HOW TO BUILD YOUR OWN DUNE BUGGY

foreign [Music] there are hundreds of different makes and models of automobiles manufactured in this country if you can't associate this sound with one of them don't feel bad it isn't this is a build it yourself type car that is commonly called a dune buggy and is as much fun to build as it is to drive in the next 30 minutes we'll show you how to build your own Doom bucket [Music] let us assume that you have already gone through the mind-bending exercise of to build or not to build and in a fit of exuberance decided to forge right in your next decision should be what use you will get from your buggy strictly off-road or Street or both if it's for off-road use only anything goes but for Street use keep in mind that it must pass inspection to be legal most dune buggies are built on a VW chassis and powered by a Volkswagen or Corvair engine so selection of the chassis and engine should be done very carefully as this will determine the longevity and dependability of your finished bugging [Music] if you already own a VW that you wish to convert no problem but if you have to buy one there are several things to look for [Music] if you decide to buy a wreck look for front end damage first if the car has a seriously bent front torsion bar or suspension system forget it you'll end up replacing most of the parts at considerable expense this one was just slightly bent and we were able to straighten it up okay [Music] check for rust around the battery well if there is an extensive amount reject the car [Music] condition of the body is not important as long as the frame and belly pan are relatively free from rust there is no point in building a dune buggy on a rotten floor pan that will fall through at the top of a toe a close look at the engine if it is reasonably dry and free from oil leaks it's probably in good shape try to get the engine running or if that's not possible call the original owner and ask him about the condition of the car chances are he'll be happy to tell you all you need to know [Music] weigh the pros and cons carefully before you design no matter how great your buggy looks when finished it will be no better than the engine and Chassis that drive it make sure you get a receipt and title or registration or whatever your state law requires to show you legally own the car we bought this rack from a body shop and saved a few dollars by agreeing to give back any parts not used one point here don't buy a Karmann Ghia the floor pan is four inches too wide [Music] read the instructions over a couple of times to make sure you thoroughly understand each step before starting any work also buy a set of metric socket wrenches for about fourteen dollars they are a must the first thing to do is remove the gas tank which is held in place by four bolts then comes the sending unit cable for the gas gate check the tank for any leaks because once the buggy is built you're in deep trouble if you have to change tanks okay with the gas tank out of the way you can start disconnecting the steering column once the word gets around that you're building a dune buggy you'll have lots of help drop by most will be just curious but if you will really come in handy with many steps you just can't do alone my friend Dennis is a good hard worker and was indispensable on many occasions [Music] thank you foreign loosened the steering column Dennis removed the support bracket under the dash we found that with Dennis pulling and me hammering the universal the column loosened and came out easily save the support bracket and rubber insulator ring you'll need them again flip out the spring under the seat and push the seat forward until it comes off the track then lift it up the entire steering assembly can now be pulled completely out with the back seat out you will discover the first of about 25 body bolts that hold body and Chassis together some of these may be tough to loosen and a torch or chisel may be the only way out [Music] periodically or better yet before you start each step read over the instructions again making sure no doubts or questions remain before you start there are many steps that must be done quite carefully and if not done right can cause a lot of trouble later foreign is remove four wires [Music] there are two body bolts hidden behind the rear wheels to get at these take off the wheel and scrape away the mud and dirt that may have collected over the years [Music] a lot of these body bolts may be rusted or Frozen in some penetrating oil will be a help on most of these don't worry about stripped threads you won't need them again [Music] the bolts are under the car and take a lot of elbow swinging again don't worry about broken bolts or threads [Music] the one thing you should worry about is yourself make sure your car is properly jacked up and safely blocked when that last body bolt gives way the car will sag and scare the heck out of you you're now ready to lift off the VW body but double check your instructions to make sure everything has been disconnected [Music] now recruit one or two neighbors a passerby and the former 90 pound weakling and simply lift off the old body and lo and behold they're shivering in a talk word nakedness lies the heart of your new dune buggy a little rusty perhaps let some work we'll fix that unless you live in a climate where it never rains and the Sun never sets you might be wise