My All Terrain 1835cc 4 Seater Dune Buggy Build

[rustler 007]

Some of you saw my last dune buggy I had. It was a 1641cc street legal, vw two seater. I fixed it up a good bit, drove it around, then decided I wanted a 4 seater buggy. Well I sold that buggy, and decided to build my own rail buggy.


I bought a 1970 Beetle for a parts car. Dissasembled the car, and took everything that I needed.(Transmission, Suspension, Steering, brakes, tons of other small parts)

2 weeks later I bought the frame up in NC. It was a 8 hour drive, one way. In NC I bought a good bit of new parts. (Steering rod, Seats ,Axle Boots ,Gas Tank etc)

The buggy is going to be street legal, and used as an around "town" car. But it will be setup, to be able to go out on the trails with my friends, and keep up/outperform their Jeeps,Isuzus, and Fj's. So it will have 31" tires all around, lifted suspension, and a bored out 1835cc VW engine.

Im taking the buggy this week to maaco, and they are going to paint the buggy copper head orange, with black "hood" bars, and tree bars(The side bars that protect the rear tire)

Now For Pictures
Sorry for the bad pics, it was around 10:30pm.
My Parts car









Start of sanding the front beam











Finished the beetle parts

I sanded, primed and painted all the parts.

[rustler 007]

The rail will be painted this color

The Frame







As it sits in the garage. The front beam isn't bolted up all the way, and its also not fully painted. The wheel isn't on either. It's just a gauge for my ride height. Im going to run tires that size.

[herrgab]

Keep the updates coming. I would love to do something like this. For right now I have to many projects ('57 Ford Panel, '72 Charger, '72 Beetle, Custom Chopper, all my RC cars and my house) and not enough time or money to do them all. But, it's looking good so far.

[Super Z]

Very impressive, there!

[cadmanslayer46]

Very cool, I always wanted one, a 4 seater is really a good idea......

[insanity]

I will be watching this!

[backyard basher]

I am a big vw guy and i must say i have always wanted a rail so i am a little jealous. Oh well maybe someday

[Basher 1]

Awesome. Is that a Berrien Buggy kit?

I built a Sand Rocket kit I found cheap. It was a rocket with a mild 350 SBC.

Keep up updated.

[rustler 007]

Thanks for all the replies.

Basher 1, it is an East Coast Sand Rail. I almost bought a berrien, but this buggy is a lot wider, taller,and longer. The pics make the buggy look smaller, but it is basically the size of a large 4 door sedan.

I was able to replace the axle boots. Its the messiest job I have ever done. Dropping a CV joint is like setting off a grenade LOADED with grease. Grease went EVERYWHERE. At least the rear end is runnable now.
Before the new boots


After new Boots

[flanders125]

who needs an rc buggy when you got the real deal! looks freaking awesome can't wait to see it when its done and painted

[Basher 1]

Thanks for all the replies.

Basher 1, it is an East Coast Sand Rail. I almost bought a berrien, but this buggy is a lot wider, taller,and longer. The pics make the buggy look smaller, but it is basically the size of a large 4 door sedan.

Very nice build. I looked at the Berrien buggies as well and they where just too small for me as well. Looking forward to this build. Great job so far.

[Kfarron1]

Very Cool, Keep them pics coming as you move along....


Thanks for sharing !

[ToXiC MeRv]

these things are a blast at the dunes...especially the long travel sand rails...my family has a 1000hp Long Travel Sand Rail and its so fun

[LS6454]

Tons of fun, cant wait to see it completed. Here is mine.

[Pedester']

Sweet I always wanted to make something like a sxs utv

[rustler 007]

Thanks for all the comments. I just placed an order for my rear bench seat and steering wheel. I'm taking the frame to the paint booth tomorrow morning.

LS6454
Nice buggy. I'm buying the same exhaust, but with a U-bend. How long did it take for your exhaust to start coloring? Im debating on buying a polished exhaust, or just painting one.

[LS6454]

Kind of like this ?


It will turn color depending on hot you get the motor. Being air cooled you defently want to jet the carbs to run rich. Eventually they will turn color. Just quicker if you run it to hot !!

[rustler 007]

haha, exactly like that. Im thinking of using a cylinder shaped motorcycle exhaust. Or a DC exhaust.

How loud is that muffler? How does it sound? Is it this one?
http://www.mooreparts.com/store/prod.../AC251130WMPC/


Thanks for the info

[LS6454]

Looks like the same one. Its pretty quiet actually. Thats why i had the stinger pipe to switch when i wanted some noise ! Huge difference in performance as well between the two.

[rustler 007]

Does the muffler give you more performance? I would assume so because of the added back pressure.

Thanks

[LS6454]

Stinger has more performance because there isn't any restrictions .

