My Detroit sandrail/pleasure craft... or "Carmela's Concession"

[dennismcd707]

I'm gonna be putting this thing together over the next several months, and I'll be posting details of my progress. So far I've invested a lot of money (to me anyways) in the engine components, which is my favorite part of the "BUILD"................... the engine building. I bought two brand new cases with the intention of building a mild performer 1641cc and a higher performer 1760cc.

[pullstart]

I like the chain on the keg clamp! Have fun with your build.. but why sell? It's doubtful to recoup what you have into a buggy, might as well enjoy it!
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4 seater Appletree buggy, road legal with 002 IRS, 3x3 Appletree kit, 6" over Dan's beam with 10" towers and Fox 2.0 shocks, '00 Subaru EJ25 with KEP stage 3 clutch and KEP adapter plate.

my build page: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=662104&start=0

[cbeck]

I have some nickel plated chain on my truck that would look good there.

[SamT]

Is that a factory built chassis? I have a friend with one almost identical!
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Rides:
300HP 900lb turbo VW rail 18/15 travel
Never ending jeep/rzr hybrid build!
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=546712

[heywebonya]

That is one cool short wheel base buggy. I have been on a Burro kick lately and it looks like a fun toy.

Keep at it and use it to learn what you want and get it street legal.
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If I knew what I was doing; I wouldn't be building a buggy!

[dennismcd707]

My first thought was to 86 the keg gas tank, but now I believe I'm keeping it where it is, chain hold down and all! I bought the sandrail from some guy in Waterford. It's been driven as a rail before, but it's basically in need of a re-assembly re-fit before it goes off road again.

I just bought a new EMPI speed shifter and have to hook it up once I fabricate some stuff for it. Plus, I'll be removing the transaxle that came with it and I'm going to install the rear end from a 1966 bus with the reduction gearboxes.

Here are a few more pics. Maybe somebody can help me identify the type of frame it is, or whether or not it might be homemade.

[dennismcd707]

The bus was abandoned by its previous owner, my pal's older brother, on their private property near Millersburg, in Presque Isle County in northern Michigan (lower peninsula). There wasn't much left of the vehicle (to me anyways) that hadn't been stripped or shot at.....except of course for the rusted skeleton that was holding my new, er, um..... used (and hopefully still able to function reasonably well) transaxle and reduction gears! This 6 volt tranny seems to have been well maintained. Still had oil, everything moves, bearings seem fine.

....I'm even going to use the original fulcrum plates. A few new gaskets, some cleaning (mostly complete), and I'll try to flush out the insides with some fresh gear lube added, swished around via gravity, and then drained. (Does anyone have another method that might work better?) I don't want to open it up any more than I have to, as it may not even work. I have confidence it will. Plus, since I at least know the history behind this thing, as opposed to the swing axle unit that came with the rail (which may or may not even work either.... I just assume it works), I'm gonna install it and hope for the best. Anybody else have any luck with finding good ......... old and forgotten/abandoned transaxles that have sat for a long time?

[pullstart]

if you get the engine running, fill the transaxle with diesel fuel and run it with the wheels off the ground for a while in all gears at idle, then drain it you'll probably be quite amazed how well it cleans the insides.
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4 seater Appletree buggy, road legal with 002 IRS, 3x3 Appletree kit, 6" over Dan's beam with 10" towers and Fox 2.0 shocks, '00 Subaru EJ25 with KEP stage 3 clutch and KEP adapter plate.

my build page: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=662104&start=0

[dennismcd707]

The diesel fuel idea sounds pretty scary, as in ...... I don't know what’s gonna happen if I do this, but whatever it is, it's gonna be BIG. I never would have thought of something like that. It sure sounds like a good idea, and I bet it would do exactly what I'd want it to do. Pour diesel into the trans, run the engine with the wheels off the ground......and put it through all gears, at idle. I'm gonna mull it over for a bit, since I have some time while the engines go together. (Man........ I'm not sure I need it "that" clean. Hmmm, you can tell I'm reluctant, right? However, it sounds pretty ingenious!)

