I've been looking at some vehicles available to me and Im pretty sure I want to get a Samurai. Question is, which one. I have three available:

1988 Hardtop - $1500 - seems to run ok, has had some major body work done to it. Underside looks clean, not too abused. Stock.

1988 Softtop - $1500 - Just seen the outside. Body is very clean, no work at all. Looks like it may never have been off road. Dunno if it runs or how well.

89 or 90 softtop - $2500 - highly modded. obviously beat upon. major body damage, etc.

Kevin

I would say it depends on what you are planning to do with it.

Do you want to run with the top and doors off? If so, then that eliminates the hardtop.

Is this going to be a daily driver or a trail rig? If it's a DD, then you may want one with a straight body. If you plan on beating it off-road, then the body may not be a big deal.

Do the mods on the modified one suit what you plan on doing with it or will you be replacing what has already been done?

you could always bid on mine <IMG SRC="smilies/bounce.gif" border="0">
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=595193648&r=0&t=0&showTutorial=0&ed=1000407218&indexURL=0&rd=1

What would the shipping be on that mother!

My intentions for the vehicle are to wheel the snot out of it. That would be its only function in life. <IMG SRC="smilies/smile.gif" border="0">

I like the hard top because it offers security. I already have 2 convertibles, one is an off-road machine, the other my daily driver. Also, the hardtop has a clean undercarraige no scrapes, dents, bent crossmembers or anything. Looks like it hasnt been abused much at all.

The first, stock, softtop looks to be in mint condition, but its been sitting in teh same spot for 4 months, so I wonder if it even runs. I need to call the guy and go look at it....

The other softtop has been lifted, shackles and spring over, larger tires, etc... dunno about a locker, gears or any of that. Wondering if it was worth the extra $1000 just to get that headstart or not.

I would really like to get one that has not been modded because I could pretty much guarantee it hadn't been abused too hard. Time enough for me to do that. <IMG SRC="smilies/smile.gif" border="0">

Additionally, when I drove the hard top it seemed pretty gutless. There were 2 adults and a dog in the vehicle (about 425-450 lbs total) and I had to push it hard to get any speed out of it. Is this typical?

Kevin

As far as security are you talking about keeping your stuff safe from theft?

What would the shipping be on that mother!
--------------------

Web Wheeler

Depends on where you'd have it shipped to <IMG SRC="smilies/trooper.gif" border="0">

[havent seen the pics but you interssted in a FJ 40 trade ?
QUOTE]Originally posted by MoniZuki:
<STRONG>What would the shipping be on that mother!
--------------------

Web Wheeler

Depends on where you'd have it shipped to <IMG SRC="smilies/trooper.gif" border="0"></STRONG>[/QUOTE]

Take the hardtop!
If your gunna wheel the pis out of it, the hard top is gunna give you a little more security in case of a rollover. Plus the diffrence between the price of the moded out soft top and the stock hardtop about right, for the $1000 diffrence you can mod the hard top all you want.
Plus, when it starts to snow you'll be glad you have the hardtop.

Hard top, soft top your still going to need a cage.

When you say "beat upon" what do mean? How much body damage are we talking? Not that it matters but I'm woundering.

You'll need a cage even with a hardtop. I know of a couple people who bought the hardtop and wished they had gotten the softop. Problem is the hardtop is all one piece body, so if you tip it and mess up your windshield frame your pretty much screwed. With the softtop you can easily replace the windshield frame, targa bar and support braces above the doors. Plus if you have to have a hardtop you can add one to your softop.

Az, good point.

I'm glad I didn't have my windshield in when I've gone over. The windshield is the only part on my zuk that I don't want to damage. I need it to drive to the mall.

Originally posted by Jerry Wynn Sparks:
<STRONG>When you say "beat upon" what do mean? How much body damage are we talking? Not that it matters but I'm woundering.</STRONG>

Been gone a few days, lots of stuff to try and respond to...

OK, by security I mean theft prevention. Little harder to cut a hard top open and steal my stuff out of the back. I realize that with any machine I need a cage. Good point about body damage and windshields too!

By "beat upon" I mean that some serious body work has been done. Looks like it had been modified, then returned to stock with sheet metal pop-rivited in where it had been cut out before.

I just found another one I'm 99% certain is the one I want. Sub $1k, stock and an after-market hardtop on it. 96k miles.

Thanks for the advice guys, looks like im narrowed to the mint condition one that hasnt moved in 4 months for 1.5k or the one I just found for 1k. I'll let you know and ask more questions about lifts, tires, etc when I finally get it in my driveway.

Kevin

Sounds like a deal, good hunting.