TheSamba.com :: View topic

Sun Nov 24, 2013 1:52 pm

Hi all, I have been a dirt bike rider 44 years of my 57 years of age and just now built my first buggy. It's a Berrien Warrior that I bought a few years ago and never finished but got back into it this year. I ordered the extra pickup kit and the fiberglass body when I ordered the frame. This year I picked up a 002 trans for it and a Toyota 1ZZFE motor out of a 2000 Corolla. The motor is a 1800 variable cam timing fuel injected motor and have it working very well. I was given a type 3 so I used all its brakes, front discs and big rear drums and master cylinder. Also converted to IRS with parts from the type 3 and used its larger torsions. Here is a couple pics of it.

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Last week I built it another pickup bed to haul things. I will sleeve the roll bar and flange the 2 little uprights.

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We just got the tube bender and this is one of my first projects using it. I am planning on building a Baja Bug next and am gathering parts for it and will tube it out.

Anyway back to my buggy, I have been driving it a lot before it got cold here and been having a blast in it. It drives great and the motor trans are a great match with a very fun feel to the power band. Thanks for looking.

Ed

Sun Nov 24, 2013 5:58 pm

looks like a fun rig. how heavy is that motor in that frame? I'm curious how the front end of the warrior rides with more weight in the back. Obviously it can't be too bad since you want to haul things back there too. lol

I like the trunk area. I have the standard warrior back, but I'd like to do my own take on that - when I get a bender too. ;)

Sun Nov 24, 2013 6:02 pm

I'd also be interested in seeing how you supported that motor in the frame back there...

Sun Nov 24, 2013 6:17 pm

It drives awesome. That motor is light, lighter than a Ecotech. It has a aluminum block and head and is smaller than that pic makes it look. You can see the rear mount in the second pic, stock Toyota mount and a piece welded to the frame it bolts to. It and the 002 are solid mounted with front, side and rear mounts. I put 500 miles on it last month with no issues other than at first it would run weird and I realized it needed a speed sensor and that fixed it.

Ed

Sun Nov 24, 2013 6:35 pm

why am I not seeing a gas tank? is it in the front?

Sun Nov 24, 2013 7:14 pm

Yes in the front under the hood. It is a VW tank and I cut the top out of it and then cut the top out of the Toyota tank and welded it into the VW tank for the fuel injection fuel pump. I used every thing I could from the Toyota, motor, radiator and fans, wiring harness and computer, exhaust cut and welded back together to fit and the fuel pump.

I don't have a pic of the tank but can take some.

Ed

Mon Nov 25, 2013 8:51 am

Side note : what brand of bender did you get ? and how do you like it ?

Mon Nov 25, 2013 9:51 am

Went in on a JD32 with a friend of mine. Got the hydraulic ram on it and use the power unit from a 4 post lift we have to run it and it works awesome. We do need some more dies but they will come with need. Right now we have a 1 1/2" and a 1" die.

Ed

Wed Jan 08, 2014 10:18 am

I have been working on my buggy some. Finished the pickup bed.

Now going to move the computer into a ammo box and clean up some wiring. Then I am going to paint the frame. I am thinking of painting the frame with black bed liner paint.

Also want to add head lights, horn, windshield and wipers and then a plate.

Ed

Wed Jan 22, 2014 3:29 pm

Well I pulled my motor today and am going to redo my transmission mounts and clean up the wiring more.

I decided to weigh my Toyota 1ZZFE and it comes in at 250lbs. Here it is sitting on 2 bathroom scales.

Not that much more than a VW, it has all the wiring and flywheel and clutch on it. I do like the way it runs for sure. Got a few more things to do then I will be painting the frame.

Ed

Thu Jan 23, 2014 6:11 am

:popcorn:

Tue Jan 28, 2014 2:35 am

It would weigh a lot less too, if it got parked closer to the pressure washer! 8)

I like the thinking outside the box on the engine choice.

Tue Jan 28, 2014 3:01 am

Oh, and from one old dirt bike racer to another...

(Myself in the 70s racing AMA Desert)

"With Age comes a Cage"

(Myself not long after, racing my so-new-the-frame-hasn't-been-painted-yet HiJumper)

8)

PS: familiar color on your car...

Tue Jan 28, 2014 8:02 am

Thanks Dusty and yes with age comes a cage, I like that but am still much more of a dirt bike rider and log several thousand off road miles a year. I don't have old pics but I grew up in Beatty Nv. and in 72 I gat a new to me 71 Maico 250 that I truly loved. Never got into buggies but I am getting older and have lost a few friends to crashes on bikes and quads so I figured its time to look into buggies.

Some pic from last Nov 16 up on Mt Patterson, near Topaz lake, these pics are at 11,300 foot elevation.

And yes I know I should have washed my buggy before taking it apart but it got real cold here and I had my outdoor water shut off for the winter. My Toyota happened when I bought a rolled Corolla for a $100 and it was a done deal then and I am very happy with it. Next year I am planning on building a Baja Bug play car to take the wife in so you may see a few more unusual things from me LOL.

Ed

Tue Jan 28, 2014 8:07 am

I grew up in the wrong part of the country that's fo sho

Tue Feb 11, 2014 6:26 pm

Been doing some clean and paint on my buggy. Also made some new transmission mounts for my 002.

Planning on building a Baja Bug next and been gathering parts, already have the 091 trans that I made the shifter for but this followed me home yesterday complete with adaptor.

with this mess LOL

That's all for now.

Ed

Tue Feb 11, 2014 7:14 pm

How do you like that 002 transmission for off roading?

Tue Feb 11, 2014 7:34 pm

I love it, it would be a little slow for a highway car but it is awesome as a off road car. With the Toyota motor it still goes fast but it will turn 7000rpm with no problem so for short spurts you can blaze for sure and then crawl around like a rock crawler. It is a great combo that I have fun with.

Ed

Tue Feb 11, 2014 9:07 pm

What is the code is on it?

Wed Feb 12, 2014 5:50 am

Is that a subaru up there?