out and open on the top. and sized to fit my 2 man REI tent. never made it to that point though.
the roofrack in the last pic, i made. used 3/4" EMT, electrical conduit. was very strong. the rack survived the rollover better than the rest of the body! my plan was to make a fold in half platform from 3/4" plywood. it would stow under the rack, then pull out and open on the top. and sized to fit my 2 man REI tent. never made it to that point though.
zukrider
Explorer
a soft top could be fun though. my last softy had a 3/4" birch plywood tonneau cover. i used a windjammer for trapping heat for winter. and a safari top. all the time! i did put a full top on it just before selling it, but left the wind jammer up for heat.
you could easily match this. also, you could make a front portion that would attach to the main rear section, and lay up to the dash, on the folded front seats. this would provide a full, inside platform. im 5' 9", and ive slept in a sami with all the seats removed, and think a 6' person could manage on the platform idea.
OR
you could make a second rear panel, that attached to the back and extends out. with some legs to kick down to the bumper. would be great for summer and fall camping. if you plan it just right, it could fold and fit in the back, under the existing top tonneau.
no matter how you do it, you have to gear the t-case and use a good cradle for it. the best mod possible!
you could easily match this. also, you could make a front portion that would attach to the main rear section, and lay up to the dash, on the folded front seats. this would provide a full, inside platform. im 5' 9", and ive slept in a sami with all the seats removed, and think a 6' person could manage on the platform idea.
OR
you could make a second rear panel, that attached to the back and extends out. with some legs to kick down to the bumper. would be great for summer and fall camping. if you plan it just right, it could fold and fit in the back, under the existing top tonneau.
no matter how you do it, you have to gear the t-case and use a good cradle for it. the best mod possible!
grimbo
Explorer
Yes you can.
In my old Zuk I did many long distance trips in it. A friend drive hers around Australia, my brother drive from the bottom to the top of Australia and back again. , Simpson desert crossings etc etc
I wouldn't go with a RTt just a small dome tent. You need to think smart with packing but you don't need to scrimp, just look at hiking stuff
I used to sleep in the back of mine but it was a LWB ute
Will try and dig out some pics
In my old Zuk I did many long distance trips in it. A friend drive hers around Australia, my brother drive from the bottom to the top of Australia and back again. , Simpson desert crossings etc etc
I wouldn't go with a RTt just a small dome tent. You need to think smart with packing but you don't need to scrimp, just look at hiking stuff
I used to sleep in the back of mine but it was a LWB ute
Will try and dig out some pics
mr_ed
Toolbag
X2 on the tcase gears and cradle. My previous tin top had a weber, YJ spring swap UNDER the axles, mercedes half hi steer, 31" tires, and LROR 4.9 gears in the case. Once I got to that point, it could do 60-65 down I-90 from Astoria Oregon to northern Idaho (500 miles) with no issues. I imagine if I had done the kick motor swap it'd been a non-issue to sport a RTT around.
Sure it's a short, lightweight rig, but those Suzuki engineers were no slouches. So long as you excercise prudence in the suspension/steering setup (i.e. steer clear of eyeball engineered spoa setups and backyard scrapmetal hi steer contraptions) they will handle the highway suprisingly well, and still kick the socks off most larger rigs offroad.
I also had Buick seats in mine, indexed back to better accomodate my 6" height. Most comfortable vehicle I've ever sat in (except maybe the original buick).
If you search around the interweb, there's a couple who took a Samurai from Arizona down through South America. Almost no issues, the few they had were easily fixed by local mexhanics or on the side of the road. These little rigs were built for the third world...
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Sure it's a short, lightweight rig, but those Suzuki engineers were no slouches. So long as you excercise prudence in the suspension/steering setup (i.e. steer clear of eyeball engineered spoa setups and backyard scrapmetal hi steer contraptions) they will handle the highway suprisingly well, and still kick the socks off most larger rigs offroad.
I also had Buick seats in mine, indexed back to better accomodate my 6" height. Most comfortable vehicle I've ever sat in (except maybe the original buick).
If you search around the interweb, there's a couple who took a Samurai from Arizona down through South America. Almost no issues, the few they had were easily fixed by local mexhanics or on the side of the road. These little rigs were built for the third world...
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David Harris
Expedition Leader
Just get a Maggiolina rtt. They're lighter and more aerodynamic than others. http://www.autohomeus.com/rooftop/maggiolina.php
Also, just for kicks watch this: http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/116860-Top-Gear-Bolivia-to-Chile
David
RugerTrailer
The Trailer Guy
Off topic...but I know that trail, I was just down there last week.
On topic...I can say that I do thousand mile trips in my 2 door TJ and it's not very big either. I say go for it.
Scott Brady
Founder
I love the idea of a Samurai. I drove most of Central Asia and the Silk Road in a Suzuki Jimny. There were two of us in the truck and it was below GVWR and I could still see out of the back window. Light and not-so-fast 
No man's land between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan
No man's land between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan