Project Suzushi (Japanese for "cool") is a totally owner-specified conversion, designed to provide a trail-worthy vehicle for western rock-crawling while still retaining roadability for everyday use. After all it?s my sole transportation! (At least it was until February 2000. I bought a 1989 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ-62 at that time, and now Suzushi gets flat-towed on long trips).

As I live at about 4800 feet in the San Bernardino Mountains of Southern California, I have to cope with winter weather as well as our more usual California sunshine. My ?commute? varies greatly as I?m self-employed with clients in mountains, desert and city. Regardless of which client I see, however, my trip home from work almost always includes a climb of nearly 4000 feet in only 12 miles. I?d gotten tired of chaining up my 10 year old 2WD Toyota pick-up (usually in the dark!) in order to pass the CHP checkpoints set up when it snows. Snowfall here varies from negligible to sometimes three feet of powder snow.

I originally bought a Samurai because of its excellent reputation amongst owners in the area in which I live. I believe there are likely more Samurais in this one mountain area than in any other single place in the world. People buy them because they don?t get stuck.

Once I had my Samurai, I started getting interested in this tough little vehicle. I didn't know it yet, but "Project Suzushi" was underway? Those of you who?ve read my ?bio? page know what happened next.

Most all of the modifications you see listed here have been owner purchased mods, bought because I believed the product was best suited to my needs. For products that are vendor evaluations, I?ll make a separate indication in the article. Modifications are listed in the order installed.

I'll be adding information on each of the modifications I make as time goes on, check back for more!

How to use this page

At the extreme top left of the page are links to the various Project Suzushi articles. Below them are links to Product Reviews, first of products I've installed myself, then of products that were installed by Petroworks Off-Road Products and finally any products installed by other vendors.

Immediately below, in the "Mods Completed" section, you'll find links to Tech Section articles regarding a given modification, or, if no Tech Section article exists, to the Project Suzushi page for the modification.

Mods Completed

Additional Mods Planned

• Optima^® battery (possible dual-battery system)
• Custom rebuilt rear interior panels for storage and better durability
• GPS
• Body armor

Long range plans

• Higher output powerplant

Thanks to my friend Nanette Toyoshima for naming this project