It’s hard to find someone that doesn’t like a Suzuki Samurai. Okay, so some folks might not like the stock ones much, but everyone can appreciate these little beasts when they are turned up like a proper off-road machine. While the Samurai can trace it’s roots to the 1968 model year, the actual Samurai we know and love came to the US in 1985 as a 1986 model and was the first 4-wheeled vehicle sold in the States by Suzuki. It was like a Jeep, only smaller, and because of their little size they were pretty capable.

If you’ve been around off-roading at all since then you know that they have a pretty strong following even if they are getting harder and harder to find. But like all things good, off-roaders have been making them better and there have been tons of engine and drivetrain swaps over the years, plus a jillion different suspension mods.

So what do you put together as far as parts and pieces if you are going to build the “Ultimate Samurai”? If you are Dirt Lifestyle, you are going to do it with portal axles and lots of other goodness.

Thankfully we get to watch the whole thing go together, starting with Episode One, below.

Video Description:

I want to turn the Suzuki Samurai from Xtreme 4×4 into a lightweight buggy that dominates everything! I think the best way to get started is with a set of Unimog Portal axles and some 39″ BFG red labels. This little zuk is going to be wild! In today’s episode we are going to pull most of the drivetrain and slide the new axles into place. Then I want to cover a bunch of things to consider if you want to build a set of Unimog axles. Enjoy the video! Next week I want to get started on the new suspension!