[Liverpool]

Hi guys, I recently got my hands on an immaculately maintained SS80 DX, Nov 1985 registered. The car has genuinely covered just shy of 70000 KMS. Obviously, she ( I prefer to call her Debris meaning survivor) needs a bit of service. most of the parts are stock.

For your viewing pleasure attaching few pics.

[Neur0t0xin]

Originally Posted by Liverpool

Hi guys, I recently got my hands on an immaculately maintained SS80 DX, Nov 1985 registered. The car has genuinely covered just shy of 70000 KMS

For your viewing pleasure attaching few pics.

Just wow!
That looks like an almost brand new car.
It is indeed a great acquisition.
Congratulations

[SkamBooka]

Originally Posted by ByDesign

It's the first time I've gone to them. It's called Pioneer Garage in Shivaji Nagar. I can share the owner's number if you'd like. Third generation family run garage is what I'm told. They restore vintage cars. I'll have a lot more details of their work when I actually travel to Bangalore from Hyderabad to go pick my car up. I'm hoping it'll inspire enough confidence for me to do the 600 km back in it


I think this is the car in the video here: https://www.Youtube.com/watch?v=c4veHR-m7A0&t

Hi, long time lurker, first time poster. Trying to get my 1985 ss80 back in shape. I'm looking for a good mechanic and a body work place.. unfortunately the rusting on my car is severe..but luckily the engine is good, but needs a service, @bydesign could you please hook me up with pioneer garage's phone number... After reading about your blr-hyd trip, I think this is the garage I need to go to.. thnx in advance!

[rr_zen]

Came across this article on the internet today. Glad to note that the first Maruti ever made in India has been brilliantly restored and put on display at the Maruti Suzuki headquarters in Haryana.

https://www.businesstoday.in/latest/...554-2022-08-25

[ByDesign]

Originally Posted by Liverpool

Hi guys, I recently got my hands on an immaculately maintained SS80 DX, Nov 1985 registered. The car has genuinely covered just shy of 70000 KMS. Obviously, she ( I prefer to call her Debris meaning survivor) needs a bit of service. most of the parts are stock.

That's a brilliant find. Congratulations and hope you have a good time with the car!

Originally Posted by SkamBooka

Hi, long time lurker, first time poster. Trying to get my 1985 ss80 back in shape. I'm looking for a good mechanic and a body work place.. unfortunately the rusting on my car is severe..but luckily the engine is good, but needs a service, @bydesign could you please hook me up with pioneer garage's phone number... After reading about your blr-hyd trip, I think this is the garage I need to go to.. thnx in advance!

Pioneer garage - 98804 55760 (see if this number works)

[Liverpool]

Originally Posted by ByDesign

That's a brilliant find. Congratulations and hope you have a good time with the car!

Hello !!! thanks a ton. The car is at my FNG for regular service. I am looking forward to driving her soon.

Keep revvin' !!

[Speedrider75]

Originally Posted by Liverpool

Hi guys, I recently got my hands on an immaculately maintained SS80 DX, Nov 1985 registered.

Wow, this car looks to be in great condition. Congratulations and happy times ahead.

[Speedrider75]

Originally Posted by ajay99

Better not to do a total strip if it is still having original factory paint.
RHS mirror- very difficult to source the original one
Hubcaps are available. So are the original black door pads(not SGP but made in delhi).Most mechanical parts are available except a few like Front shock absorbers

Dear Ajay99,

Would you know where I can source a) a complete Mikuni carburetor gasket kit and b) Front strut bushings (they see to be different from the SB308's) for my SS80.

Any help would be appreciated.

Also, my car's Carb doesn't seem to have the 'rich coasting assembly" on the front of its Mikuni carb. The later SB308 carbs had it - did all SS80's come without it ?

[ajay99]

Originally Posted by Speedrider75

Dear Ajay99,

Would you know where I can source a) a complete Mikuni carburetor gasket kit and b) Front strut bushings (they see to be different from the SB308's) for my SS80.
Also, my car's Carb doesn't seem to have the 'rich coasting assembly" on the front of its Mikuni carb. The later SB308 carbs had it - did all SS80's come without it ?

.Mikuni carburetor gasket kit and shock absorber mounting kitmay be available with one Rajesh in Erode(He is on many social media selling SS80 oem spares.After market gasket KEYSTER Make may be avaiable in bangalore also.
The SB308 Mikuni carburretor has some minor differences with the SS80 one but both are interchangeable

[Speedrider75]

Hallo All,

We bought this 1984 SS80 about a year back. My Dad and I have been painstakingly working on restoring it to as close to original as possible. Happy to share our experience with car so far.

The car is an original 30k km only run car and was in pretty good shape when we bought it with almost no rust and many originals intact (seat covers, headlamps, tail lamps, side view mirror, original floor carpets, tyre jack kit inside bonnet, door beadings, door cards, etc). We managed to source some of the missing original parts - headrests, SS80 ac vent, dicky strut mounting knob etc and replaced some of the essentials - Coil with ballast resistor, distributor cap (Japanese Century make), spark plugs, rear glass strut, new wheels and tubeless radial tyres, rear seat locks, chrome hubcaps, wipers etc. Plus many other small things like getting the air blower and wiper motor sprayer working again, securing door pads clips and all floor carpet locks, multiple plugs and grommets around the car.

One issue we faced again and again was the engine sometimes shutting down after running a few kms and missing while accelerating. Change of coil and distributor cap and a Carb tuning - air and fuel mixture screw adjustments and cleaning with multiple sprays of a carburetor cleaner over many days has mostly solved these problems. The car starts with a 'half self' now and has absolutely no missing or hesitation 99% of of time at any speed. My Dad and I have done a mini PhD on these Suzuki carbs by now . The last 1% will require a full carb cleaning and servicing, which we will look at a bit later.

