here's something from left field. i'm just itchy to know if anyone makes an aluminum samurai body. aqualu of canada makes alloy tubs for various jeeps and early landcruisers, jp makes a cj-8. does anyone make a sammy? it would be bad shiznit if so:grinpimp:

I don't see the point. Sami bodies are paper thin, so an aluminum tub would have to be slightly thicker in aluminum to be the same strenght I'd think. This would most likely negate any weight savings. Also, most guys with a sami aren't gonna pony up the big $$ to get a body. I doubt they'd sell enough to make it worthwhile. My .02
Travis..

the only replacement tub I know of is fiberglass and made in kiwi land

I dont think weight would be the need but rust sure would. Any link on the glass one supazuk?

in germany weiss-design.com ....3300 $ ( without shipping )
4wdfiberglass.com in new zealand ....2600 $ ( without shipping )
this guy in nz also has lj81/sj410K/sj413K tubs ..... mmmmmmm
let's get together cheap zuks owners ,
and stuff a 40 footer container from nz with
those never ever rust samurai bodies .

the body on my tracker is also paper thin, but when we pulled it off the frame to weld in 12" of additional bed we discovered it weighed a whole lot more than the three of us expected:eek:! grunt! 4th man would have made it alot less awkward. alum. would still be nice if i can afford one.

pay dirt! dora at aqualu in canada pm'ed me and says they may be expanding to cali. they are considering aluminum sammy tubs, i would like to have one:lower weight, lower c.o.g., no rust. anyone else?

that would be great, the bodies rot out but for the most part the frames and everything else hold up good

wait, an aluminum tub isn't something you buy, it's something you build! :shaking:

and fiberglass... how you supposed to pound the dents out? i got body damage on every inch of my junk. a body tub that expensive belongs on a trailer under three coats of turtle wax.

there was a local who had a CJ that was all stainless, like a delorean. while he was stationed in korea, he paid some local smiths peanuts to hand-form the panels from scratch. the results were pretty amazing. needless to say, he didn't go any further than the mall.

i got body damage on every inch of my junk.
and why didn't you fix it ?
...

wait, an aluminum tub isn't something you buy, it's something you build! :shaking:

and fiberglass... how you supposed to pound the dents out? i got body damage on every inch of my junk.

you non-rust belts guys forget that not everybody can get a rot free sami to build, these things are falling apart up here. The rot is not a big deal if its a trail only rig, but if you want it to be streetable its tough enough to get a lifted rig through the annual inspection, add a little rot (and these things have more then 'a little') and you can forget about it.

The guys that are going to want the aluminum tub are going to be the guys that will be driving their rigs on the street and wouldnt be pounding the bodies into every boulder and tree or rolling it every time they go wheeling, even if it was the original sheet metal

and why didn't you fix it ?
...

because if i did, i would be afraid to scratch it. if i was afraid to scratch it, it wouldn't be much fun on the trail anymore. real rigs are ugly, pretty rigs go to the mall...

samiguy, i know rust stinks. i pity ( :mr-t: ) you rust belters. there is a downside to living in a zero-rust state - there is plenty of sheet metal to go around, but no good engines/transmissions/drivelines to pick from. out there in rust country, yer junk has holes in the floor before the engine is even broken in. out here, we drive our stuff for a quarter million miles and send it to the yard with nothing good except the body panels! crazy, eh?

because if i did, i would be afraid to scratch it. if i was afraid to scratch it, it wouldn't be much fun on the trail anymore. real rigs are ugly, pretty rigs go to the mall...


you are real pirate aren't you !?

The zuk world has changed a lot in the last 10 years.

The capability of these rigs has been known inside a tight knit community for a while, but the rest of the 4x4 world has just recently caught on.

10 years ago, it was easy to find a $500 samurai... wheel it till it fell apart, then find a new one.

Now, it is getting tough to find any samurai, and the decent ones are fetching a pretty penny. Which means that we have to make the best of what we have got.

This is the Fiberglass body from weiss-design:

http://www.weiss-design.de/kunstofftechnik/DSC00107.JPG

http://www.weiss-design.de/kunstofftechnik/DSC00103.JPG

Depending if you want just the body or everything (front fenders, hood, tailgate, etc.) ot of fiberglass, it'll prolly cost about 4500 dollars (baad exchange rate right now...)
But...I am told the prices listed on their homepage are not the actual prices. They'll make you a good deal I'm sure, especially if you get the whole set.

