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boomerang
Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2012
Posts: 106
Location: Texas / Kansas
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 Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2012 2:33 pm Post subject: change in plans |
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Well, good news and bad news. The good news is I met with the body & paint guy who will be helping me build my project. The bad news is we decided that rather than grow this kiddie ride body to fit the golf cart, we're instead going to try cutting down a full size body.
So I may have a spare kiddie ride body if anyone needs one. Also, I'm looking for a full size Manx style body to use in its place. |
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boomerang
Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2012
Posts: 106
Location: Texas / Kansas
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| Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2012 9:23 pm Post subject: |
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I found 3 full size bodies for sale near me so far. I hope to get one of them in the next week or so & soon start cutting it down to size (about 4/5 scale) to fit the golf cart. Here are the candidates so far:
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MURZI
Samba Member
Joined: August 25, 2005
Posts: 5063
Location: Madisonville, La
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| Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2012 9:41 pm Post subject: |
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Some big nasty meats would compliment the look...
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62 vert
2276
Tim’s welded heads
45 Dells
A1 sidewinder
Fk44 cam |
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HeidelbergJohn4.0
Samba Member
Joined: March 01, 2004
Posts: 1199
Location: Havre de Grace, MD
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| Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2012 6:59 pm Post subject: |
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Looks like that one on the right has some pretty low sides to start with.
_________________
71 LWB Manx style dunebuggy
71 Beetle
71 Volksrod
Machette Speedster
2012 Passat TDI SE (sadly sitting in a buyback parking lot somewhere waiting for it's heart to be ripped out.) |
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boomerang
Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2012
Posts: 106
Location: Texas / Kansas
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| Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2012 7:29 pm Post subject: |
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| HeidelbergJohn4.0 wrote: |
| Looks like that one on the right has some pretty low sides to start with. |
The one on the right has some pluses, though I think the low sides might be partially camera angle. It also seems to have a shorter hood, which would mean less cutting.
But I kind of like the other two better for shape. More curvy & less square looking.
Thanks & keep this input coming. It really helps. |
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boomerang
Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2012
Posts: 106
Location: Texas / Kansas
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| Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2012 4:40 pm Post subject: Soon these two will be one |
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I picked up the body today and after taking some measurements, it looks like there may be less cutting than I originally expected. The top of the dash is 42" wide and about 23" off the deck. Pretty close to the dimensions of the golf cart.
Off to the body shop for these next week. In the mean time, I'm shopping for tail lights. I've looked through the tail light threads here and am thinking chrome Beetle tail lights. If anyone knows where I can buy a couple, new or show quality, please let me know. Also I need a windshield.
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BL3Manx
Samba Member
Joined: August 29, 2006
Posts: 6767
Location: Northern California
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| Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2012 6:21 pm Post subject: |
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A carnival ride buggy with these wheels would look great. However a full size buggy with these wheels? I'd stick with the original plan
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boomerang
Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2012
Posts: 106
Location: Texas / Kansas
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| Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2012 7:30 pm Post subject: |
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| BL3Manx wrote: |
A carnival ride buggy with these wheels would look great. However a full size buggy with these wheels? I'd stick with the original plan
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Thanks for the input, please keep it coming.
It won't really be a full size body when it's done. It'll lose about a foot in overall length and about 5" from the width for the rear half. The snout is about the only part staying full width. (in order to fit the cart cowl width.)
So in general, with the overall size slightly scaled down, I think the wheels & tires being scaled down will be acceptable. I know that in the end, it will still be a golf cart. |
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BL3Manx
Samba Member
Joined: August 29, 2006
Posts: 6767
Location: Northern California
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| Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2012 7:45 am Post subject: |
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The front should look fine. I can remember seeing slalom buggies in the 60s with small diameter Goodyear Bluestreaks which looked pretty good.
In the back you have a bigger wheel arch to fill. You might consider cutting the fenders off the buggy, narrowing and shortening them, then glassing and blending them to the existing golf cart body just above the wheels. |
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boomerang
Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2012
Posts: 106
Location: Texas / Kansas
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| Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 11:21 am Post subject: Hinging the hood |
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I searched the forum & saw that some have hinged the hoods on their Manx style buggies. I'm considering this idea. It would give me more storage and/or a place for batteries. (I have no fuel tank up there)
I like the idea of moving the headlight mounting bosses slightly inboard, from the fender to the hood edge. I think the easiest way to go is to use Jeep Wrangler style exterior hinges, probably polished stainless.
If anyone has advice on this set up, or suggestions on latch/strut/prop rod/hinge hardware, please let me know. |
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GS guy
Samba Member
Joined: December 03, 2007
Posts: 968
Location: Maryland
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| Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 2:33 pm Post subject: |
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Won't putting batteries up front upset the weight balance over the front suspension? Be careful here, since the chassis isn't designed to carry much additional weight up there. Plus, momma won't be too happy if she can't drive it because the steering is too heavy! Keeping the steering light will be key.
