Thats a very down to earth rail. I made mine from an assembled frame to road legal in 6 months. I used a marine plastic 6 gal fuel tank that if you did run out of gas you could remove it quickly and get gas. I also used a heavy ass bottom plate that I had to cut to fit the floor. Good luck with it.
+Michael Hartzell Thanks for the comments. I have just found a 5 gal fuel cell for $40 that will be in the next update. I was going to use the boat gas can until I picked up the cell. Mine is taking much longer than yours did, I have been tinkering on and off with it for the last 5 years. Do you have any videos of yours on here, I love to see other's projects. Do you drive it on road often?
I sold mine about 13 years ago because of house taxes due. I kept it on the pavement 90% of the time since off road around here consists of private property and is inforced. I wish I still had it but I guess choices had to be made.
my dad and I built ours from the ground up, used a v-shaped tree to bend our roll bars to shape, and two VW bugs for parts. yours looks great. we also had a four seated road buggy made with a fiberglass body. it coated us $1100 to build it back in 1979_....man I miss those days.
My dad has told me stories about how him and his dad found a trashed beetle in some junkyard in Detroit, and stripped it down to nothing then cut the back half of the body off. After that, they put an orange wooden truck bed on the back to protect the engine. It's been sitting in a shack in the U.P. In Michigan since my grandpa died in 89.on the 4th of July weekend we plan to tow it home and get it running again. Can't wait to get it started!
i hope to, but all ive got is a crummy ipod touch. but i guess that will do. i actually have some pictures of the buggy back in the day. i would post them, just dont know how to or where :P
building an engine for a dune buggy my uncle had build off of a beetle chassis. I'm using forged internals and fabbing up manifolds to accept a turbo. I don't know if that's too much power for primarily an off-road vehicle but itd be pretty damn quick on road. I do intent to make it street legal, I'd like to film it for my channel as well. I love old vws and aircooled stuff, this is a really cool thing to have for not much money, nice build.
+supercowmoo3 Thanks so much and please build a video of your project. I would love to take a ride in it when it is turboed. What part of the globe do you stay? I too love the old air cooled VW engines. I would like a modern fuel injected Ecotec. It would get great gas mileage, have super power, and be very reliable. However, it is expensive, a bunch of work, and, most importantly, it is not a VW.
+Sweetheart Herrera Sweet! I like the sound of power tools, too. But I thought it was a guy thing. To me it sounds like progress and innovation. When I am using them, the music is a little loud, I wear ear muffs. Thanks for watching.
It's not a guy thing, just this week I got bored and I happen to fyi glance on my tool box. (Chuckled) I smiled to myself and said what damage I can do today? I ended up putting some shelves at the top bathroom door for bathroom supply LOL. I posted it on Facebook and the next day lots of my faithful friend commented me in person. Haha I might not have the big subscriber number, but I can get people talking. :-)
Can't think of any tears, time has been much, and money - I think I have about $410.00 in it. The money part is still to come, but I am doing it as cheap as I can. Did you see it in the mud yet?
TwinPeaks Industries yeah I just made mudguards and brackets on my RU-vid buggy build. It’s personal preference it makes it easier for road legal use in the 🇬🇧
chud327 wow thanks 🙏 for the swift response, yeah mines a uva fugitive buggy I’m restoring, but I’m now on a roll with the right wheels and all the hard fibreglass work has been done ✅ I Fiona go full desert cammo 👍
Folks will watch this in the future and think to themselves, "Remember when we made things with tools and our hands " This is the type of footage that you could find in the National Archives one day...
chud327 No problem! I know the feelings. Nothing like using something you made and knowing exactly how it works, inside and out. Nothings like that on my channel, but Ive made a few minibikes, and go karts from Power washer parts. , mostly DIY, salvage type projects... Those are the most fun!
My first car and first dune buggy, at age 12, had front and rear fenders. However, I still managed to get muddy. I wish I could easily find a picture of that buggy for one of my videos. Thanks for watching.
if you want to clean off rust use apple cider vinegar or use molasses use one part molasses to nine parts water let it soak for a week or so pressure wash off
TheJenyffer01 thanks and that was a cool comment. Have you watched the rest of the series? (part 7 coming soon) if you haven't feel free to and leave some more sweet words... thanks for watching!
