Rock 4X Fabrication,LLC Project Kimera Part II

[rockrat]

Well after 6 months of a good shake down, the project has proved to be a sucsess. On Wed the 23rd I loaded the truck and trailer to make a bonzai run down to Florida to pickup the rig and return to the shop for some new new mods along with some minor repairs.

1) Get bettter air flow across the radiator and upgrade to a larger core to handle the new motor.
2) install seperate engine oil cooler, and trans cooler.
3) Fix a few annoying rattles etc.
4) Do a complete checkout of the entire rig welds, mounts, shocks etc.
5) once we are completed Deliver it to MACH PERFORMANCE located in Michigan for a new 450 HP Power plant and transmission.
6 Add a SunBrella Top by Daniel, Rear storage box for tools, and parts, relocate the winch from the rear floor to a new bracket to give room in the rear cargo area.
7) replace Optima battery (leaking)

The drive was not to bad until the Very end almost 2300 miles round trip by myself in 4 days. roughly 3 hrs of sleep each night.. And LOTS of Coffee And Sobee.

Picks to Follow as the project gets underway

[neil_04]

cant wait to see the pics and more work to an already sweet rig

[DirtJumper]

Is it dirty yet???

The new powerplant another 4.3 of some sorts as well?

[johngalt]

Is it dirty yet???

The new powerplant another 4.3 of some sorts as well?

It got dirty.  Rockrat did an amazing job; very few problems and a great performer.  But, it can always be tweaked, right?   In this case, tweaking involves more than doubling the horsepower.

It will be a turbocharged 4.3 with electronically controlled variable wastegate, etc. 

See www.machperformance.com. 

The plan is to go to Moab in February with Rockrat, then Baja in December next year. 

Good to hear from you again.  How's your rig?

[Joe S.]

this is gonna be even sweeter with the new motor.... altho i dont know how....

[DirtJumper]

It got dirty.  Rockrat did an amazing job; very few problems and a great performer.  But, it can always be tweaked, right?   In this case, tweaking involves more than doubling the horsepower.

It will be a turbocharged 4.3 with electronically controlled variable wastegate, etc. 

See www.machperformance.com. 

The plan is to go to Moab in February with Rockrat, then Baja in December next year. 

Good to hear from you again.  How's your rig?

No project is every really done, eh? Good to hear it's seen it's wheelin time! Take pics at Moab and the Baja for us!

My rig (project) is coming along...slowly anyhow...Hopefully swap the Nissan engine over in the next couple weeks. I'm thinking it will be hitting the trails next spring if all goes well! Just can't wait to get into the fun stuff (tube-work, suspension, sheet metal trimming) instead of ripping stuff apart and sorting through wiring.

[jimmyr]

It will be a turbocharged 4.3 with electronically controlled variable wastegate, etc. 

See www.machperformance.com. 

they are almost in my backyard!   I would love to meet up with you when you bring it out here. please let me know when your headed this way.
   jroyse@ford.com

[Orionn]

Hey Scott;
I know that you will probably be pressed for time....but if you dont stop in and let Me buy you dinner, or at least stop in just to say hey and BS for a bit,  there is going to be a really PO'd Zuki owner here. 

Let Jimmy and I know when your going to be in the are, we'll make arrangments with you.
And if you need a place to crash for the night let me know, I have a spare room.

[rockrat]

I will let you know when we are coming out. there will be 3 of us. Myself, Bob and my wire guy that needs to discuss some stuff with the builder.

[Orionn]

I will let you know when we are coming out. there will be 3 of us. Myself, Bob and my wire guy that needs to discuss some stuff with the builder.

Hey no problem.  Let me know, we'll all go to dinner.  Several others want to meet you, and if you have the space, they might want parts if that possable.  Do you have a day/time that your going to be making the trip so i can let everyone know?

let me know if you can bring parts, if so I'll tell everyone.

Hey, do you make Engine mounts?....Kinda like the ones Pertoworks sells (captured spring eye bushings)
I need a set, and I know Jimmyr does as well.


Let me know what your plans are. 

[Joe S.]

Hey, do you make Engine mounts?....Kinda like the ones Pertoworks sells (captured spring eye bushings)
I need a set, and I know Jimmyr does as well.

x3

[rockrat]

He no problem.  Let me know, we'll all go to dinner.  Several others want to meet you, and if you have the space, they might want parts if that possable.  Do you have a day/time that your going to be making the trip so i can let everyone know?

let me know if you can bring parts, if so I'll tell everyone.

Hey, do you make Engine mounts?....Kinda like the ones Pertoworks sells (captured spring eye bushings)
I need a set, and I know Jimmyr does as well.

Parts yes I will have my Yukon, Motor mounts they are in the works. As for a date it needs to be in Michigan no later then the 15th of October. But as we finish our stuff here I wil have an exact date for you.


Let me know what your plans are. 

[Orionn]

Parts yes I will have my Yukon, Motor mounts they are in the works. As for a date it needs to be in Michigan no later then the 15th of October. But as we finish our stuff here I wil have an exact date for you.

Kool, you do realize that weekend is the Fall Zuwharrie run right? (13t-15th)

Keep me up to date, and I'll see what parts people want and get a $$$ commitment from them for you if thats OK with you.

[rockrat]

We will not be going down this fall so it is not a problem on our end.

[new here]

As a kid, I spent a fair amt of time in Baja, and from my experience the Samurai is not too suitable for Baja.
It's not  that the car won't do well; Rather, it just doesn't have the capacity to carry the needed supplies.  Baja is a big place, and (at least when I went there) there were no supplies.  Instead, you had to carry everything you would need.  For us - two wks worth of food, stove, sleeping bags, pads, chairs, clothes, parts, tools, & (not inconsequential) water & gas.  Tough to get all that into a Samurai.    Your trail buddy will need to be by himself in a Suburban . . . . and then you better hope the Suburban doesn't break down.