That said, I think a lockable storage compartment up front would be nice to have. Something mostly water tight so you can carry light to medium weight stuff - jackets, food, etc.
You might try to look for or make some simple hinges like those on the Kick-Out rear cover. Seems like they'd be fairly simple to make using some aluminum stock? Might take a little trial and error to get the hinge action correct, plus find placement for some gas struts to hold it open.
You can alway mount lights on a front bumper (instead of the body) - since you don't have to worry about road legality, lots of options!
Some key-locking hood pins would secure it down, or if you want to step it up a bit: aerocatches
http://www.aerocatch.net/
I also like these for smaller (non locking) hood latches:
http://www.quik-latch.com/index.html
Oh, find some taller (wide) rear tires to throw on those wheels and I think you'll get the look!
_________________
70's vintage Deserter GS buggy - undergoing transformation to Super GS! |
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boomerang
Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2012
Posts: 106
Location: Texas / Kansas
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| Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 5:35 pm Post subject: |
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| GS guy wrote: |
Won't putting batteries up front upset the weight balance over the front suspension? Be careful here, since the chassis isn't designed to carry much additional weight up there. Plus, momma won't be too happy if she can't drive it because the steering is too heavy! Keeping the steering light will be key.
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I am concerned about proper weight distribution and wasn't planning to put all 6 batteries out front. But just like you are saying that all the weight in the front might make the steering heavy, I was afraid that if I put it all our back I'd have the opposite problem. If they fit, I wouldn't mind putting 2 or 3 up front & the rest in the rear.
I like the locking compartment idea. Thanks for the links, too. |
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boomerang
Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2012
Posts: 106
Location: Texas / Kansas
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| Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2012 7:25 pm Post subject: |
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I took these pictures today. We're making progress. Besides the preliminary door cut outs (planning to do this "Resorter style" - thanks to GS guy for the idea), we've removed about 6" out of the rear fenders and some out of the center. We're discussing taking 3 or 4 inches out of the center of the front end, too. The space between the fenders & the tops of the tires is about twice what I want, so we'll be sectioning a couple inches out of the center of the body to reduce the height. (in other works, remove a chunk parallel to the floor)
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BL3Manx
Samba Member
Joined: August 29, 2006
Posts: 6767
Location: Northern California
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| Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2012 10:58 pm Post subject: |
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| Looks like its coming together very nicely. Also looks like you have some taller tires than before and you will be sitting in the back seat. It'll be a real head turner. Think about metalflake paint and a tuck and roll interior! |
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GS guy
Samba Member
Joined: December 03, 2007
Posts: 968
Location: Maryland
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| Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2012 5:24 pm Post subject: |
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Looks good boomerang! Stay at it.
_________________
70's vintage Deserter GS buggy - undergoing transformation to Super GS! |
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boomerang
Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2012
Posts: 106
Location: Texas / Kansas
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| Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2012 8:51 am Post subject: |
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Mid week progress report - the rear part of the body has been lowered (sectioned) about 4". Today the front end is scheduled to get a similar treatment.
Sunday we're planning to finalize the body mock up & Monday starts the fiberglass work. If you have comments to contribute, please chime in before then if possible. |
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mstevens
Samba Member
Joined: January 16, 2008
Posts: 225
Location: Boise, Idaho
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| Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2012 9:22 am Post subject: |
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| Nice work so far! Can I ask what steering wheel and column you are using in the cart? |
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boomerang
Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2012
Posts: 106
Location: Texas / Kansas
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| Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2012 9:29 am Post subject: |
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| mstevens wrote: |
| Nice work so far! Can I ask what steering wheel and column you are using in the cart? |
We're hoping to change the angle & maybe the length so we can reuse the existing golf cart column. But that plan might change. I think Ididit makes a tilt column for EZ Go golf carts that's also under consideration. |
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MURZI
Samba Member
Joined: August 25, 2005
Posts: 5063
Location: Madisonville, La
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| Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2012 9:45 am Post subject: |
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Larger diameter rims and tires would really make it look awesome. Troll craigslist....sometimes you can find rims and tires for about 400 bucks....
_________________
62 vert
2276
Tim’s welded heads
45 Dells
A1 sidewinder
Fk44 cam |
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boomerang
Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2012
Posts: 106
Location: Texas / Kansas
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| Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2012 10:51 am Post subject: |
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| MURZI wrote: |
| Larger diameter rims and tires would really make it look awesome. Troll craigslist....sometimes you can find rims and tires for about 400 bucks.... |
Thanks and I agree. Current tires (23" x 10.5") are temporary, though I might stick with these (12" diameter) wheels.
I'm trying to make this project look as much as I can like a real street driven dune buggy but with (mostly) everything scaled down in size where practical. When you take 4/5 of actual full size wheels & tires, I think I'm about there. But I'm thinking something with more of a street and not off-road tread, maybe 25"x10.5" tires in the rear and 23"x 8.5" up front would help with the correct buggy look & rake. |
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