Outer Limits 4x4 Board

I have sold the bundy and have got my on eye on a few zooks..

basically, I dont have a massive budget & I have seen how far they go offroad with so little $ thrown at them..

thanks to nam for opening my eyes up, I am still a little indecisive though (not sure what model to get yet)..

the vehicle will be setup for VIC conditions only.. nothing too extereme yet, so please bare that in mind..

In the end, I hope to have 33-34" Swampers/Simexes.. Series 3 Rockhoppers, not sure if I will stay 1.3 or go the Vit route.. and of course at least a rear locker..

just a little poll to see peoples reasoning into choosing a hard-top, or a soft-top..

NB: do not let this turn into a SPOA / SPUA argument as I have seen happen in many of these threads

so yer, hard-top, or soft-top.. and of course why you beleive I should choose that.. I know it comes down to personal choice, but I just cant decide

soft top u dont really have to worry bout damaging windscreen surround cos it can be replaced where as a hardtop u damage it the car is damaged for good thats why i went the exo

also hardtop isnt as easy to brake into

don't get a tin top

I like the look of a soft top and you will pick up more chicks with it to. (only with lots of panel damge).

Vitara with SAS, duallies /w Sierra TCase and 34"s

Suzuki Viagra wrote:Vitara with SAS, duallies /w Sierra TCase and 34"s

no thanks..

U can allways grab a fibreglass top for a soft top . and a bikini, and a soft top, and no top .



But a hard top would be safer maybe if you are taking pas in rear a lot .

i dunno, when i've been to vic, its been fukin cold in spots, so if you're planning to use it to go camping and shiat with as well, and not just hardcore stuff, i'd go the hardtop.

Robbie, have a good look at Gregs set up, in my opinion it is just about spot on, tyres, gears, suspension, dif locks it has it all in the right spots,
but don't tell him I said this, he gets a big head
Peter.

i voted soft top. i love being able to drive my zook topless, but i don't particulary like it when the soft top is on as it's a bit noisy. but that's what the cd player is for i guess.

To be quite honest even up here in Sunny QLD - beautiful one day flooded the next - I usually only use the "sunroof" section of my softtop and a hardtop (for Vitara's with P/S and A/C) would be better all round.

It takes too much effort to take the top off and on.

The soft top does look heaps sexier and is easier to fix from rollovers and stuff though, so I went with the soft-top

Soft top hands down all nice and sexy and stuff!

Tin tops are nice and top heavy perfect for the slippery side slopes that exist (i presume never been there) vic......

DeWsE wrote:Soft top hands down all nice and sexy and stuff!

Tin tops are nice and top heavy perfect for the slippery side slopes that exist (i presume never been there) vic......

exactly, the extra weight in a hard top is a killer. what sort of driving do you intend to do Robbie?
You hould have done what I do, a modded Suzuki for the bush and a Bundera for the road
Peter.

it depends, i live in townsville so even when it rains it is still hot but if i was i vic i would go hard top or ute so i could keep some heat in and rain out

Suzuki Viagra wrote:To be quite honest even up here in Sunny QLD - beautiful one day flooded the next - I usually only use the "sunroof" section of my softtop and a hardtop (for Vitara's with P/S and A/C) would be better all round.

It takes too much effort to take the top off and on.

The soft top does look heaps sexier and is easier to fix from rollovers and stuff though, so I went with the soft-top

Soft tops pull chicks even if it is an ex-military open top Rover 2 door

If that's the best talent available get a hard top

Suzuki Viagra wrote:If that's the best talent available get a hard top

ouch
Peter

GET A SOFT TOP

Or get a tin top and wreck inside of 12 months then get a soft top (Like I did)

bigsteve wrote:GET A SOFT TOP

Or get a tin top and wreck inside of 12 months then get a soft top (Like I did)

And Greg did 12 months before you Steve.

Robbie do you see a trend here? learn from these guys mistakes and you will save a lot of money in the long run, same goes for car set up.

