My 1983 Suzuki SJ410

[Ramkat]

I've had it for about a month, bought it for the wife to mess around with on the farm, but it is so capable that I've been playing with it more and more. Lots of small jobs to do on bodywork, but mechanically sound.I've reconditioned the rims so far, and most of the interior.

[Gertc]

Did you paint or powder coat?

[2.8 d/cab SFA]

very neat, hope you enjoy it more and more, warning once the bug bites you can never get rid of it.

[bosjakkals]

Very nice and YES very very capable

CJ

[Mud Dog]

Those little Zooks were'nt too bad, hey. One of my swaers had one and it really shaped up. Their biggest problem here on the coast was rust, ... plenty of it!

[Ramkat]

Did you paint or powder coat?

All painted on rims, it doesn't go very fast, so I'm not concerned about paint chipping on gravel roads. It will climb anywhere as long as jou can keep the nose down.

[Mud Dog]

They also have a tendency to roll (sideways) because of the relatively narrow track.

[HannesCreamsoda]

My vrou vir vir haarself ook een gekoop so maand terug.....lekker capable voertuig.

[Muz]

I've got the SJ413. very good little 4x4, going to MOZ with it at the end of the month.

[Ramkat]

You guys must also post pics of your Suzuki's. Any modifications done?

[Muz]

Will post pics of the Moz trip-definately! No Mods, runs pretty well as is. May need to make some recovery points.

[HannesCreamsoda]

You guys must also post pics of your Suzuki's. Any modifications done?

Only modified the bullbar and redid the seats.

Wife is saving for a set of 30" BFG's or Maxxi's and a rollcage from Throttleboy.Hopefully by august the car should be ready for her first competition.

[simonbruton]

I sold my Suzuki SJ410 to buy my current hilux about 9 months ago. The suzuki was my first 4x4 but my family has a history with hilux 4x4's so the only reason I bought it was because I couldn't afford a hilux yet. I managed to get a good price for it last year so only had to put in about R3K to get my hilux - but the hilux needed a lot of work when I got it and is still a work-in-progress!

I really enjoyed the Suzuki. When researching the Suzuki on the net before buying it I read a lot (all from the US) about them being a rollover hazard. I found mine to be very stable, with the worn, sagged flat springs and stiff suspension it handled corners like a mini, in the dry I could not get it to understeer or oversteer and it cornered like it was on rails.

Off road it was great fun to hop, skim and bounce over challenging obstacles while other larger 4x4's sunk in or had too much weight to pull up wet or slippery slopes - often made a fool out of bigger 4x4's. I miss its agility and manuoverability off road and the great visibility over the bonnet. What I dont miss is the incredibly harsh and bouncy ride and the lack of power (and space)(Yes they are slower and more bouncy than even a SFA 4Y!!!)

Pictured below is one of its many shining moments, only a few of which were captured on film:

I'll try past the youtube video but if it doesnt work then got to the link below - I'm new to youtube

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/qpqT0C62xoA&hl ... ram><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/qpqT0C62xoA&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpqT0C62xoA

[Family_Dog]

OK, if I never actually saw it...


Would love to post this on the Cruiser forum, but if I don't behave myself there, I will be suitably chastised

Simon, you need to load the video on to Photobucket and then link from there for it to show here in Flash Video mode.


-F_D

[simonbruton]

Thanks F_D

Will try that next time - this stuff gets complicated! And I thought I was good with computers

I am a hilux and Cruiser fan, my stepbrother sold his Hilux 22R SFA to buy this cruiser double cab. It is great for safari trips and can pull a house down, but a heavy, long, unwieldly beast for 4x4 playing - it is often the first to get stuck. But that 4.2D non turbo 6cyl is beautiful - so smooth and quiet you hardly realise it is a diesel. Bit slow on the freeway though - my 2.2 has slightly longer legs.

I'm looking forward to cruiser fans and non-fans finding it on Youtube!

[Mud Dog]

If the cruiser also had tyre chains he would'nt have got stuck. Chains make the world of difference. I've actually been looking to buy some again, sold mine many, many years ago (like a fool).

[Buff]

Brilliant little vehicles . I've had 2 x SJ410's in the past and loved them both. The only thing that gave me grief in all the years I had them was a clutch that packed up on the beach in Port Alfred (the days before the beach ban). First upgrade on a 410 is normally a leather kidney belt .
My Mother has just bought herself a Jimny and I had the opportunity to put it through its paces in the Transkei while on a recent fishing trip. I was very impressed with it. Much more refined than the 410 but just as capable. The advantage of the Jimny is that you're able cruise at 120km/h. Try that in the 410 and the motor wants to climb out and sit next to you

[simonbruton]

Chains do make a massive difference, even though I only had on the rear that day, I could play around and drive anywhere or up anything while the other vehicles slithered cautiously about trying to stay on the road and not taking any chances.

Mud dog you must be kicking yourself for getting rid of those chains, they are ridiculously expensive now. I bought them at a car boot sale 3 years ago for about R20 each completely unused - the only 2 he had. Unfortunately they dont fit the hilux but probably will fit my Willys Jeep, havn't tried them yet.

At work I got stuck for over an hour in a 2wd KZTE on a steep, angled clay farm road. The standard jack was useless compared to a high lift and everything we tried to put under the wheels just got spun out (including the floor mats and rubber mat from the bin!) I was crying for chains or a high lift. It made me try think of a cheap way to make chains ( my boss would never buy any). I was wondering if a very thick rope could be plaited and joined into a similar configuration - obviously only suitable for short distances or getting out of a sticky spot.

The Jimny must be good, would love to try one. I am impressed that they stayed with solid axles with coils springs - that is what separates it from a Panda and other Suzuki wanna-bee's

[Clarence]

Fit a set of ford F250 rims then you can fit a 31" tyres just cut the front bumper. Better stability because of the offset.

[Mud Dog]

Simon, rope ladders would be useless. Knotting the 'rungs' would'nt work, they'd just slip, so would have to be spliced in to the side rail ropes. A lot of work and then they'd be ripped to shreds in no time at all. You're so right about kicking myself (my bum is blue alll over again), but it was at a time when I was'nt off-roading and they just lay around.

[simonbruton]

OK, M_D thats a challenge. When I next get a gap (which might be months away!) I will try make some and see if they work. They would be lighter than chains but more bulky to store.