dune buggies

[racer....X]

does anyone have any dune buggies or sandrails?

[RoscoW]

Built one a few years back, Had it street legal but had trouble getting insurance for it up here and ended up selling it. Was fun to build. Someday I will do another, 4 seat chassis with mid to long travel suspension, VW powered, bus trans. etc.

Ross..

[Vealmonkey]

I've got a 68 Meyers Tow'd. Very low production numbers. It's a work in progress. A special thanks to 86trizinger for all his help and being a second set of hands.

[racer....X]

Ill have to dig mine out of the barn and get some pics. It has a VW front end Factory built chasis,VW trans axle with a adapter plate and a 2.3 mustang eng.Lots of fun but cant get street leagle in Il.

[Vealmonkey]

You started the thread and you don't have pictures of your own buggy? That's just not right! LOL I'm trying to get mine street legal. I had to switch out the swingaxle rear section for a IRS rear section from a title car. My Tow'd was never registered on the street. It should be well on its' way now though. We had a minor set back in the ongoing mechanical work on the Tow'd, but I'm hoping 86trizinger gets better after re-injuring a previously repaired knee. I'm really hoping he didn't do any damage to make him have to get it operated on again. My Tow'd is looking alot different after we installed the 68 IRS rear section and stock sized tires on it. It will have aluminum slots all the way around. Also a friend of another board member on here will be coming up with a new fiberglass tub section, so that should be a major improvement over the cracked and riveted ABS tub that is on there now. Going for disc brakes all the way around, a beefed up trans and a bigger engine. Also looking for "Hugger Orange" paint since it will be close to the original factory color.

[big specht]

I have one that uses a 1600 dual port with dual baby delortos and a 3 rib bus tranny it's mostly vw It's more a wood buggy that is street legal. I got mine insured under a atv policy thru nationwide. I will try to get some pic I need to get it out of the shop anyways

[SWIGIN]

I had a street legal buggy back in the 80s. It looked just like the speed buggy cartoon.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_Buggy

[Vealmonkey]

Now don't you post without pictures either! Geesh! Now that you have the blue beast, you could machine yourself some nifty parts I reckon. You need another buggy. And dig those old buggy pics out. I had a "Tuff Tub" buggy in the 80s back when I was in the navy. It was a faded metallic brown, but it was a blast. It was on a stock size pan. It had a 1200 in it when I first bought it, but it was switched out for a 1641. I had more fun and got in more trouble in that buggy. It was known to run the streets of Baltimore late at night. When I got out of the Navy and moved to Fl, it was my daily driver for a year and 1/2 or so. I only have a couple of old Polaroid pictures of the "Tuff Tub" and I don't know how to scan them into my computer for posting.

[racer....X]

Ok Vealmonkey...Ill go did the bune duggie out of the barn tomorro and get some pics.I have some pics of it but no scanner.

[SWIGIN]

Now don't you post without pictures either! Geesh! Now that you have the blue beast, you could machine yourself some nifty parts I reckon. You need another buggy. And dig those old buggy pics out. I had a "Tuff Tub" buggy in the 80s back when I was in the navy. It was a faded metallic brown, but it was a blast. It was on a stock size pan. It had a 1200 in it when I first bought it, but it was switched out for a 1641. I had more fun and got in more trouble in that buggy. It was known to run the streets of Baltimore late at night. When I got out of the Navy and moved to Fl, it was my daily driver for a year and 1/2 or so. I only have a couple of old Polaroid pictures of the "Tuff Tub" and I don't know how to scan them into my computer for posting.


Just like you, I only have a few polaroids of it in my tool box...lol Mine was on a shortened chassis and i was told it was a super rare german kit. My uncle built it back in the day and it was built to the max at the time. It even had a super charger and a dual holly carb kit at one time.

Bring your pics up to PA and we can swap buggy stories and you can run the blue beast (lathe not stang)...lol

[hancadam]

Ok Vealmonkey...Ill go did the bune duggie out of the barn tomorro and get some pics.I have some pics of it but no scanner.

Happy new year! Pass him another!!!

[racer....X]

Ok i got the dune buggie out and took some pics.

[Vealmonkey]

Thanks for posting the pics. Why can't you get it legal? I bet that buggy is pretty peppy. Why not add a cam and webers and a crazy exhaust? LOL I hope it wasn't too much of a pain to dig it out. It's pretty cool though.

[racer....X]

Thanks for posting the pics. Why can't you get it legal? I bet that buggy is pretty peppy. Why not add a cam and webers and a crazy exhaust? LOL I hope it wasn't too much of a pain to dig it out. It's pretty cool though.

Illinois is to strikt on their laws.I had a friend bring a buggy from missouri that was all leagal over there but the cops told him he couldnt drive it here!As for the cam..Ive looked for one and cant find anything.I built an adapter plate and put a 2 bbl carb. off a dodge 318.It is pretty peppy like it is but never hurts to have more!

