What Would You Build?

Boone · Apr 7, 2004

I decided to stop driving my Suzuki Samurai. The tranny has a bearing going and the ball joints are shot. The 4 cylinder 1300 cc engine runs excellent.

So what could I build using this engine and some of what is left of the Samurai?

Bowhunter · Apr 7, 2004

Sounds like a good question for Red Green or Tim the Toolman Taylor. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Maybe a hotrod mudbogging machine. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

RobS · Apr 7, 2004

I heard scrap iron is at $100/ton. Make enough to pick up a new tractor item /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

andyfletcher · Apr 7, 2004

With a 1in shaft and 3 pillow blocks and a 3/4in round steel plate I'd make a heavy duty wood chipper. Third pillow goes in center, wouldn't want this deadly contraption to let go.

At 2 places on opposite side of the plate I'd cut out a neat 2in by 4in hole. There I would weld backup pieces for a base for bolting hardened steel knives available everywhere. Drill hole in center and weld on plate dead square to shaft.

Add a shute and your all set.

Wood chippers will be the thing to get in the future when slash burning will be outlawed all togeather, even for farmers.

Youd have to gear the trans down with an extrnal 1 to 3 (maybe 5) chain drive and sprocket system floating in an oil bath. The gearing down would ease the work on the engine and you'd get the ability to heave in larger stumps in the tradeoff.

Cost pillows 10$, shaft 20$, plate cut at machine shop 40$, with square holes cut and shaft hole 60$. Chain drive at scrap yard from motorcycle, few dollars.

Pretty cheap system. You may want to up to a larger rad for stationary work, oh yeah, no place for kids. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

JazzDad · Apr 7, 2004

I'm all for building an intergalactic cruiser, and searching the universe for intelligent life. Just attach a BIG gas tank. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

OK, how about coupling it to a large generator?

Poppa · Apr 7, 2004

Turn it into a dual purpose Post Hole Auger/corer, make it so it attaches to the front loader bucket and sell it to Okeedon. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Mike

RonR · Apr 7, 2004

I saw an internet clip of a V8 powered chainsaw. The torque of the motor was almost too much for the two guys to hold down.

With the size of the Suzuki, maybe a REALLY industrial sized weed eater!

(If you build the chipper, make sure you have armor plating protecting you & co-workers!)

Ron

lamarbur · Apr 7, 2004

a standby generator for the home/office/

Charlie_in_TX · Apr 7, 2004

I hear those bring fair money in rock crawling areas. List it on ebay and see what it will fetch.

Bird · Apr 7, 2004

I know parts are expensive for those, but I wonder if you wouldn't come out ahead to fix it up and sell it as what it is instead of parting it out to build something else.

jmc · Apr 7, 2004

Jazzdad,

Ever read Humorist Tom Bodett's take on extraterrestrial inteligent life? He says there's plenty of it out there despite our failed attempts to contact them. They are simply ignoring us because we are known throughout the universe as "The people who pee in their drinking water"...

John

JimR · Apr 7, 2004

Parts the car out on Ebay and buy something for your tractor.

rockinmywaypa · Apr 7, 2004

I checked your profile and this is what I am suggesting...Drop the tranny and build a gas powered horse trainer like a carousel or a powered wood buzzsaw for cutting cordwood or a powered splitter or a hydraulic pressure supply for a your own jaws of life or maybe an electric generator for times when the power is off.

OkeeDon · Apr 7, 2004

A yard vehicle. Your own version of the Mule. It will mostly be in one gear and going slow, so the tranny may hold up, and the ball joints don't matter. Cut off the windshield, remove the doors, cut down the body a bit if it's in the way, build a wood bed for the back and enjoy. Is it 4WD? All the better, but it will still be useful with 2WD.

GerardC · Apr 7, 2004

DONATE IT TO MONSTER GARAGE! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

SPIKER · Apr 7, 2004

that would be a trip, see Jessy get a hold of an old worn out samari! lol.

I would go for the portable welder generator with combination wood chipper and weed eater. add some BIG stacks and a flame tip and it can even BURN the stuff it cant deviour! lol.
my boss had one, bought for 500.00 the fuel tank / pump leaked so bad and they wanted somethign like 350 for a new pump. the pump outlet rusted off. much like the rest of the thing... anyhow he ended up selling ot for the same 500 after bouncing it throught he woods for a year or so. also taught one of his kids how to drive in it. SHE wasn't all that great of a driver, and lamost ran over the dog. earlier on she ran over the gas meter while comming back form the mail box with the golf cart. and also ran over a new tree which was about 6' high. lol

Mark M /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Boone · Apr 8, 2004

I think E-bay and parting it out is the right answer for now for most of the Samurai. I'll have to see what happens with the engine, and what I can do with it without a tranny.

JazzDad · Apr 8, 2004

Capt. Bird's answer probably makes the most sense, and the Car Talk guys would agree with him. It also sounds like what my Great Depression surviving grandmother would suggest. Now don't take of this as an insult. More of us should think about repair, reuse and recycling.

Taylortractornut · Apr 8, 2004

Ive been thinking of using a small low geared truck like that to make a rotary trencher. A friend made one out of a round plate well the now obsolete hurrican saw head from a feller buncher. Its 4 fee in diameter and he adapted the hub to the car axle. He started it up and drages it backwards with his 4000 Ford. He could make a 2 to 4 inch trench 1.750 feet deep. He's also made many small tractors from them to. THey make good cut down buggies.