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If you were going to build a small tube buggy....

Chevy305 said:
Cool idea, but you'd have to weld the transaxle diff to lock the axle shafts axa drive shafts in this case.
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Super common back when rock racing was popular, I've always wanted to build a buggy like Adam is planning and always loved the transaxle idea. Super compact and light (it could be 1/3 the weight of a big block/doubler), obviously lighter duty but you can get away with it in a lighter rig.

Get some forced air to a 4 popper and I'd be in :cool:
 
I know you are not wanting an off the shelf chassis, but the F-toys are cool :D

I have 3
HTC_654.sized.jpg


ftoy_509.jpg


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plus an X Chassis
buggy_flop.jpg


and then the Beater Buggy, running a Toy drivetrain and Chevy 1/2 ton axles
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38377k5 said:
Super common back when rock racing was popular, I've always wanted to build a buggy like Adam is planning and always loved the transaxle idea. Super compact and light (it could be 1/3 the weight of a big block/doubler), obviously lighter duty but you can get away with it in a lighter rig.

Get some forced air to a 4 popper and I'd be in :cool:
Click to expand...


So you do just weld it up? or are there other types of mods to be done to make it work?


I think if the things top speed was 40 or so, you could gear the axles pretty deep and not have a lot of force on the weaker transaxle setup. Especially in a little motor that doesn't mind revving a lot.
 
Can you find a 5.3 AL LS from a crashed monte? Or are those not any cheaper than the AL 5.7s?

My ideal buggy would be a stroked aluminum LS with at least 600 hp, with a TH400 and atlas or 205, flipped around so the engine is in the back, with some fabbed 9" housings and full hydraulic steering on some lightweight desert master tires when I am in the sand. Ideally it would have bypasses on it. However, I just spent a truckload of money there.
 
If it were me.....I'd just find the most valuable and rare K5 body style you can and then chop all the parts off it.

Like so:






I'M GOING BUGGY!!!!!!

:popcorn:



-G
 
folkenheath said:
Can you find a 5.3 AL LS from a crashed monte? Or are those not any cheaper than the AL 5.7s?

My ideal buggy would be a stroked aluminum LS with at least 600 hp, with a TH400 and atlas or 205, flipped around so the engine is in the back, with some fabbed 9" housings and full hydraulic steering on some lightweight desert master tires when I am in the sand. Ideally it would have bypasses on it. However, I just spent a truckload of money there.
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I think id do ORIs or the like, as that would be much easier for packaging into a small area. (not really sure how they work in a go fast situation though)


Id like to find everything I can used or good deals. Im sure one good deal on a drivetrain will determine what I actually go for. (But I really really want to do a small single seater, I generally end up wheeling alone in the blazer as it is...)





Greg72 said:
If it were me.....I'd just find the most valuable and rare K5 body style you can and then chop all the parts off it.
I'M GOING BUGGY!!!!!!

:popcorn:


-G
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LOL :haha:
 
So lemme add by saying literally everyone I know that has built a single seat buggy has sold it and gone 2 seater. Thats 11 poeple. Take it for what its worth.

ORIs are fine for short high speed runs. If you are running any kind of trailing arms the motion ratio will make it worse. Ask Wade but for high speed nothing beats a set of good bypass shocks. Leave room for em.

I am gonna build a 4.3 700r4 241 toyota axle buggy. Use 16" coil overs and my goal weight is sub 3k fully dressed. A mixed bag if you will it will not be super low but not tall at all. It will have shocks set up for 40/60 travel 37" tires and NOTHING extra. It will use aluminum or plexiglass for all the body panels everything will be done with weight in mind. Round 112 wheelbase. It will not have full hydro it will be a swingset steering. Big thing is making sure the weight is balanced. My plan is as close to 50/50 weight bias as possible. I won't get it done quick but it will do high speed awesome and it will crawl rocks awesome too.
 
blazinzuk said:
I am gonna build a 4.3 700r4 241 toyota axle buggy. Use 16" coil overs and my goal weight is sub 3k fully dressed. A mixed bag if you will it will not be super low but not tall at all. It will have shocks set up for 40/60 travel 37" tires and NOTHING extra. It will use aluminum or plexiglass for all the body panels everything will be done with weight in mind. Round 112 wheelbase. It will not have full hydro it will be a swingset steering. Big thing is making sure the weight is balanced. My plan is as close to 50/50 weight bias as possible. I won't get it done quick but it will do high speed awesome and it will crawl rocks awesome too.
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:popcorn: :popcorn:
 
Dammit Eric. Always changing my mind with your logic.


I need to look at some more examples of small 2 seaters.
 
Eric, I say skip the iron headed 4.3 V6 for an aluminum 5.3 out of a FWD car or 5.7 LS from a junkyard. Probably won't have a weight penalty and the smiles/gallon would go way up. Deals can be had I would think.
 
What if you pulled the drivetrain out of chevy blazer and put something in that got mpg and could tow your little buggy...
 
Deuling said:
Dammit Eric. Always changing my mind with your logic.


I need to look at some more examples of small 2 seaters.
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There are a lot of really cool ones on pirate. A buddy mine built one based on a ranger with a 4.0 using an 8.8 rear and a Dana 44 ttb He comes in under 3k and its actually a 4 seater . It has nothing extra though and it really doesn't have any body panels. Mine is not going to be super creative just simple and effective. Single seat buggies are usually cool for a year or so.

folkenheath said:
Eric, I say skip the iron headed 4.3 V6 for an aluminum 5.3 out of a FWD car or 5.7 LS from a junkyard. Probably won't have a weight penalty and the smiles/gallon would go way up. Deals can be had I would think.
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I actually totally agree Heath and I actually do have a connection for getting a 5.3 and that's what will end up in there eventually. The 4.3 I have I got for free. The 700 I am using needs rebuilt but that's not much. I have enough knowledge of the LS motors to know where I need to leave room in order to throw one in. Everything will be built with that in mind. I am trying to concentrate on suspension on the initial build. I am also gonna leave room for bypasses. But initially might try to run air shocks. On a super light rig they work a bit better but I would have to find a screaming deal on em.

In all seriousness Adam I think in the long run you would be much happier with a 2 seater. Comfort is a big thing to me so whatever you build keep that in mind a lot of the single seats I have been in or driven you sat at weird angles or they were tall to prevent the weird angles. Some of the low ones had really strange blind spots due to the drivetrain or radiator or some of the other coolers. Of course that can be designed out.

Draw a couple up man see what you like then start bending tube. With your drafting skills I would get bend tech tweak it on the computer feed it into bend tech have your chassis up bent up in a day!
 
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