Hey fellas,

I haven't decided if I want to go for it yet, but I'm about 90% sure I do. I'm thinking about building a street legal dune buggy. Has anyone on here done this before? How hard is it to get legalised? I need some advice. This is a big step for me to do something like this and I think it will be super fun to do. BTW it will be spread out over a long period of time so it's not like I'm building this right now.

Maybe something like these \/ :

By the way, I want to make it some what decent like these. Not a real cheapo one.





[Edited on February 25, 2009 at 6:02 PM. Reason : Most likely the black one is what I'm going for. ]

2/25/2009 6:02:18 PM

dune buggies are fun as shit and there is kits and mods found all over the country for them. I think that the type 1 1600 motor is the best, not the most power full but very easy to work on and with

2/25/2009 6:15:29 PM

Yea I'm not really looking for a powerful version, just something that will go around town and to the beach and all. Just a fun project for me and a good product in the end.

Should I do 2wd or 4wd? I'm guessing if I want to go on sand, duh 4wd, but how much harder is it to do?

2/25/2009 6:28:12 PM

those look like the myers manx. I beleive you can still get them in kit form

2/25/2009 6:32:41 PM

you don't necessarily have to go 4wd if you wanna actually put it in the sand. guys take old bread trucks on the beach all the time. prerunners do a lot in the sand. it'll be so light that 2wd will be fine.

but don't plan on putting it on the beach in NC anyway

2/25/2009 7:20:52 PM

^tell me about it! totally sucks, except for Carolina beach, which is fun to drive on. I think 4wd might be overkill then.

2/25/2009 7:27:41 PM

it'd be overkill on most beaches. just pay attention and avoid the loose areas.

2/25/2009 7:37:01 PM

I've built two and messed with plenty of others. Don't mess with 4wd, volkswagens pull great in dirt/snow/etc.

The easiest route is to build it on a volkwagen(pre-1975, of course, no NC state inspection). Title it as a vw beetle, insure it as a dune buggy(if you want comprehensive, that is, there are a few insurance companies that will insure them). As long as the motor and running gear are still vw, you'll likely never be hassled.

Legally speaking, for any custom built vehicle there's a whole separate inspection process and barrel-load of hoops to jump through. Expect to have it inspected at various stages of completion and you must use exactly the correct materials and methods to suit the inspector. Not impossible, but be advised your costs and headaches will increase dramatically.

Trust me when I say, parts and steel costs add up fast. $3000 is doable on a tightfisted budget, but you can probably buy someone else's money pit cheaper.

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I highly recommend you buy a pre-built rail frame. Volkswagens are the weakest, flimsiest little crap-traps ever to be laughably called an automobile. The buggy you pictured above is just a stock VW floorpan with a fiberglass body and a mousetrap rollbar. (I could show you crash photos of why they call 'em mousetraps, but you can use your imagination.)

The good VW engine is the 1600cc dual port, found throughout the 70's. Built right(within a budget), it's good for 100hp, stock it's around 60hp. It doesn't sound like much, but in a 1500lbs car it does the job fine. For off road use, the pre-'67 kingpin front ends are preferred. Post '67 ball joint front ends are best for street use. Super Beetles are not suitable donor cars because their McPherson struts require a body.

There are still plenty of VW donor cars out there, but they're becoming harder to find. You could use other cars as a donor, but you'd almost have to register it as a custom-built vehicle. If I was going through all that headache for a street car, it'd be for a Locost or something else ridiculously fast.

[Edited on February 25, 2009 at 11:23 PM. Reason : .]

2/25/2009 11:18:55 PM

Quote :

"I could show you crash photos of why they call 'em mousetraps, but you can use your imagination.) "

yeah thats one thing i forgot to mention get a rail or tube chassis

2/25/2009 11:59:14 PM

Quote :

"parts and steel costs add up fast. $3000 is doable on a tightfisted budget, but you can probably buy someone else's money pit cheaper."

Right, I was figuring about a $3000 - 4000 project over the span of about a year or so. I plan on searching quite a bit for the best deals on the engine, (probably going with the 1600cc dual port) transmission and chassis. I figured the 4 wheeldrive would be a pain in the ass since the transmission is right there. I plan on making it a manual transmission, is that going to be more difficult than an automatic? I really don't want to buy some one elses project that they started because that would take most of the fun out of building it from scratch in my opinion...right??? I know a LOT of headaches will come from it but I'm sure that it will be totally worth it when I have the finished product.

2/26/2009 12:14:16 AM

I'd just get a VW Thing

2/26/2009 1:56:05 AM

one of my best friend's brothers built one for 4k and sold it for 10 on ebay

2/26/2009 8:20:54 AM

^FUCK YEAH



^WAT?

[Edited on February 26, 2009 at 2:27 PM. Reason : +]

2/26/2009 2:25:13 PM

I've got a 1600dp that I'll have rebuilt in the next few months. If you get serious check with me.

I have several donor cars(no motors, otherwise complete) if you need one. No titles, unfortunately, but I know that at least one has a clear VIN, you'd just have to get a bonded title.

Again, I highly recommend you buy a pre-built frame like this unless you have plenty of welding experience building roll cages.


Here's the online mecca for VWs. You'll occasionally find frames or old kit cars for sale on there.
http://thesamba.com

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The 4speed manual found in the beetles will work fine. VW made a clutchless manual, but they don't hold up to abuse as I understand it. I don't think they ever made a true automatic.

[Edited on February 26, 2009 at 4:33 PM. Reason : .]

2/26/2009 4:29:06 PM

^PM sent

2/27/2009 4:26:51 PM

I've always bought used/home made frames...that said, I've never really liked them or felt completely safe in them. I've seen complete frames online for as little as $1000, before shipping. You might can get them shipped cheaper in parts and have a local welding shop assemble it.

Anyway, once you have the frame, everything else is bolt on. I buy most of my accessories from Summit, JC Whitney and cip1.com. You can figure a basic budget like this:
-racing seats(spring for the adjustable tracks)
-harnesses
-wiring harness(yup, you can buy 'em or make your own.)
-lights(at least $100)
-wheels, tires(I've always used converters that let you bolt Chevy wheels to 4 lug VW hubs. Then you can buy any old camaro tires/rims off Craigslist.)
-tank(beer keg, etc)
-brakes(stock VW is usually drum brakes all around, they require constant adjustment. If you buy aftermarket disc brakes, spend your money on the rear brakes...that's where the weight is.) Also figure replacing all the rusty brake lines and maybe the master cylinder.
-Windshield (Safety glass is technically required, Lexan works fine but scratches if you so much as breathe on it. They make a scratch resistant lexan but it's pricey and hard to find locally. Windshield wipers are also technically required(yeah I know, solar powered flashlight, but I've actually used the wipers in heavy rain) Figure $hundreds. It's important unless you want to wear a helmet all the time.
-steel plating for the floor, as light gauge as you dare.

That's basically it. As you can see, it adds up.

[Edited on February 28, 2009 at 12:03 AM. Reason : .]

2/27/2009 11:55:37 PM