Buggy building on a budget

[Dirk Pitt]

not all. i started with an XJ, cuz that's what I had.

x2

 

[Roxtar]

proceeded to dump close to 20k in it...
a guy offered to buy it...
$3500

I think one of his friends had a buggy for sale or even trade. I don't really remember the facts, but give him a call.

Found it!
The only real way to get a good buggy for cheap.
BUY ONE.
Let someone else spend the big $ to build it and then buy it for .10 on the buck. :firedevil

For example:

 

[BIGWOODY]

Found it!
The only real way to get a good buggy for cheap.
BUY ONE.

Just be able to look at it first, I've had freinds buy some real TURDS off of ebay. I totaly agree this is the true way to buy one, just like race cars, boats, etc... My problem was Twisted Customs had the buggy I wanted turn key, they just wanted 55k for it, So I copied everything on it and will have about 30k in it.

 

[Goatman]

Just be able to look at it first, I've had freinds buy some real TURDS off of ebay. I totaly agree this is the true way to buy one, just like race cars, boats, etc... My problem was Twisted Customs had the buggy I wanted turn key, they just wanted 55k for it, So I copied everything on it and will have about 30k in it.

I'm assuming that includes the money you had in the axles you already had? Or did you start fresh?

I don't have that kind of money laying around. I have close to $30k (+/-) in my current rig, but it was spent over 10 years.

The buggy Robt was probably referring to was Matt Brocks. He sold it 4-6 months ago, and was trying to get $10k out of it. Some old school tech on it, non-triangulated four links with panhard bar f/r, quarter eliptics f/r. Axles were good, HP44 front and rear steer D60, but had stock axles. 4.0L with AW4 and stock gearing NP231. Ran on 38.5 TSL radials.

 

[BIGWOODY]

I'm assuming that includes the money you had in the axles you already had? Or did you start fresh?
.

I used my hp60 from the MJ that I had about $4500 in, the Atlas which I had a little over $2k in, aluminum TR beadlocks had about a grand in, 35spline axles from my 9".....everything else is new.

 

[Paul S]

Richard,
Keep your drive train for the 37's with the 37's... I ask you, what would be the point in keeping the terra 60 in a trail rig with 35's? Put the 44 back in big bird & build up a stout 30 for the front. Swap all your drive train into the buggy including your 4:1 231 case. Arguably, I've got a little more giddyup in my stroker than yours & I've never broken a rear 31 spline 9" shaft or my still stock, never split 135000 mile transfer case. The only thing my JD might have strength wise over your would be the front end, but we both know how stout your built 30 was. Hell, you break more with your 44 than you did with your 30... I've even got a front housing I'll donate for the cause. Truss it up, throw in some alloys / 760's & forget about it. It would be a weekend deal to swap in the drive train & than you'll be able to start mocking up the new chasis. Wheeling down time would be minimal.

Matt

This seems like the only way to go.
I think you're going to want HP's front & rear on the buggy, & I doubt that you'd be happy with full widths.

I know a one stop shop for a Warn 9000, Atlas 3.8, CTM's, Woods front driveshaft & D30 5.5" hub conversion with several Warn stubs. Pretty sure you know the place, & I doubt that you could turn down the price.

Paul

 

[Roxtar]

I know a one stop shop for a Warn 9000, Atlas 3.8, CTM's, Woods front driveshaft & D30 5.5" hub conversion with several Warn stubs. Pretty sure you know the place, & I doubt that you could turn down the price.

Paul

$?

 

[Paul S]

$?

A friend of ours has all this junk. He's not really looking to sell it, but he would gladly give it too Richard just to see him in a buggy.
He's one of those guys that will do anything to bring his friends to the dark side :laugh3:

Paul

 

[Roxtar]

A friend of ours has all this junk. He's not really looking to sell it, but he would gladly give it too Richard just to see him in a buggy.
He's one of those guys that will do anything to bring his friends to the dark side :laugh3:

Paul

I'd like to be his friend. :kissyou: :wave1: :cheers: :loveu: arty: :angel: :clap:

 

[4ward]

Well, I think I may be honored that you put up pics of my junk. The problem is, it never truly made it to buggy status. It did make its way to a different life though.

