New, Ridiculous idea, Buggy Build. God help me.

[rbucklin]

So, as explained previously in earlier posts, growing up my family had what I now know to be a Dune Runner Mini Mercedes. All I new about it previously was that I had never seen another buggy with that body. My brother and I agreed that if we ever saw another we would probably have to buy it. Well, I saw one on Phoenix Craigslist so, I had to buy it.

It grew up in in the Northeast came west seven years ago, where it sat unused. It had needs. To solve those needs I bought a second one (inexpensive) for parts. Namely what was supposed to be a good, fresh 1641DP, EMPI front disc conversion and other miscellaneous. Well, turns out ball joint front ends are different from link pin, the motor was shot (cracked case that would maybe have lasted 1000 miles). The Dune Runner is now in my garage in WA state, all kinds of new parts and rebuilt systems and just needs paint and some really small stuff.

The parts donor remains in my garage in AZ, an albatross awaiting disposition. Either build it or scrap it. I'm not good at letting stuff go (hoarder in a past life for certain) so now building it. Goal is to get it running and driving in 3 weeks or less as inexpensively as possible. Deconstruction has started:

Some one took a tube frame, VW based, offroad vehicle, hacked the roll cage off, then took a perfectly good fiberglass body and hacked it to death and bolted it on. Took it all apart and this is what I have a a staring point:

tube frame with welded on ball joint beam
IRS rear welded on
Slightly clapped out 1970 1600SP engine
what appears to be a quality body. very stout 3/8 thick tub.
titled and licensed as a 1971 vw with a collector plate.
(came with a piece of the donor car tunnel containing the VIN)

Will update with progress as things progress. I personally do not like it when members here start a build thread then vanish half way through, so everything I do will be posted and documented to completion for everyones mirth and entertainment. Please feel free to chime in with comments, advice, ridicule or what have you. I have a thick skin borne from the knowledge that, in this area, I am spectacularly untalented and willing to prove it.

[rbucklin]

BTW, if anyone has an idea as to what make body this is, would love to hear it. As I said, it is very stout and appears well made, just hacked to death by a previous owner to fit the frame.

[oprn]

Pity about the hacking because to tell you the truth I like the style of this one better than the first. Nicer lines. I do however appreciate the sentimental value of your first one.

I admire you for trying to save this basket case, lots of hard work ahead! Good job so far!

[rbucklin]

Thanks oprn. Everyone I have heard from does not like the Mini Mercedes nose. I like it. There are a lot of styles out there I can't stand though their owners love them so truly, to each their own. I also really like the original manx look. I've had a bi-lateral hip replacement so I really appreciate the low sides of the Dune Runner. Need to drop my seats down a couple inches though.

Plan for today is to fab seat mounts, move them 3 inches forward of where they were, making space for the rear parcel deck. Then move the pedal assembly box forward about 5 in for leg room. Final task is to shave off the stubs from where they hacked off the original integrated roll bar. While I am doing all that my nephew is going over the entire thing with soap/water/degreaser/scour pad.
Should be fun!

[rbucklin]

So, Chassis is done for the moment, all burrs from removed parts ground down and smoothed. New seat mount crossmembers in, pedal box moved 5 inches forward. Paint goes on tonight then all that is left is locating the shifter box and installing tubes for clutch and throttle cables.

The original hacker on this frame cut of the rollcage that was part of the frame. Should I be worried about structural integrity? I will be adding a cross piece in front to support the steering column, is that enough? It seems pretty stout but I really don't know anything about this.

[cbeck]

I don't think you could go wrong with a diagonal from the torsion forward and up to the vertical/diagonal node. Seat is probably in the way. I'm just a hack with a welder and a bender. Here is my attempt at self preservation.

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

[oprn]

In my view you already have way more support there than the original VW pan and fiberglass tub offered.

[rbucklin]

Cbeck- Dude, you have way to much time on your hands. Looking at that frame I can't even see how you climb in. Self preservation indeed.

oprn- That's sort of what I thought, but no engineering or fabrication background so thought I'd ask. I will be adding a cross piece somewhere in the front for steering support so, a little more can't hurt.

[brianbernal71]

I have the Mercedes nose and let me tell you, I love it. I wasn't so fond of it at first, but now, the fact that it's different than every other clone out there, I appreciate it more and more. Don't knock the Mercedes hood, appreciate what you have.
_________________
62/70 Dune Runner Mini Mercedes "Eugene"
83.5 Westy "Skippy"
81 Rabbit Pickup "Betsy".

[oprn]

The extra space for a bigger fuel tank is a plus! 3.5 hour range with the stock Bug tank gets a bit tedious on a long trip in the back country!

