buggy considerations

[LT.]

Okay folks, I have been inspired to build a buggy. Reading about all the ones being built got me to thinking, why not? But, since I don't have a bender, notcher, or programs (yet) I am looking for some wisdom. I started thinking about a buggy because I have a little girl on the way. I started to think about safety for my little girl and then I thought to myself that the safest way would be to go with a buggy.

So, what do I need to know about a buggy? I know it will take twice as long as I think it should. I am going to pirate most of the parts off of the Beater so I have as little down time and less money spent. This idea came from Mr. Herzog. I have also gotten the idea that it will still cost twice as much as I think it should. What else am I missing? What engine would you use? Small block or big block? Transmissions, tubing material, T-case, wheelbase, anything you can think of? I am the Thomas Edison of rock crawling. What I mean is I don't know how to build a proper crawler but, I know a few ways not to build one.

Thanks for your time and ideas.

LT.

 

[Greg]

I hate to say this, but after building numerous rigs... have you considered buying one outright, that's ready to wheel? I realize it's hard to find exactly what you want and you'd need a chunk of cash up front, but you will be time & money ahead buy just buying one.

Knowing what I had into my TJ (and I built it as inexpensive as I could) and knowing what it sold for, is sickening.

For me, I justify building a rig because I can do a little at a time and spend the money as it comes in. There is a lot to be said for most of us that don't have the cash to buy something that's already done. Building a rig is fun, but it's a huge commitment and easy to get burned out on a project/money pit like that.

So my question is... what do you want? 4 seater? Which V8? Auto? T-case- Stak/Atlas, does it matter? One ton axles? What's your price range?

 

[CRAZYCJ8]

buy a well built trail rig, its a better investment...a street legal well built trail rig will always out sell a buggy.... you can drive it to the trail for quick trips, IT WILL GET MORE USE, and you dont have to have another rig to tow it.(even though you have one) You can build a cage to keep kiddies safe, and if built right, it will almost perform as well, unless you get up into the 30-50k range and beyond...ie king of the hammers type buggies...I have had both, and find my self wheeling the trail stuff more, besides, my mom can drive a buggy, does not take as much skill as a trail rig, and its the challange that make it fun! just my .02cents...but if your buggy set, know that it will cost twice as much as you stated, you will loose twice as much when it sells, cuz we all upgrade blah blah, but that still wont stop alot of us....so I would start with Ben Hanks Racing for Ideas, maybe consider a formula toy route

 

[skippy]

As far as a tow rig I think he is covered in that department he has a tow rig i would kill for

 

[sixstringsteve]

what's your driving style? Are you a "bigger is better, more power is better, pedal to the metal kind of guy?" or are you more of a "superlight, super nimble, super low gears" kind of guy? Not saying you can't have both, but that might help you with your decisions.

 

[04nachotaco]

Buy my chassis and frame and swap your drivetrain in... Finish it out with links or leafs and YOUR SET!

 

[UNSTUCK]

Have you looked into just buying chassis? Online you can pickup most 4 seater chassis in the $4000 range. Who knows what your local shop will do it for. But by the time you purchase the needed tools and tube, you're already in the neighborhood of $3000.

 

[STAG]

I agree with all the others, buy as much as you can as complete and finished as you can afford, and modify what you need to suit your likings. If you're lookin for somewhat of a truggy I'd go with what nachotaco has for sale.

 

[rockreligious]

yep, buy a already built rig, unless you just want the satisfaction of building something yourself and seeing if it works. I couldnt sell my buggy for 1/3 what I have spent on it, luckily for me I love it and enjoy fabricating stuff. If you want to build something I would recommend buying a prefabricated tube chassis, and another overbuilt trail rig(with dana 60's, atlas, fuel injected small block) and swap in the drivetrain and axles into the chassis, then you get the satisfaction of building something yourself, without having to go out and buy a ton of expensive drivetrain and everything to build the chassis i/e bender, welders, nothcher, torches, plazma and so on.

plus a prefabricated tube chassis will be safer than one that you build for yourself for the first time.

 

[LT.]

I like all the ideas. So, let me see if I can address some of the thoughts y'all have presented.
Yes, I have thought long and hard about just buying a well built trail vehicle. I think that the Beater is a good trail vehicle that is street legal and does get driven on the streets but, it has limitations I will address later.
My driving style, that is a good thought. When I am in the rocks I tend to try crawling everything first. If that does not work then I apply the throttle until either I make it up, break, or I am just out of my league. I do love the sound of horse power and love to build motors. I used to be in the mud racing points series here in New Mexico. But, over all I guess I would describe my driving habits as progressive. I hope that makes sense.
I have looked serious into buying a chassis. Right now I am really looking hard at the Bruiser 5 chassis from American Rock Rods. The chassis is built with the idea of a dual purpose buggy. Here in NM it would be street legal.
The reasons I am looking at a buggy are numerous. First, is safety. Second, is I would like to do some custom touches and I would like to build something more than I already have. Third, I am sick and tired of working off of a factory frame that has so many restrictions. Poor carbon content, width, and open channel. The Ramcharger frame has all these poor qualities.
Yep, I have even thought about back halfing the Beater and building my own frame but, then I would have to purchase the tools. If I am going to do that then why not build my own frame? I am leaning towards purchasing a built frame and working off of that. I think it would be a happy medium.
Any other thoughts?

