KAP Suzuki Jimny - rebuilt for the road

Hi all,

I have been lurking in the background for a while, but my Jimny is coming on well, so I am out the cupboard (or garage) to write about it
I have a a very early KAP Jimny that I bought about 2 years ago from a guy near Falkirk. I wasn't road legal when I bought it, but I only used it a trialler with my local club. It just came out for a day, thrashed around then left for 2 months under a tarp. Those days weren't good days for it!

Anyhow, things have changed, I have moved to Northumbria (Alnwick), and sold my 110 double cab, so the Jimny needs to come back to life as my everyday car, green laner and trails vehicle. Not too much to ask then!

First, I went underneath, found all the obvious faults, put them right then I put it in for an MOT, which it failed… on emissions, rear brakes, lights (F&R), & on top of this the gearbox and clutch was completely shot. If it hadn’t had a completely rust free body I would have scrapped it. But not many year 2000 Jimny (W) are completely rust free. So I decided to carry on, new rear brake pistons, fitting kit and pads fitted and adjusted. Replacement headlight and wiring and all the earths checked over, full service, FWH from Jimnybits, replacements seats and its hopefully getting an MOT this afternoon. So I’m keeping everything crossed. The garage are also changing the clutch, gearbox and transfer box because, as you know, access isn’t great.

So that’s the past, now the future….

Fit seat spacers (30mm) to raise the height of drivers and passenger seat. I made these out of pipe and just ordered longer 8.8 M10 metric fine bolts to replace the standard bolts that wont fit.


Rip out carpets and put in Drew Off Road sound deadening that is also wipe (hose) clean.

Maybe remove the cage and do a body lift, then refit the cage (a lot of work)

Rebush the back end.
Remove rear seats.

Fit tablet for navigation



I’ll post some better pictures of the zook tomorrow.

Phil

Looks a lot like this one in the galley

www.bigjimny.com/index.php/gallery/category/21-madmick

Yep, thats my car, what year were those taken?

...and good news on MOT front, it passed

Phil

I have noticed the drivers side front spring 'bows' forward then back again to meet the axle, and doesn't sit centrally at the top of the spring mount, is there a rubber guide or similar that I'm missing?

Well, not many replies yet, but hopefully that doesn't mean people aren't interested.

Today, I had my first shot on the road after getting MOT, insurance and tax sorted out. Its slow and over geared, and the steering has very little 'feel' to it. I may investigate a steering damper kit? There doesn't seem to be any death wobble, but time will tell. It already has caster corrected arms on it.

I have refitted a lot of the interior, and tried the seats spacers to raise the seats up 30mm, I think these are going to be good when fitted, but the longer bolts didn't arrive today. I also removed the 4 spotlights and still need to weld up the holes. I had a look at a LED light bar to replace them.

Heres some pic's taken today







Phil

Today, I fitted the seat spacers, it raises the seat by 30mm, and gives me a far more comfortable seating position. I bought 8x M10 metric fine 8.8, 50mm long bolts from ebay.



Spacer fitted (bolt not tightened)



I am also struggling with the lamdba sensor, it appears to have been disconnected for some time, but the car side the loom seems very short (about 2-3inches). Is this normal? I bought a cheapo lambda sensor from ebay without a plug, now it looks like it is going to be very difficult to connect up.