I've enjoyed numerous driving experiences over the years, be it in California, Germany or right here in Canada. Some of the most fun I've ever had was at the wheel of a truck right around my home town – but it wasn't just any truck, mind you.
I recall some off-roading adventures where we pitted six capable SUVs against each other at Mecaglisse. On other occasions, I took a Toyota Tacoma into a mud pit, a Honda Ridgleline through a sand pit and perhaps most memorable of all – and the topic of this story – I took a Suzuki Samurai through backwoods on a dedicated trail, losing a Hummer H1 along the way with which I was sharing the adventure. You read that right: a Hummer.
Yes, my favourite off-road vehicle was and still is a Suzuki Samurai; the 1988 hardtop to be specific. This was not just any Samurai. This little devil was painted lime green, rolled on 35” Boggers, had a shackle lift kit, and even had a few hockey pucks as frame bushings for good measure. With a 4-inch lift, increased wheel travel and new rubber, this Sammy could, and would, go anywhere.
The standard 1.3L 4-cylinder had a few things done to it, such as the addition of a free-flowing exhaust system and, well, that's it. With 69 hp and 76 lb.-ft of torque, the little mill that could needed all the tweaking it could handle, but that's all we could do without lifting the head or replacing the entire lump. In all truthfulness, the Samurai's 1-tonne weight did not require much grunt to get moving. That and the 5-speed manual 'box's tall gearing allowed for brisk takeoffs, at least up to 30 km/h...
On paved surfaces, the Suzuki was downright unpleasant. The ride was harsh, the brakes were iffy at best, stability at highway speeds consisted of constant steering-wheel adjustments, and at 100 km/h – if you made it – the engine revved at 5,000 rpm in 5th gear. Forget about passing.
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| Photo: Suzuki |
I recall some off-roading adventures where we pitted six capable SUVs against each other at Mecaglisse. On other occasions, I took a Toyota Tacoma into a mud pit, a Honda Ridgleline through a sand pit and perhaps most memorable of all – and the topic of this story – I took a Suzuki Samurai through backwoods on a dedicated trail, losing a Hummer H1 along the way with which I was sharing the adventure. You read that right: a Hummer.
Yes, my favourite off-road vehicle was and still is a Suzuki Samurai; the 1988 hardtop to be specific. This was not just any Samurai. This little devil was painted lime green, rolled on 35” Boggers, had a shackle lift kit, and even had a few hockey pucks as frame bushings for good measure. With a 4-inch lift, increased wheel travel and new rubber, this Sammy could, and would, go anywhere.
The standard 1.3L 4-cylinder had a few things done to it, such as the addition of a free-flowing exhaust system and, well, that's it. With 69 hp and 76 lb.-ft of torque, the little mill that could needed all the tweaking it could handle, but that's all we could do without lifting the head or replacing the entire lump. In all truthfulness, the Samurai's 1-tonne weight did not require much grunt to get moving. That and the 5-speed manual 'box's tall gearing allowed for brisk takeoffs, at least up to 30 km/h...
On paved surfaces, the Suzuki was downright unpleasant. The ride was harsh, the brakes were iffy at best, stability at highway speeds consisted of constant steering-wheel adjustments, and at 100 km/h – if you made it – the engine revved at 5,000 rpm in 5th gear. Forget about passing.
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| Photo: Suzuki |