Barn Find RESCUE! Is This Suzuki Samurai 4x4 the BEST Farm Truck Ever?

In this video, I test out the Suzuki Samurai 4x4 (Sierra Ute) Barn Find which I rescued from a farm out west some time ago. I apologise in advance for my microphone not syncing properly. These are a great farm truck for anyone with a small or large property alike. They are easy to work on and parts are readily accessible, either aftermarket or through Suzuki or Maruti. If you’ve had anything to do with these Suzuki 4x4 utes, LJ81 Stockman or these later model SJ413 or MG410WT, please leave a comment. Thanks for watching, Bruce.
#barnfind #farmtruck #4x4

[@erroneouscode]

It's got me stumped why a manufacturer (even Suzuki) doesn't bring something like these back. They would have the entire world market to themselves.

[@c.j.777]

I had an original lj50 hardtop someone had cut the roof off the back and put in a toyota 1200 and 5 speed.. absolutly the greatest bush basher on a steep 1600 acre property out mudgee and was regd so did a few miles from sydney where i bought it to mudgee.. was good on road and off.. unstoppable.. !

[@derekhughes9274]

Extremely capable little truck, seen them do some incredible things.

[@williamriedel1686]

There are so many great small and medium sized and diesel powered vehicles that aren’t available for sale here in the states, due to bureaucratic constraints. And this is supposed to be a free country.

[@jerva245]

Amen!!!!!!!!! well said!!

[@AdmiralDG]

I have a small diesel here in the US, not allowed on the road sadly. Sold as a "UTV" but could easily be a road vehicle without legal restrictions :/

[@Snap7007]

Same can be said about your petrol/hybrid offerings only in the US market only. Good example is the Landcruiser 250. Americans really hoping to get the diesel version and many Aussies were hoping to get petrol hybrid.

[@jmdoutdoors5729]

Great video Bruce, love your Suzuki. Thank you from Fresno California.

[@aisakesagaitu1326]

This guy can fix anything that runs/crawls on ground that's amazing..

[@markcandrl6039]

We have 2 of them that my daughters drive daily. They are fairly rare in South Africa especially in any kind of good condition. Both vehicles are nimble capable and tough. As a dad I service both jeeps and find it easy to do minor repairs etc. Love these jeeps to bits. Both are SJ 413’s I had an SJ410 when I was in my20’s. Great clip Bruce 😊🤝

[@bruceinaus]

Hello Mark, great to hear. From what I can see, these utes in various forms/names where sent most of the way around the world from about the early 80s to the late 90s. This was about the last that we could buy from a Suzuki dealer here in Australia but it’s actually assembled by Maruti car co in India, then sold by Suzuki Australia. Thanks for watching, Bruce

[@jeetime9436]

Good Job Bruce

[@HereIsMyOffer]

My mate got a Sierra after high school, great fun tooling around the bush and cruising with soft top off in summer. The old Sierras also used to go well with a 4A-GE/GZE conversion!

[@bertoltb1358]

Great little Ute!

[@bruceinaus]

I think so too, it has crossed almost every part of this paddock, thanks for watching, Bruce

[@clooperman3745]

@@bruceinaus I regret selling my lwb SJ413 with a removable rear hardtop (without windows). It was quite heavily modified with power steering, 2" body lift, 30" tires, heavy duty halfshafts and clutch, a 6.5 to 1 low range transfer gear, and front and rear ARB difflocks, with extra soundproofing it would cruise on the highway at 60mph and still be civilised.

[@australiantruckspotting8883]

It would be great if Suzuki brought out a ute version of the current Jimny. Shouldn't be too hard since they now have the LWB 4-Door version.

[@pmd7914]

Yeah, message them like I did. Maybe if they get enough interest they will chase up Suzuki Japan.

[@australiantruckspotting8883]

@@pmd7914 I think they’d sell well in Australia. The farmers liked the Sierra tray backs.

[@pmd7914]

@@australiantruckspotting8883 uh, huh. I reckon there would be heaps of recreational users interested also. Or like me, want a small ute replacement for Falcon ute.

[@dieseldavetrains8988]

Suzuki made a basic no frills 4X4, not built for speed or long distance comfort but very reliable and sturdy, we had a 1983 Jimmy and it's still running today at Menindee NSW. Excellent find Bruce, it's good for another 20 years.👌

[@bruceinaus]

Thanks Dave, I’d agree with that as an accurate description and good to hear yours is still going. Bruce

[@kymmarshall1116]

You’ve got a nice property there Bruce.

