Sierra, am i kiddin myself?

[surfisho]

I got rid of my 80 series mainly due to gas usage. So now I need something low on fuel costs.

They dont get much better than a sierra. and as I mainly need it for beach work, well they dont get any better for the beach either.

Problem is, somedays I might travel 400km.

Does anyone else travel this far when they go camping etc?

Also will a roof top tent be ok on a hardtop sierra?

[grimbo]

I have travelled 2000+km in my Suzuki and some people from my club travelled from Melbourne to cape York and back in Suzukis so 400+km isn't a problem.

As to the roof top tent on a hardtop I would probably so no more to the fact that when you move around in it the whole car will move as well making for a very uncomfortable sleep. Also you may find that with that much weight up there the A pillars may crack.

[surfisho]

wow thats some travelling. but im talking 400km a day. i have travelled from sydney to perth non stop in my old landcruiser, with a 20ft boat on the back, without stopping accept for gas, now that was a long stint at the wheel, 2 of us taking turns of course.

is the sierra 1.3 capable of long trips and remaining reliable?

is there anyway to make the roof top tent plan work? (strengthening?)

and lastly, are there ways to set it up a bit nicer for touring, ie im 6ft1 a and not sure how long i could be cramped up in a sierra behind the wheel for.

thanks all for the advice.

[grimbo]

I'm 6'4" the guys who went to cape York were both over 6'. 400km is quite normal for camping trips, I've done trips upto Mildura region on numerous occasions, High Country, up to the Saphire coast.

It will sit on the highway at 90 - 100kn/h all day without any problems if it hasn't been so modified it ecomes unreliable. Unreliabilty usually occurs with modifications that affect the drivetrain and bad maintenance. In near stock form they are fine as long as you maintain them and drive them as a Suzuki not as a more powerful vehicle.

You could try and make some outriggers on the tent to stabilise it. Adjustable legs etc or even tie the tent down to "lock" the car in place whilst sleeping.

[alien]

a LWB sierra may be the best option - little bit more storage space, longer wheelbase should be more stable too.

doubt the tent on the roof will work, its pretty heavy to have sitting on such a light car.

for better tourning - whack in power steering, some nice seats and a big fuck off stereo system to combat that engine noise.

the 1.3L engine is very reliable so long as you maintain it.

you might want to look into a long range fuel tank though, cos 40L tank will mean refilling during that 400km. (most zuks get 10:1 fuel:km - ie: 30L = 300km) yours would be full of gear and over 80km/hr - so it'd tend to guzzle a bit more.

[surfisho]

how bout a cruise control kit, anyone installed one of them?

f it, if I have to I will just buy a ground tent, heaps cheaper anyways. problem is i have a dinky back, so need to use an innerspring matty, although the camping versions do fold up a bit, so may not be to much of an issue for space.

is it legal to remove one of the rear seats and leave one in?

if so I would build false floor to the side and behind. But I need the third seat once or so a week at the mo.

and, LWB sierra, is there such a thing, i thought they were all 2 door shorties? can you show me an example so I know what to look for. tah.

[runnin4life]

yer to the untrained eye a lwb looks just like the others but yer

they are all soft tops unless you get the maruiti(spelling) and thats a lwb ute

i would get a lwb if i were you a little bit more pricey not alot and more room

[surfisho]

i really really dont want a soft top though and need a third seat, so lwb is not for me, darn !

[bazooked]

alot of the lwb came with fiberglass tops as well just like mine, heaps more room in the lwb than the shorty.

[runnin4life]

i really really dont want a soft top though and need a third seat, so lwb is not for me, darn !

you could get a fyberglass top and the lwb soft tops have the rear seats

[surfisho]

do the SWB hardtops not have rear seats?

besides a bit of room, what better about the LWB?

im learning a fair bit here about zooks intricacies already.

[largesuzy]

do the SWB hardtops not have rear seats?

besides a bit of room, what better about the LWB?

im learning a fair bit here about zooks intricacies already.

lwb are a smoother ride and the hardtops have rear seats just some have had them taken out

[alien]

ALL sierras are 4 seaters... only the stockman (sierra ute) and maruti gypsy (indian version of stockman / sierra) had tray backs... any sierra you see with no back seats is purely cos they were unbolted and taken out (a whole 4 nuts to undo!)

the LWB has a lot of advantages over SWB... its more stable with larger tyres (no need to move the diff forward when sitting on 33's), and theres more room. ramp over isnt as good but you used to drive a LWB vehicle anyways so who cares =)

for the effort to fit and remove a rear seat or two - it doesnt really matter. set it up for both - make removable storage compartments so you can take them out and replace with seats.

[surfisho]

ok so all hardtops are short wheel base?

and all soft tops are LWB? and if not how do i know if it is or not, ie what models?

[surfisho]

for the effort to fit and remove a rear seat or two - it doesnt really matter. set it up for both - make removable storage compartments so you can take them out and replace with seats.

so its fully legal to remove the seats 1 or both?