I am not sure, but t I bet buying the kit would be the cheapest way to build yourself. That or I recommend finding some tried of working in theirs and get a desk. Thanks for watching!
Hey! Put that Pepsi can in the crusher. I really like the side x side before and after shots. Great deal for only 200 bucks. The (white) rims weren't the ones that came it?
+K ber Mos That Pepsi can was way before the crusher. I am a big fan of the befores and afters. I can't believe that I got if for just $200. The white ones did come on it, but they were rusty and black back then. Thanks for watching.
+david mick Yes it is a manual and thanks for the comment. There are a total of 5 more updates and some riding and mud bogging videos. Feel free to watch more and leave more comments tell me what you think. Thanks.
Trevor McKinney I don't know if I should say sorry or your welcome. I have had the fever for year, but I try to be patient. I found my buggy on Craigslist for $200 and was completely shocked that the guy still had it. I went as quick as I could and picked it up. I will have a new video on it and I will try to make it soon. Have you ever had a buggy before?
I bet you would have a lot of good places to ride in Texas. I want to one day have it on the road and hit the beaches with it. I would also love to find other buggies to ride around with. Here in Jacksonville, FL, we have a monthly car show, and there are a bunch of VW guys that alway park together, I've got to try it some time. Maybe next month, I should trailer it to the show. No brakes might be a problem. I just found a VW shirt on sale at WalMart a few hours ago...
I no longer have the buggy, but I bet you could find dimension online. It was a berrin buggy if I remember correctly. Good luck on your build and thanks for watching!!
That is a stock 1600 dual port aircooled VW engine with really loud exhaust. thanks for watching and I am glad you liked it! I hope to hear from you again on parts 2-12...
I know this is a kinda old video and im not sure if you'll remember but what size bolts did you use to connect the engine to the transmission. Im in the process of building a sandrail myself but im messing these bolts so I cant really do much besides electrical stuff for the lights i planned on putting on it. If you could help me out I'd greatly appreciate it man
I am not sure on the size, I just used stock bolts. I bet you could call and old VW shop and they could tell you. Google the number for hilltop motors in Jacksonville Florida, they would know. Good luck and thanks for watching.
Where are you located and what do you have. Kinda want different exhaust and made some wide wheels for the back... Thanks for the comment and some day I upload more.
A BUNGEE CORD for a clutch return spring? REALLY? LOL. Maybe you can explain to an old Yankee guy like me where the fun is when throwing mud all over yourself? Really, though, you are a man of many talents. Great video work and great work on your buggy.
STBRetired1 The bungee is just temporary, lol. I don't exactly like the getting muddy part, it is more of a can this machine get through that mud. Getting muddy is just one of the consequences. The worst part of mudding is that if you play in the mud for 5 minutes, you get to wash the buggy for an hour. Thanks for the comment / compliment. Did you get to see part 2 and 3?
Hey Chud. I have a question on tires. My front rims are 15x5 and my back rims are 15x8. What tires do you recommend I put on the rims for a sand rail I'm building? It's similar to yours. I'd like them to be road and off road tires.
If you have a speedometer, I would use a street tire or AT tire that is the same height as the stocks were. I can measure one for you if you need me to. One mine, I just found a pair of cheap 15 tires that would work. Or just get the one that look good to you. Where are you located? I have a couple if you were close to me. Other than that you could check craigslist, search maybe " 15 inch pair tires" good luck and let me know what you find.
I'm located in Greensboro, NC. I have no problem buying new. If you could measure the back and front tires that'd help out a lot. I got rid of the front tires without even taking information off them. I have the back tires, which all I get off the tires is that it's a 10-15 which I believe that is a 31 x 10.5R -15LT. I want to make sure I get the right type of front tires.
I tried 32's on the back and they rubbed. I now have 31X10.50X15's on and they are just right, 29's or 30's would have also worked if I would have found them first. For the fount, I will have to get back with you after I measure them. Thanks again fir watching.
Hey I have an old one of these and was looking at rebuilding it. i was hoping we could talk and i could get some more information on this as i’m looking for parts as the one i have has been through three floods and needs a complete rebuild. i pretty much just have a frame. is there any way we could talk more about this?