On these pages you will find just about every mod available for your zook,
1.0, 1.3, 1.6, 2.0, 2.5, Suzuki engines, corolla engines, diesel engines even pissy little cappacino engines, turbo, supercharged, EFI, LPG.
Spring over, spring under, leaves, coils, coil over, 1/4 and 3/4 eliptic,
rears up front, shackle reversal, jeep springs, hilux springs, nissan springs
welded diffs, auto lockers, air lockers no lockers
auto, manual
simex, swamper, claws, mtr's, boggers, bfg's, mongrels, AT's you name it their all here.
And the biggest problem with having it all here, is every one thinks theirs is the best, so you get a lot of conflicting responses to a single question (spring over V spring under for example), the trick is to see who is actualy using their car more than talking about it, and ask lots of questions, even stupid ones, and if possable go out with some of the guys and watch them in action.
Big steve is a prime example of this process, he had a hard top suzi, and wasn't compleatly happy and after seeing how other cars performed agianst his, he took all the things he liked about a few other cars and started again, and when he gets a few bugs out, his truck will be a ripper, and (not counting his hard top) he did it in one process and didn't redo it a dozen times to get it right ($$$$)

If I can sugest joining the Suzuki club, and there you will find a showcase of vehicles to look at and compare pro's amd con's come out on a trip (there is always an empty seat somewere) and see these cars in their natural habitat.
My parting coment is this Robbie, learn from others mistakes, do it once do it right and you will save a heap of bucks and get a top truck.
Peter.

Well written Pete.

I voted for Soft top - but there are a few conditions there:

1. If it is your DD and you will be keeping stuff in it - then a fibreglass top might be a good idea. And get some kind of lock box too.

2. If you are committed to driving it hard - think about a roll cage.

3. Add the cost of more clothes into your budget - i spend a lot of time with thermals and jackets on.

That's about all i can think of. The next poll to put up should be widetrack vs narrow track - costs vs benefits of the two.

Robbie - you can come and ride shot gun with me one day if you like - see what it's all about Particularly with the mud landing on you and your seat

Dozoor wrote:But a hard top would be safer maybe if you are taking pas in rear a lot .

I suspect that it would be without passengers when in "extreme" conditions - simply because a little 1L or 1.3L struggles to perform with the extra weight of all those people.

droopypete wrote:Robbie, have a good look at Gregs set up, in my opinion it is just about spot on, tyres, gears, suspension, dif locks it has it all in the right spots,
but don't tell him I said this, he gets a big head
Peter.

Awe shucks pete... I'm getting all misty over here (and it's not just because i forgot to spit in my goggles either).

wow.. thanks for the responses guys.. great work

droopypete; great explanation there mate.. made me open my eyes a bit.. greg, I am going to take you up on that shotgun ride idea

gotta find a 'decent' example of a soft-top now.. its either a newish one with low k's, well maintained, so I dont have to spend too much $$ in the end, or buy a ragged out POS & pour my heart and sould into the fawker..

not many examples (good exaples rather) in the trading post this week, but I will see what I can find..

Suzuki Viagra wrote:If that's the best talent available get a hard top

I hope you remember to mention that to them if you ever end up in Intensive Care, they'll get you some special treatment

Robbie, the next Suzi club meeting is on Wed the 14th of April, if you want I can swing past and pick you up, and you can hang shit on my Bundera
Peter.

droopypete wrote:Robbie, the next Suzi club meeting is on Wed the 14th of April, if you want I can swing past and pick you up, and you can hang shit on my Bundera
Peter.

I suspected having a Bundera caused an owner a lot of sh*t but never realised it could become an addiction to the point of collecting other people to get cop more sh*t.

I though Landrovers were the only vehicle to cause psychological damage

Rainbow Warrior wrote:I though Landrovers were the only vehicle to cause psychological damage

You got that right mate
Peter.

droopypete wrote:Robbie, the next Suzi club meeting is on Wed the 14th of April, if you want I can swing past and pick you up, and you can hang shit on my Bundera
Peter.

where abouts are the meetings held at?

I'm in dingley village, between clayton/dandenong.. where abouts are you at?

bundies are

I am in Berwick and the meetings are in Glen Iris

This is our group site

http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/suzuki_4WD_Club/
Peter.

If your male you have to get a soft top......hardtops are chicks cars

Soft tops rule for COG. You should have seen the difference swapping body tubs with Sam. My tub could be held stable easily but there was no way we were gonna be able to balance his HT.