redidbull
Well-known member
Congratulations for winning the March 2012 Zuwharrie Owner of the Month!
How does it feel being honored along with the past winners?
Thank you. It?s very exciting to be honored among some of the Suzuki?s communities most colorful and informative folks!
So tell us about you. Who are you, where do you live, and what do you do for a living?
My ?real? name is Scott Kahlhoefer and my family and I live in Apex, NC, which is just outside the Raleigh area. I work for a company that builds mail processing machinery as an Applications Engineer and Project Manager.
We are originally from Tucson, AZ where most of my wife?s family still resides. We really miss the desert outdoors and family but the job moved us about 13 years ago
Tell us a bit about your family.
My wife and I have been married for almost 24 years, or more than half our lives. LOL. We have two children, a daughter age 20 and a boy, age 7. Both the kids love the Samurai and going wheeling.
How did you get started in Suzuki?s?
When the Samurai first came out in the US in 1986, I was fascinated by the light little 4x4. This was just after I graduated high school and I was looking for a first car. I had friends who had Samurai?s at one point or another and when I look back, I vividly remember them and the interest I had in them. However, I never got one until I found Kermit in December of 2003.
Along the way, I had several VW bugs, a sandrail, a Meyers Manx, and 73 and 84 Broncos. I was always dabbling in the off-road world ever since I was a teenager. We used to go the Imperial sand dunes every Thanksgiving and the beach in Rocky Point, Mexico twice a year.
How long did it take you to build your Zuk to what it is today?
Let?s see. Kermit was bone stock little bugger back in 2003. The last major mod was a 16V/4 speed auto transplant, which was ?completed? in early 2011. It has been an 8-year project and counting.
Any changes in store for your rig?
Nothing solid is planned at this time and my goal has always been to maintain it as a DD. However, I have always dreamed of Toyota axles, links, exo cage and a slightly longer wheelbase?but still a DD. Maybe one day. Family is still first.
If you could have anybody someone else's Zuk, who?s would it be and why?
Well, my Zuk would really be a composite of several: Art Lilly?s ?Popscicle? for just the cutting edge aspect of it at the time. Jimmy Megginson?s Sammi (the one Sammi_Davis currently owns) for the simple functionality and capability of the thing and I always though the LWB Sammi that Jeff@thequadshop had for the exo cage and symmetry of it. Weed?s Spiderzuk build is also one of my favorites.
What has been your best wheeling adventure?
The best time is always going with friends. It doesn?t have to be extreme just social. I enjoy sharing an adventure with friends and family. If I had to name just one it was a sandrail trip we took out in the Arizona desert. It was all day @ 115 degree heat and we went looking for a spring out in a canyon near Reddington Pass (for you locals). We found this lush spring back in a canyon that was just paradise.
If you could go to any place in the world to wheel, where would that be?
I have always wanted to see the beaches and backroads of the Baja peninsula in Mexico. Unfortunately, the situation in Mexico probably makes that trip impossible anymore.
Who are you closest to in the Zuwharrie community?
It would have to be Hardhead. He doesn?t actually spend much time on the forums but he is the son of a close friend of mine. He is the one who had the Sammi tip over on him and trap him under it. His head got pinned between the targa and the ground.
What other toys/hobbies do you put a lot of time into?
Family keeps me busy but I spend a lot of time in volunteer bible teaching work. I also enjoy mountain biking as much as I possibly can.
What is it about the Zuwharrie.com BBS that brings you back for more?
I love the people that make up Zuwharrie. I was a noob once and am still learning every day. I grew up in Zuks around this place. It?s my home on the web. When I joined on December 25, 2003, there were less than 200 people on this website. I just looked to find 15,213 members now listed. I still love the Samurai and enjoy assisting the new and old folks with issues. There is still a feeling of family oriented camaraderie on here and you can?t find that in places like Pirate or ZK.
What about the Zuwharrie Event would you like to see changed?
I was looking at the Z stickers on my windshield the other day and realized that I have been to an event in almost every year from 2004 onward. Those early events were awesome with huge attendance and crazy stuff. Things have certainly changed. I know the staff works very hard and I appreciate their support. I would just encourage the staff to keep up the good work and let me know if I can assist!
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Contact Information:
Name: Scott Kahlhoefer
Zuwharrie user name: Kermit
Nickname:
Email: skahlhoefer@gmail.com (Please don?t post)
Main Vehicle Specs:
Year: 1988.5
Make: Suzuki
Model: Samurai
Color: Lime Green
Driveline:
95 Suzuki Sidekick 1.6 16V
03-72LE 4 Speed Auto
5.14:1 tcase gears
3.73 stock axles
Rear locker
Steering:
Sidekick Power Steering
OTT Stage 1
HD tie rod
Suspension:
SPOA
Tires/Wheels:
15x8x2.5BS ProComp Steelies
31x10.5x15 BFG MT KM2
Armor:
ZOR Crabs
Mighty Kong
Shrockworks gas tank armor
Shrockworks rear bumper
Homemade front bumper with stinger
Homemade rocker protection
Interior:
Kia Sportage front seats
Auto Shifter from Suzuki Sidekick
CB
Exterior:
Pro Comp 100W lights on stinger
LED rears with LED worklight for reverse
LED light pods for rock lights (VisionX Tantrum)
2 Piece hard top
Removeable doors with relocated mirror
Recovery gear:
Shovel and strap
Best Modification:
Rear locker
Worse Modification:
Selling the old Superlite style wheels that Kermit came with
Future Mods:
None at present
How does it feel being honored along with the past winners?
