Dune Buggy build

I would love to follow the Dune buggy build Alan. Post away!

Interest?  Nah.  There won't be the slightest interest, Alan...

Seriously, this site just keeps on giving and giving.  New adventures that the rest of us can follow just pop up on a regular basis.

Get started today, will you, Alan.  

Cool, build on.

Can you do a baja bug or sand rail next? I've always wanted one or the other.

@Carlos G     I can build most anything......just send cash :~)

I'd love to see what you do with it, Alan.

Chassis mods here, engine mods there, Upholstery done by the guy down the street and paint by the guy back near Chambersburg.......

Sounds like Dr. Clock's Speedster Emporium has gone the route of those big "Corporations" and is now outsourcing to keep costs down and maintain the schedule (and cash flow).

And we all thought he went to West Virginia to, ahem......., retire.

Do you have the buggy body already or is that about to materialize?

Surrounding Chambersburg PA I did have great people;  machinist, paint guys upholstery place for odds and ends too. Here in WV nothing not so. 7 hours up and back yesterday to Bug Stuff in PA for the chassis mods. For what I pay to have the shortening done in a jig,  it's well worth it . I am still deciding on where to source the right style body I have two in mind  One is used body in primer 3 hours from here for $650 . But a block sand repaint isn't cheap anymore and that's a lot of traveling to drop off and pick up from paint . The other option is a new Berrien body w/ color choice of gel coat for $1, 800 that's in Harrisburg area of PA another long day up and back. My hold up on body color for a couple of days is I am trying to contact a guy in PA.  that has been looking to have a buggy built, this I could do.  This morning I did clean, rebuilt and paint the carb....

“Paint the carb”?

Must be that special “no-clog” paint.

Stan Galat posted:

“Paint the carb”?

" Eastwood "  … carb housing paint

Gordon Nichols posted:

Must be that special “no-clog” paint.

Attention to the smallest details is what makes the sale ~

https://www.eastwood.com/carb-...16c7859fb05dd0c14b9b

Sounds like the new body is a no brainer to me. The cost appears to be close but you wouldn't need to wait as long to finish the project.

Hey Alan you might a start youtube channel and monetize your videos and builds ... provide a link on the list for us to follow 

just saying

Cleaned and rebuilt a VW steering column, pedal assembly. Changed the oil in the transmission and painted it also did the signal switch and other misc . parts. Engine is 2/3rds of the way back together waiting on a chrome 75 amp alternator kit due here on Monday.   On yet another side note,  we have been looking for a first car for our granddaughter,  found an easy fixer upper with high miles a 2011 Chevy Cruze for just $2,200 it's actually in good mechanical condition has some minor dings, came with service records but recently had a light hit with a deer so I'll be replacing the hood and right headlight ( entire front nose i.e. bumper cover and grills to access the headlight, then a professional interior clean up and she'll be good to go.  It had dark " Ghetto" window tint all the way around. Last night I was able to get it all off the glass in large sheets so that wasn't all that bad . The fun part was this morning …we spent about 4 hours  getting the remaining glue off the glass, a slow process with Windex and a long handled straight edge scraper. ………..  Another week or so and the shortened chassis and dune buggy body will be ready for me to pick up. 

Well, I drove home from Cape Cod in early Friday morning traffic (it was all going the other way from us) so I figure I worked just as hard as you.   

Getting into/out of that infamous Cape Cod Rotary traffic is High Anxiety!  The backup from I-495 going into the rotary/onto the Cape was about 3 miles long at 10am.

'Course, we were going t'other way so we wisked right through, but I had to look at all those other cars, yah know?

Street buggy or Dune? Need some dual Kadrons?

Street buggy ....it's a newly built 1690 single port , with  the stock carb the engine will have plenty of lower end torque. 

Engine is done, waiting on the Berrien gunmetal  flake body and side pods.

Metal Flake body?

Sounds downright 1960’s to me!

You gonna get some of those big 60’s stick-on flowers 🌺  too?

60's ?  Far from it... Gunmetal flake 245 45 17's on the back, seats either GM torch red or the black new set I have here now.   I almost went with building a replica of Bruce Meyer's first buggy , even found a Meyers 1 body that is as new but decided to go with a more updated look . The black one I did a number of years ago.

Hey.....What are the front directional lights from?

Gordon Nichols posted:

Hey.....What are the front directional lights from?

BMW 3 series side markers (directional) I just picked up a set of " smoke one's with LEDS that are super bright. Got the body today will post photo in the sunlight of the amazing metal flake tomorrow.

A few weeks have passed since the last update.  I picked up the Berrien body at ACME in PA. , side pods  and the  shortened chassis.  Chassis is now fully assembled with beam, brakes, shocks, lines and hoses less the engine but ready to install that by the weekend.  Body has all lights , dash gauge holes cut in, fuel tank and bonded a polished aluminum neck. As of tomorrow morning it starts to actually go together and become one. A few pics to follow after the coming weekend.    

Alan heres a buggy i built a couple years ago this is the build thread on the samba 

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/fo...ghlight=budget+buggy

Earl.. What a stellar build an engineering feat way above the home garage guy ability !

Earl posted:

Alan heres a buggy i built a couple years ago this is the build thread on the samba 

 

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/fo...ghlight=budget+buggy

Dude.

Build a speedster.

Un-stinking-real.

Wow, that is some nice work there Earl.  Stan is right you could do a speedster or coupe with those hands of yours.

Earl posted:

Alan heres a buggy i built a couple years ago this is the build thread on the samba 

 

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/fo...ghlight=budget+buggy

SERIOUS skills

That chassis is freaking incredible!  I agree with the previous comments: build a Speedster (or Coupe)!

That is the kind of rear suspension I would love to see Vintage adapt to a Spyder!

Thanks for the compliments guys but I didnt mean to highjack alans thread,Alan I think you and I would be a good team as I only enjoy the fabrication and you excell at all the little details that I get bored with.Im an ironworker by trade and enjoy the meaty part of the build but struggle to finish most builds.

Through the years I have been invited to work at various venues, I enjoy what I do. Moved and retired here in WV...the first thing I did when I got my WV driver's license was to give up my CDL classification and I haven't missed that at all.

Buggy build: 13 hours in the garage today , doing all the odds and ends that begin to make it look like it may just come together in the next week or so ~

Dune Buggy Project Update :  The build took just eight weeks from a bare chassis it's almost done...Tomorrow morning I'll bleed the brakes, put some gas in the tank and fire it up and the usual  adjustments . Waiting on wiper arms and a Sombrero bikini top that gets here next week.  A few photos this weekend.

 My few photos attached of my dune buggy project ..it is done....Gun metal grey shows silver and a darker blue in the sunlight.  Side pods, roll - show bar, powder coated and bed liner lowered ball joint chassis, Vintage harness, all  gauges, chopper motorcycle headlights, Berrien body, American Racing 17" wheels, full balance 1690 cc engine with Tri Mill exhaust, fresh swing axle trans, everything is new.  Title is a 1967 VW..... Photos attached.

Looks fantastic, Alan. 👍👍

Nicely done.

Beautiful job, Alan!