[rbucklin]

Brian, the Mercedes hood is why I bought the buggy. We had one when I was a kid and my brother and I were talking last spring and noting that neither of us had, in 50 years, ever seen another. We both felt that if we ever did happen to run across one for sale we'd likely have to buy it. A week later I was at my AZ house and saw the blue one on CL less than an hour away. Ended up with it for $1600 (non runner, title issues, off road for at least 7 years). towed it home and now it's a good runner/driver. Need to sort out a few minor cosmetic things, like paint, throw on a new carb/distributor and it's as done as it's gonna get.

I bought the frankenbuggy above for parts, none of which, it turned out, I could use. It now has the engine from the dune runner in it. It was either put it together and drive it or park it on the curb with a "Free Buggy" sign on it. so now neck deep into it and actually seeing how it's going to go back together so getting a little more optimistic. will have more progress picks tonight.

[rbucklin]

Big day tomorrow (I hope). Seat arrive so I can get the interior configured welded in place and painted. Finally settled the front hood issue, thanks to bl3manx. New hood needs some love so want to get started on that tomorrow as well. Progress should start happening with a bit more speed now that everything is sorted in my mind and there is a clear path forward. Crossing fingers and knocking wood.

[rbucklin]

Well, it appears my UPS guy decided to make me the last delivery of the day. 7:00pm and still no seats so interior configuration will have to wait another day. Spent the day on bodywork stuff. New hood fits the opening pretty well and has a dash, something I was missing before.

It was also pretty cracked up

So, grinding and glassing

Tomorrow I'll smooth and fill, sand and primer. Hopefully can get into the interior stuff tomorrow afternoon. Getting anxious to have seats, shifter and steering wheel in place. Then it will look like a car and give hope.

[rbucklin]

Update (in case anyone besides the crickets care )

Seats are in mounted and sliding, Empi shifter, new shift box, newly fabed adjustable shift rod, clutch cable and tube, throttle cable and tube.

After fighting with the hood fitment for three days I just realized that the front lip was resting on the front bumper struts, preventing it from dropping down into place. A couple of quick notches and it sits there like it was meant to be there.

Next is rear deck and firewall then pull the body for final glassing, sanding and primer. While that is drying I will reinstall the diamond plate bottom, trim it for much better fit then fashion wood flooring to go in all the blank spaces between frame parts. Somewhere along the line I have to figure out the steering column. New wheel comes about tuesday.

[rbucklin]

Wrong hood fit pick... This should be the right one

[oprn]

Lots of good progress! I envy you with your good winter weather, hard to do that kind of stuff at -30 in a snow drift and a stiff wind!

The tables will turn in about 6 months though when you are fighting 110* nights and we are enjoying 55* nights and 75* days!

[tgodber]

Great progress on your project.

Here is a picture of our friend's Dune Runner. It was the first buggy I sat in and the reason my wife and I got into this wonderful addiction.

_________________
My wife said I never listen to her.
Or something like that!

[rbucklin]

oprn, I don't know how you guys do it up there in that kind of cold. I spend most of my time in Seattle, can't be down here full time until the last kid is fully baked (freshman in college). For me it's 42 deg and raining that I can't stand. Cold never bothered me, grew up skiing, but -30 is something entirely different. I actually don't mind 110, perfect time to golf. Courses are cheap and empty.

Tgodber, love the dune runner. Most buggy people don't like the nose on these, I don't know why. There are a lot of noses that I look at and wonder 'what was that guy thinking?', and I get the variations on the traditional manx look. For me that is what a dune buggy is supposed to look like. Maybe it's just nostalgia, but I just love the front on the DR Mini Mercedes.

[rbucklin]

So far today have the parcel shelf in and glassed and repaired so damage from removing the original glassed in hood.

After the glass cures I'll pull and flip the body and trim the wood to fit the contours, then glass some more from underneath.

I don't think it needs to be super structurally strong as it rests on the rear frame deck and will be bolted down both under the shelf and up under the back of the tail. After a late lunch I'll start on the fire wall mock up.

I have to say, I have read nearly every build story on the Samba as well as on the DBA. The skill of some of you guys is off the charts. At the same time, the amount of time taken to complete those builds, I mean, that's most of a childhood in a lot of cases. If one is building a show car to take around, ok, I get it. But, if it's a driver, maybe a little less nice (safety first though) and get it on the road while the kids are littler. I can't recount how much fun my dad, siblings and I had in our buggy growing up. When you're ten, a mound in a buggy feels like a mountain.

[oprn]