V8 VIT continued...
BARWORK
One look at the 43mm OD exo-barwork on this Vitara, and you can just tell Sam has been there and done that before. Yep, he has rolled his fair share of 4WDs, so full protection was paramount for both driver and passenger when building this rig. Starting from the chassis-mounted brackets, all the exo-tube work is either double tubed, gusseted, triangulated or, in some cases, a mixture of all three. As an extra precaution, a sheet of steel chequerplate graces the full width and length of the shortened roof to prevent in-car obtrusions from logs or rocks in the event of a rollover.
A front Stinger-style bullbar provides adequate protection as well as helping to carry the Warn 9500lb winch and steel cable. At the rear, a flat, high-mounted tube-frame tray, complete with steel chequerplate infill, is also incorporated into the roll cage to help provide a totally rigid steel framework.
As the rear shock mounts had been removed with the body and original chassis, an extra tube-frame crossmember was manufactured to mount the almost-vertical Pro Comp shocks. To help protect the rear-mounted radiator, the tube frame of the tray extends down and around both the core and twin thermofans.
BODY
If you’re gonna bastardise the engine bay, you may as well hack the living daylights out of the body, too - in a professional way, of course!
Weight-saving would be the main aim here, followed by the need for a tiny flat tray for better departure angles and to help provide a platform for the exo-roll cage. Also, nothin’ looks cooler than making a ute out of a wagon.
Again, Sam did it "just because he can".You may have seen similar double-stripped black and grey paintjobs around. Well, any vehicle that has one is more than likely to have been built at Sam’s Overkill shop. It has become a bit of a trademark for his comp vehicles and has the added advantage of being able to be touched up at any time to help hide minor war wounds.
The front plastic grille has been trimmed big-time to incorporate the Warn winch. It is a very tight fit, but Sam has trimmed the grille to perfection to follow the lines of the winch motor and external cases.
Front wheel arches have been given the angle-grinder treatment, followed by the addition of plastic wheel-arch flares to fit the massive (for a Vitara) 36in rubber. The 36x13.5x15in IROK Super Swampers are held onto steel 15x8in rims via OPW-supplied external slotted beadlocks.
BRIEFLY
VEHICLE: 1989 Suzuki Vitara
ENGINE: Range Rover 3.5L petrol
GEARBOX: Range Rover 4-speed automatic and transfer case
4WD ACTIVATION: Part-time, stationary engagement, manual-locking front hubs
SUSPENSION: Front and rear - 60 Series LandCruiser rigid axles, 3-link, coil springs, Pro Comp shocks
BRAKES: Front and rear discs
WHEELS: Steel, OPW beadlocks 15x8in
TYRES: IROK Super Swamper 36x13.5x15in
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