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first zook

Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 9:07 pm
by speedracer006
hey all,
im a new member and am pretty new to the whole 4x4 thing. ive always had fully sic commodores etc etc. HOwever i love going fourbying with my mates and im basically sick of bein in the passanger seat. i want to get a sierra after hearing so many good things about them. I have $5000 to buy one and was wondering, is there a specific model i should be looking for? I want to put a lift kit etc on it too when i get it, so what sort of mods are probably the best value for pretty cheap. Im on a pretty tight budget.

Any comments will be very helpful :lol: :lol:

Cheers guys

Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 10:22 pm
by want33s
Get a leaf spring Sierra. 89-90 Wide track. (Factory flares).
Add a 2" spring lift ($500) and maybe a 2" bodylift ($200)with a set of 31" muddies ($600) and then a rear locker ($300)and some reduction gears ($800) total cost = car + $2400.
Then theres just little easy (cheap as) stuff to do like bashing innner guard seams over and redrilling perches to move diff forward.
Remove a leaf or two from each spring. Add some bumpstop extensions (@ 50mm)
Extended brake lines would be good too.
Just my opinion but its basically what I've got and it works well.

Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 11:05 pm
by Manusdei
I'm in the same sorta situation atm but I've got a slightly higher budget (around 8k) and looking to get a coily sierra as i want some more flex :P

I'm currently looking around for a 96 or newer coily, as i prefer that shape, is there any thing i should look out for in this model, i.e. is rust a very common thing with this model? if so, where is it most common? and what about things like diffs - are they very strong?

I'm looking to make it road legal, but it may not be my daily driver, so I'm willing to sacrifice a few more of the comforts :)

Also will be looking at doing most of the work myself, and I'm a complete fool when it comes to any thing under the hood, but I have a few mates that are mechanics that can give me a hand (for beer tokens of course :P )

Cheers, Pete.

Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 11:49 pm
by alien
Manusdei wrote:looking to get a coily sierra as i want some more flex :P
$8k might not get you there mate =) coilys are renowned for being harder to modify well...

Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2008 4:34 am
by NIK
8 grand wouldnt leave much after buying a coily.
For a relaible lift you will need to spend$$ + not sure on strenght of front diff.
Just depends what you are going to do with it, mine was a d/d light off road to find tracks for my other zuk and it held up fine on 2" lift and 27" tyres.
Nik

Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2008 7:56 am
by Gwagensteve
Manusdei wrote:I'm in the same sorta situation atm but I've got a slightly higher budget (around 8k) and looking to get a coily sierra as i want some more flex :P

I'm currently looking around for a 96 or newer coily, as i prefer that shape, is there any thing i should look out for in this model, i.e. is rust a very common thing with this model? if so, where is it most common? and what about things like diffs - are they very strong?
Coil sierras do no thave more flex than leaf, stock, or with similar modifications.

Leaf cars are far easier to get flex out of too.

Do a search on coil sierras. They are not Suzuki's best work, you'd be far better off with a leaf car if you want to do DIY modifications.

Steve.

Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2008 9:42 am
by islandvitara
picked up my 86 sierra NT swb for $500 (found it on ebay) - running, got a lift kit going in today $200, 31" maxxis Trepadors $1040 plus tother stuff like paint respray ($200) spots n wateva :cool:

there is an 86 SWb NT sierra on ebay for $500!!! in tweed heads if your willing to drive down there. search on ebay and type in suzuki sierra its a red one :P



peace :cool:

Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2008 1:04 pm
by alien
bit of a hike from Perth huh? =)

Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2008 2:26 pm
by nicbeer
alien wrote:bit of a hike from Perth huh? =)
not that much.

Speedracer - if u can get a lift. maybe come to the newbie day in couple weeks.

Posted: Fri Apr 04, 2008 10:47 am
by speedracer006
yea ill try, but i need 2 get my hands on a sierra first!! :P I figured it would be safer to buy a stock nanna suzy for 5 grand then do it up slowley. SO then i know that it hasnt been thrashed and about to blow up. THats just my thoughts. CHeers for the replies 2 :armsup:

Posted: Fri Apr 04, 2008 11:00 am
by dank
speedracer006 wrote:yea ill try, but i need 2 get my hands on a sierra first!! :P I figured it would be safer to buy a stock nanna suzy for 5 grand then do it up slowley. SO then i know that it hasnt been thrashed and about to blow up. THats just my thoughts. CHeers for the replies 2 :armsup:
There's two ways too look at it.

you can either buy a stock car for say 3-5k then spend 1-20k building it into whatever you want to do with it...or

you can spend 5k and get an already modded car which may have had more money spent on it than what it's being sold for. have a look in the vehicles for sale area and you'll see a few very nice sierras with good mods for around the 5k mark...

Posted: Fri Apr 04, 2008 11:05 am
by grimbo
jtraf is selling my old LWB Sierra which would be an awesome buy. Very capable Zuk with all the bells and whistles.

Been trying to convince the finance department (namely my wife) that I should buy it back, no luck :cry:

Posted: Fri Apr 04, 2008 11:07 am
by speedracer006
how much??? in perth?? its ment 2 be raining all weeked and i was a suzy for some pines action haha

Posted: Fri Apr 04, 2008 11:51 am
by alien
pines? meh... hit sawyers and mundaring for some fun mud gravel and rocks... hehe

A mate at work had a showroom gti golf (89 model) shipped from NSW to WA with full insurance last year, it cost him around $900 and was here in a week... the downside, you'd have to go over the pits to rego it in WA - and theres no way you'd get a modded zuk over the pits here.

Unfortunately, you're stuck buying a zuk in WA.

Check out Premier and Brian gardner suzuki - bit more expensive buying from a dealer but they generally have good quality zuks.

Posted: Fri Apr 04, 2008 3:59 pm
by masterA
Alien - good luck finding one at the deelers!!!
Been there done that and still ringing around trying to find a 90-95 model hardtop (leafy) with A/C
Its like a needle in a hay stack

There are a few softops around buy this is going to be my daily and i need some security hence the hardtop and A/C

If you find one...spotters fee :P hehehe

Posted: Fri Apr 04, 2008 4:42 pm
by alien
heres on in maylands:
http://www.autotrader.com.au/iteminfo/a ... Used+Cars_

Carsguide reveals a bunch of soft tops:
http://endeca.carsguide.com.au/w6.0-sea ... 4294966976

Looks like theres only 5 sierras for sale in WA =)

Posted: Fri Apr 04, 2008 5:11 pm
by speedracer006
cheers mate :)

Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 8:25 am
by Manusdei
Thanks for the replies fellas, i was thinking about buying this one:

http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/viewtopic.php?t=137021

What do you guys think about it? Looks almost exactly what i want aswell!
But i still have to problem of tryin to get rid of my lifted Jimny lol!

Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 8:54 am
by mistaboz
grimbo wrote:jtraf is selling my old LWB Sierra which would be an awesome buy. Very capable Zuk with all the bells and whistles.

Been trying to convince the finance department (namely my wife) that I should buy it back, no luck :cry:
Buy it anyway!
She'll get over it... eventually.
& while you're out wheeling you're giving her quiet time TO get over it. :D

Paul.