Thank you. It?s very exciting to be honored among some of the Suzuki?s communities most colorful and informative folks!
So tell us about you. Who are you, where do you live, and what do you do for a living?
My ?real? name is Scott Kahlhoefer and my family and I live in Apex, NC, which is just outside the Raleigh area. I work for a company that builds mail processing machinery as an Applications Engineer and Project Manager.
We are originally from Tucson, AZ where most of my wife?s family still resides. We really miss the desert outdoors and family but the job moved us about 13 years ago
Tell us a bit about your family.
My wife and I have been married for almost 24 years, or more than half our lives. LOL. We have two children, a daughter age 20 and a boy, age 7. Both the kids love the Samurai and going wheeling.
How did you get started in Suzuki?s?
When the Samurai first came out in the US in 1986, I was fascinated by the light little 4x4. This was just after I graduated high school and I was looking for a first car. I had friends who had Samurai?s at one point or another and when I look back, I vividly remember them and the interest I had in them. However, I never got one until I found Kermit in December of 2003.
Along the way, I had several VW bugs, a sandrail, a Meyers Manx, and 73 and 84 Broncos. I was always dabbling in the off-road world ever since I was a teenager. We used to go the Imperial sand dunes every Thanksgiving and the beach in Rocky Point, Mexico twice a year.
How long did it take you to build your Zuk to what it is today?
Let?s see. Kermit was bone stock little bugger back in 2003. The last major mod was a 16V/4 speed auto transplant, which was ?completed? in early 2011. It has been an 8-year project and counting.
Any changes in store for your rig?
Nothing solid is planned at this time and my goal has always been to maintain it as a DD. However, I have always dreamed of Toyota axles, links, exo cage and a slightly longer wheelbase?but still a DD. Maybe one day. Family is still first.
If you could have anybody someone else's Zuk, who?s would it be and why?
Well, my Zuk would really be a composite of several: Art Lilly?s ?Popscicle? for just the cutting edge aspect of it at the time. Jimmy Megginson?s Sammi (the one Sammi_Davis currently owns) for the simple functionality and capability of the thing and I always though the LWB Sammi that Jeff@thequadshop had for the exo cage and symmetry of it. Weed?s Spiderzuk build is also one of my favorites.
What has been your best wheeling adventure?
The best time is always going with friends. It doesn?t have to be extreme just social. I enjoy sharing an adventure with friends and family. If I had to name just one it was a sandrail trip we took out in the Arizona desert. It was all day @ 115 degree heat and we went looking for a spring out in a canyon near Reddington Pass (for you locals). We found this lush spring back in a canyon that was just paradise.
If you could go to any place in the world to wheel, where would that be?
I have always wanted to see the beaches and backroads of the Baja peninsula in Mexico. Unfortunately, the situation in Mexico probably makes that trip impossible anymore.
Who are you closest to in the Zuwharrie community?
It would have to be Hardhead. He doesn?t actually spend much time on the forums but he is the son of a close friend of mine. He is the one who had the Sammi tip over on him and trap him under it. His head got pinned between the targa and the ground.
What other toys/hobbies do you put a lot of time into?
Family keeps me busy but I spend a lot of time in volunteer bible teaching work. I also enjoy mountain biking as much as I possibly can.
What is it about the Zuwharrie.com BBS that brings you back for more?
I love the people that make up Zuwharrie. I was a noob once and am still learning every day. I grew up in Zuks around this place. It?s my home on the web. When I joined on December 25, 2003, there were less than 200 people on this website. I just looked to find 15,213 members now listed. I still love the Samurai and enjoy assisting the new and old folks with issues. There is still a feeling of family oriented camaraderie on here and you can?t find that in places like Pirate or ZK.
What about the Zuwharrie Event would you like to see changed?
I was looking at the Z stickers on my windshield the other day and realized that I have been to an event in almost every year from 2004 onward. Those early events were awesome with huge attendance and crazy stuff. Things have certainly changed. I know the staff works very hard and I appreciate their support. I would just encourage the staff to keep up the good work and let me know if I can assist!
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Contact Information:
Name: Scott Kahlhoefer
Zuwharrie user name: Kermit
Nickname:
Email: skahlhoefer@gmail.com (Please don?t post)
Main Vehicle Specs:
Year: 1988.5
Make: Suzuki
Model: Samurai
Color: Lime Green
Driveline:
95 Suzuki Sidekick 1.6 16V
03-72LE 4 Speed Auto
5.14:1 tcase gears
3.73 stock axles
Rear locker
Steering:
Sidekick Power Steering
OTT Stage 1
HD tie rod
Suspension:
SPOA
Tires/Wheels:
15x8x2.5BS ProComp Steelies
31x10.5x15 BFG MT KM2
Armor:
ZOR Crabs
Mighty Kong
Shrockworks gas tank armor
Shrockworks rear bumper
Homemade front bumper with stinger
Homemade rocker protection
Interior:
Kia Sportage front seats
Auto Shifter from Suzuki Sidekick
CB
Exterior:
Pro Comp 100W lights on stinger
LED rears with LED worklight for reverse
LED light pods for rock lights (VisionX Tantrum)
2 Piece hard top
Removeable doors with relocated mirror
Recovery gear:
Shovel and strap
Best Modification:
Rear locker
Worse Modification:
Selling the old Superlite style wheels that Kermit came with
Future Mods:
None at present
![[thumbsup]](https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f44d.png "Thumbs up [thumbsup]")