This is what they could look like when they're done:
http://up.picr.de/1709131.jpg

Build thread (mh, it's german...just look at teh pics, I guess.)
http://www.suzuki-offroad.net/viewtopic.php?t=9477&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

If I was building a serious trail rig I wouldn't care about most rust concerns (ie. rockers, floors, wheel wells) but people that want a dual purpose rig or just want a non-troublesome body on a sami I think would spend the money. There is nothing like a sami as far as simplicity, reliability, and low cost of service. So putting a life time body on one is a good investment. Not that I need one now but I think a group buy would be the way to go on it as you could probably fit a few of them in a container to save everyone on shipping. Plus you could get a shit load of hoods, windshield frames, etc. that most people are looking for that are starting to become scarce. I think the time is coming for a REPUTABLE vendor to step up and offer these stateside.

any info on the weight of the bare tub ?
since they use projected shopped mate only , i'm
wondering how heavy that thing is .

The zuk world has changed a lot in the last 10 years.

The capability of these rigs has been known inside a tight knit community for a while, but the rest of the 4x4 world has just recently caught on.

10 years ago, it was easy to find a $500 samurai... wheel it till it fell apart, then find a new one.

Now, it is getting tough to find any samurai, and the decent ones are fetching a pretty penny. Which means that we have to make the best of what we have got.
and don't forget most of us are cheap

fiberglass is crap, especially if you want to wheel it. it shatters, cracks, and is difficult to repair.
i wheel with a guy that has an aquala landcruiser. this is top notch stuff, and it get wheeled hard on the trail and in competition up here in canada.
not everyone who owns a samurai is cheap ( although there seem to be a few )
i for sure would pony up and buy a aluminum tub ( and a windshield frame ).
i have spoken with aquala and i would even bring them a complete samurai for mock-up if they needed.
i have a decent tub right now, but it nowhere near rust free.

IM IN.

not everyone who owns a samurai is cheap ( although there seem to be a few )
your new so you have missed the joke, it goes all the way back to ORC's beginnings
the reason every vendor always gives for bailing on the replacement zuk body has been for over 10 years is "zuk owners are cheap"
so yeah its an inside joke :flipoff2:

it shatters, cracks, and is difficult to repair.
IM IN.

of course aluminium none of the above !!!!!!!!!!!!!

like anything else .... poor engineering put in the wrong hands .
if made right , polyester or epoxy reinforced glass can take way more
beating than steal or alloy .
again , put in the right hands polyester or epoxy reinforced glass is very
easy and quick to fix .

it seems i opened a can of worms here, but hell, they make great fish bait:D. as far a dents go, not all my crap has to be ricocheted off a tree. if it dents i will live, i'm not building bling. as far as specs are concerned, we have to wait for aqualu to build them first. cost? the jeep and cruiser bodies are in the 3-5 thou range if that helps. glass imported from new zealand can't be free. cheap? zuk owners? say it ain't so! i gave up duct tape last week!:flipoff2: you can have my baling wire& bungee cords when you pry them from my cold, dead fingers!:laughing:

In a standard 20' container, you could probably get 8-10 bodies stacked plus a shit ton of hoods, tailgate, windshield frames, etc. plugged into all the dead space. If you could divide the shipping costs by 10 people for just the bulk of it, all of a sudden $500 to ship a body overseas isn't too bad. If it costs me 4x that amount, all of a sudden a fiberglass samurai isn't so attractive anymore.

almost forgot, aluminum tubs are built not bought? if i have to, i will. if it comes to that it will be a 30's ford style pickup cab& box on a zuk frame so i don't have a wide hood blocking my veiw of obstacles.

I'd be more than happy to pony up for an Aqualu tub. Give it a mirror finish.

I like shiny. It's fun to trash and shine up again.:D It don't mean a thing if it ain't got some bling.

As far as "real rigs are ugly" sounds like the guy who doesn't comb his hair before going to the bar for pussy huntin' cuz real men aren't into personal grooming. I know many good looking rigs that wheel hard with lots of bling. When it gets snotty'd up, it gives a reason to redo it again.

If you got the money, wheelin' "pretty" stuff and trashing it is WAY more fun than just trashing a lump of dog shit IMO.