[alien]

haha no no no no... here's the variations that i can get off the top of my head:

Suzuki Sierra SWB Soft Top (Fabric)
Suzuki Sierra SWB Removable Hard Top (Fibreglass)
Suzuki Sierra SWB Hard Top (Metal)
Suzuki Stockman SWB (Closed cab, metal tray on back)
Suzuki Sierra LWB Soft Top (Fabric)
Suzuki Sierra LWB Removable Hard Top (Fibreglass)
Maruti Gypsy LWB Hard Top (Metal)

you can tell its longer wheelbase cos the back end is longer. the front is identical, but theres more room between the rear wheel arch and door, and a little extra on the end of the tray area.

Once you have this sorted we'll get into WT and NT and Coily =P

[largesuzy]

ok so all hardtops are short wheel base?

and all soft tops are LWB? and if not how do i know if it is or not, ie what models?

kinda
short wheel base:
soft top
hard top

long wheel base:
soft top with really long back section
utes

[surfisho]

WT is the way to go i presume for stability, and leafs over coils for ease of use?

[redzook]

the LWB has a lot of advantages over SWB... its more stable with larger tyres (no need to move the diff forward when sitting on 33's),

ahh no need to move the diff forward? with 33's

i think u find u will need to other wise the tire will becoming into the footwell

[nicbeer]

ok so all hardtops are short wheel base?

and all soft tops are LWB? and if not how do i know if it is or not, ie what models?

kinda
short wheel base:
soft top
hard top

long wheel base:
soft top with really long back section
utes

U also forgot about Hightops
Also don't forget about the drovers as they are sierras in disguise.

cheers

[munga]

maybe yew need a twincab diesel hilux or similar? doesnt sound like a bit of fuel saving is worth the hassle for you. and once you load it up with all your stuff, is the zook really going to be that good on fuel anyway?

[droopypete]

maybe yew need a twincab diesel hilux or similar? doesnt sound like a bit of fuel saving is worth the hassle for you. and once you load it up with all your stuff, is the zook really going to be that good on fuel anyway?

Give this man a cigar
Peter.

[derelict_frog]

I think i see a normal hardtop one around here with a top pop-up camper thing unless its one of these square storage boxes, havent had a real close look when it goes past at 100...

[droopypete]

WT is the way to go i presume for stability, and leafs over coils for ease of use?

You are correct, wide track is the way to go, especialy if you go hard top.
The stability advantage of the long wheel base is only an advantage going up and down hills (very good advantage) not sideways you probably gathered this yourself but I want to make sure.

You will find a stock standard sierra very reliable and fuel eficiant, but once you start to load them up the performance and economy goes down,
and when you modify it to regain your lost performance, you sacrifice reliability and economy.

I would sugest a wide track LWB with an ome spring kit (to save your dicky back ) with the fibreglass hardtop, add a set of extractors and a 1"3/4 or 2" exhaust system, tune the motor and leave it alone,
look hard for a stock one that hasn't been modified in any way and has low K's and no rust (good luck),
they are out there you just have to find them.
Peter.
ps I still think you would be better off with a Hilux or similar

[ausyota]

Here is a couple of pics to show difference between LWB and SWB.

[Gutless]

roof top tent is a great idea. Some of them weigh as little as 35kg's. Just make a roof rack ( think EXOCAGE ) and mount it to that. No stress on the roof, and all weight transfers to the chassis. If you mount the tent as far forward as possible, then unfold it towards the rear of the zook, instead of the side, it will be supported well.

JMO
Pete

[surfisho]

thanks pete

didnt think it would be too much stress.

i would want to fold off back anyway, that way you can have an awning/shade off the back off the car and put canvas around it and it is nice and private.

[v8zuki]

with what you want to do get a widetrack hard top with a 1600 vitara motor and it will go where you want to i put a holden starfire 1.9 4 cyl in mine and in 2 years i did just under 70000 kms until i rolled it end for end
used to tow a trailer loaded with 3 bikes 1 trike and all camping gear for 2 adults 2 kids we went every where in it so with a little planning and research wich i see your doing you should come up with a very reliable zuk

[surfisho]

1 thing im learning about zooky folk is they are very open and positive with suggestions.

have seen a few fiberglass hard tops around the $5k mark.

although i dont think a roof top tent would go well on the fiberglass top either.

are the hardtops really that bad? I seem to see a lot of kitted out ones. Aside from space, which isnt a major concern for me as Im a light packer, is the stability of the LWB over a hardtop really hugely better, as in 50% better?

[munga]

i think it was Dewse who cut his lid off his hardtop. weighed in at 53kg and the rear door was 30kg. ish.

so take 50kg off the highest point of the car, then stretch the wheelbase out 6or so inches. thats about the difference. i have a tintop nt and it feels tippier than a lwb