Here's a picture of my first VW (taken after I wrecked it in 1985 and had it towed home)

1970 Beetle: Purchased in 1982, Birmingham, Michigan, 1600cc single port, and totally customized for a kid right out of high school. Fat tires, shiny "Cragar's", the inside was "wall to wall" thick/red/shag carpet, even on the roof, which also was home to a D.I.Y. sun roof (that leaked....... naturally), a tiny racing chrome and rubber steering wheel (God, I can really picture the whole thing now), and a decent tape deck/speaker system (which at that time I was heavily listening to The Pretenders, U2, Queen, Pete Townshend, Clapton, ................................ and probably Santana, Yes, Todd Rundgren, Aerosmith, and Ted Nugent. Oh, and maybe Genesis, Bob Seger, J Geils, Steve Miller Band, ZZ Top, Allman Brothers and Neil Young, but that's probably it.)

I knew absolutely nothing about VW's when I bought it, except how to fill 'em with gas and oil, and how to drive 'em. (I started working at a service station, "EUGENE'S UNION 76" in Birmingham MI when I was 16.) I knew about cars, just nothing about VW's. And it showed. The engine blew within about 6 months of the purchase. Massive overheating! Really? Heat? I didn't get a temp. warning light!!!! Huh??? Damn foreign piece of crap! (Did I mention I didn't know much about VW's?) Anyways, 65 mph on the freeway, a cold Sunday night, 4 kids in my decked out Baja Bug wannabe, on their way to Michigan State University in East Lansing. We were probably listening to Tom Petty, or R.E.M., or maybe The Kinks or The Who, or........... and I'm driving without a care in the world. Suddenly, the engine stops, smoke is pouring out of the engine compartment, and I'm finding my way to the shoulder of the Interstate, probably a little bit more ”bummed out” than the other guys.

Oh well, no worries! I rebuilt the engine and had it for a couple more years. I replaced the entire front beam (rusted shock towers and rusty everything else.) The floorboards were so rusty they had to be cobbled together with old street signs, wire screen mesh mixed with tar and bondo…..my own recipe. I definitely did more stupid/funny/and dangerous stuff with that car.

.........until another Sunday night, this time in Lakeville Michigan. A friend and I were driving all over hell that day, having a good ol' time, listening to The Doobie Brothers or CCR, or maybe Chicago, Zeppelin, or Jethro Tull. Actually, it might have been Van Halen, now that I think hard on it. Or was it Styx? Anyways, we were driving around, figuring out how we were going to conquer the world, drinking Stroh's beer after Stroh's beer (Did I just admit to drinking and driving? I'm sorry you guys, but we did it ALL THE TIME back then. I mean, I've grown up since then of course, and I've seen the devastating power that alcohol has over people. It's part of life, as we all know very well, but it's also a taker of life. Do what you want folks, it's all good, just don't hurt others. A lesson learned in kindergarten, but not any less true today). In Lakeville, the road through it is very curvy, and in the middle of one of those sharp curves, the road turned, we tried, and we ended up on our passenger side. Luckily, nobody was hurt (King Alcohol didn't win that day!), and we pushed the car back, right side up, and hitched home. The police weren't even involved. I had the car towed the next day, and I sold it shortly thereafter. It was totaled, and I haven't owned an air cooled VW since.

[dennismcd707]

................. and ever since that 1970 Baja Bug "wannabe", I have seriously thought about how cool it would be to again build an air cooled VW engine. When I did it the first time, I had no money. This time I do. "Fin"

By the way, I just did business with 2 different, well known VW part houses/suppliers, spending quite a bit of money at each place. And guess what? ACN will continue to receive my business. (I have lots of money, John. That's the good news. I just have to be innovative enough to divert it somehow out of my savings account.) Good service and attention to detail. Even the packaging of my shipments was done with care.

I'll share the details of what the other place was like, just message me.

[pullstart]

This is gonna be a FUN thread!

The diesel in the transmission is a common happening in a tractor transmission, with no load on the gears it'll just slosh around and clean itself. Repeat as many times as it takes to drain out clean fuel. Plus it's cheap-ish.
_________________
4 seater Appletree buggy, road legal with 002 IRS, 3x3 Appletree kit, 6" over Dan's beam with 10" towers and Fox 2.0 shocks, '00 Subaru EJ25 with KEP stage 3 clutch and KEP adapter plate.

my build page: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=662104&start=0

[CHenige]

Where are you located. I am in Beverly Hills.

