Bozuki

Bozuki – Introduction

In many of our projects we work with equipment and vehicles that already have a full life behind them. Bozuki is no exception. Instead of a shiny new show car where the main ingredients are a budget and a catalogue, we deliberately choose an older, used Suzuki that already shows traces of use, repairs and sometimes half-finished “solutions”. That gives us room to calmly explain, step by step, what we do, why we decide to change something or not, and what the consequences are for safety, reliability and everyday use.

The name “Bozuki” is a portmanteau of Bōsōzoku and Suzuki. We find it interesting how a very outspoken Japanese subculture around cars, styling and sound relates to a small, practical city car that in the Netherlands is mostly known for being frugal and modest. Bozuki will not become a literal copy of a Japanese scene car, but a project in which we combine elements of that style – geometric shapes, distinctive lighting, pronounced lines – with European regulations, Dutch MOT (APK) requirements and the practical reality of a daily car.

What exactly is Bozuki?

Bozuki is a project car and at the same time a mobile classroom. The basis is an older Suzuki hatchback with simple technology, few electronic driver aids and a body that can still be repaired with conventional sheet metal, MIG welding and hand tools. On that basis we build further:

• The exterior will be modified step by step with self-designed bumpers, panels and lighting.
• The electrical installation will be partly overhauled and partly extended with modern LED lighting, extra measurement points and sensors.
• The interior will be used as a test bed for installing our own instrumentation, switch panels and later possibly a custom dashboard.

It is important that Bozuki stays drivable and that the modifications remain within the limits of the law and the periodic roadworthiness test (APK). A car that only goes to shows on a trailer can be technically interesting, but tells us little about how modifications behave on bad road surfaces, in the rain or after a few years of daily use. We specifically want to show what happens if you convert a car step by step with care, but also with limited means.

Why this particular car?

A compact Suzuki has a number of advantages for a project like this. It is a relatively light car with a straightforward construction, many used parts are still reasonably affordable and there is little “hidden” technology that requires special dealer equipment. For participants in our workshop or readers of our articles, that lowers the barrier: much of what we show is transferable to similar older cars in the same class.

A small hatchback is also a conscious choice from a safety and logistics point of view. The car fits in our workshop, on the lift and in most standard parking spaces. Moving the car between different locations of the foundation is feasible without special transport. This may sound trivial, but in practice it helps decide whether a project can continue for years without the car turning into a burden.

Topics and learning goals

Around Bozuki we want to work out multiple themes. Not as isolated tricks or a list of “tips and hacks”, but as a coherent whole in which we also show failures, detours and redesigns.

Some of these themes are:

• Diagnostics and basic repairs

  What is wrong with a car that has been on the road for many years? How do you recognise earlier repairs, emergency fixes and neglect? Which measurements can you perform with simple tools, and when is it wise to take a step back and first get the basics in order?

• Electronics and lighting

  How do you add extra lighting and electronics without it turning into a messy bundle? How do you arrange fuses, cable thicknesses, ground points and connectors in such a way that they do not cause problems at the first rain shower or speed bump?

• Bodywork and design

  What is involved in removing rust, welding in panels and making custom parts that do stay attached at 120 km/h? How far can you go with sharp edges, protruding parts and striking shapes within the limits of what is legally allowed on public roads?

• Regulations and reality

  An idea can look good on paper, but sometimes it simply is not allowed on the street or does not pass the Dutch MOT (APK). We also want to show how you adjust design choices so the car remains legal, and what the consequences are if you do not.

• Documenting and sharing

  As with other projects within the foundation we try to document our steps as well as possible: photos, schematics, measurement values and considerations. Not to write a “perfect manual”, but to make the thought process visible.

What you can expect on this site

This website is the starting point for anyone who wants to follow Bozuki. Instead of a ready-made brochure, you will mainly find a growth process here. Over time, you can expect:

• Articles in which we work out specific subprojects (for example a new bumper, modifying the lighting, solving an electrical fault).
• Photo series of the build, including detail photos of welds, wiring looms and mounting points.
• Where possible, schematics, 3D models and sketches that others can use as inspiration or as a starting point for their own projects.
• References to videos in which we show certain steps, including what can go wrong and how we resolve that.

We start with small, manageable steps. Only when a sub-area has been sufficiently thought through and tested do we build further on it. This prevents us from creating a stack of half-finished modifications that get in each other’s way.

Bozuki within the foundation

Bozuki is a project of Stichting IRADIS / ASK-Solutions and fits within our broader mission: making repair normal, sharing knowledge and showing that technology does not have to be a black box. The car will alternately be found in our workshop and at other locations of the foundation, for example during workshops where we work together with visitors on bodywork, electrics or interior.

We are not a brand dealership, not a tuning company and not an influencer channel with a hidden budget. The project runs on time, tools and materials that we choose carefully and reuse as much as possible. That sometimes means it progresses more slowly than we would like, but it also makes the project more honest and recognisable for anyone who wants to build something functional and attractive with limited means.

If you would like to support Bozuki or the other projects of the foundation, that is of course welcome. The main goal of this site, however, is that you can look over our shoulder, think along and – if you want – apply part of what you see here to your own car, bicycle, equipment or workshop. If that works, the project is already a success for us, even if the paint is not yet perfectly shiny.