[@aaronm2742]

Hi Bruce great video as always! My first car was a $500 1987 Suzuki Sierra with a blown motor. Dad and I put a new motor in and it was great. Ended up selling it to Channel 7 Perth for $4000 to use as a tug for pushing their helicopter in and out of the hangar back in the early 2000s.

[@bruceinaus]

Thanks Aaron, I wonder it they are still using it as a tug, Bruce

[@willrobbinson]

iv had a few, 4 more to this day a jimny 2020 year current thats been total under water 4 + days ( Lismore ) flood it took some work to get it running as was under water totally for more than a week , its still on the road today

[@holdenrestoration2557]

Love the dog....

[@davestark2015]

I had the first series Suzuki. Mine was a 1979 with the front differentials Was a wicked 4 Wheeler full time could shift on the fly at low speed.

[@richardmiels3402]

You lucky bugger! These are rare now especially in such good nick. These "Sierra s" were the best vehicles on general farm duties; light, economical and virtually unstoppable. Had one which was a bit rough and it had been re powered with a Corrolla1300 and 5 speed. I tidied the body work and tray, fixed some electrics, did a simple tune and service and gave it some brakes! "Stinger" as it was called towed a boat, launched a boat off sand, towed an overloaded 6x4 cage trailer 250ks, did sheep work. The handbrake ; I couldn't find parts for, so had a precision length rope attached to a besser block which always followed faithfully up the boat ramp! I found lugs worked the best as wider rims and tyres robbed too much of the limited power. Let me know if you find any more hiding in sheds. Thanks for your channel; very enjoyable, genuine content and the subjects do most of the talking. From a bit of a bush mechanic on Eyre Peninsula, South Australia.

[@bruceinaus]

Thanks very much for sharing that Richard. We probably didn’t appreciate just how rare they were until recently when a few people have offered to buy this one. What happened with us, we had a Polaris, but there was no dealer in our town for parts and servicing and found it really hard to get any type of workshop manual/wiring diagram so we have gone back to this which I like better. Thanks again for your support on the videos, it’s greatly appreciated, Bruce.

[@zonie1953]

Great video Bruce . I caught a glimpse of the manufacturers plate under the hood, looks like yours was actually built by Maruti in India . Interesting to me . We had those here in the states also sold at the Chevy garage as Chevy Trackers and in later years as the GEO tracker . I was a spares guy at Chevy for about 40 years . They are great off-road as you say, way overbuilt for their engine size and weight ! Your didn't even spin a tyre in that little bog you backed it into ! Thanks for showing us your little doggie , I didn't catch its name though. Looks like yours has a far different carby setup than what we had up here , very interesting looking . Keep up the good work Bruce ! Cheers , Scott 🌵

[@bruceinaus]

Morning Scott, thanks very much for that info. What I think happened here in Australia, is that these late model “samurai” or “sierra” utes in the wide track/extended cab format were assembled by Maruti in India under licence then the were sent back here and were sold and badged as a Suzuki “Stockman” from our Suzuki Dealerships. So this one has that Maruti plate but is also got other markings are a Suzuki stockman elsewhere. This is a 97 and the last ones I’ve ever seen here are 98 models then Suzuki Australia stopped selling this line. Some of the new genuine parts we have bought have Maruti on the packet. The doggie is called jax and he enjoys the Suzuki very much as shown by his reluctance to jump out 😂. With the Carby, they are effectively a side draft and I think that’s to help them climb really steep hills and there does seem to be a few changes from these late model ones to the early ones in the Carby. I will have a look at your Geo Trackers online tonight. Bruce

[@zonie1953]

@@bruceinaus Thanks for the explanation Bruce ! We got none with a side draft carby here . Thanks for your videos Bruce , I really enjoy them. I love Australia , been down a few times . Just not recently . Next trip has to include the Slim Dusty Centre in Kempsey to see his old purple Ford. Give Jax an extra pat . Dogs are great 🐶 🌵

[@the496elcamino3]

What a cute little ride, well done.

[@billwood2914]

I wish I still had ours. I was never able to find something it couldn't get out of.

[@benwinter2420]

Mind blowing bush vehicles those old Suzuki's . . you have to be trying seriously hard to get them bogged

[@td4dotnet]

Lovely work Bruce looks good! I wish I could find one in that sort of condition where I live! Thanks for the video!