+chud327 yeah I'm looking to build something like this but finding any kits in Australia is hard and expensive. I think I might just get an old beetle and use the pan out of that, and then build the frame/roll cage on the pan but not sure. Any suggestions would be really helpful thanks mate.
I think that is exactly what I would do. If you had the pan, it has all the suspension, and if it ran, half the work would already be done. If you can bend and weld, then you would have it made.
+chud327 yeah well I'm only 16 so I'm on a tight budget haha. I think I'm gonna get an old bug with no motor or anything cos there are a few around for real cheap, and then get a boxer engine for it 👌
It is firmly bolted to the frame, but it uses rubber motor mounts. The solid motors shake the frame a lot... Thanks for watching and update #11 is almost ready to be uploaded, I hope to hear from you again.
it is amaizing also channel to i will suggest same iron or aluminium plates under it to ne more comfortable and water not com in also feets cannot fall over
Wow, thanks for watching episode #1 and there are 14 other updates. By now, there are floor boards on the buggy. Thanks for watching and I hope you will watch more.
o saw parts from 1 to 15 is that yellow 4x4 yours in the end build same mud protectors and plates up in cabin to not become dirty by mud or sand if you do not have any problem pls sub ma channel to
Good question. The pipes are from a kit you can buy. It is called a rail buggy. The front end, engine, and tranaxle came from a bug. Everything else is not from a bug. Thanks for watching and there are currently 12 episodes with one on the way, I hope to hear from you again.
I don't, but I was looking for another on marketplace place and saw a pretty good deal a couple nights ago. Maybe some day soon I will have another. Thanks for watching
How wide are your rear wheels?? I caught a quick look at the tires you have on them and it looked like they are 235/75/15's. Thats the size im planning on getting for my rail. My 32's are too much.
The wheels that have the 235's are skinny, probably 5 or 6 inches. I don't remember measuring them. The ones on the back are wider, but they are 14". However, I have just found 2 wheels that look like 15X8's. Have you seen part 2 and part 3? In part three I have a couple of 31" super swampers on back. If I go bigger, they will rub. The 235 do great, but I want something more aggressive... Please check out my updates 2 & 3. Do you have any videos of your's? Thanks for the comment.
Yea man i didn't realize you had updated vids, i did watch them. Thanks for the info. I also have a vid of my rail as well. Just really long. Its basically a walk around, explanation of what ive done, start up, etc. But im really leaning towards 235/75/15s. The thing is mostly gonna see desert dirt roads, and maybe the occasional mud whole so those should be more than acceptable. The 32's just really make mine a slug, makes my gearing way too tall and it feels im really pushing the engine harder than i would like. The 235's would shorten up my gears and give me back lost power.
I hear what you are saying. I liked the size of my 235's, but I want more knobs for the mud. I plan to put the 235's up front for clearance and I want some thing aggressive, but no too tall. The 31's on there now are just to see how I like that size. I started watching your video, but it was long and I ran out of time this morning. Can you make us a shorter video and you can even take it to the sand and or mud... If you were near by I would gladly be you camera man. $1000 sounds like a sweet deal for your buggy!
chud327 I thought it was a good deal too. I see some more expensive here in my area of California that dont even have motors in them. Thats why i jumped on it when i found it. It needed worked but it wasnt anything that i couldnt handle. Lots of tweeking, adjusting, tunning etc. The main thing that was wrong with it was a shot master cylinder, and wrong pressure plate and throwout bearing. Next time i take mine out i should have someone else with me to record ride along vids. More than likely with the same tires on the rear that it has now. Ill be heavier on the throttle as well. Unfortunately its been really dry here so theres no mud. especially in the deserts, but the area i go riding at has a few sand washes and small dune areas so Thats where i really want to see how it does. As soon as i go and get vids it will definitely be up here. One thing ive been looking at as far as wheel/tire combos is stock style slotted wheels with some 235's. Ive been looking at class 11 bugs and i like how the fat rubber looks on those wheels. looks real beefy.
John Gonzalez when I found mine, it was only $200. It had no engine or trans, but most everything else was there. I was worried someone would beat me to it. I knew of another that was turn key except for an engine for $800-900. With an engine, I bet it would go for $2500-3000. That was a week ago and I bet it gone by now. Is yours a wide 5 rear pattern?
