Dave's la(te)st buggy build...

Ok, some history first, I've attempted to build a buggy five times, and always given up due to lack of time and.or funds. I've asked Father Christmas for a Polaris RZR buggy for the last few years, but apparently he can't afford one. And lastly, I've drooled over the Ford EX Concept vehicle for many years too -



And recenty I found this Brazilian buggy, more of an ATV size but more of what I was thinking of in terms of inspiration...



So, last year I started looking for a cheap soft-top to be a winter project to try and create a buggy inspired by the above two photos, but more for the British climate, so retaining the windscreen and front soft-top roof section for some protection from showers...

Eventually I found a good donor from the one and only James Priestley (J999PRE on here) and he dropped it off for me -



Here it is on the drive with S200KYS in the background...

I then set about stripping it -





And in the meantime had a trip to Leeds to pick up a set of five Grand Vitara 16" alloys and had them shod with 235/70/16 Malatesta Camel tyres...

I then started on the rear suspension and transmission -



Rear lift done. The suspension lift is basic, I bought new front springs to go front and back with the fronts having a pair of my 1.5" spring spacers on top, just enough lift with the bigger tyres without getting into steering wobble / vagueness territory - KISS - Keep it Simple Stupid!



Rebuilt axle with a Lunchbox locker built into a VVT diff to correct the gearing for the bigger tyres, TrailGear shafts, new bearings, seals, SuperPro bushes. Monroe Adventure shocks with spacers / repositioners and shock guards, panhard rod, bump stop spacers and cones (most of these parts came from JimnyBits) and spring clamps holding the new front springs in place...



Radius Arms cleaned up, couple of coats of hammerite and then SuperPro bushes pulled in.



Even fitted my own bearings and collars this time with some seamless tube and a lump hammer.



And with the axle being repainted, it had to have a nice smiley face which will be visible from behind!



The Lunchbox Locker (same as a Lockright only cheaper) going in.

Lately I've been making a mount for the rear winch and battery -



A Black Raptor winch, again sourced from jimnyBits, with an Odyssey PC1200 battery cradle I had in the garage, mounted right at the back of the chassis for weight distribution, and so that it can be used to winch forwards and backwards - the rop will run forward through a couple of donut fairleads at either end of a seamless tube that goes under the passengers (Alan's!) seat and down the side of the engine, and to winch backwards you take a loop off the drum through a huge fairlead and use a snatch block in the loop of rope.

The mounting tray bolts through the chassis (no chassis mods! Been there, done that!) -





And due to the damage to both shock mounts on my S200KYS Jimny I also braced the shock mounts by fitting long bolts running through a 5mm steel bar brace.



From the back you can see the big fairlead (off a Warn 8274), the lovely tread pattern on the tyres, and the removed back.

That's as far as I've got so far, I was struck down ill at the end of last year and spent most of January in hospital recovering from pneumonia with some diabetic complications thrown in for good measure, so I've spent February recovering at home and am itching to get back to this project as soon as I feel fit and able enough...

... that said, this is a long-term project with no deadline, it'll be done as and when I have the time, inclination and funds

Speaking of funds... money is tight at the moment, particularly with Bits4Vits and ZookBOB being shut for January while I was ill, but I have already amassed a load of parts, so I figure my progress will be with what I've got already, so -

Finish the rear winch mount first.

For the front axle / suspension I have a pair of new front springs with spring spacers on the top, Monroe Adventure Grand Vitara (rear) shocks, shock guards, a new panhard rod, SuperPro bushes to go in the radius arms, a VVT diff and the rear diff that came out of the back to convert it into 26 splines to take some front TrailGear shafts that I've yet to save up for... And it'll need new bearings and seals for the rebuild of the transmission, so I'd better start scrimping for a bit!

I've a new pair of bucket seats to go in too...

Then it's onto modifying the bodywork to resemble a mix of the two inspirational photos above. more like the yellow one that the Ford EX...

Progress updates as things happem, but don't expect a fast build!

The eventual aim? A fun summer greenlaning vehicle, capable of driving most of the type pf 'lanes we already drive, but open top wind in your hair, flies in your teeth (hence keeping the windscreen!). It'll work out cheaper than a Polaris RZR and be more capable, much better ground clearance and a locker in the back

AND, fulfil one of my bucket list items of actually finishing a buggy project in my lifetime

Good stuff as always Dave, you'll get there mate.

sniper

Slow and steady wins the race Dave
I hope you see this one through till the end matey
Will be a very capable machine and a real head turner

Jack

I wondered how long before this turned up on here

Superb progress (especially considering the unexpected hospital excursion). Im really looking forwards to updates on this one...

The winch is a clever idea, also keen to see how it routes through to the front. What are these 'donuts' you speak of? Like a pillow block bearing, but for rope?

There's a donut fairlead lying on the petrol tank in this photo from above -



And here's one on the front of the ORA's Jimny buggy where I've obviously been inspired by it...



And here's the setup being used in vengeance at a winch event -



That's an over-volted twin-motored Warn 8274 you can hear how fast it is! Mine's just a normal winch so I'll be able to winch forward or backwards using the one winch whilst greenlaning, no thoughts on competing in mine, and it won't be built to MSA spec'.

FINALLY... Got back in the garage!... It's been a long time coming, you may have read on here that I spent January in hospital with Pneumonia and Diabetic complications, and the recuperation has taken this long that I now finally feel up to working in the garage

So today.. I pulled the buggy project out of the garage! -



Tidied the garage, and then turned it round, jumped it off the Gold Daily Driver...

... but then it wouldn't "drive"?... until I realised the rear prop wasn't connected to the diff!!! LOL It's been that long since I last worked on it I'd forgotten it was still disconnected...



Back in the garage but facing forwards...



I'm a bit short of disposable funds at the moment so will have to crack on with parts I've already got, so I'm starting with the front suspension rebuild...

Above -

New front Jimny springs with Spring Spacers going on top
Monroe Adventyre rear Grand Vitara Shock Absorbers to go on the front of a Jimny
Extended Bump Stops
JB Front Shock Guards
Fixed Front "Hubs" (rather than "Free Wheel" Hubs) off a Vitara, , with spacers to suit
Extended Brake Lines
SuperPro Castor Correction Poly Bush set
JB HD Panhard Rod with PolyBush bushes
ZookBOB (me) ProComp HD Steering Damper Kit
Diff drain and fill plugs
Wheel Spacers to space the Grand Vitara 16" alloys out

So most of the bits are here to rebuild the front suspension

So I started by -

Removed the steering bars and cracked the track rod ends off
Removed the front panhard rod
Removed the Anti Roll Bar (not reffitting?)
Fitted the PolyBush poly bushes into the JB HD front panhard
Cleaned and painted the fixed hubs (whilst touching up S200KYS bumpers with the same silver Hammerite) -



To be continued, hopefully Sunday now my mojo is back!

And I've just ordered 4 new track rod ends from JB and some seamless tube to reinforce the steering bars before they get refitted...

That'll have to wait until the axle and radius arm are painted, the SuperPro poly bushes go in them, and the rest of the suspension is rebuilt, by then I hope to be in a position to buy new front wheel bearings, oil seals, king pin bearings and the axle ball seals for a transmission rebuild with the VVT diff that's waiting to go in to adjust the gearing for the 30" tyres, and to match the rear diff which has a Lunchbox locker in it...

I like those wheels and tyres!

I'd like to build a Willys body onto a Jimny chassis.....one day!

...Nice hubs too

Its great to see enthusiasm again A good day in the garage is hard to beat!

Not subtle, but I like it.


Excellent thread, and good to see that your health is improving enough for you to keep us updated.




Steve.