to carry on with the rest of your buggy building indoors where bad weather and darkness won't hold up progress but take a bit of advice don't try and get it done in one weekend sure some kit manufacturers say you can complete your car in one weekend but if you take your time and finish each step to Perfection the end result will show much finer workmanship than the shabby weekend special the Volkswagen chassis must be shortened by removing a 14-inch section from behind the front seats and then welding the two sections back together to form one solid chassis now unless you're an expert welder it's best to have a pro do the tricky stuff but there is a lot of Preparatory steps to be taken first there are several cables running through the tunnel you are about to chop up so it's best to pull them out now start by removing the pedal assembly which is held in place by two bolts disconnect the clutch cable from the pedal hook and do the same with the accelerator wire [Music] put a pair of vice grips to the other end of the clutch cable then press the wing nut off once this is done pull the cable out through the front by the pedal assembly some cables come easier than others if it gives you a hard time cut it it has to be shortened anyway also remove the emergency handbrake cables take off the shift linkage cover and unhook the shift rod don't lose any small parts you'll need them again [Music] then Edge the shift Rod out through the opening at the front of the chassis this Rod also must be shortened 14 inches but a word of caution see that the alignment of both ends remains unchanged now scrape away all sound insulating material from the areas to be cut out and pull the brake line to one side so it can't be accidentally cut in the wrong place have your welder study the instructions and diagrams to be sure he knows what you want done and exactly where to make the cutting lines if you're going to do the cutting and Welding yourself be careful you can't afford a mistake here some states are not yet used to the dune buggy explosion and have no faith in your ability as a welder New Jersey for example insists that a certified Industrial Welder do the work and give you a certificate of work completed that you must produce to the registration people before they will give you your plates [Music] it's best to check all legal aspects in your area in advance [Music] before you start to cut block up the car on both sides of the cutting area if you don't it may fall on your foot and that Sparks if you have a choice between an air chisel and a torch use the air chisel it will mean a little more exercise but makes a better cut and leaves no burrs [Music] an air chisel has rough going over the hump so burs and all use a torch on this section [Music] thank you do this part of the cutting very carefully as there are several tubes running through the tunnel that you don't want to cut just yet point the torch along the cutting line to keep the heat where you want it foreign [Music] [Laughter] while you're still using the torch enlarge the shift linkage access hole this will help you pull cables through later [Music] with the sections in position for welding double check the alignment then weld the chassis together and remember the bottom of the tunnel [Music] [Music] as the rear section is a little wider than the front cut a v-shaped dart to make the sides line up [Music] it doesn't make sense to put a nice new fiberglass body on a rusty old chassis so get rid of all that rust an electric drill with a wire brush attachment does wonders foreign [Music] [Laughter] [Music] rust inhibitor paint will make the old chassis look like new and as an added attraction undercoat the entire chassis and you'll have a car that is virtually rust proof and provided you don't bend it against your friendly neighborhood bridge abutment will last you a lifetime [Music] thank you [Music] the VW belly pan Has the strength and rigidity of a wet noodle and needs beefing up especially if you plan on attacking any rough Terrain a subframe is available with this kit and comes in formed sections that you simply weld together [Music] the subframe is not pre-drilled so clamp it in place and from under the car Mark the old VW body bolt holes on the new subframe then remove the subframe and drill all the holes [Music] [Music] then put the subframe back on the chassis and check to see that everything lines up foreign Place Mount your new exhaust system it's much easier to do now than later [Music] looking already isn't it with your holes already drilled through the subframe it's a simple matter to use those holes as guides and from under the car drill up through the fiberglass body drop in the bolts and you're more than halfway home the choice of tail lights is yours but if you Salvage the ones from the VW body just paint them the right color and they'll do fine [Music] to find the right place to drill the hole for the gas tank filler spout start by drilling two quarter inch holes in the headlight support mounts and get some quarter inch threaded rod and two large eye bolts and mount them on the headlight supports [Music] slip a broom handle or any round Rod through the eyeballs [Music] place the gas tank into position and you will notice that the quarter inch rods line up with the center of the filler spout just at the level where the hood will rest or a shoelace attach a pointed weight one