Jimnaleno Build Project.

Hi Mates, hope all is well with everyone. As some of you know, I have been a member here for a while now, so decided to post my Jimnaleno build project.

I live in the Caribbean where Suzuki's are popular. I have been rebuilding and upgrading my 98 three door Land Rover Defender, when I came across a 98 Suzuki Jimny with a 5 speed gear box. It was parked by a body/pint shop since it was hit from behind and awaiting repairs.

I asked the garage owner about it and he said its for sale. I inspected the damage and realized it was only the door, the left rear window corner which had to be replaced or fixed. So I bought it as is, exactly a year ago and have done repairs and many upgrades on it since. Here are some pics.

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Though this Jimny was in perfect working condition when I bought it, I have done some minor repairs and a long list of upgrades including :

Stripped out interior and exterior to repaint in BMW metallic blue
Painted accessories in gun metal grey
Sanded and painted chassis and all components below floor in black rust protection paint.
Welded and reinforced seat mounting points
Sanded and painted the interior floor with red oxide rust treatment paint
Sanded and painted the entire engine bay black
Tinted windows in bronze mirror tint
Replaced roof weather strips
Body 2" lift
Suspension 2" lift
Cut, bent and weld gear stick forward.
Cut, bent and extended 4WD gear stick
All new gearbox and transfer box seals
All gear shift seals, bushins, cups etc.
New Sparco sport seats
New Momo steering wheel with adaptor
Cut and weld clutch pedal closer to brake pedal
Made checkered plate pedal pads
Brand new longer shocks
Brand new master cylinder
Brand new brakes all around
Extended stainless steel braided lines
Brand new emergency brake cables
Brand new wheel bearings all around
Brand new axle and swivel seals all around
Replaced complete drive line and 4WD system oils with good quality synthetic oil
Brand new 8.5" aluminum alloy rims
Brand new 235X75X15 Gripmax AT tires
Brand new radiator
Brand new lights all around, head lights with LED bulbs
Cut out auxiliary light blanks from bumper to install round LED lights.

Electronics and work in progress:

8" LCD Android touch screen Head Unit
Forward facing HD camera with continuous auto loop recording
Main power amp with 6 speakers
Subwoofer amp for a 10" bass speaker
Reverse camera
Viper 5706 Two Way 1 mile Alarm system , with remote locking, remote window control, turbo timer, low battery auto start, remote start for 5 speed manual etc.
Stripped instrument cluster, replaced all bulbs with LED's both back lit and warning bulbs.
Kenwood D710G Amateur / Ham radio with APRS
Voice activated Garmin GPS with auto logging
Dual band 5/8 wave ham radio antenna
USB and other charging ports
New Carbon fiber stubby radio antenna
Dual battery with Battery Doctor electronic isolator

Mechanical upgrades:

I bought a complete and working 98 Suzuki Baleno to get aG16BB engine, harness and ECU for a 1300cc to 1600cc swap.
We have since stripped the Baleno to get want we wanted.
The engine has been stripped, cleaned, both head and block machined to reface head and block.
The Blaeno is a JDM spec which was imported, it has an upgraded engine found in the G16BB Vitaras. It has cast steel bearing caps, lower compression pistons and we suspect the software in the ECU might have favoured better performance for the local Japanese market.
Installed so far on the G16BB engine, all Suzuki original parts like rings, all bearings, water pump, oil pump, all seals and gaskets etc.
The head has new seals and re-grounded valves and polished.
We have stripped out the engine wiring harness completely from the Jimny to tie in the Baleno engine harness and Baleno ECU too.
I have a brand new ceramic 6 puck clutch kit to install

I hope I can edit this post because there will be more to add, some other work which I have done but forgotten.

Pics of the Baleno engine being rebuilt for the swap, hence the name of the thread "Jimnaleno."

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That's excellent! Good to see another early Jimny keeping on the road!

Looks good. All that work, I'm impressed with myself when I wash it! Keep on it.

Great work Jim Jim.... Love the outdoor workshop too, whereabouts are you ?

sniper

Thanks Lambert. It cost me half as what a much newer vehicle would but pleasure a car nut like us would have driving this out weighs the cost.

Thanks me101. I have been working on it full time for the last 3 weeks, cant wait to have it completed.

Thanks Sniper. I live in Barbados now.

I built my home garage to accommodate some of my tools. My 98 Land Rover Defender is stripped right down and is in my garage along with tons of other parts for the Jimny etc., so I had to use part of my drive way to work on the Jimny.

I also have TIG, MIG and Arc welding machines, so I do metal repairs and fabrication on my hobby projects too.
Here are some pics of my garage.

When I built my house I installed an I beam for my overhead electric cable hoist.

Love Barbados, been a couple of times, only short visits whilst on other islands. Keith Black, a taxi driver known as "blackie", took me round a few rum shacks.... met some really cool people and played dominoes for England...

Nice set up, you must enjoy working on them...

sniper

Wow, cool garage.
If I had one like that, I'd be happy with a one room flat above