TheSamba.com :: View topic - 1st timer. Just picked up a Chirco 2 seat Big Boy. Now What?

Sun Jan 04, 2015 10:08 pm

A friend of mine bought a "Bare bones" Big Boy buggy frame from Chirco a few months back. He didn't do squat with it. Just let it sit on the floor in his garage. long story short, $500.00 later, it's now taking up floor space at my house. I've had Quads and Pre-Runners, but this is my first buggy.

So... What next?
I know I need stuff, but in what order? Get it rolling first?
What are some good sites for parts?
I'm looking to end up with something Mid-Travel'ish, good for Sand/Dirt?
Also, I have a 2.2L 4 banger out of a Honda, Can I power it with that?

Sun Jan 04, 2015 11:54 pm

post up some pictures, you will get a lot of help that way

Mon Jan 05, 2015 12:14 am

Brian wrote: post up some pictures, you will get a lot of help that way

A photo of the bare frame sitting on my garage floor?

Um... ok, coming right up. lol

Mon Jan 05, 2015 12:58 am

oh lol, honestly didn't read a thing :D

Well if your plans are for sand and dirt and want some mid travel I would just start planning on that first. Plenty of places sell kits for doing so. Appletreeauto has some 'good' rear kits.

Do you know what the front is setup for, link pin or balljoint beam? And is the rear swing or does it have the pivot points for trailing arms?

Mon Jan 05, 2015 10:49 am

I would look into getting a bus transmission, either a 091 or 002 for that power plant.

Here are some of those kits: http://www.appletreeauto.com/VW-SUSPENSION/SUSPENSION-KITS/

Mon Jan 05, 2015 10:17 pm

Brian wrote: oh lol, honestly didn't read a thing :D

Well if your plans are for sand and dirt and want some mid travel I would just start planning on that first. Plenty of places sell kits for doing so. Appletreeauto has some 'good' rear kits.

Do you know what the front is setup for, link pin or balljoint beam? And is the rear swing or does it have the pivot points for trailing arms?

The front is Link Pin. The rear is Swing, If I'm correct.
I need to get it in "Rolling" form. So I can shift it around easier.

I looked at appletree. They had Link Pin Warrior front end kits w/ 8" Shock towers that got my eye. I'm going to look at rear end kits tonight.

Thanks.

Mon Jan 05, 2015 10:28 pm

That would be a strong setup. I would stay with the stock swing rear, a lot stronger but you would definitely have to get a transmission regeared for a larger motor.

Mon Jan 05, 2015 11:03 pm

Your in the right place...post those pics, that is the most helpful thing you can do.

This is a very knowledgeable crowd full of lots of helpful info. I will be a good source of what not to do...but I'm learning :idea:

Tue Jan 06, 2015 5:33 am

Brian wrote: That would be a strong setup. I would stay with the stock swing rear, a lot stronger but you would definitely have to get a transmission regeared for a larger motor.

I disagree. Check for certain it's not IRS. If you want travel you need IRS. And if you're going to change it now is the time!

As for the Honda engine, most Hondas rotate the wrong way for VW trans. Check on Kennedy Engineered Adapters site for more info on that.

Here are some links that I think might help you out.

http://vw.zenseeker.net/Wheels-LengthenedTrailingArms.htm

http://volksweb.relitech.com/helmut/GEARBOX.HTM#4Watertranny

http://www.kennedyenginc.com/Pages/default.aspx

Also, I don't care if your frame is only the windshield frame, we are pic whores! We want pics!!! You'd be surprised what we could tell you just off a frame pic.

At this point you have a blank canvas on which you can make any style rig you want. What I like to do is make some photocopies of side and front profiles of the frame (maybe up on blocks). If you make them kinda light you can have fun playin with different ideas and see what it looks like before having to waste time and hate it later. I still have some from when I built my buggy the first time.

Tue Jan 06, 2015 8:15 am

At this point if you want to get it to be roller and if you are sure its K&L and Swing, look for donor car..... This will give you almost everything (stock) you need....With donor you don't care how body is or if engine runs or not (if it runs so much the better), but it gives you a bunch of parts like brakes, wheels and tires and stuff....

IF you spend $1500 on front are rear suspension and then loose interest, you will not get any return on your money, the sum of the "parts" is not equal to a complete buggy....

With a $500 chassis and a $500 donor you have a $1500 roller (possibly runner) ...

Dale

Tue Jan 06, 2015 11:35 am

ORANGECRUSHer wrote: Brian wrote: That would be a strong setup. I would stay with the stock swing rear, a lot stronger but you would definitely have to get a transmission regeared for a larger motor.

I disagree. Check for certain it's not IRS. If you want travel you need IRS. And if you're going to change it now is the time!

As for the Honda engine, most Hondas rotate the wrong way for VW trans. Check on Kennedy Engineered Adapters site for more info on that.

Here are some links that I think might help you out.

http://vw.zenseeker.net/Wheels-LengthenedTrailingArms.htm

http://volksweb.relitech.com/helmut/GEARBOX.HTM#4Watertranny

http://www.kennedyenginc.com/Pages/default.aspx

Also, I don't care if your frame is only the windshield frame, we are pic whores! We want pics!!! You'd be surprised what we could tell you just off a frame pic.

At this point you have a blank canvas on which you can make any style rig you want. What I like to do is make some photocopies of side and front profiles of the frame (maybe up on blocks). If you make them kinda light you can have fun playin with different ideas and see what it looks like before having to waste time and hate it later. I still have some from when I built my buggy the first time.

Ok. I'll clear some space & take some photos when I get home from work. I think your correct going with IRS in the back. Now IS the time.

I'm in luck. The specific Honda motor I have (F22) isn't listed with Kennedy, However, It's cousin V-Tech motor(B22) was. I know for a fact, the rotation is the same on both motors. That saves me some money. Now I need a bus trans.

This thing is coming together. I may make 4th of July at Pismo....
Thanks.

Tue Jan 06, 2015 11:39 am

Dale M. wrote: At this point if you want to get it to be roller and if you are sure its K&L and Swing, look for donor car..... This will give you almost everything (stock) you need....With donor you don't care how body is or if engine runs or not (if it runs so much the better), but it gives you a bunch of parts like brakes, wheels and tires and stuff....

IF you spend $1500 on front are rear suspension and then loose interest, you will not get any return on your money, the sum of the "parts" is not equal to a complete buggy....

With a $500 chassis and a $500 donor you have a $1500 roller (possibly runner) ...

Dale

I'm doing this. Many of the parts don't need to be "Brand New" on the car.
I'm not sure I will buy a whole donor car, but I'm looking all over for gently used parts. If I found a roller someone else gave up on, that I would consider....

Wed Jan 07, 2015 2:25 am

Most Honda 4 cylinder engines run reverse rotation to VWs and that would present issues for most transaxles. Ford 2.0 or 2.3 is a good option. So is a Toyota, such as a Corolla 4 banger. Very popular these days is the GM Ecotec. Which seems to be not near as inexpensive as some fans of it suggest. Adapters for a wide variety of engines are available from Kennedy Engineered Products in Palmdale, CA.

Most modern water pumper 4 cylinder engines such as an Ecotec make a lot more power than a 40 year old design VW air cooled engine. It's NOT because it's aircooled, it's other factors...such as head design, computer controlled fuel injection and ignition, 4-valve per cylinder, etc.

But ...more power, means more damage to the trans. Gearboxes get expensive fast.