LT.

 

[Kiel]

Has anybody said buy a already built rig. I would never build another rig from scratch

 

[Herzog]

Has anybody said buy a already built rig. I would never build another rig from scratch

I would because I'm too picky.

 

[Bart]

I'm with the others that recommend buying something already built. You will save time and lots of money. If you are going to use the parts from "The Beater", and trash the rest you might consider talking to Kyle (built my last buggy and back halfed Goats TJ. He dove tailed a Ram Charger front and rear and that thing flat out works. He could fix anything wrong with your suspension also.

 

[LT.]

Let me see if I can address the other thoughts as well. Yep, someone already had said to buy an already built rig. Problem is I already have that.

I have thought a bit about doing a dove tail job on the front and on the rear and I also thought about doing some boat sides as well. Not a bad idea either. I talked myself out of it because I would still have that miserable factory frame to deal with. The rails are so wide that I had to use spacers on the axle to get the tires far enough away to clear the coil over shocks. I have yet to have a run that I did not break more than one stud. I even broke my left thumb fixing them at last years EJS. If I could look past the width then I still have the carbon content in the factory frame to contend with. I tore a 3" gash in the factory frame up front where I had already had it boxed. The other issue I am fighting is the seating arrangement. Because the seats sit up right and off the floor a good ways this makes the roof higher than I like. I think I am at about 7' 6" now. I would really like to get it around 6' 6" or so.

Things are still up in the air and I really like to hear everyone opinion. This does give me things to think about. I spent all day at the shop yesterday and today going over every possibility that everyone has given me. I think I am leaning towards a built chassis now. Is there anything I may have missed?

LT.

 

[rockreligious]

like I said, I would buy a built Chassis, then buy another built rig as a drivetrain donor...60's, atlas, motor trans etc, its cheaper to buy someones unfinished project to get good components than it is to buy them all seperatly then have to buy lockers and gears and stuff.

 

[LT.]

like I said, I would buy a built Chassis, then buy another built rig as a drivetrain donor...60's, atlas, motor trans etc, its cheaper to buy someones unfinished project to get good components than it is to buy them all seperatly then have to buy lockers and gears and stuff.

That is the route I am looking into now. Another member just sent me a PM and I am looking into that exact thing. We will see.

LT.

 

[Taco4life]

What Chassis's are you looking at?

 

[wallysheata]

like I said, I would buy a built Chassis, then buy another built rig as a drivetrain donor...60's, atlas, motor trans etc, its cheaper to buy someones unfinished project to get good components than it is to buy them all seperatly then have to buy lockers and gears and stuff.

THIS MAN SPEAKS THE TRUTH!!!! I will NEVER build another chassis again, i bought a built TJ and turned it into a buggy, took me a year straight with no job to make it happen, all these people building buggies for the first time with a full time job have no clue what they're up against, more than half end up parting out their projects after years of never completing it.....as a friend once said...life gets in the way :greg:

 

[STAG]

Last year my brother bought a built '87 blazer with kingpin 60 front, D70 rear, atlas2 transfer case, tbi350 out of a 94 chev, and TH400 trans all for $6500, bought a '73 FJ40 body and frame for $1500, ripped the drivetrain out of the blazer and had it all put in the FJ in 4 months, only working on it after 12 hour days of work. And here I am 2 years into my "start from scratch" build and I'm still not done.

my brother's FJ40

 

[LT.]

What Chassis's are you looking at?

A member is going to send me some photos when they get the chance. I don't have any details right now. I was almost set on a Bruiser 5 chassis from American Rock Rods but, I am open for ideas.

As of now I have a Chevy 454, dual T-cases (203 & 205), Dana 60 with 5.13's and a detroit, Corp 14 B FF with 5.13's and a spool, both axles are already set up for four links, 42" Pitbull Rockers, bead locked wheels, coil over shocks with springs, all the four link joints, jam nuts, tube inserts, and material, and a line on a wrecked Blazer with the tranny and adapter I need. I also have drive shafts that may need to be lengthened or shortened and all are 1350 joints. I think I have all the expensive parts. All that would be left is the chassis, and all the little nickel and dime parts that will add up quickly. I also have four bays in the shop with a two post lift or a 4 post lift when I am ready.

LT.