gmj2fast
Well-known member
Congratulations for winning the Zuwharrie Owner of the Month!
How does it feel being honored along with the past winners?
It’s an absolute honour to be Zuwharrie Owner of the Month, to even be considered in the land of tough Trackers & Sidekicks is awesome.
So tell us about you. Who are you, where do you live, and what do you do for a living?
My name is Angus Cleghorn, I’m 32 I think? I live a few kms East of Adelaide in South Australia, I’m a Graphic Designer by trade & work for a large family owned National Print Company… you name it, we print it.
Tell us a bit about your family.
I’m currently foot loose & fancy free = more wheeling time for me.
How did you get started in Suzuki’s?
This is my first Suzuki, a good mate had a sierra years ago & I was stunned at it’s off road capabilities & toughness, the thing just wouldn’t die… after searching the net for a while & seeing all the killer Trackers & Sidekicks being modded in the US, I knew what my next 4wd was going to be. I started searching for a low km one owner, while looking at a few different Vitara’s I ordered the Calmini Super Articulator 3” lift kit, 2” bodylift, 15x7’s rims & 30” Goodyear MT/R’s.
After a month or so searching high & low, I finally found the right one. It was located in Melbourne, about 800kms from home it was a 70,00kms, one previous owner who was a hairdresser with full service history. I booked a flight all cashed up & drove it home that night, after getting it home I had 2nd thoughts as it was dead stock, pretty poxy looking & super low…. but I had a game plan & I knew what it could look like.
Your Vitara has a rather unusual name, tell us what it is and where it came from.
Haha, that’s a good one, I was removing the VITARA badge off the tail gate & it snapped. When I looked at the letters I had a flash back from my youth & saw the word ATARI & the name stuck. The thing is just like a kids toy to drive & it puts a smile on face all day when out wheeling.
How long did it take you to build your Zuk to what it is today?
The initial build up was done over 2 weekends, the bodylift went in first followed by the Calmini lift & 30” MT/R’s, I ran it around for 2 years in that while adding the roof basket, auxiliary power, roof lights, rock lights, trek table. Then in the last couple of years it scored a set of 31’ MT/R’s, 5.12:1 diff ratio’s, Grand Vitara Steel front diff, front & rear ARB Air Lockers & compressor, OME front struts, full underbody skid plates, high clearance cross member, FTS front bar & snorkel, Lightforce spot lights, UHF CB, four point roll cage & other cool stuff.
Any changes in store for your rig?
I currently have a machinist/fitter & turner working on a custom bearing carrier & stub axle conversion for the RHS CV similar to the set up on the Calmini Anvil so I can run the LHS bolt in CV. The other thing I’m currently working on is a rear storage draw & false floor.
If you could have anybody else’s Zuk, who’s would it be and why?
That would have to be Dan Pitt’s 2010 Australian Tuff Truck winning Vitara, it’s such an understated looking rig, 40” Sticky Treps, Air Shocks, Hydro Steer & Land Cruiser Diffs.
What has been your best wheeling adventure?
We have local wheeling area that is a disused quarry witch has a river running through it with heaps of river crossings, a group of us dropped in one night after a very wet week, the river was flowing hard & the black soil super slippery… it was an epic night floating across the river crossings in the dark & when we got to the end of the track it looked like we were going to spend the night in there as we were struggling to climb up out of the last valley. After trying & trying again we all finally made it up & got home eventually. In the same area we experienced flash flooding one day, that was kind of spooky as we’d been stuck in one of the dry river crossings & only minutes after getting out the river was flowing hard & would have drowned my mates 4wd.
If you could go to any place in the world to wheel, where would that be?
I’d love to get over & wheel Moab & the Rubicon trail,… but there is still so much of Australia I haven’t seen. I’ve just seen some 4wding pics of Jinmy’s in the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia & the place looks amazing.
Who are you closest to in the Zuwharrie community?
I that would have to be t0nKaTrAcKeR
Tell us what the wheeling is like in Oz.
There are some amazing placed to 4wd in Australia but we are experiencing the closure of more & more tracks which is frustrating. There are vast distances to travel & lot’s of remote places with very little civilization. The Vitara is perfect for long distance travel & is a pleasure to drive day in day out while still performing off road.
What other toys/hobbies do you put a lot of time into?
I seriously broke my leg a couple years ago on my Mountain Bike & that has slowed my down a lot, I’ve got a big plate & 16 screws holding my thigh bone together…. Before the break I was heavily into Windsurfing, Body boarding, Skate Boarding & Mountain Biking, I have just recently started messing around with R/C Rock Crawlers.
What is it about the Zuwharrie.com BBS that brings you back for more?
The large amount of tech & all the different modified Suzuki’s from the other side of the world!
What about the Zuwharrie Event would you like to see changed?
