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dlyle
Samba Member
Joined: March 22, 2019
Posts: 307
Location: Morgan Hill
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 Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2022 9:24 am Post subject: Re: Bounty Hunter dune buggy build thread |
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One of the things that wasn't on the to do list was a license plate light. There isn't a lot of room at the top. There is probably enough room at the bottom but I wanted a clean look. Another huge accomplishment....the car is now registered and road legal.
They make these cool bolt lights.
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dustymojave
Samba Member
Joined: January 07, 2007
Posts: 5802
Location: Lake LA, Mojave Desert, SoCal
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| Posted: Thu Jun 30, 2022 2:24 pm Post subject: Re: Bounty Hunter dune buggy build thread |
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I like that!
It would be interesting to see a picture in the dark of that car next to something late model factory with the lights on for comparison of effectiveness.
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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. |
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dlyle
Samba Member
Joined: March 22, 2019
Posts: 307
Location: Morgan Hill
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| Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2022 3:52 pm Post subject: Re: Bounty Hunter dune buggy build thread |
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I've been working a lot of hours on the Bounty Hunter. Made some really good progress. For starters I yanked out the old wiring and put in a Rebel harness. So far everything works except the fuel gauge. Once I verify it all works then it will all get wrapped and straightened out a bit more.
This hole isn't where the wires exit but is the access point where the tube runs to the back of the car.
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dlyle
Samba Member
Joined: March 22, 2019
Posts: 307
Location: Morgan Hill
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| Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2022 3:59 pm Post subject: Re: Bounty Hunter dune buggy build thread |
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The buggy is fighting me the whole way. Hooked the headlight switch up and no lights came on. Took the switch apart and everything had a coating or glaze on it. Cleaned it up and it now works. The toggle switches and warning lights were the same so I just replaced them.
I eliminated the speedo cable and went with a set of Classic Instruments gauges. The speedo is GPS driven with a little black receiver under the dash. Hooked it up and after about 4 minutes it had signal. It has constant 12v so once it has signal it will hold it (no need to wait again). The speedo also has a tach.
With the 3 wire turn signal switch a trailer 3 to 2 wire converter was needed so the brake and turn signals would work with the single bulb tail light set up that I have. Just behind that is the GPS box. If you look up past that at the fuel filler tube you can see I removed the filler. The filler hose wasn't adjusted right so I was getting fumes in the buggy. I think I'll be able to push the tube up a bit more so it seals against the filler on the top side and the tank side.
I'd like to take the hood off to replace my fuel tank and sender but when the buggy was painted the hood was left in place. The only way to get them apart would be by cutting in to the paint and making a mess. I may eventually do it because there isn't room to swap out the fuel sender and that bugs me. I did manage to get the tank clean. Filled it with Evapo-rust and let it soak for a week. Drained it and all the rust was gone.
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EVfun
Samba Member
Joined: April 01, 2012
Posts: 5474
Location: Seattle
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| Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2022 7:11 pm Post subject: Re: Bounty Hunter dune buggy build thread |
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| dlyle wrote: |
| I'd like to take the hood off to replace my fuel tank and sender but when the buggy was painted the hood was left in place. The only way to get them apart would be by cutting in to the paint and making a mess. I may eventually do it because there isn't room to swap out the fuel sender and that bugs me. I did manage to get the tank clean. Filled it with Evapo-rust and let it soak for a week. Drained it and all the rust was gone. |
The VW reserve tap is available new and it fits in the later tanks. In my first buggy I used that, with an original reserve tap handle from the wrecker, instead of a fuel gauge. In my case it was because the builder created a fuel filler that bolted to the original fuel gauge hole -- sender not possible.
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| Wildthings wrote: |
| As a general rule, cheap parts are the most expensive parts you can buy. |
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dlyle
Samba Member
Joined: March 22, 2019
Posts: 307
Location: Morgan Hill
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| Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2022 9:01 pm Post subject: Re: Bounty Hunter dune buggy build thread |
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| Wow, I knew nothing about reserve taps but that sounds like a great stop gap solution. Will call WW on Monday. |
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dlyle
Samba Member
Joined: March 22, 2019
Posts: 307
Location: Morgan Hill
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joemama
Samba Member
Joined: February 09, 2006
Posts: 1636
Location: La Crescenta, California
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| Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2022 10:57 am Post subject: Re: Bounty Hunter dune buggy build thread |
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| Congratulations. Sounds and looks great! |
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dlyle
Samba Member
Joined: March 22, 2019
Posts: 307
Location: Morgan Hill
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| Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2022 11:04 am Post subject: Re: Bounty Hunter dune buggy build thread |
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| joemama wrote: |
| Congratulations. Sounds and looks great! |
Thanks. It's been a long road...too long. I should have spent more time on it during the covid lockdown. |
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SteveM.