[dennismcd707]

Hello in Beverly Hills. I grew up at 14 Mile and Southfield, worked at the Amoco station (now B.P.) at 13 and Southfield, played little league baseball games at Beverly Park and Groves, and went to church 'AND' school (3 years only) at Our Lady Queen of Martyrs. Small world, huh? You could say I know a bit about Beverly Hills. Oh......... and we used to play (and get into trouble) at the water towers on 14 Mile by Pierce too! (Before the fences were installed, it was like our very own playground!)

For the moment........... I live in Eastpointe. 10 Mile & Hayes/Gratiot area, but my wife and I have plans to move soon. She's a grad student at Wayne State. We have our hopes set on a larger place in the next few years.

Dennis

[dennismcd707]

[dennismcd707]

........... I have a feeling that I'm missing part of the chassis. (I'm ignorant on this subject, I'll admit. That's why I could use some help.) I think there should be some kind of extension that hooks up to the back? There are some holes on the frame back there, for what looks like hardware or fasteners or something. Could be for an oil cooler or remote oil filter or something totally unrelated to the actual chassis/tube frame, I just don't know. Don't most rails have some sort of protection for the engine? Mine would be just sticking out there, wallowing in the breeze............singing a little barbershop harmony.

[heywebonya]

Burro Buggies were built by Tiny Thompson and were pretty slick little simple buggies.

There is a website https://www.burrobuggies.com that doesn't get much traffic and a Facebook page that is picking up. I like to use the Samba as it will likely be around for a long time.

I am also starting to build one.

I am finishing up the pans on my buggy and getting ready for the roll cage this winter. Like you, I finished the engine first. https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=688320&highlight=
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If I knew what I was doing; I wouldn't be building a buggy!

[dennismcd707]

Thanks for sharing that. I'll keep researching. I checked out your "BUILD" thread, but only briefly. Looking forward to reading more. Also looked at everybody's photos. It's certainly a good way to document stuff, by taking pics, plus.........it's the best way to share info. And in my case, video.

Here's a link to some video. This is my buddy Glen and I moving the 1966 bus after it had sat for 20 years. It's holding the transaxle with reduction gears for my rail. I also took this photo for whatever reason. (It's part of the build/history record, so why not?) Couldn't find the chassis number in the actual engine compartment, due to dirt and rust, but by adding the numbers 21 in front of this number '6139534' I have all the info I'd ever want..............from what I understand.


https://youtu.be/3mc1i_jMkMU





.

[SamT]

Rear cage is optional. Most rails built since the early 90's have them. But they weren't real common for a simple dune buggy before then.
_________________
Rides:
300HP 900lb turbo VW rail 18/15 travel
Never ending jeep/rzr hybrid build!
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=546712

[CHenige]

Our two kids went through OLQM and my 16 year old us the one who is putting together his rail. Very active with OLQM. wonderful parish.

[dennismcd707]

My three older sisters all graduated from OLQM, but for whatever reason, my folks decided that their only son would go to public school, starting with the 4th grade. They still made me go to catechism for a few more years though. My mom (she died in 2015, and my Dad died back in 92) was active with OLQM up until the week before she died, and she rarely missed a Sunday Mass. She was involved with the Senior Women and played in the OLQM bridge club for years. She lived in the same house I grew up in, which was 8 houses from 14 Mile Rd. In fact, that photo of my Baja Bug was taken in front of our old house (on Maryland Blvd.). My sisters and I sold the house in June of 2015, and I recently drove by it. It looks exactly the same as the day we sold it. My dad bought that house in 1964. He transferred from Janesville Wisconsin (where my whole family was born) to the GM Tech Center (he worked for Fisher Body/GM) and moved the family to Birmingham, which is where I grew up. I was expecting the house to be torn down, so one of those huge new "Birmingham Houses" would go up in its place. Not happening, I guess.

Dennis