Back to work on the tub buggy

Hot Wheels · Post by **Hot Wheels** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 4:47 am

Finally, finished weeding out my project pile and cleaning out the shop so I can get back to work on the sand toy.. The link is to the photos of where I stopped last, almost. I did get the fiberglass laid back in the rear seat areas before I had to stop working on it last year.

http://www.ruppenterprises.com/cars1.htm

Since its been a while here ill give you a brief recap of the project.

Berrian tube chassis and new body (More like 7 years old now). Aluminum front beam and spindle mounts, 930 cvs and sway away axles

I cut the body in half and added 2" for the body lift.
Cut the starter mount out of the bus trans and moved it to the top center of the bellhousing so I could lower the rear seats down intot he body more.

Built a tubular rear cage and shock mounts that tie into the upper cage to support the engine and trans..

The motor is assembled and is a 66X102 with a dry sump setup and fuel injection.

Im not totally happy with the cage at this point, I may take it out and start over, seen a couple more i like better but i dont know if i can adapt it to my body and keep the rear seats for the kids. Cant wait to get fully back into this and finish it off. The kids have really been pushing on me latley to get it out and finish it .

Later

65baja · Post by **65baja** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 7:12 am

lookin good but i'd rethink the rear tire choice for sand

Joe

RyanB · Post by **RyanB** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 8:27 am

That looks great! The cage you built is really close to what I would like to do with my buggy. You got some bawls to cut up your buggy like that. I dont think I could do that. I'll be trying to fabricate something so I do the least amount of cutting. Neat idea with the seats in the back. That must have been a pain to relocate the starter!

Post by **Leatherneck** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 8:38 am

Sean that is going to look sharp when you do end up finishing it. Would like to hear some more and see some pics of your engine and starter relocation.

65Baja, bolt some 2X4's to those tires and off you go.

Hot Wheels · Post by **Hot Wheels** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 8:41 am

it was a job to relocate it right but once you figure out that the starter hole is relative to the input shaft it gets easier to tackle. Same with the seats and body lift. You spend more time looking at it and talking about that actually dooing it. I like things a certain way and have learned to cut and fit things and repair as required. The fiberglass work held me up for a while but turns out it was much easier than I expected...

I found a gear reduction starter with a clockable selinoid recently that will make things easier. The starter will be housed ina counsil between the two rear seats. Makes a functional arm rest. I ended up making the mold for the glass out of aluminum house trim in 24" rolls. easy to cut and form for the rear seat pan. Had to stop on the glass work last winter when i mangled a finger in an unrelated deal. made finishing the glass work tuff for a few months.

Anyway, I have it drug out again and hope to start making progress again now...

Hot Wheels · Post by **Hot Wheels** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 12:59 pm

Leatherneck wrote:Sean that is going to look sharp when you do end up finishing it. Would like to hear some more and see some pics of your engine and starter relocation.

65Baja, bolt some 2X4's to those tires and off you go.

Pics will be slow coming, since I have to host them offsite its more hassle than normal to post them but im working on it.

the starter relocation was originally set up for my 914-6 starter so it was at exctly 12 o'clock with the selinoid straight up. since then i have found a ministarter with a clockable drive that will take up much less room. Its apart right now so i did not get fiberglass on it but as soon as i make the next cut for starter size and council cover i will snap some more pics and get them posted.

As for the engine I bought the 66X103 at hershey a few years ago out of a 914 road race car. It had the dry sump and ported 1.7 heads on it. with the cb upright 911 kit. It had a lifter problem in my sandrail due to the improperly set up dry sump system , they had bypassed the pressuer relief and it would loose pressuer as it ran.

I rebuilt it using the 102 nickies and 11 to one compression. Jake set me up with a custom grind web cam that really ought to rock the rpm range. It has the lightweight knuff lifters in it and pauter rockers. I sold off all my old sets of dells and bought the cb fuel injection. This thing should be good to about 8-9k. its all forged counterweighted good stuff. Jake balanced the rotating assembly for me and its all back together awaiting custom pushrods yet to complete it.

I built this one to drive on the street some, Dunes and drag. I like to do it all and wanted one machine that could do it all.

There are piles of posts in the history here documenting most of the mods and steps along the way. As i get time I will continue to post the progress.

allsierra123 · Post by **allsierra123** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 1:07 pm

Lookin good.I would have tried to do a vw project when I lived in Ohio it was just to cold though.Where do you run it at?

Hot Wheels · Post by **Hot Wheels** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 1:10 pm

We ususally run silver lake for the sand and sometimes the sand drags and the great lakes point series for drags, milan, xenia, etc...

Post by **Leatherneck** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 1:18 pm

Hot Wheels what is a clockable drive?

Hot Wheels · Post by **Hot Wheels** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 2:08 pm

adjustable bolt pattern from the bell housing mount to the starter drive. You can "clock" the position of the drive to where its convenient. there are some on e-bay right now made by IMI.

http://www.hitorque.com/

65baja · Post by **65baja** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 2:55 pm

65Baja, bolt some 2X4's to those tires and off you go.

oh i see how that works now, I'd a never thunk that'n up

Joe

Post by **Leatherneck** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 3:45 pm

65baja wrote:
65Baja, bolt some 2X4's to those tires and off you go.
oh i see how that works now, I'd a never thunk that'n up

Joe

IF I remember correctly there was a brainchild from the other site who thougth that up but I think he was going to use angle iron.

subybaja · Post by **subybaja** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 9:49 pm

Yeah, well, I want to use snowmachine tracks in the winter! Bolt them onto a set of tires...should be good flotation, but not so streetable.
Paddles might be easier, though.

Hot Wheels · Post by **Hot Wheels** » Sat Sep 30, 2006 5:10 am

Watched an episode of junkyard wars a while back. They took two vw rims and welded angle iron across them for paddles. Had a great theory, just missed the whole flotation issue... would not move once off the asphalt. Would have had much better luck with my slicks or impliment tires...

Ive got a nice set of 1300plus tires up stairs for the sand...

We used to ice race on the frozen lakes in the winter, 1500 sheet metal screws in a set of old tires. Looked like a snow cone machine on the run. Lots of fun but the lakes have not been freezing near as thick for the last 10 years or so.

Hot Wheels · Post by **Hot Wheels** » Wed Nov 01, 2006 1:08 pm

See if this works, I took a pic of the relocated starter mount as requested and set up a photobucket account to host pics. Now lets see if Im smart enough to make a picture appear...