I wish that there was a Zuwharrie Event held in Australia…
Contact Information:
Name: Angus Cleghorn
Zuwharrie user name: atari4x4
Nickname: Gus
Email: atari4x4@gmail.com
Main Vehicle Specs:
Year: 1997
Make: Suzuki
Model: Vitara SV420 “Sport”
Color: Silver
Driveline:
2.0L J20A, Manual 5 Speed, ARB Air Lockers, GV Steel Front Diff, 5.1:1 r&p Swap From 4.6:1, 2 1/4 Hi-Flow Metallic Cat & Sports Muffler
Steering:
Factory Power Steering, Sports Steering Wheel, Custom Idler Arm Brace
Suspension:
Calmini 3” Super Articulator Kit, OME GV front Struts, Gabriel Holden VT Commodore Rear Shocks
Tires/Wheels :
31x10.5 r15 Goodyear Wrangler MT/R’s (Old Style) on 15x7 Speedy Desert Rat Steel Rims, Powder Coasted Black
Armor :
FTS Full Under Body Skid Plates & High Clearance Transfer Cross Member, Fuel Tank Guard is in the making!!!
Interior :
Kenwood MP3 Player, Uniden UHF, LED Interior Lighting, 4 Point Roll Cage, Rally Spec Sports Steering Wheel, Fire Extinguisher, Digital in/out Thermometer, Custom Light Switch Panel & Locker Switch Panel
Exterior :
2" Body Lift, FTS Front Bar, ARB High Output Air Compressor, Light Force 170 Striker Spot Lights, Fog Lights, Roof Lights, Rock Lights, Rola Vortex Roof Basket & Roof Racks, Modified Spare Wheel Carrier, Custom Sand Flag Mount. 2 Seater Panel Van Conversion.
Recovery gear :
Snatch Strap, Exhaust Jack, Long Handle Shovel.
Best Modification:
Diff Gears & Air Lockers
Worse Modification:
Calmini 3" Body Lift - it was absolute garbage, that junk should never be put on the market.
Future Mods:
Fuel Tank Guard, Stub axle conversion for the RHS CV similar to the set up on the Calmini Anvil so I can run the LHS bolt in CV & rear storage draw/false floor… seriously considering a winch for those solo missions
Other Clubs:
I'm not currently involved in any 4wd Clubs, I was heavily involved in a Classic Ford Club a few years ago & the politics & meetings ended up getting to much for me so I've stayed away from joining a 4wd Club for now, there is a group of us that regularly do 4wd camping trips & day trips.
Comments:
I'd like to thank the whole Zuwharrie online community & who ever nominated me for ZOOM.
How does it feel being honored along with the past winners?
It’s an absolute honour to be Zuwharrie Owner of the Month, to even be considered in the land of tough Trackers & Sidekicks is awesome.
So tell us about you. Who are you, where do you live, and what do you do for a living?
My name is Angus Cleghorn, I’m 32 I think? I live a few kms East of Adelaide in South Australia, I’m a Graphic Designer by trade & work for a large family owned National Print Company… you name it, we print it.
Tell us a bit about your family.
I’m currently foot loose & fancy free = more wheeling time for me.
How did you get started in Suzuki’s?
This is my first Suzuki, a good mate had a sierra years ago & I was stunned at it’s off road capabilities & toughness, the thing just wouldn’t die… after searching the net for a while & seeing all the killer Trackers & Sidekicks being modded in the US, I knew what my next 4wd was going to be. I started searching for a low km one owner, while looking at a few different Vitara’s I ordered the Calmini Super Articulator 3” lift kit, 2” bodylift, 15x7’s rims & 30” Goodyear MT/R’s.
After a month or so searching high & low, I finally found the right one. It was located in Melbourne, about 800kms from home it was a 70,00kms, one previous owner who was a hairdresser with full service history. I booked a flight all cashed up & drove it home that night, after getting it home I had 2nd thoughts as it was dead stock, pretty poxy looking & super low…. but I had a game plan & I knew what it could look like.
Your Vitara has a rather unusual name, tell us what it is and where it came from.
Haha, that’s a good one, I was removing the VITARA badge off the tail gate & it snapped. When I looked at the letters I had a flash back from my youth & saw the word ATARI & the name stuck. The thing is just like a kids toy to drive & it puts a smile on face all day when out wheeling.
How long did it take you to build your Zuk to what it is today?
The initial build up was done over 2 weekends, the bodylift went in first followed by the Calmini lift & 30” MT/R’s, I ran it around for 2 years in that while adding the roof basket, auxiliary power, roof lights, rock lights, trek table. Then in the last couple of years it scored a set of 31’ MT/R’s, 5.12:1 diff ratio’s, Grand Vitara Steel front diff, front & rear ARB Air Lockers & compressor, OME front struts, full underbody skid plates, high clearance cross member, FTS front bar & snorkel, Lightforce spot lights, UHF CB, four point roll cage & other cool stuff.
Any changes in store for your rig?