Here is a source for LWB rear 1/2 tubs as well.

http://www.extremebends.com/body-parts-long-wheelbase-tubs-c-110_111_40/sj413-lwb-1-2-tub-p-191

Holy shit!! $999,999.00 for a hood http://www.extremebends.com/body-parts-sj410-sj413-c-110_111_25

I'd be more than happy to pony up for an Aqualu tub. Give it a mirror finish.

I like shiny. It's fun to trash and shine up again.:D It don't mean a thing if it ain't got some bling.

As far as "real rigs are ugly" sounds like the guy who doesn't comb his hair before going to the bar for pussy huntin' cuz real men aren't into personal grooming. I know many good looking rigs that wheel hard with lots of bling. When it gets snotty'd up, it gives a reason to redo it again.

If you got the money, wheelin' "pretty" stuff and trashing it is WAY more fun than just trashing a lump of dog shit IMO.

i totaly second that !

your new so you have missed the joke, it goes all the way back to ORC's beginnings
the reason every vendor always gives for bailing on the replacement zuk body has been for over 10 years is "zuk owners are cheap"
so yeah its an inside joke :flipoff2:

i guess im "new", only been wheeling a zuk for 6 or 7 years now.:flipoff2:

i wheel it hard, and didnt destroy every body panel on it.
i guess i could be taken for being cheap some times, i dont pay $$ for shit, no matter who puts their name on it. i do pay for quality parts ( that seem to be getting shittier all the time )
aquala makes a real quality product. i have seen it up close.
i cant say the same for the glass bodies, but i have not yet seen a fiberglass product that will stand the test of time. even GM can hardly make a body out of glass that will last, on a car that will most likely never even see a gravel road, let alone a twisting frame and a knobby tire shoved into the fender.
i have also never seen a glass body kit for a ricer or wannabe ricer that can tackle a curb or speedbump without being broken into pieces left hanging by strands.
so ill gladly take the odd dent and possibly a crack that i can reweld, over a body that is held together with glue and resins and cannot defend itself against a large branch, rock, etc. its also very hard to get mounting plates to properly adhere the the resin surface to mount such things as doors, windshields, and seat.

so those who are interested in a quality tub should voice that to aquala so that we have a vehicle that will be around for a long time

so those who are interested in a quality tub should voice that to aquala so that we have a vehicle that will be around for a long time

Maybe a multi-forum webmail campaign?

If this would happen, I know a California company (uh...guess), that was ready to start selling full replacement frames. Problem was they didn't feel the market was there to invest in the replacement tubs. If tubs come on line, so might full frames.

i guess im "new", only been wheeling a zuk for 6 or 7 years now.:flipoff2:


It has nothing to do with how long you have had a zuk, its about the fact that you are new here. So you missed the inside joke. Just about every company has at one time or another come on Pirate or ORC and posted about the fact they were going to look into producing a tub. Each time it got everyone excited and said "I'll buy one" but when it came down to "what would it cost no one wanted to hand over that much green. and its not just tubs it been axles coil kits steering kits yj swaps. take a look on here see how many times someone has "unlocked" a kit and posted the pattern for something. So now anytime this topic comes up its usually a newb the answer "zuk owners are cheap".
Now that I've spoon fed you is it time for a bottle and burping?:flipoff2:

Now that I've spoon fed you is it time for a bottle and burping?:flipoff2:

Is this an open offer, or just to purplezuk? 'Cuz I could use the comfort a ba-ba brings, and I could use a fresh one as I'm a little wet.:p

Is this an open offer, or just to purplezuk? 'Cuz I could use the comfort a ba-ba brings, and I could use a fresh one as I'm a little wet.:p

tim as always you crack me up.. you need to make an ORC meet an greet that i'm at lol.

Holy shit!! $999,999.00 for a hood http://www.extremebends.com/body-parts-sj410-sj413-c-110_111_25

There all sold out too. No wonder Zuk owners are broke. After the hood we cant afford anything else...LOL

Now that I've spoon fed you is it time for a bottle and burping?:flipoff2:

Somebody please tell me how to add this to my sig...LOL

It has nothing to do with how long you have had a zuk, its about the fact that you are new here. So you missed the inside joke. Just about every company has at one time or another come on Pirate or ORC and posted about the fact they were going to look into producing a tub. Each time it got everyone excited and said "I'll buy one" but when it came down to "what would it cost no one wanted to hand over that much green. and its not just tubs it been axles coil kits steering kits yj swaps. take a look on here see how many times someone has "unlocked" a kit and posted the pattern for something. So now anytime this topic comes up its usually a newb the answer "zuk owners are cheap".
Now that I've spoon fed you is it time for a bottle and burping?:flipoff2:

well i guess i have to spoon feed something back. this isnt the only website that relates to the suzuki 4wd aftermarket, and no i havent been hiding under a rock for the last few years. there are many forums ( most alot closer to home) that deal with the exact same posts, usually from the exact same poeple. this is an awsome site with lots of great info.
BUT IF ANYTIME A COMPANY SHOWS INTEREST IN MAKING US A TUB, AND YOU TELL THEM WE'RE ALL A BUNCH OF CHEAP ASS SUZUKI LOVERS, THEN WE WILL NEVER GET ONE.



and one more thing, just to make things clear.
usually if a baby is being spoon fed, it no longer needs a bottle and burping!

BUT IF ANYTIME A COMPANY SHOWS INTEREST IN MAKING US A TUB, AND YOU TELL THEM WE'RE ALL A BUNCH OF CHEAP ASS SUZUKI LOVERS, THEN WE WILL NEVER GET ONE.





I think 99% of them already know this.

You can take it down a notch. No one is messing with you. We are just stating very well known facts. You just happened to re post something that has been re hashed many times before. So minor ribbing comes out. It's all good.

well i guess i have to spoon feed something back. this isnt the only website that relates to the suzuki 4wd aftermarket, and no i havent been hiding under a rock for the last few years. there are many forums ( most alot closer to home) that deal with the exact same posts, usually from the exact same poeple. this is an awsome site with lots of great info.
BUT IF ANYTIME A COMPANY SHOWS INTEREST IN MAKING US A TUB, AND YOU TELL THEM WE'RE ALL A BUNCH OF CHEAP ASS SUZUKI LOVERS, THEN WE WILL NEVER GET ONE.



and one more thing, just to make things clear.
usually if a baby is being spoon fed, it no longer needs a bottle and burping!
Do you just need a time out? ... I can gladly help you :evil:
Let's make one thing clear... It's the vendors that have said "zuk owners are cheap" hence the quotes, again its an inside joke that started on ORC and then migrated here, many years ago even before I got on ORC.
I'd love a tub to build a another DD zuk again, In fact if they could one made out of Tupperware material I'd be first in line. But this has been talked about over and over vendors answers there may be some interest in new tubs but not enough to pay for the tooling, hell camini dropped their 'glass hood because it was not cost effective to sell such a limited quantity
As for zuk vendors, I'm met most of them and talk with many of the others on a regular basis.
Last its nothing about you being new to Zuks or not.. You are new to Pirate, I suggest you read the check in post again, read back some, and search this topics history. If you don't, I predict your stay here will not be long :flipoff2:

usually if a baby is being spoon fed, it no longer needs a bottle and burping!

My youngest son just turned 1. I feed him with a spoon, but he still goes to sleep with a bottle of cow juice.

So the point is? Uh, um....I don't know if there is one. I do know I eat solid foods AND i'm potty trained (sorta), but I still like to suck on a boob every once in a while.

Does that make me a bad man? :homer:

but I still like to suck on a boob every once in a while.

thats just good ole stress relife right there:evil:

but I still like to suck on a boob every once in a while.



I'd still breastfeed if I could, wifey won't let me...LOL

any info on the weight of the bare tub ?
since they use projected shopped mate only , i'm
wondering how heavy that thing is .

Alright, got a reply from Mr. Weiss today.

The glass body weights the same as an original metal body (depending on the amout of rust, of course :D )
Only the front fenders are supposed to be about 4 pounds lighter than the metal ones.

Since they build everything by hand, I think the price seems quite good. Anyone that has ever glassed some parts knows how much work it is... :shaking:

He also pointed out that he'll be able to do some changes if you wish. I don't know how far you can take this, but I'm sure he'll see what he can do if you want him to.
From what I've heard, he's pretty nice to talk to and work out something special. So, a container shipment to the US might not even be that much of a deal for him.

if you guys are talking about shipping a cargo container from germany to the US, i have a contact over there that deals in military vehicle surplus. i'm talking unimog axles. if you guys are serious about shipping the tubs, a couple pairs of portal axles could really sweeten the deal... i have another contact that could pull together VW TDI engines. i've got quite a few friends and resources over there, just no practical way to ship heavy stuff... until now?

thank you hansi for the infos .

