Non-Touring Buggy project

[Camaro Zach]

Well some of you might be wondering why i havent updated on the camaro buildup its because im getting this little project out of the way first.

My best friend Jake is founding it and im building/teaching him how to fabricate. This was my first time doing alot of tube work too, i really like it. :naughty:
Specs: 350/350, 10bolt rear (till it breaks), custom fuel cell, rear mounted radiator, 4 link (i have one designed but am looking for input if anyone would like to help), s10 spindles/brakes/balljoints with custom control arms, Pinto R&P, 1 5/8" .120wall DOM for the chassis and 1 1/2 .250 DOM for the 4 link and control arms.

We have roughly 30 hours into the buildup so far let me know what you think

[Camaro Zach]

Nobody on here into the offroad stuff i guess?

[kamaroman68]

Actually I find it to be pretty cool. I wanted to do something like this for my 1 year old son in a year or so. Much smaller scale of course. My idea was to take a powerwheels jeep remove the wheels and replace with air filled rubber tires and then create a tube frame using 1" metal electrical conduit. It would have a horizontal lawn mower engine in it with a centrifigal clutch and the gearing would be changeable according to the level of skill attained. Chris

[Travis B]

i'm not really into off road stuff but like pretty much everything that has been fabbed from scratch.....looks good so far. Also I don't know that I would call it a little project...lol looks like a ton of work fitting all those tubes

[6'9"Witha69]

looks like a ton of work fitting all those tubes
Reminds me of an erector set!

[Ralph LoGrasso]

Looks good, Zach; keep us posted on the progress.

[Camaro Zach]

thanks guys. got the bushings today so ill start on the control arms tomorrow.

The notching wasnt as bad as i expected but i have probably 5 or 6 hours in it lol...

and here is the website my friend made for it www.buggyproject.com

[Bill Howell]

Guess you will have enough hp to pull it? lol
Looks good Zach, I want to see more pictures when you finish it.

[formula]

freekin awesome. My best buddy and I want to build a buggy too, but we aren't gonna have time for a good while.

What's you guys' budget for yours?

[Camaro Zach]

Not really a budget, just as cheap as we can (within reason) mainly just tracking down the best deals on parts. And not sacrificing performance, reliability, or looks

[TurboLark]

Here is my little offroad car.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

[Camaro Zach]

Looks good Turbo, did you build it or did someone build it for you?

Started on the Lower Balljoint plates tonight. cutting them out of 1/2" plate that will get beefed up further later on.

[TurboLark]

Looks good Turbo, did you build it or did someone build it for you?

Started on the Lower Balljoint plates tonight. cutting them out of 1/2" plate that will get beefed up further later on.
I bought the frame done. I dont have the time to do full fabrication anymore.

[CAMAROBOY69]

DANG a buggy with a 350 in it would be insane! I see a lot of them when I go to Silver lake in Michigan but they only have 4 cylinder VW engines. I cant even imagine a 350 in there. :drive1:

[TurboLark]

DANG a buggy with a 350 in it would be insane! I see a lot of them when I go to Silver lake in Michigan but they only have 4 cylinder VW engines. I cant even imagine a 350 in there. :drive1:
Most of the buggies built nowadays use Ls1, LS2 and some LS7 motors. Unfortunately using these engines in a rear engine config requires the purchase of a $7000+ transaxle with some using a 12.5K 5speed sequential. :scared:

[Camaro Zach]

Yea there are alot of rear engine LS1 buggies, cant believe the coin they drop in the transaxles

Got started with one of the UCA's today and built a ghetto wood jig to hold it for now. Going to tig weld these so they had to fit up perfect.

[Camaro Zach]

notched them and tacked them this afternoon

[Camaro Zach]

got the lowers done this afternoon, its starting to look like something now. Has 7* of caster built into the arms and the uppers will be adjustable with cam washer/bolts.

Let me know what you think

[Camaro Zach]

all i got done today before i ran out of argon.. oh well

btw thats mig tack on the left

[Bill Howell]

Zach, if you can figure out how to mount a first gen camaro on this frame, you may have just invented the ultimate protouring/offroad vehicle....lol
As always, looking good. Now, get back on the camaro, you are never going to finish it if you don't hurry up and start on it again....lol

[Camaro Zach]

hah your right thanks bill, but this one will get done soon i hope. I was on a road trip on saturday looking at a few colleges out in the country and kept an eye out for a 55 for ya but all i found were rust buckets.