of the old VW body bolts works fine and tape it to the broom handle Now isn't that a plum Dandy [Music] once you have bent twisted or in any way mutilated the plum to hang over the center of the filler spout remove the gas tank without jarring the plum rods with much tender loving care and a lot of easy dozens put the hood in place be careful not to scratch any paint and make certain the hood is correctly positioned and level if you goof this bit it shows [Music] now lower the plum until it touches the hood and that's it Mark it foreign you can cut this hole any way you wish but the best results come by using a hole saw attachment on your electric drill [Music] a blanket under the hood protects it from scratches while you insert the cowl brace up in behind the dash area this may take a bit of coaxing but a tight fit is an asset here as this brace must support your dash and windshield plan your instrumentation carefully making sure you have enough clearance between the moving arms of the windshield wipers and the back of your speedometer don't worry about scratching the dash as you should paint it flat black anyway to give it some couth [Music] with a gas tank back in its cubbyhole and the cowl brace attached to the hood you may find you need 87 arms to manipulate the hood into place on the body but after all what are friends for [Music] no respectable dune buggy would dare drop a few RPMs in public wearing stock VW wheels and tires and most American wheels don't fit the Volkswagen Hub so an adapter is needed a smart set of chrome wheels dressed in the latest in rubber wearing apparel designed for the type of driving you have in mind will put you right at the head of the In Crowd to protect the shiny finish on your lug nuts you can use a tough line coated socket that is designed for this purpose [Music] it's surprising how many people don't tighten lug nuts properly always do them in star fashion as Dennis is doing here don't over tighten as you may strip threads and lose the wheel later [Music] now you can enlarge the holes for the headlight mounts to the correct size and mount the units as squarely as possible beam alignment isn't too important here as it will probably have to be corrected when you have the finished buggy inspected [Music] if economy is the rule of thumb you can do your bit for inflation and use the VW steering wheel but don't mingle with the big buggies they'll all have the Woody Wheels foreign it is quite permissible to use the wiring from the old VW it is also quite permissible to cuddle up to a hostile octopus neither is considered a lot of fun and the AMA reports that people who do suffer a great deal from heat rash The Cure is to order the optional custom-made wiring harness that comes complete with fuse block and instructions you still may suffer a few cramps and when nagging backache sets in remember it's easier this way friend my doctor told me so foreign [Music] [Music] for the bracket that supports the windshield keep in mind that the cowl frame is in there and both holes should go squarely through that frame to give the strength needed to hold the windshield in place some companies ship the windshield with glass install this can be expensive as glass is heavy and you pay the shipping costs and if it gets broken in transit you have to replace it anyway so this manufacturer has the right idea and sends only the frame which you then take to your friendly neighborhood Auto Glass firm and have the experts do the work while you're at it have them put the rear window in the hard top if bad weather worries you get a pair of side curtains like these and when the rain stops pop them off and you can drive around in the shade of your hard tub remove a couple of bolts and the hard top easily comes off so you can Cruise in the countryside acapella the hard top is only one of many accessories that are available from the kit manufacturer that can give your buggy a fine distinctive appearance a low budget buggy always looks like a low budget buggy a sparkling set of chrome wheels wrapped in the best wide tread tires you can buy will catch a proving looks from anyone and when that brings them close enough to take a look at the interior don't let them down a formula V wood grain steering wheel will keep them smiling and if they can take their eyes off these front buckets they'll find a back seat that is surprisingly roomy and comfortable and even gives plenty of Headroom with a hard top in place some kits have a Fastback styled hardtop which leaves no room for any backseat passengers front and rear chrome bumpers offer protection as well as styling little investment on this car was just over two thousand dollars low budget buggies can be built for six or seven hundred and luxury bugs can cost you four or five thousand it handles like a playful kitten understeers a bit like a go-kart becomes a little critical at high speeds it also was easily pushed about by Crosswinds as it weighs only 1300 pounds the front end is so light that a healthy young man can lift both wheels off the ground tire pressure should be kept rather low about five pounds in the front and nine or so in the rear it may seem like a million and one things to remember but above all remember the fun you will get from building and driving your own dune buggy is worth a million good luck [Music] foreign [Music] [Music] all right foreign [Music] foreign [Music]