The car itself is a total joy to drive - amazing acceleration with the long stroke F8B engine, totally 'analogue' and a whole lot of fun to drive.

As it stands now, the only thing the car is missing is the roof gutter beading (which seems impossible to find) and almost everything else seems to be in place. The car needs a replacement of Clutch/Pressure plate, Rear shocks and engine mountings, and we have sourced the same. Will have them replaced as we get time over the next couple of months. After these, there will hopefully be no more major work needed on the car.

Attaching a few pics and will post some of the interiors soon.

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by Speedrider75

Hallo All,

As it stands now, the only thing the car is missing is the roof gutter beading (which seems impossible to find) and almost everything else seems to be in place.
Attaching a few pics and will post some of the interiors soon.

How nice! A really lovely car. And a testament to yours and your Dads excellent efforts in keeping this car on the road. Well Done!

Indeed it is impossible or near impossible to find that original or replacement beading for the rain channels.
It was hard to find even in the mid-late 1990’s when I was looking for replacements because my left side one had cracked. Since I didnt find this I used super glue and fixed the old one. I can only imagine it will be harder still to find now in 2023.

One thing I dont know if it will work - what if you write to Suzuki Motor Corp themselves in Japan and ask?
Also, I read that the Maruti HQ chaps had bought back and fully restored the first ever Maruti 800 sold in India and are keeping it as a museum piece in their HQ. If they actually restored it to 100% factory spec then they must be able to source these rain channel beadings from somewhere, probably their global HQ.
It may be worth writing to their Marketing Chief about this and asking for help along with some photos of your lovely car.

[salilpawar1]

Originally Posted by Speedrider75

Hallo All,

We bought this 1984 SS80 about a year back. My Dad and I have been painstakingly working on restoring it to as close to original as possible. Happy to share our experience with car so far.

-- SNIP --

As it stands now, the only thing the car is missing is the roof gutter beading (which seems impossible to find) and almost everything else seems to be in place. The car needs a replacement of Clutch/Pressure plate, Rear shocks and engine mountings, and we have sourced the same. Will have them replaced as we get time over the next couple of months. After these, there will hopefully be no more major work needed on the car.

Attaching a few pics and will post some of the interiors soon.

As a workaround, you can fit an aftermarket plastochrome beading strip on the rain gutter. It looks like the OE metal strip. Only catch is that it will come off after a few days if not fitted properly.

https://www.amazon.in/Mizzeo-Window-.../dp/B07MGNM1VN

[Speedrider75]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

How nice! A really lovely car. And a testament to yours and your Dads excellent efforts in keeping this car on the road. Well Done!

Indeed it is impossible or near impossible to find that original or replacement beading for the rain channels.
It was hard to find even in the mid-late 1990’s when I was looking for replacements because my left side one had cracked. Since I didnt find this I used super glue and fixed the old one. I can only imagine it will be harder still to find now in 2023.

One thing I dont know if it will work - what if you write to Suzuki Motor Corp themselves in Japan and ask?
Also, I read that the Maruti HQ chaps had bought back and fully restored the first ever Maruti 800 sold in India and are keeping it as a museum piece in their HQ. If they actually restored it to 100% factory spec then they must be able to source these rain channel beadings from somewhere, probably their global HQ.
It may be worth writing to their Marketing Chief about this and asking for help along with some photos of your lovely car.

Thanks Shankar. Surprisingly, the restored DIA6479 isnt to full 100% factory spec - infact it also seems to be missing these roof beadings

Originally Posted by salilpawar1

As a workaround, you can fit an aftermarket plastochrome beading strip on the rain gutter. It looks like the OE metal strip. Only catch is that it will come off after a few days if not fitted properly.

https://www.amazon.in/Mizzeo-Window-.../dp/B07MGNM1VN

Hmm.. in the absence of anything else, this does look like a good idea. Let me give it a shot and see how it works. Thanks a ton

[tc89]

Wow Congratulations to you and your dad on a splendid job done ! I'm sure this one is packed with memories !!
This is a beautiful thing, was stuff of dreams back then !

[Speedrider75]

Originally Posted by Speedrider75

Attaching a few pics and will post some of the interiors soon.

Attaching some more exterior/interior photos:


Exterior :
Note original side view mirror;
Original Suzuki Windows glasses & rear windscreen; Front windscreen had already been replaced with an aftermarket one;
Original Tokai Denso rear lights; Original front sealed beams have been upgraded with new lights for safer driving at night (originals safely stored)
Rear windscreen strut wasnt working - had it replaced with a MGP one;
Front/rear windscreen polishing done to remove/reduce micro surface scratches;
The ugly red/blue strip on the rear has to be painted over (another project for later);









Dashboard & Steering in excellent condition, hardly any wear. Car also has original floor carpets in great condition (hidden under then aftermarket carpet mats visible in the photo); All electricals work perfectly, except the left door interior light switch and left fender indicator light (we'll get it fixed during the next mechanic visit)




Genuine 30k kms on the clock:




Stereo cutout covered with a similar Gypsy part




Original Front & Rear seat Covers - no tears or scratches at all. Car didn't have headrests - but we found original used ones in excellent condition; Was missing the RHS rear seat lock - found one and replaced it







Original Door pads and Dicky mats









Car is due for some mechanical work - will post some more pictures after that is done and car is cleaned up properly