[@bruceinaus]

Thanks @td4dotnet, much appreciated

[@aitp]

Love it. Would be a fun daily too!

[@bruceinaus]

Yes it would be pretty good and nimble around town!

[@MADKIWI]

Great wee truck Bruce.

[@bruceinaus]

Thanks very much, Bruce

[@MADKIWI]

@brucew6551 Your good value, Bruce. You know your stuff.

[@shaneellasdaicastrestorati3675]

They were a good little Ute to put around the farm

[@bruceinaus]

Thanks Shane, very true, Bruce,

[@MH-qq3kj]

I had an 1988 Zuki in USA. Worst decision I made was to sell it. Fantastic on/off road vehicle.

[@1Longranger]

Mate of mine had one and it was pretty much unstoppable. I wonder how the new Mahindras would hold up? They look pretty basic.

[@jeffbezos701]

bloody good video mate

[@MattysWorkshop]

Gday Bruce, I’ve been looking for a Suzuki for my young fella, he’s made on fishing and there the perfect Ute for getting places, if you find another please let me know, great find mate, cheers

[@bruceinaus]

Hi Matty, I will keep you posted here if I come across a good one, Bruce

[@lukeduke3001]

Yea you are right best farm truck my father had a lada farm truck which was handy

[@bruceinaus]

Thanks Luke, we had a couple of lada’s many many years ago, rode nice and really powerful with the 2 litre fiat but always worried about parts, thanks for watching, Bruce

[@manuelwebe]

That thing is a beauty. Question: Is this a cut down, modified to pick-up truck Samurai or do they sell them like that stock in Australia? I have never seen a Samurai truck in this part of the world. Thanks for sharing!

[@australiantruckspotting8883]

These were actually sold new in Australia in the 80s. There was also a long wheel base version of the Sierra/Samurai.

[@matth9700]

I have one of these on my property down in Vic. It’s not in as good condition as yours Bruce, but I agreed they are a great vehicle for use on the property (especially with such a large tray), and they will go pretty much anywhere! Great little vehicle that I will never get rid of. Can I ask Bruce where you got most of f your parts from when you rebuilt the motor? Thanks, Matt!

[@bruceinaus]

Hi Matt, the internal parts like rings, bearings gaskets ect came from precision international in Melbourne. It was all good stuff, Hastings rings, Taiho Japanese bearings. The head came from ETP. A lot of external parts like water pump, engine mounts welsch plugs we just got from our local parts supplier. They are certainly a great Ute. Thanks for watching, Bruce

[@matth9700]

@@bruceinaus thanks Bruce! Look forward to watching your next video!!

[@StevenMilne-sm4fk]

No weight is key😎😎😎

[@flemoaus1610]

The Suzuki's are a great run about on the farm I have a 95 model just wondering which carby kit did you use I think mine could do with a freshen up cheers

[@bruceinaus]

Hi Flemo, it was the $41 one on eBay from India and it took about 3 weeks to get here. Not all of it fitted as I think the earlier ones have a slightly different Carby to ours but most of the main problem with mine was hard to start when cold and not a great idle even when hot. I could use enough stuff to fix it including getting out the tamper proof mixture jet I think it was and replaced it. Thanks for the comment, Bruce

[@flemoaus1610]

Thanks Bruce mine is hard to start cold also but runs well when warmed up@@bruceinaus

[@owebratland2175]

Hi, do you have too modify the Seats from Swift to samurai/jimny? Best regards Owe.

[@petermercer5968]

Could do with a wheel alignment, i don't understand why car manufacturers stop importing great cars. As we know, the cars that are imported into Australia are rubbish. Long live old Suzuki cars they are the best.

[@GMCGUY-]

I'm curious Bruce. Your biggest fan from Boston Massachusetts here GMC guy. How much horsepower do you think that engine cranks out like a Educated guess

[@bruceinaus]

Maybe about 70hp 😂

[@GMCGUY-]

@bruceinaus omg that's it lol 😆 but it does the job. HOW DID YOUR EYE SURGERY GO MATE?

[@benmcfarlane2959]

Said before and ill say it again, needs a turbo. Looking at you John

[@bruceinaus]

I’ll remind him Ben,😂 thanks for watching, Bruce

[@benmcfarlane2959]

@@bruceinaus if hes keen ill even help with the manifolds

[@shanesimmons1477]

Like my 1986 hilux fucken unstoppable ill never get rid of my old truck