Refurbishing my Old Buggy

Kman1983 · Posted: Sat May 11, 2013 12:19 pm Post subject: Refurbishing my Old Buggy

I bought this dune buggy in the spring of 1979 when I was in the 8th grade for $200. It was built on a shortened 1967 Pan with a '65 king pin front axle. The photo is circa 1980 or so. At that point I had installed a rear seat from a 1971 Bronco(that I borrowed from my brother). In 1985 it spun a rod bearing and was parked. Fast foward to 2013, I traded a CJ5 frame for what is supposed to be a 40 HP engine for it. I am going to do some upgrades including rewelding the old cage welds, adding side bars and installing new floor pans. For now I will be installing a couple of aluminum circle track seats and 5 point harnesses. As much as I love the looks of the beer keg gas tank I think I will buy a small fuel cell and mount it lower. Getting ready to order some new axle boots and planning to drain the transaxle and fill it iwith some fresh gear oil, when I figure out what gear oil I can use. The previous owner had removed the front brakes, he said he rolled it end over end on the cage when the front brakes locked up...I plan to re-install front brakes from a bent parts axle I aquired years back. My step-son is now in the 7th grade, same age as I was when I bought it so I want to get him driving it. Any thoughts, recommendations or pointers will be GREATLY appreciated! Looking foward to learning VW all over again!!

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Kman1983 · Posted: Sat May 11, 2013 12:36 pm Post subject:

Heres the engine I got for it. It is supposedly a 40 HP, not sure how to verify that. I have an early fan shroud I'll put on. The intake heater tube is rusted through.At some point I'll swap on my Tee-Pee header.

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pafree · Posted: Sat May 11, 2013 1:18 pm Post subject:

sounds like a fun project for you and your son. it will let him see what it takes to make a car work. let him do as much as possible to keep him interested. welcome to the forum.

Kman1983 · Posted: Sun May 12, 2013 6:18 pm Post subject:

Just thought of something. There must be a seal in the transaxle on the mainshaft. Where can I order one of these? Its gotta be toast at this point. I think I'll get a new through out bearing also.
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Veni, vedi, vici...I came, I saw, I conquered

pafree · Posted: Sun May 12, 2013 6:27 pm Post subject:

look around for a local VW parts shop but i usually make a list and order from www.cip1.com or www.socalautoparts.com. socalautoparts has a bit quicker delivery and don't be afraid to call if you don't see it on their site.

Kman1983 · Posted: Sun May 12, 2013 7:03 pm Post subject:

Thanks pafree! Looks like the SoCal site is the one I'll use, going to make a list as you suggested! Mail order works best for me as I travel 41 weeks out of the year for work(going to be 45 or so this year). I saw a VW shop in Indiana week before last, Brians Off-Road. I was hoping to stop but was short on time getting to the airport for my flight home. Headed to the west coast this week.
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Veni, vedi, vici...I came, I saw, I conquered

Kman1983 · Posted: Wed May 15, 2013 9:17 pm Post subject:

How can I identify the engine as a 40 HP 1200 or a 36HP?
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Kman1983 · Posted: Wed May 15, 2013 9:21 pm Post subject:

O.K. I found this http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/info/engine_letters.php
and just to be sure I should be able to find these numbers on a pad below the generator stand?
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pafree · Posted: Thu May 16, 2013 5:42 am Post subject:

Bashr52 · Posted: Thu May 16, 2013 6:44 am Post subject:

If it's a 36 horse it will have the generator stand cast into the case. It's hard to tell from that little pic what you have, but it doesnt look like a 36 horse to me.

Kman1983 · Posted: Fri May 17, 2013 5:39 am Post subject:

The tee-pee header was on the 1500. Little story behind the Tee-Pee header. When I was in the 8th grade I saved my lunch money for a month and bought the header, as I recall it was $29.95 from J.C. Whitney. The header only came with a stinger, when my mom found out that I had gone a month without lunch to get the header she bought me the muffler for $9.95.
I don't believe the generator stand is cast into the case.
_________________
Veni, vedi, vici...I came, I saw, I conquered

Kman1983 · Posted: Fri May 17, 2013 11:03 pm Post subject:

Another story on this buggy was that in 8th grade metal shop I had thiscool old guy instructor, Mr. Nicholson. I made so many parts for the dune buggy first quarter I got a 97 in class. I remember one of my parents friends saying that wasn't good because I could only get a lower grade next quarter...well I showed them! I made so many more things that I got a 100 second/final quarter!!
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Veni, vedi, vici...I came, I saw, I conquered

Kman1983 · Posted: Sun May 19, 2013 10:54 am Post subject:

O.K. After flying back from Portland yesterday I stopped at my dads and looked at the engine. I'm thinking its a 36 horse as the generator stand is indeed cast into the block as Bashr52 mentioned above. The engine number is 1318293. Only thing I can make out from the link I found is that it's a pre '56.
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Veni, vedi, vici...I came, I saw, I conquered

Kman1983 · Posted: Fri May 24, 2013 2:04 pm Post subject:

I'm thinking I'll have to pick up a 6 volt coil and battery for now after reading up on the 36HP engine. I believe I have a 6 volt starter and generator in my dads shed. I'll have to see if theres a 6v version of the 1157 bulbs for the tail lights. I think Tractor Supply carries 6v lights I can use on the front.
_________________
Veni, vedi, vici...I came, I saw, I conquered

Kman1983 · Posted: Fri May 24, 2013 2:11 pm Post subject:

O.K. 1154 bulbs should work in the tail lights.
_________________
Veni, vedi, vici...I came, I saw, I conquered

fishybastard · Posted: Fri May 24, 2013 3:28 pm Post subject:

This sounds like a sweet project! I really love those old homemade style buggys. Cant wait to see it all done Smile

Kman1983 · Posted: Sat May 25, 2013 5:25 pm Post subject:

I bought a set of wheel adapters off E-bay so I can run a set of Jeep 5 on 4 1/2" wheels on the rear. My wife and I are avid Jeepers. I couldn't find any adapters to go to the CJ 5 on 5 1/2" pattern so I figured I'd use some of the stock YJ rims we have with some 235/75R15's for now. I was surprised to see stickers saying "Not For Off-Road Use" on them as they were advertised for buggies...thinking it must be a liability thing. Grabbed some lug nuts tonight at Tractor Supply.

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Veni, vedi, vici...I came, I saw, I conquered

Kman1983 · Posted: Sun May 26, 2013 9:50 pm Post subject:

I went over and picked it out of its hiding spot today.

_________________
Veni, vedi, vici...I came, I saw, I conquered

Kman1983 · Posted: Sun May 26, 2013 9:53 pm Post subject:

Had fun working on the buggy with my dad today! It was 34 years ago today that we bought the buggy!!

_________________
Veni, vedi, vici...I came, I saw, I conquered

Kman1983 · Posted: Mon May 27, 2013 4:00 pm Post subject:

Placed an order with SoCal this morning! I also ordered a tubing notcher from Eastwood as a present for my wife this morning, she will get a LOT of good use out of it on her Jeep builds! I will borrow it for some cage additions on the buggy! I am getting excited about getting this thing back on the trails!!
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Veni, vedi, vici...I came, I saw, I conquered


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