Holy shit!! $999,999.00 for a hood http://www.extremebends.com/body-parts-sj410-sj413-c-110_111_25

They only need to sell one then take some time off. :D

it seems there is some doubt about sales vs. tooling and if this will really happen, the al tubs that is. if aqualu is selling enough fj 45 cruiser pickup bodies to make profit, then surely tubs for the much more common sammi couldn't be a lower volume item. i could be wrong. bottom line is that eventually new tubs will need to replace rusted or destroyed bodies as our zuks get further and further from their production dates. besides, why should the jeep crowd get all the goodies? build it and they will come.

I wanted to let the Samurai fans know that we just bought our first truck this weekend to be disassembled and used for the templates to produce the aluminum bodies and parts for the Samurai. It looks like production will be happening sooner rather than later :)

Dora @ aqualu

I wanted to let the Samurai fans know that we just bought our first truck this weekend to be disassembled and used for the templates to produce the aluminum bodies and parts for the Samurai. It looks like production will be happening sooner rather than later :)

Dora @ aqualu

YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Always loved the jeep tubs from Aqualu. Built a few and loved the quality and craftsmanship. I can't way

I wanted to let the Samurai fans know that we just bought our first truck this weekend to be disassembled and used for the templates to produce the aluminum bodies and parts for the Samurai. It looks like production will be happening sooner rather than later :)

Dora @ aqualu

Do keep us posted!!!!!!

I wanted to let the Samurai fans know that we just bought our first truck this weekend to be disassembled and used for the templates to produce the aluminum bodies and parts for the Samurai. It looks like production will be happening sooner rather than later :)

Dora @ aqualu

I went and looked at that rig the weekend before you guys bought it. Are you guys just stripping it and selling parts? My email is ruby7699@yahoo.com. Now how about Suzuki LJ parts :D

Maybe a multi-forum webmail campaign?
If this would happen, I know a California company (uh...guess), that was ready to start selling full replacement frames. Problem was they didn't feel the market was there to invest in the replacement tubs. If tubs come on line, so might full frames.
What company? LWB or just SWB?

ooooooooooouuuuuuuuuuuu LJ .....

i wanted to let the samurai fans know that we just bought our first truck this weekend to be disassembled and used for the templates to produce the aluminum bodies and parts for the samurai. It looks like production will be happening sooner rather than later :)

dora @ aqualu

very awesome!!!!!
any idea of prices?

Ruby, I not believe we will be parting it out, but it's all still in the beginning stages and anything an change during the "creative" process :) As for prices, again still no idea until all of the R & D has been completed an we know our final labour and material costs. The only thing I can say is that we will do our best to create a product and parts that we will be proud to have our name on.

glad to hear you got a samurai at Aquala. i guess you must have found a cleaner tub locally. cant wait to see the finished tub and put in my order

Ruby, I not believe we will be parting it out, but it's all still in the beginning stages and anything an change during the "creative" process :)

No problem, doing that one to stock dimensions?:D

I've just recently bought a '82 long wheelbase zuk as a project truck. It came with a full fiberglass tub. Has the original rusty doors, front clip and bonnet but i may just buy those items too. Hers a couple of pics...

Ps. I got the whole truck for $2500 NZ dollars:D

http://i464.photobucket.com/albums/rr9/puddlejumper_pics/IMG_2473.jpg
http://i464.photobucket.com/albums/rr9/puddlejumper_pics/IMG_2475.jpg
http://i464.photobucket.com/albums/rr9/puddlejumper_pics/IMG_2484.jpg

Hey Guys,

Just a quick note to let you all know we have our first LWB Suzuki Samurai Body pre-assembled.

We will be posting more information and images to our website and Facebook page as they become available.

Check it out --->
http://www.facebook.com/#/album.php?aid=130329&id=14112597339&ref=nf

http://i886.photobucket.com/albums/ac69/Aqualu/AllThreecopy.jpg

Yummy! TTT

Looks very nice :smokin:




I've just recently bought a '82 long wheelbase zuk as a project truck. It came with a full fiberglass tub

Are these still avaliable? rust free pickups are far apart

I saw some pics of a aluminum tub around town not that long ago. Home brew.....

I like the looks of the new aqualu tubs.....

So after all this, does anyone have an accurate weight for the short wheelbase Samurai tub?