This afternoon i got the motor mounts done and some bracing and the transmission mount which the owner requested be welded not bolted in. Oh well he'll see the right way to do it when the transmission goes out :hah:

Lemme know what you think

[zbugger]

Sounds like a mistake waiting to happen. But, if he's willing to learn the hard way..... Otherwise, I say it looks good.

[Camaro Zach]

yea he will learn i suppose lol

The boggers got here today along with the soft 8's. Their only 31's but we'll upgrade when these wear out.

[Camaro Zach]

got the 4 link tacked together last night

[Camaro Zach]

welded all the 4 link bars tonight as well as the bushing ends of the a-arms

[Camaro Zach]

got the square tubing framework done to support the floor today. as well as the seats and cleaned up the link brackets.

[JMarsa]

Zach,

What's that little open wheel thingy in the background of the outdoor pic?

--JMarsa

[Camaro Zach]

Zach,

What's that little open wheel thingy in the background of the outdoor pic?

--JMarsa
Its called "The Roadster" basically just a tube chassis car that my grandfather made back in the 80's and i restored/rebuilt 3/4 of the whole thing. its got a 4.3lv6 and a lil cam edelbrock carb/intake msd ignition on and on.. koni coilovers in the front IRS rear 5 spd t-5. Pretty fun little car gets alot of looks and can get up and go

[homerneedspeed]

can you post more pics or maybe a seprate post about the roadster?

[Camaro Zach]

can you post more pics or maybe a seprate post about the roadster?
send me an email @ [email protected] and ill be happy to send some pics. I dont have enough space on here to post them.

[Camaro Zach]

got the half of the *firewall* finished today and remembered i should have rolled some beads in the metal :hand: oh well when i do the middle section and the center console i will do some. Let me know what you think

[Ralph LoGrasso]

Looking good, Zach. How many hours do you have into that thing so far?

[Camaro Zach]

Thanks Ralph so far i think around 70-80 hours. Pretty much working by myself because the kid im building it for doesnt know how to do anything.

[Camaro Zach]

got a few more things done today

[Camaro Zach]

Rolled some beads in the sides of the console and tacked it all in place

[Camaro Zach]

steering done except for tie rods, gauges tacked into place, motor dropped off at the machine shop, and alot more work to do.

[Camaro Zach]

got the master cylinder mounted, built a brake pedal, extended the floors, built a batter bracket and almost finished the firewall today.
let me know what you think

[JHunter]

That thing is sweet, I would love to be able to do the same thing, I keep an old 327 around the shop thinking maybe one day I'll build something like that.
Very nice, keep the updates and pics coming.

[Camaro Zach]

Thanks a bunch JHunter
i wish i had the dart headed 327 from my camaro still, it would have been perfect for this too. oh well

got a lil bit more done today: Bottom of the console boxed in, battery mout finished, rear of the console boxed in, removable trans x-member finished, and everythign mocked into place.

[Camaro Zach]

14" travel coilovers arrived and got a few more things done

[Camaro Zach]

got the coilover hardware in today, and finished the fuel cell. Overall im not to happy with the welds because i know they could be better but atleast it holds water.

[Bill Howell]

Call me when it is ready for a test drive, I am ready to do it, FREE....

It just keeps coming along, I can not wait to hear you are riding....

[FASTAZZ79Z]

Wouldnt the transaxle from a front drive Tornado work? Not sure just a guess

[Camaro Zach]

alright Bill, hopefully it will be this week!

FASTAZZ79Z - that might work, havent thought of that


Sorry i havent updated this thread in a while but i got a few things done

[zbugger]

Looking awesome Zach. What wheels are gonna be run on it? Tell me you got some 26's for it!!!!

[Camaro Zach]

Thanks Allen

aint no twankie fos or twankie sixes on this one. Just 15x10 soft 8's for the rear and stock steelies for the front (maybe later change them to soft 8's too)

[Camaro Zach]

Today i got the rest of the motor/trans assembled and installed

[Bill Howell]

That thing should fly. What is the weight?

[CAMAROBOY69]

This buggy sure has come a long way since my last visit. Your doing a great job with the fabrication. Keep the pics and updates coming.

[twoduners11]

zach, i love it! being an avid duner im constantly surrounded by 100k buggys. yet nothing impresses me more than a guy w/ his own welder and an idea:twothumbs

[Camaro Zach]

Thanks guys, got it 85% assembled and loaded up on the trailer for our competition tomorrow. Ill get some pics of it then in the daylight and some pics of the other projects in our category.

Bill - not sure what it will weigh but im guessing 1700-2k. bare chassis is only 300# and my friend and i can pick it up