[MIK6]

I have 2 buggies!! A Barrian 902 short back w/ a 1776 and a berry plastics Mini T4 w/ a 1500 (for now). Both are registered for the road and street legal-ish LOL
Pictures are someplace on 3ww already, i think under my 87 t3 update.

MIK6 / Mike

[Vealmonkey]

Pics pics pics pics! LOL I can't believe you posted this without pics. I know you have read the above postings! LOL You can still repost the pics from your other thread, we'll forgive you.

[MIK6]

here is the link to my 87 T3 update. a few buggy pictures there.
http://www.3wheelerworld.com/showthread.php?84225-Big-Thanks-Raffa-87-T3-update

MIK6 / Mike

[Vealmonkey]

C'mon, those are just teasers. It looks slightly like my old Tuff Tub, but a lot of differences too. The windshield shape for one is different and I'm sure there are more differneces.

[racer....X]

Ive been thinkin about tearin mine all apart and repainting it but havent decided on a color yet.Also need to put in some new kingpins.Does anyone have a cutter brake on their buggy? Ive been thinkin about puttin one on mine.

[Vealmonkey]

My Tow'd originally came with a single handle cutter brake, but it wasn't hooked up. It was cobbled in place and pretty ugly looking. I guess at one time it did its' job, but it could have been done a little nicer looking. All the more reason why I had to fab an emergency brake system up for the car. The cutting brakes are pretty easy to put in line. The main thing is you just have to run more and new brake lines. Make sure you have a flaring tool and patience for bending the brake lines.

[racer....X]

I also need to find a new vacume advance for my eng.The diaphram is bad in mine so i have the dist. advanced so it runs better but hot starting is sometimes is a pain.

[86trizinger]

I would just Bosch the distributor out for a bosh.. I always run that with a pertronix ignition system. About a $100.

What part of Illinois are you in RacerX?

[racer....X]

I would just Bosch the distributor out for a bosh.. I always run that with a pertronix ignition system. About a $100.

What part of Illinois are you in RacerX?

I have looked for a pertronix for my dist. but never found one......I need to look around again. Im in the souther part of Il....near Carbondale

[86trizinger]

I was asking what part of Illinois you were in because I have a cousin that is really into VW's or at least was. He is from around the Gibson City area. So I am not sure are not near there.

I would just change out the distributor completely. You can get a bosch 009 distributor with the pertronix for right around $100.. Comes with everything you need . The new distributor will give you a much better timing curve . You'll notice a difference immediately.

[racer....X]

my buggy dosent have a vw eng. it has a ford 4 cyl.

[86trizinger]

Sorry I missed that.. What year and size of engine. There was a company that had kits for the ford engine for Buggies.. Esslinger engineering.. But that is for the overhead cam motor.

[racer....X]

yes it is a ford overhead cam eng.Was told by several people it is a 2.3 but also told its a 2.0. It does have an esslinger adapter to connect to the VW trans

[DixiePlowboy]

My friend and neighbor built one from scratch. He bent all the tubing and made every weld himself. It's powered by a fresh stroker(don't recall the displacement exactly ....20__ -something cc's).

His is the black buggy in this pic, but there's been a few changes since this was taken last July......it's turbocharged now. He calls it a "farmboy buggy" since he built it....lol

I'll get a few current pics in a day or two.

[86trizinger]

You should see what they have.. Not the cheapest but they are top quality parts. They used to have ads in VW magazines.. Used to call the kit Pinto Beans. I think they change the distributor and everything out though for Mallory stuff. Been a while since I did any VW stuff though. Here:s a quick link though for others.

http://www.esslingeracing.com/merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=VW

Kennedy engineering also sell the trans adapter kits for tons of other engines as well.
http://www.kennedyeng.com/vw_por.htm

[racer....X]

wow 86trizinger! i wish you wouldnt have shown me that!....lol It looks like they have all kind of goodies for my eng. When I get back to work i know where my money will be goin now! thanks

[Vealmonkey]

Yeah, I just looked that up in my Hot Vw's mag myself and was going to post that for you. Sometimes you can find deals on ebay. I'm not sure what the difference between the 2.0 and 2.3 is, but I guess it's important parts wise. Maybe totally different intakes are needed. There were other places that sold parts for the old ford 4 bangers in the 70's also. Reminds me of the old Pinto Pony I had for awhile. I always wanted to put webers on that car! LOL

[code200k]

there is one looks like a modded vw frame(2 seater) behind my neighbors garage.ill have to sneak over there as he is a grumppy old man:lol:

[racer....X]

Ive also been thinkin about addin a windsheild fo the winter to keep some of the cold wind out of my face maybe lexan

[muddog]

i was thinking how much fun it would be to fit a buggy with a 4inline turbo diesel even if its just for the exhaust note

[Vealmonkey]

They fit buggies with 2 stroke boat engines too!

[racer....X]

my neighbor has one that someone tried to put a street bike eng. on.They removed the trans and welded part of the bike frame on.They left the axel shafts in, and welded a piece of pipe to conect them and welded a sprocket to the pipe.