People can call their junk buggies, but if it started life with a title- it never will be. Yes, there are exceptions (I kept the vin plate off the last 3 jeeps I've taken to the scrapyard)

Greg, Pete and I watched the evolution buggy at the badlands for toys for tots a couple weeks ago. The guy didn't know how to drive. Pete showed him how to do the obstacle though.

I've been dreaming up what I want to build. Even have most of the parts to build something in a few different configurations. I just don't know if I want my next rock star to be a buggy or a jeep. Mine was half of each and as such never really did anything exceptionally well. The next one will be all of one or the other not a mixture of the 2.

 

[Mr.OverKill]

Well, I think I may be honored that you put up pics of my junk. The problem is, it never truly made it to buggy status. It did make its way to a different life though.

how much did the scrap yard give you for that? and why did you scrap it? inquireing minds want to know. ( next time you throw away a perfictly good bugy let me know )

 

[Goatman]

This seems like the only way to go.
I think you're going to want HP's front & rear on the buggy, & I doubt that you'd be happy with full widths.

I know a one stop shop for a Warn 9000, Atlas 3.8, CTM's, Woods front driveshaft & D30 5.5" hub conversion with several Warn stubs. Pretty sure you know the place, & I doubt that you could turn down the price.

Paul

We've already talked about the motor, trans, and Atlas. A good buy, but I just don't know about swapping the MJ over to the later model motor. I need a used car lot so I can run it on a dealer plate and not worry about smogging it. Then........

 

[Mr.OverKill]

... I need a used car lot so I can run it on a dealer plate and not worry about smogging it. Then........

when you get that lot let me know and i will be a silent partner ( so i can run my rig on the street too ):laugh3:

 

[Goatman]

I've been dreaming up what I want to build. Even have most of the parts to build something in a few different configurations. I just don't know if I want my next rock star to be a buggy or a jeep. Mine was half of each and as such never really did anything exceptionally well. The next one will be all of one or the other not a mixture of the 2.

See, you're like me. We need two different rigs. I'm not into just hardcore trails, or just into scenic camping runs, and I want to play in the snow and the sand. Rather than continuing to compromise the versatility of my current rig, I need to tune it back a little and build a dedicated crawler.

So, I have 5.13's in the XJ. If I go back to 35's for it I want 4.88's because the stroker has plenty of power and the 5.13's are too low. I think with a buggy and automatic I wouldn't need the 4 to 1, so would go with 5.89's and stock t-case which should work well. So, what to do with my axles that have 5.13's in them? I guess the answer is to leave the XJ with the 37's, and start over with new axles for the MJ, which would be Hi9 spooled in the rear, and probably a D44/60 hybrid in the front, or Hi9 if I came up with a little more dough.

So, what happened to the budget idea? Better start saving.....




Oh, but wait, I want to buy a boat.

 

[Mr.OverKill]

GOD, i hate the i wants! they are killing me too, boat, jet, skis, trail rig, desert bike...:laugh3:

 

[4ward]

I don't know how much I got for it at the scrapyard, I took in my entire trailer full and my flatbed (that was pulling the trailer) was full also. I scrapped it because I didn't want to see anybody else wheel what I'd spent SO MANY hours and dollars on. I pulled everything that was worth something off.

Richard, is the mj in nice shape? If so, sell it on your lot. Take that money and go buy your tube and some drivetrain. Then you can build your buggy. I don't think I'd detune your current jeep because I think it still is a very nice dual purpose rig.

Get started now, so I can see what you come up with at BOTW :laugh3:

Oh yeah, you can't go 5.89's in a hp44.

 

[Roxtar]

People can call their junk buggies, but if it started life with a title- it never will be. Yes, there are exceptions (I kept the vin plate off the last 3 jeeps I've taken to the scrapyard)

I concur.
A buggy is built from the ground up.
All others are just highly modified vehicles.

 

[tealcherokee]

i dont completly agree with that, if you take an xj and end up only keeping the fenders, its still a buggy

 

[LBEXJ]

"What is a Buggy" sounds like another good thread I once read! :laugh3:

Any comments as to what contributes the most forces that result in drivetrain breakage, the weight of the vehicle, or the weight/size of the tires?

Les

 

[4ward]

Any comments as to what contributes the most forces that result in drivetrain breakage, the weight of the vehicle, or the weight/size of the tires?

Les

Yes