I am not sure 2000-3000 for a standard / nonfancy... 10,000 or more if you want to go all out. I have probably about $800 in mine. BTW, I have episode #13 coming out in the morning, I hope to hear from you again.
Hello I am very interested in this build, I was thinking on building a go kart/buggy but this is even better!. Could this be road legalized or is it strictly for off road? Thanks Aran
Aran, mine currently is strictly off road, but with a few additions it will be perfectly street legal. I still need brakes, windshield, headlights, brake/tail lights, blinkers, seat belts, tag, and insurance. I want to one day have a dune buggy that I can drive around. I also have part 2 of this build uploaded, have you seen it? Part 3 should be ready in a few weeks. And I will probably be uploading a video of me riding on the street in a dune buggy (from yesterday). It will probably be ready tomorrow morning. Thanks for watching and feel free to comment more. Share if you like...
Yeqh I did see part 2 after I left a comment, in the uk you can pick up vw beetles for very cheap so it would be easier than me making my own frame. Great vid and looking forward to more. Aran
Sylvester Rolack II Are you near by, I am thinking of selling mine... I found mine on Craigslist for $200. I would recommend that you keep a close eye on Craigslist and maybe find one that is already running. Unless you want the joy of doing it yourself. There are tons of websites where you can pick up a frame. I say pick up because shipping would probably hurt the budget. The guy I bought mine from was build a new one and he had about $2000 invested and his had more to go than the one he sold me. I guess he didn't want an old rusty buggy. Thanks for the comment and be sure to sub, I was working on another update video just yesterday. And when you do get one, be sure to share a video with me. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-NHKZSRzcRfs.html
If you are selling yours please let me know for how much... the students will use it to build a solar car to race. I will drive or find a way to get it. I checked the other frame sites, they are okay... but it would be great to have something running. I will sub, and we will most certainly share the video as we are making progress. Please let me know, so I can make arrangements (if you decide to sell). Thanks!
I just saw that some of your videos are in Georgia!!! That is awesome, I live in South Carolina... I think my brother lives near you. This can most certainly workout. We can also sponsor your business, page, or other something of that nature, this year... We are headed to Texas to race... I think we are the only team in South Carolina competing so we will most certainly get some PR. We will raise the funds for the vehicle, just let me know. :)
What do you race? I am not 100% sure I am ready to sell. Are you wanting it to race it? That would be awesome and those thing can be super fast. I am actually next to do Georgia down in Florida. How much are you thinking you would be will to pay? Do you have any toys you might want to trade? I am trying to think if I have any Georgia video, it is very possible. (other than the last 3 I just posted)
I've always want a car that looks famous; General Lee, Batmobile, Vacation's station wagon, Scooby Doo's van, Transformers Camaro, Herbie, Knight Rider's Kit, The A Team's van... Although I have never hear of half life 2's Jeep, I may have to look in to. This could be my big chance.
+Julien Gerard I kept a very close eye on craigslist. It took some time and I saw a bunch that were too expensive. When I saw this one for 200 bucks, I call as quick as I could. I didn't even know if it was a true ad and some how I beat every one to it. I would type vw rail, vw buggy, vw dune, vw sand, vw bus, vw baja, etc in the search box probably hundreds of times... Good luck and what area are you in?
+Julien Gerard I don't know if there are an buggies in Belgium... You may have to order one or build your own. Are there many VW buses there? That is kinda what I am hunting.
The buggies are legendary for being good in the sand. I have only had mine on the beach once and it did great, it also does great in the mud. If you continue watching this series, I have some good beach and mud footage. Thanks for watching and I hope to hear from you again.
As for money, I am doing this as cheaply as I can. You know; doing the work myself, getting parts off of old cars out in the field, and finding used stuff on craigslist. As for the space to ride it, I dream of one day making it street legal and riding it all over the place - especially the beach. Thanks for watching and for the comment.
Maybe, but I have two others in line in front of it. Poulan #2 and Major Murray. Just fired up poulan for the first time today…Thanks for asking and for watching.
hey could i build a dune buggy or buy one all custom and make it street legal by adding everything needed? i only ever see vw dune buggys when i google street legal dune buggy
You could buy and build one from the frame, that is what I am doing. I just found a cheap, used one and started working on it. You will also need a id badge off of a bug and a title to go with it. Sometimes that is the hardest part. You may be better off to buy one that some one else was working on and go tired of it. Either way you pick, it can sure be done. Thanks for watching and good luck.
