[Vash]

Hi all,

I've always loved the look of these little Sierras, and have mostly been a bike rider in my time but feel like hitting the road in abit more comfort and take the girlfriend out for camping trips.

I really love the look of this 4WD on ebay, and its got a 1.6 Corolla conversion.

Hasnt been engineered yet,
my question is, what is needed on this car and is it a good buy? what do i check?
Problem is, its in melbourne and im in Sydney, so it would be a sight unseen thing most likely.
I called the guy up and he says it just needs to be engineered but said it might need springs as it drives like a dog on the road.

link:
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Suzuki-Sierra-4x ... 4aa83c6cd6

Thanks for any suggestions.
Jake

[Fatzook]

Specs.

1.6ltr corolla engine conversion Is the engine engineered?
31 x 10.5 maxxis bighorns 80% tread (x 5) Illegal
external bead locks on all 5 rims Illegal
6 point roll cage inside cab looks very 'home made' and has no diagonal bracing at all.
2" suspension lift and 2" body lift Is the body lift engineered?
custom tube bull bar
4 spotties mounted on the roof and 2 narva ultima 170's mounted on the bull bar
dual snorkel Why? looks poorly done and without air ram on the top it likely to fill up when it rains.
checker plate door trims

It looks like a pretty poor attempt at making a capable sierra. I'd give it a miss if I were you.

[mondo]

also i dunno what other ppl's views are on this, but i personally wouldnt buy a sierra that's not a widetrack

[Fatzook]

mondo wrote:

also i dunno what other ppl's views are on this, but i personally wouldnt buy a sierra that's not a widetrack

They are the best ones to buy!!! 3.9 ratio ( in the 1.3L) and then you fit WT diffs for better flex than a WT gets

Although this is a 1L, so it has 4.1's that aren't interchangable with WT diff centres

And can someone explain why a 1L sierra needs twin snorkles?

[Fatzook]

BTW, welcome to AZ Vash

[JrZook]

Fatzook wrote:

And can someone explain why a 1L sierra needs twin snorkles?

Aerodynamics shesh!

[tmb99]

Fatzook wrote:

And can someone explain why a 1L sierra needs twin snorkles?

feng shui??

[Vash]

Well these are the sorta replys i needed, steer me away from trouble
thanks guys.

Guess i better wait for something local i can have a good look at.

A shame tho, that sierra looks bloody awesome! besides those snorkels... haha

[Reubs]

IMO - just from the ebay ad that Sierra looks like rubbish (I should know about unfinished rubbishy Sierras - I have built one too).

It looks like more then 'just engineering' needs to be done.

Consider - 31" tyres will require some reduction gearing for any sort of drivability on or (especially) off road. More of why it drives 'like a dog".

Full cages (with the front half around the dash) aren't nice to drive with. I know in Qld you might not be able to get that passed (mod plated here).

I can't comment on a Corolla engine's conversion suitability, but why didn't the owner fit the more commonly transplanted Vitara 1.6? Has it been done properly?

Are externally beadlocked wheels road legal anywhere?

Why does it have a dual snorkel setup - what does the 'other' one do other then look silly?

If you know what you're doing and can get it cheap then i'd say buy it but if you aren't too much of a DIY mechanic then I wouldn't bother - especially if you plan to buy it unseen and plan to use it straight away. Simply too much possibility of having to fix someone else's dodgy mess and having it cost you several times more then what you bought it for.

[Fatzook]

Vash wrote:

Well these are the sorta replys i needed, steer me away from trouble
thanks guys.

Guess i better wait for something local i can have a good look at.

A shame tho, that sierra looks bloody awesome! besides those snorkels... haha

Whats your budget mate? That thing is a sack of shit compared to a well built sierra. Dodgy paint, dodgy mods, dodgy car.

[steve]

Vash wrote:

Hi all,
I've always loved the look of these little Sierras, and have mostly been a bike rider in my time but feel like hitting the road in abit more comfort and take the girlfriend out for camping trips.

It looks dodgy as

It's good that the bloke was honest and said it drives like a dog. I would advise against buying a car that drives like a dog and expect to take the girlfriend camping. You would be trying to sell it before long.

