New Buggy Build

[clemsonkid1993]

Hello everyone, I am new to this site and I am impressed at the amount of knowledge everyone seems to have. I am building my own buggy completely from scratch and I am looking for any help anyone can offer. My first step is I am going to a huge VW scrap yard and buying all the parts I need to start with. So my question is this, what are all the parts I need to salvage off of an old VW Beetle in order to make my own sand rail/dune buggy? Obviously I need an engine and trans, but what else do I need to get? I am welding my own frame so I have that part covered. I don't know if it will be better to use the front suspension and steering off of an old bug? Thanks for all your help.

[tdonaldson]

Front susp/ steering, trans, rear suspension, engine, various other little goodies.

The fact that you're asking makes me think that you might find it rewarding to buy a beatup rail and just fix it, then move on to making your own later.

I don't want to sound like a jerk, but sometimes things are just a certain way.

You can buy a busted rail for less than a grand, fix it for less than a grand, then sell it for 2 if you don't like it, or sell it for close to what you have in it if you decide not to finish.

If you buy all the stuff to make one you're probably looking at minimum 3k. Thats ballpark, I've never made one, so someone else might have more guidance. The thing is that even complete, you'll never recover that cost, and if you don't get it together, you'll take a pretty big hit.

Plus a used rail you can figure out what you like/don't, then build one with everything you decided you wanted based on experience.
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"If you had a beer can in your hand the beer would have stopped it, alcohol is a natural force of good that keeps you from getting hurt, unless you're city people...."

[clemsonkid1993]

Well, we have a metal fab shop so I am getting the frame essientially for free. That's why I wanted to get my own engine and trans and work from there. Is there a certain kind of VW engine preferrable to another?

[tdonaldson]

Most poeples originated as a 1600. A lot of them were built bigger, but few people run bus engines because they're expensive to buy parts for. 1600s are pretty cheap, easy to find, and push a buggy pretty well. Mine does about 85 mph on 29s.

Base engine is oretty standard. Gets crazy with the work people do to them.

Lots of different trans though. You'll have to read up and see whats available for you.
_________________
"If you had a beer can in your hand the beer would have stopped it, alcohol is a natural force of good that keeps you from getting hurt, unless you're city people...."

[toomanytoys]

Nothing like the satisfaction of building your own. Actually I would rather build them than play with them. Here are some things you may need off of a beetle.
front suspension and steering
rear suspension from the torsion housing back
engine & trans
peddles and cables
shifter and shift rod. shift rod will probable have to be altered in length

[clemsonkid1993]

As far as transmissions go I can't tell the benefits of going with a three speed clutch less or a four speed trans-axle. I don't know which one would be easier to break down and clean up...? I would also like to be able to make my buggy legal for use on the road but I can't find a list of what a car needs to be street-legal?

[tdonaldson]

Legality will be state by state.
I don't think the auto is very popular due to lack of availability.
_________________
"If you had a beer can in your hand the beer would have stopped it, alcohol is a natural force of good that keeps you from getting hurt, unless you're city people...."

[clemsonkid1993]

What about IRS verus swing axle and ball joint versus pin?

[ryno496]

pin is alot easier to modify than ball joint... on a bug atleast, not sure about rails. i believe most rails go IRS as it stops your rear wheels from toe-in \----/ it also is a much more comfortable ride