Well I'm not building one anytime soon I'm 15 so I'm trying to focus on school until I'm out of college but I'm a bit more into jeeps but fiat bought jeep so by the time I'm driving after college they won't be the same at all
Great question. My front end was super worn out and the lowered one was pretty tight. If you keep watching later episodes, you will see that the front end gets jack up even higher than stock. That should make you happy and i hope to hear from you again.
+chud327 yep lol building one myself but with a go kart frame just got done chopping a quad front and rear end up and welded it on the go-kart middle frame lol
I am constantly looking for the right size mud tires, but I haven't found them yet. please keep watching the series, there are 15 episodes. Thanks for watching.
I didn't lower it on purpose and I plan to jack it back up. My front end was extremely warn out and I got this front end on trade. It is adjustable and I tried to lift it up some, but with no luck. This a temporary problem until I get another installed. That will probably be in my next video. Thanks for the question.
I keep a close eye Craigslist. I saw it one day and was worried that I would not still be there till after work the next day. Some how no one got there before me... It was $200, in the condition that you see it, and came with the lawn trailer. I did ad the tractor tire to the front of it. Can you think of any more ?'s.
LacrosseMan0428 I keep a close eye on Craigslist, that is where I found mine. You can buy new, but it will cost you and they will be just the frame. My came with some extras for just 200 buck. After 8 sold the back tires, I had zero dollars in it, this was probably a once in a lifetime deal... be patient and keep looking.
I go to the search box on the home page and type in "VW rail", then "VW buggy", followed by "VW baja", and I even through in a "VW bus". You may want to try "sand rail" too. All of this and I am not even looking for another VW. If I am really killing time, I go to big city that are near to my big city and search their craigslist, just for the fun of it. The other day I found a new set of mud tires that were a great price, but they were about 6 hours away... Again, it was just for fun. Can't wait to hear where you are, I'm going to look on the list for you...
+Moto Chase I don't know the year of the buggy, but if I ever register it, I am using the vin off of the VW that I got the transaxle out of. I think it was a '67 or maybe a '69. Thanks for watching!
+ian alderson When can you show us a video of your buggy??? I had to find an engine for mine, too. I just kept a real close eye on Craigslist. They are hard to find, but if you are patient, you can still find them. You can either save up the money or be working on the rest of the buggy while you are searching. If I had to find another, I would consider getting a 2.4 ecotech engine. They came in cavaliers and cobolts. They are easier to find and fairly cheap compared to the aircooled VW engines. You can find a running cavalier for $500 on craigslist, for the whole car. They are water cooled, reliable, and have a bunch of power on very little gas. Now it does get a little pricey when you get the clutch kit, engine to trans adapter, and the wiring / computer components, but it might be worth it. Waiting for the vid of yours... Thanks for the question and for watching.
+chud327 I see what your saying but I race off road and the class my buggy is entered in is a 1600cc vw class, I'm going to build it up to about a 2400 tho. also I don't really need to do any other work on it other than put the drive train in. I just fabricated a bad ass chassis and such. thanks, but like I said I'm looking for a air cooled vw 1600cc. And thanks for the videos there fun to watch!
Well thanks for watching and good luck on that engine search. What about that video? Let me know when it is updated, I can't wait to see it. I would also like to see a 2400 racing!
+chud327 yea im not really into posting videos but email me and I'll send you a video. also I don't know if you ment a 2400 is big or small but for me its small, I used to drive a Baja truck with a 410ci and that's a blast!
In Volkswagen terms a 2400 would be big to me. 1600 is as big as I have had in a bug, bus, and a buggy. In terms of a V8, my old 4X4 had a cammed up 454. That is the biggest engine I have ever had. It was not too friendly on the gas, 7 mph if you babied it. That was the first video I ever uploaded on RU-vid 7 years ago. 410, is that a bored out 400 Chevy?
+MaddisonRose13 Thanks, I really like that thing and I need to find more time to spend on it. Maybe once I am finished with my current project, "My Tiny House", I can get back to the buggy. Have you seen my tiny house build series yet? I have dune buggy update #7 about 95% complete. Once it is uploaded, I hope to hear from you again. Thanks for watching and for the comment.
