Project dune buggy

[Zcarnut]

Some of you may already know im putting this thing together.

[Zcarnut]

It started off like this...

[JWC]

Dang that looks good.  I almost wish I had bought a dune buggy instead of the 'vert.  Would have been great  to cruise around in.

I was looking at the photos posted in the other thread at work and everyone that walked by commented on how good this project looks. 

Good job.

[Zcarnut]

Thanks.Im anxious to get it done.Im about a month behind my original completion date (late May).I think I have a good shot of finishing (or near enough to drive) before the 4th of July.Little stuff like the rear seat might not make the cut,but thats cosmetic.
So long as I dont hit anymore snags I should be OK.Anything that requires a fabrication slows it all down.
Got lucky last night though.Found a "universal under dash radio mounting kit" at a local stereo shop.
Mounted it below my speedo dead center and it looks great.I was already putting in the guages/switches so I wanted to get all that knocked out at once.
That saved me 3 hours of scrounging together a enclousure.

At least you can drive your vert year round! But I love the buggies.

[giant_mtb]

Sweet!  Those buggies are awesome!

Is it VW powered? 

[Secret Chimp]

Doesn't look like it's anything-powered right now.
Slide a bike crank on that transmission shaft and it could be people-powered :P

[giant_mtb]

Ah, I guess I should re-phrase my question, then...

Will it be VW powered? 

[Soup DeVille]

Ah, I guess I should re-phrase my question, then...

Will it be VW powered??

That's a VW transaxles under there, so maybe.

But, you can hook just about anything up to one of those. Corvair, Pinto, and subaru engines are popular as well.

[the Teuton]

That's a VW transaxles under there, so maybe.

But, you can hook just about anything up to one of those. Corvair, Pinto, and subaru engines are popular as well.

I have one (that doesn't quite work, but I digress) that I'd be willing to sell for next to nothing (relatively speaking).

[Zcarnut]

The engine is on the floor under a green tarp just to the right of that fridge.
Yes its VW powered (1600 Dual Port,Weber Progressive carb,Petronix ignition,and headers).
I'd love to run somthing else more modern,but that poses some problems:

1) Have to put a radiator in it.That means somthing ugly hanging off the side of the engine or kiss the backseat area goodbye.Havent seen too many fiberglass buggies with a good looking liquid cooled engine (AND a back seat still)

2) A VW engine looks pretty damn cool (IMO) dressed out and theres plenty of toys out there to do it economically.

3) A VW engine is simple and easy to fix.15 minutes and its hanging off the back...or dropped if you need to do somthing semi major.Parts are reasonable and you can get some ponies out of them relatively cheap.

4) Could go Corvair..But I dont have one!

60-65HP will motivate it well (1300lbs).Eventually I want somthing with around 90HP.

[Zcarnut]

Well im hoping July 3rd is my lucky day.Engine in and first drive tommorow.

[Soup DeVille]

Godspeed and fahrvergnugen!

[Raghavan]

Good luck!
What trans is in it?

[Soup DeVille]

Good luck!
What trans is in it?

It's your standard VW 4-speed I believe. I don't think that's a Bus tranny, is it Z?

[Raza]

Oh that's pretty.  Can I have it?

[etypeJohn]

Nice Job.? Needs some Crager SS mags though.?

[Secret Chimp]

Nice Job.  Needs some Crager SS mags though. 

Those things belong on old Dodge Ram shaggin' wagons and nothing else :P

[etypeJohn]

Those things belong on old Dodge Ram shaggin' wagons and nothing else :P

Wrong.   They are from the appropriate period for the vehicle. 

[Zcarnut]

Johns right.My father in law has those same wheels on his Buggy and they look great.I prefer not to run wheel adaptors,but those are on my short list. I actually ran Cragers on my old Manx buggy.
These wheels are temporary untill I find some that tickle my fancy. Dont look bad though with orange IMO though...And I got this set of new wheels with the body as a "bonus".
The trans is a 71'-79' "late model" IRS from a standard/Super Beetle.
Havent checked the stampings on it to ID the exact year.

Engines in now BTW.Gotta bleed the brakes,run the throttle cable,and make a trip for gas...
Might have her running later tonight!

[Zcarnut]

Heres a pic of one with Cragers....

[Zcarnut]

Well..Ive had it running for a little over a week now.Other than a few "bugs" its been doing fine.

[etypeJohn]

Well..Ive had it running for a little over a week now.Other than a few "bugs" its been doing fine.
[

Nice, very nice.  Needs Cragers though.  How do you think it would look with the wheels on it now painted body color?  Or black?  Or maybe even chromed.

[Zcarnut]

I almost painted the rims orange too when we did the body/engine.But thought it may have been too much.
The white shocks and raised letter tires help balance it out IMO .Have to flip the front tires around..They match the rears and I bet it would look ALOT better.
Dont care for black rims on anything.They make a car look like the hubcaps are missing or somthing!
Chrome or polished aluminum is a definate. Got a friend that wants these wheels and is looking to do a swap.
Im not sold on the offset these rear rims have anyway.I want somthing tucked in more.
I see Cragers in my future unless he offers me somthing that I find equally appealing.

Car sure does move out to be a basically stock 1600! Catches second easily and hits 70 no sweat.

[etypeJohn]

I almost painted the rims orange too when we did the body/engine.But thought it may have been too much.
The white shocks and raised letter tires help balance it out IMO .Have to flip the front tires around..They match the rears and I bet it would look ALOT better.
Dont care for black rims on anything.They make a car look like the hubcaps are missing or somthing!
Chrome or polished aluminum is a definate. Got a friend that wants these wheels and is looking to do a swap.
Im not sold on the offset these rear rims have anyway.I want somthing tucked in more.
I see Cragers in my future unless he offers me somthing that I find equally appealing.

Car sure does move out to be a basically stock 1600! Catches second easily and hits 70 no sweat.

I'll bet it does jump off the line.  What's the weight?  About 1300# '

These are also period and might look good. 




and last but not least (just kidding)   .

[Eye of the Tiger]

OMG NOT THE TEDDY BEAR WHEELZ, I THOUGHT THOSE HAD FINALLYL FADED FROM EXISTeNTCE 
better than daisies at least

[Zcarnut]

Yeah thats a good looking wheel too.Very similar to the style my friends 07' Mustang GT has (which is a retro design itself)
I prefer the Classic Cragers though!

Now those Bear wheels are "HOT"! I might have to get those! (I thought they were discontinued too)

What surprised me about the engine John is its basically the same setup my street legal sandrail had engine/tranny/ratios.About the same weight too but I was running 31 10 50's in the rear which were lighter but taller (by about 3 inches)
Guess that made the gearing quite a bit taller.

[SVT_Power]

I saw one of those in traffic the other day

[Zcarnut]

I saw a set of those about 3 years ago on a New Beetle.

[SVT_Power]

i didn't mean the wheels. I meant the dune buggy thing. Looks just like yours except bright yellow

[etypeJohn]

Yeah thats a good looking wheel too.Very similar to the style my friends 07' Mustang GT has (which is a retro design itself)
I prefer the Classic Cragers though!

Now those Bear wheels are "HOT"! I might have to get those! (I thought they were discontinued too)

What surprised me about the engine John is its basically the same setup my street legal sandrail had engine/tranny/ratios.About the same weight too but I was running 31 10 50's in the rear which were lighter but taller (by about 3 inches)
Guess that made the gearing quite a bit taller.

I thnk the bear wheels were discontinued some years ago.  That pic was from a sale of four on ebay.