You will have to put all new suspension in it, replacing everything probably, so you might be better buying a stock standard vehicle and building it up.

unless it was reaaaaalllllyyyy cheap

[Reubs]

Fatzook wrote:

And can someone explain why a 1L sierra needs twin snorkles?

Someone likes to think they are driving a V8...

[tanshi]

keep your eyes open on here vash, good ones come up pretty often, and we are mostly happy to help make sure you get a good one

[Vash]

Fatzook wrote:

Vash wrote:

Well these are the sorta replys i needed, steer me away from trouble
thanks guys.

Guess i better wait for something local i can have a good look at.

A shame tho, that sierra looks bloody awesome! besides those snorkels... haha

Whats your budget mate? That thing is a sack of shit compared to a well built sierra. Dodgy paint, dodgy mods, dodgy car.

About $3500-4000 at this point. It'll be my main car for commuting now and then, trips and stuff.

[Fatzook]

Vash wrote:

About $3500-4000 at this point. It'll be my main car for commuting now and then, trips and stuff.

Buy a stocker then. If you are commuting you will need something reliable and legal. That way you can do the mods the RIGHT way as time/ money permits.

Sierras don't have to be expensive to modify, but they can be expensive when you have to fix up someone elses poor attempt at a mod.

[mondo]

Fatzook wrote:

mondo wrote:

also i dunno what other ppl's views are on this, but i personally wouldnt buy a sierra that's not a widetrack

They are the best ones to buy!!! 3.9 ratio ( in the 1.3L) and then you fit WT diffs for better flex than a WT gets

Although this is a 1L, so it has 4.1's that aren't interchangable with WT diff centres

And can someone explain why a 1L sierra needs twin snorkles?

there you go, learn something new everyday

[Vash]

Thanks for the advice

hows this?

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Suzuki-Sierra-JX ... 500wt_1156

[Fatzook]

Vash wrote:

Thanks for the advice

hows this?

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Suzuki-Sierra-JX ... 500wt_1156

Getting better, but I don't like the sound of their idea of a rust repair

[mondo]

they replaced it with aluminium, never rust

[Fatzook]

mondo wrote:

they replaced it with aluminium, never rust

Yep. And by riviting in a plate over the old rust hole then sealing it they have created a double skin, which can trap moisture, causing more rust.

There is a reason why people cut rust out and weld new steel back in.

[Reubs]

mondo wrote:

they replaced it with aluminium, never rust

...but electrolysis will 'eat' it if it's placed in contact with the steel...

[stocker]

mmm yummy...

dissimilar metals spells battery in any language...

You could probably pick up a decent sierra that has a few light mods off here if you just hang around long enough... if your not on an urgent timeline that is...

[steve]

the $2000 might be worth a look. You can just fix the rust repair up, take out the allumium plate etc.

We don't usually see Sierra on here for $2000, so if that's the only issue it'd be ok. Assuming everything else is ok.

[Jason]

That rust repair could be an easy bargaining point.

[Vash]

Well i went and looked at that car, drove it and loved it.
Shook on it for $1500

Next day im on my way there to give a deposit as i didnt have cash at the time, and someone offered them asking price $2000

A handshake means nothing nowadays it seems. I guess its my own fault for not trying to get a deposit immediately.

The search continues.

[Fatzook]

Vash wrote:

Well i went and looked at that car, drove it and loved it.
Shook on it for $1500

Next day im on my way there to give a deposit as i didnt have cash at the time, and someone offered them asking price $2000

A handshake means nothing nowadays it seems. I guess its my own fault for not trying to get a deposit immediately.

The search continues.

What a wanker

[PJ.zook]

Sierras are a great little vehicle, but if you arent doing anything very serious 4wding (or even if you are), have you considered a Vitara? Sierras arent the most comfortable vehicle by a long shot, but the Vitara's arent too bad comfort wise (which will make the girlfreind happy) and can still go places.

[Vash]

When i drove that sierra for the first time, i can't put my finger on what just instantly made me fall in love with it.
Something about the simplicity, the noises, the vibration, the jeep-like feeling. fucking awesome.

[Fatzook]

Vash wrote:

the jeep-like feeling

You won't make friends around here saying things like that

[Vash]

Fatzook wrote:

Vash wrote:

the jeep-like feeling

You won't make friends around here saying things like that

haha, well ive never driven a jeep, i mean the style of car, jeep... WW2, Jurassic park type