Samba Member
Joined: August 01, 2022
Posts: 49
Location: TX
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| Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2022 2:41 pm Post subject: Re: Bounty Hunter dune buggy build thread |
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| dlyle wrote: |
After 3 years the motor is in the car and running. Just need to figure out the clutch so I can drive it.
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Sounds good! What is the issue with the clutch? |
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dlyle
Samba Member
Joined: March 22, 2019
Posts: 307
Location: Morgan Hill
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| Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2022 3:22 pm Post subject: Re: Bounty Hunter dune buggy build thread |
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| SteveM. wrote: |
| dlyle wrote: |
After 3 years the motor is in the car and running. Just need to figure out the clutch so I can drive it.
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Sounds good! What is the issue with the clutch? |
It's very difficult to push on the pedal. I've got the pictures and details on another thread. Basically I'm using the Transvair setup but they way it's designed seems odd to me. Not much of a mechanical advantage to the lever system they have. I'm afraid I'm going to break a pedal pushing the clutch in. None of the instructions out there have a good picture of this lever arm. The one other Transvair I saw had the cable attached right to the clutch rod.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...338e808daa
The lever pivots on that bottom bolt. Seems like it may work better if I just attach the cable right to the clutch rod.
This is another way they do it with the clutch cable clamp method. This is also going through the midpoint of the lever arm.....seems very hard to get good leverage that way.
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dlyle
Samba Member
Joined: March 22, 2019
Posts: 307
Location: Morgan Hill
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| Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2022 11:21 am Post subject: Re: Bounty Hunter dune buggy build thread |
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I fiddled with the clutch a bit and started to run out of reasons to not give it a try and drive it. I modified the clutch cable so it hooks directly to the clutch rod....no more pivot arm. It needs a clutch return spring but it works.
This is a video of the first drive. I need to adjust the carbs as it may be idling on just one carb. Runs ok when cold and the choke is on then seems like it looses some idle speed once it's warmed up. One side of the motor is about 75 degress hotter and that seems to usually point to it not idling on both carbs.
https://youtu.be/bBVaOWy1Upo
it's funny because those front tires are so low on air I can squeeze them and they squish in my hands. Hardly any weight on the front end so they never look flat. The car seems to drive ok. Once tuned it will be fast. With the 31" tires you can go pretty fast in second gear. |
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MrGoodtunes
Samba Member
Joined: May 14, 2012
Posts: 851
Location: South Florida
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| Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2022 9:27 am Post subject: Re: Bounty Hunter dune buggy build thread |
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| dlyle wrote: |
| ... Hardly any weight on the front end ... |
And with that big powerful engine cantilever'd out the back end; Wheelies? |
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dlyle
Samba Member
Joined: March 22, 2019
Posts: 307
Location: Morgan Hill
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| Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2022 9:51 am Post subject: Re: Bounty Hunter dune buggy build thread |
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| MrGoodtunes wrote: |
| dlyle wrote: |
| ... Hardly any weight on the front end ... |
And with that big powerful engine cantilever'd out the back end; Wheelies? |
I think so. When I jack up the car at the back the front wheels come off the ground too. The center seems to be right near the rear torsion housing. That was with an empty tank so hopefully the front will stay down with a few gallons in it. |
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dlyle
Samba Member
Joined: March 22, 2019
Posts: 307
Location: Morgan Hill
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| Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2023 10:26 am Post subject: Re: Bounty Hunter dune buggy build thread |
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Finally did some work on the hardtop.
This is how it started. It had an ugly hinge right in the middle.
Off to Miguel Diaz for final finishing. He did all the work...not me.
Now good as new and the same color as the interior. I don't have a picture yet but the underside looks just as nice with no visible seams or repairs.
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