Sand rail front suspension (sorry!!)

[BK911]

Sorry guys. I did search, but lots of info and I am not sure what applies to me.
Recently acquired a VW based sand rail buggy that I think is a beeline cobra.
Been riding on some rough 4 wheeler trails around my property and broke a lower ball joint.
So now it is time to make the front suspension better!
Plans are something that can take some roots and rocks at decent speed, but not racing, just having fun.
So far this thing rattles and bounces all over the place.
Guessing because it is all worn.
So couple of questions:

-Can a stock front end deal with bumps and stuff without knocking out my fillings? If all new ball joints, tie rod ends, steering box, bearings, etc...
-If not, then what? I see 4" wider, 6" wider, 8" towers, 10" towers, so many variables.

I think ultimately I would like around 100hp in this thing and want to build the front and rear suspension first.

Any idea?

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'72 914 1.7
'74 Standard Bug 1600

[cbeck]

Sweet, another bee line.
Seems like the woods buggy guys run an almost stock link pin beam. Keeps it skinny and lite weight to get em between the trees and then they depend on the nerf bars to get the rest of the way thru. Lots of utube videos on these guys, they are animals.

Mine started as a 80’s 98” cobra. 6” beam, 8” shock towers, tweeds arms( forget what size), 3x3arms in the rear. Limited to 12.25” travel f/r.

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My cut in half and rebuild thread
www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=647779

[BK911]

Thanks cbeck!
Your buggy looks more wild than mild.
Started reading your resto thread.
Do you detail your suspension?
How adequate on some rough trails?
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'72 914 1.7
'74 Standard Bug 1600

[cbeck]

Too wide for the trails around here. Seems like the trails are made by side by sides.
Should have went with 28mm torsions in the rear instead of 27mm. The rear is a little soft. But trophy trucks also seem a little soft, they also have 3xs the wheel travel.
Mostly street driven, but I like me a gravel road.
I tried to cover most of the suspension mock up in my thread.
It's the buggy I wanted 40 years ago, but couldn't afford.
Wife got cancer a couple of years ago, and I sold it and bought a travel trailer. Been to 9 states and numerous national parks since then.
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My cut in half and rebuild thread
www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=647779

[dustymojave]

Fudddddddge CANCER!

In the middle of this year, I didn't think I would see new years day. But I'm better now. Wheew!

I get selling off the buggy for her and going with an RV. But what a shame!

So one thing not mentioned in this thread yet is that the OP has a ball joint beam. Converting to link pin is not so easy. Ball joint beam tubes are spaced farther apart than link pin beam tubes. So a link pin beam doesn't fit into a ball joint car frame. A few years ago, BugZilla in Arizona was making beams to fit in a ball joint car and use link pin arms and spindles. A guy who can fabricate could make his own. In the past I built a bunch of beams with custom tube spacing for race cars. If I wasn't retired and struggling with my cancer, I would offer to build him a beam like that. I had a flame cutting table and pantograph to cut side plates like on a Warrior beam. But a guy could space the beam tubes with square tube or 1/4" plate and a hole saw to notch the spacing right. It's not really rocket science to build one.
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Richard
Offroading VW based cars since 1965
Tech Inspection 1963 - 2012 SCCA/SCORE/HDRA/MORE/MDR +
Retired from building Bajas, Fiberglass Buggies and Rails in the Mojave Desert. Also Sprints & Midgets, Dry Lakes, Road Race cars. All types New and Vintage
SoCalBajas Member
Kicked Cancer's A$$...1st and 2nd round...Fight ain't over yet.