[rustler 007]

I rented a Uhaul and took the buggy up to MAACO. They quoted my at $659 for a paint job.
$300 for materials
$200 since I wanted a couple of black bars-it required masking
$200 for primer-It needed etching primer

Looks like ill be doing the painting my self. Well I'm about to start priming.

I also made a couple of dash board Ideas on google sketchup. This is what I think im going to go with. I added a compartment for phones, and other small items. The green circles are going to be the indicator lights. For blinkers, head lights, and idiot lights.

It will go in front of the shifter, between the two front seats

[flanders125]

good luck!

[31794ty]

For a QUALITY paint job that really isn't a bad price. Painting tubes is a lot harder than it looks. I would take it back up there and have them do it.

[rustler 007]

It was a very reasonable price, but that's just way to much. I can't afford to spend that much on paint. I mean, it is a dune buggy. 98% of them are spray painted with regular walmart spray bombs- around a $70 paint job. Compared to $670.

I etched it last night. When the weather gets a little better(less humidity) I'm going to NAPA to buy the paint color I want. Ill save about 300-400 dollars. The money I save, can basically buy the rest of my parts, minus the engine.

[SLASHPEDE]

looks good man keep it up!

[rustler 007]

Thanks slashpede. I will

The whole buggy developed a layer of very light surface rust. I was able to knock all the rust off with scotch pads. I degreased the buggy, then hit it with a couple coats of etching primer.

A little rust before the scotch pads


After Primer



While I was at NAPA getting more primer, there was a guy that offered to paint the buggy. He says he has 30+ years of experience. He came by and gave me an estimate, but is going to give me an exact price after he prices the paint(sometime today). If he wants too much, Ill just continue with my original plan, and paint it myself.

[streetdemon]

For almost 700 I wouldn't go to Maaco. If you end up doing it yourself, look at a Wagner power painter type of thing. They work great, you can pour the Napa paint in from the big containers (save money) and spray. WAY less overspray than your traditional sprayer and you don't need to worry about the airlines getting oil or water in them. Plus it will be WAY faster and easier than spray painting it with rattle cans, plus it will look better.

[Kitteh298]

Sweet.

From My Samsung Epic Using TapaTalk.

[rustler 007]

I made some major progress in the last two days. Yesterday I started painting the buggy a mettalic orange crush pearl. I taped off the tree bars and hood bars for a unique look. The color looks like a bronze in the shade, but a bright orange in sunlight.

After I was done painting, I installed the front beam, transmission, diamond plate floor and gas tank.







The pics were taken before the rear end was installed.

[rustler 007]

I went and picked up four UGLY VW 4 lugs. I was able to sand them down and paint them. They came out nice, but they are just hideous on the buggy. Once the buggy is running, I will buy a new set of nice wheels.

I was able to get one picture before the rain came out of no where. :shock:



Now she rolls.

[herrgab]

Looks like you're making really good progress and it looks awesome!

[rustler 007]

Thanks herrgab

Last night I made some L brackets for the seats, and bolted the seats in.

This morning I cut the second dash, put two hinges on it, and made it a phone/wallet holder. Then I bolted the two dashes together, and bolted them up to the dash bar.


Seats


Dash open


Dash closed

(wheels are only there to roll the buggy. Im buying new ones soon)
Rear end pic


Little brother wanted his electric go-cart in the picture.

[smoken]

looks good!

[rustler 007]

thanks smoken


I mounted the radio between the seats, for a hidden look. I never liked the idea of my dash bar setup design being centered around my radio on my last rail.

Installed the rear cage.

cut the steering shaft to the right length for driving comfortably. Now I can install my pedals, brakes then clutch cable.

painted the wheels with chrome spray paint. That way the rail looks a little better, and I can decide on what type of wheels I want. I'm deciding between modular 4 lugs and chrome dish wheels.

[SLASHPEDE]

keep the updates rolling in i cant wait to see this thing finished!

[1979chevy.]

Keep the updates coming man, great work awesome ride, just a dumb noob ? but are you going to but the bug body back on?.
Great job.



God answers prayer,pray,believe,never give up!!!

[rustler 007]

MMmmmm flat tire seems to be giving you trouble...............lol.....

Haha your right. Maybe all I need is a little bit of Fix A Flat to get me on the road.

[rustler 007]

Keep the updates coming man, great work awesome ride, just a dumb noob ? but are you going to but the bug body back on?.
Great job.

Slashpede, I most definitly will. I cant wait either.

Keep the updates coming man, great work awesome ride, just a dumb noob ? but are you going to but the bug body back on?.
Great job.



God answers prayer,pray,believe,never give up!!!

God answers prayer,pray,believe,never give up!!!

Im not going to put the bug body back on. Its not a noob question, actually a lot of people build a VW sand rail tubular frame to run a bug body. It gives the bug a lot more support, as well as safety

Kinda like these.




Im about to install the pedals right now.

[rustler 007]

I installed my hi-beam lights. The regular driving lights are going to go up front near the beam






I also installed tail lights