I currently have a machinist/fitter & turner working on a custom bearing carrier & stub axle conversion for the RHS CV similar to the set up on the Calmini Anvil so I can run the LHS bolt in CV. The other thing I’m currently working on is a rear storage draw & false floor.
If you could have anybody else’s Zuk, who’s would it be and why?
That would have to be Dan Pitt’s 2010 Australian Tuff Truck winning Vitara, it’s such an understated looking rig, 40” Sticky Treps, Air Shocks, Hydro Steer & Land Cruiser Diffs.
What has been your best wheeling adventure?
We have local wheeling area that is a disused quarry witch has a river running through it with heaps of river crossings, a group of us dropped in one night after a very wet week, the river was flowing hard & the black soil super slippery… it was an epic night floating across the river crossings in the dark & when we got to the end of the track it looked like we were going to spend the night in there as we were struggling to climb up out of the last valley. After trying & trying again we all finally made it up & got home eventually. In the same area we experienced flash flooding one day, that was kind of spooky as we’d been stuck in one of the dry river crossings & only minutes after getting out the river was flowing hard & would have drowned my mates 4wd.
If you could go to any place in the world to wheel, where would that be?
I’d love to get over & wheel Moab & the Rubicon trail,… but there is still so much of Australia I haven’t seen. I’ve just seen some 4wding pics of Jinmy’s in the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia & the place looks amazing.
Who are you closest to in the Zuwharrie community?
I that would have to be t0nKaTrAcKeR
Tell us what the wheeling is like in Oz.
There are some amazing placed to 4wd in Australia but we are experiencing the closure of more & more tracks which is frustrating. There are vast distances to travel & lot’s of remote places with very little civilization. The Vitara is perfect for long distance travel & is a pleasure to drive day in day out while still performing off road.
What other toys/hobbies do you put a lot of time into?
I seriously broke my leg a couple years ago on my Mountain Bike & that has slowed my down a lot, I’ve got a big plate & 16 screws holding my thigh bone together…. Before the break I was heavily into Windsurfing, Body boarding, Skate Boarding & Mountain Biking, I have just recently started messing around with R/C Rock Crawlers.
What is it about the Zuwharrie.com BBS that brings you back for more?
The large amount of tech & all the different modified Suzuki’s from the other side of the world!
What about the Zuwharrie Event would you like to see changed?
I wish that there was a Zuwharrie Event held in Australia…
Contact Information:
Name: Angus Cleghorn
Zuwharrie user name: atari4x4
Nickname: Gus
Email: atari4x4@gmail.com
Main Vehicle Specs:
Year: 1997
Make: Suzuki
Model: Vitara SV420 “Sport”
Color: Silver
Driveline:
2.0L J20A, Manual 5 Speed, ARB Air Lockers, GV Steel Front Diff, 5.1:1 r&p Swap From 4.6:1, 2 1/4 Hi-Flow Metallic Cat & Sports Muffler
Steering:
Factory Power Steering, Sports Steering Wheel, Custom Idler Arm Brace
Suspension:
Calmini 3” Super Articulator Kit, OME GV front Struts, Gabriel Holden VT Commodore Rear Shocks
Tires/Wheels :
31x10.5 r15 Goodyear Wrangler MT/R’s (Old Style) on 15x7 Speedy Desert Rat Steel Rims, Powder Coasted Black
Armor :
FTS Full Under Body Skid Plates & High Clearance Transfer Cross Member, Fuel Tank Guard is in the making!!!
Interior :
Kenwood MP3 Player, Uniden UHF, LED Interior Lighting, 4 Point Roll Cage, Rally Spec Sports Steering Wheel, Fire Extinguisher, Digital in/out Thermometer, Custom Light Switch Panel & Locker Switch Panel
Exterior :
2" Body Lift, FTS Front Bar, ARB High Output Air Compressor, Light Force 170 Striker Spot Lights, Fog Lights, Roof Lights, Rock Lights, Rola Vortex Roof Basket & Roof Racks, Modified Spare Wheel Carrier, Custom Sand Flag Mount. 2 Seater Panel Van Conversion.
Recovery gear :
Snatch Strap, Exhaust Jack, Long Handle Shovel.
Best Modification:
Diff Gears & Air Lockers
Worse Modification:
Calmini 3" Body Lift - it was absolute garbage, that junk should never be put on the market.
Future Mods:
Fuel Tank Guard, Stub axle conversion for the RHS CV similar to the set up on the Calmini Anvil so I can run the LHS bolt in CV & rear storage draw/false floor… seriously considering a winch for those solo missions
Other Clubs:
I'm not currently involved in any 4wd Clubs, I was heavily involved in a Classic Ford Club a few years ago & the politics & meetings ended up getting to much for me so I've stayed away from joining a 4wd Club for now, there is a group of us that regularly do 4wd camping trips & day trips.
Comments:
I'd like to thank the whole Zuwharrie online community & who ever nominated me for ZOOM.
