Stole some shocks yesterday

[fl_buggy]

I'm so excited, I have to brag a little.

I work nights, so yesterday afternoon I was surfing facebook. One of our local buggy groups had a post. A guy was selling some coilovers. He said first come first serve, will not hold them. Only 2 problems. I was getting ready to head to work, and he lived across the state. What to do?

Luckily, a good buggy friend of mine lives near the guy, and made the score for me.

Fox Coilovers. 2" diameter. 2 10" travel, 2 14" travel, with springs and sliders, never run on a car, for $500.

I think I did pretty good!

Plan for them is a class 5 unlimited style baja for a family cruiser. I could do A-arms, and copy my friends Alumicraft class 10 front end, but I REALLY like the look of the Class 5 "bullhorn" shocks sticking out the front of the car, plus I hear trailing arms ride smoother.

So plan is using a beetle vert shell, maybe stretched a few inches to make more back seat room, crazy beam with top mount shocks up front, a super secret rear suspension (that won't be class 5 legal) and 4 cylinder with a power adder with an 094 side-shift.

Won't be able to start it until later this year, but I'm going to start the CAD design soon, and will post updates here.

[fl_buggy]

70 views and no replies? I'm trying to keep this forum alive by posting here, but I guess nobody else is

[Ol'fogasaurus]

No, it was read and it does sound like you made a pretty good score.

CAD: are you going to design your whole rail or just parts of it. Will you be working in CAD using C++ w/Boolean logic or just CAD. W/the Boolean logic and done properly you can have all the math for stress loading and other things done for you . If you have the right goodies (programs) on your bending machine the dataset should be transferred to the bending machine which will tell you all the right twist (in degrees) you will need to make while bending up the tubing. The choice of tubing: I would think about too.

IRS does work and ride better but the big gain is the less "Tuck-under" that a swing arm suspension would have. I run IRS to get more travel off-road but is this going to be street only, street and off-road or just what. Also remember you are going to be pretty light weight when compared to a car of the same size. Even with the occasional heavy rain you get down there the flotation designed "paddle tires" do not work in deep water .

The stock VW front suspension s/b OK for the street but you can get fancy too.

Center steer can be done as well as going to R&P. Even electric power steering is an option.

I am not a big fan of locating the fuel tank in the front though. With how light the rail will be and how vulnerable the tubing is I would look hard at putting the fuel tank in the rear. I have seen the results of an off-road incident between a rail to quad collision several times and it ain't "purdy" for the rail either! With the weight off the front end and now in the back be prepared for the light front end.

The last time I checked, street rails are not allowed here anymore so I can't give you much more help other than that. When I asked the "authorities about the change basically they said that with all the grey and/or misty days they have a tendency to disappear from sight and a hit from an 18 wheeler would be about as noticeable as a fly hitting the windshield. Also it had to do with stolen parts. Here, you can now get a title but not a street title; you have to have proof of everything (bill of sales) then you get a temp title for 3 years. If nobody makes a claim on parts (stolen) then you can get a full, non-street title.

Advice: get a book/three ring binder to keep a log in along with bill of sales and do lotsa pictures... for here and your book .

Lee

[ajdenette]

Pics or it didn't happen?

[fl_buggy]

Going to pick them up from my friend this weekend so I don't have pics yet. Will you settle for pics of my penis instead?