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Wed Jul 17, 2019 6:23 am

Got hold of an old beach buggy with a duel air port 1600 motor. Got an itch in my arse to build a farm vehicle for my father in law.

Engine runs fine, gearbox is in good nick and brakes work too (although it may require some tinkering in future).

The idea was to make a farm buggy for the odd travel between cattle posts and the occasional light hunting.

Started off by removing the fibre glass body

Floor and chassis was in good nick

Used the old stock tank and made a bracket

Started with the front end

Did the frame for the dash - will use aluminum sheets for the dash display

Welded on the steering wheel bracket

Started with the basic frame for the cabin

Attached the fuel intake

Idea of the dash layout

Started with the load bin (with drop sides on either side)

Took off the frame to reweld the spot welds

Re-assembled the basic skeleton and this is how she currently looks:

Wed Jul 17, 2019 6:26 am

Mind the shoddy (and unimaginative) workmanship.

This is my first project ever.

Wed Jul 17, 2019 7:50 pm

I like it, I have always thought it would be a good platform for one instead of buying a polaris ranger or a john deere gator since they are so expensive.

Wed Jul 17, 2019 11:59 pm

Ericlottaallthat wrote: I like it, I have always thought it would be a good platform for one instead of buying a polaris ranger or a john deere gator since they are so expensive.

Thank you.

Yup, those gators are really expensive!

I am about a grand into the build and expect to do a further grand on the paint, engine, wiring etc.

If it lasts for 4 years, I will be more than satisfied.

Thu Jul 18, 2019 11:58 pm

Cool build.
For the folk around here the couple of grand you speak of is less than two hundy in green backs :D

Fri Jul 19, 2019 10:50 am

Are you going to leave it open like that or weld tabs and make aluminum sheets to bolt on and enclose it?

How about registering it and making it road legal? Itd be quite the nice little buggy to putz around in.

Mon Jul 22, 2019 11:01 pm

Bkhansen93 wrote: Are you going to leave it open like that or weld tabs and make aluminum sheets to bolt on and enclose it?

How about registering it and making it road legal? Itd be quite the nice little buggy to putz around in.

It will be getting some aluminum skins - in the process of doing that.

I fiddled with the idea of making it road legal but it would simply not make sense. It will be used solely on the farm.

Our farm is about 13,000 acres (situated in the north of Namibia - Africa) and has about 19 miles of road on it of which about 8 miles requires some 4x4.

The buggy will not be used to go into town (about 50 miles to the nearest town) - just to inspect each cattle post and for the odd light hunting.

Will post some pics later this week with the skins on.

Cheers

Mon Jul 22, 2019 11:03 pm

LesbleuBuggy wrote: Cool build.
For the folk around here the couple of grand you speak of is less than two hundy in green backs :D

Thank you.

Wed Jul 24, 2019 11:06 pm

Front end and roof alu panels fitted...

Mon Jul 29, 2019 2:08 am

Made some fenders and fitted the front lights

Sun Sep 15, 2019 10:32 pm

Have been a while now, but its near completion.

Just wiring and brake adjustment left.

Sun Sep 15, 2019 10:34 pm

Engine painted and runs too:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ht5n0pQYNfI

Mon Sep 23, 2019 2:45 am

She's done.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jk_xe8W7VWg