Tony's buggy build

I've been wheeling and building my XJ now for about 10 years, but have lately had the urge to build a buggy. It was something that I wanted to do, but I didn't think it was in the near future... until I found this guy
2012-06-14101731.jpg


A couple of text's and a trip with the trailer and it followed me home. I did a little trading, so its a cheap base to build off of.
2012-06-15104644.jpg


Got it home and started looking, was surprised to see how well it was set up
Chevy TBI 4.3. Was running when the buggy was parted out, so hopefully wont be too bad to get running again.
2012-06-15132217.jpg


Set up for full hydro. Has the orbital valve, remote filter and cooler installed already.
2012-06-15132224.jpg


Ac compressor is converted for OBA. All the solenoids and valves seem to be there, its just a mater of cleaning everything up and making sure its GTG
2012-06-15132237.jpg


Set up as a 4 seater. I'm going to try and run a XJ rear folding seat in the back so I can fold it out of the way when I don't need it. I think I can make it work.
2012-06-15132325.jpg


The chassis was built off of a Yota frame so the wiring is there for a Yota pickup dash, probably pick one up from the JY for now. Later I'll do a custom dash
2012-06-15132311.jpg


It was set up for a 3 link with panhard in the front and a triangulated 4 link in the rear. I got some PVC to mock up some links, and the set up looks pretty promising. I'll probably add some gussets to the link tabs and run them as they are.

Plans:

Chevy 60/14 bolt
14-18 inch air shocks on all corners
Fuel cell
Turbo 350 and twin sticked 205


It will be a slow going project until I get the XJ sold or parted out, but at least its a start!
 

xjtony

Well-Known Member
Location
Grantsville, Ut
I have not researched the D300 a whole lot. At first I thought that you needed the aftermarket adapter, but I guess you can use the 700r4 to 208 factory adapter. I'll have to look into it.
 

xjtony

Well-Known Member
Location
Grantsville, Ut
TH350, new rebuild with a shift kit. Attached 205 was basically free. The wife and son are out of town next week, so hoping to get turbo installed on the truck and maybe seeing if I can get the 4.3 in the buggy fired up.

2012-07-13161712.jpg
 

mombobuggy

Well-Known Member
Location
Highland
great project

hows it coming along? My buggy has taken longer than I could have guessed. I am really enjoying it now-still more things to do of course and there is nothing like driving it to get me in the mood to work on it. I just wish that I had left my old rig alone while building it, it was tuff missing out on trail riding during the build and in the end used very few parts from the old rig. My 44s and 4speed broke so many axle shafts I went to rocks and an automatic. Good luck on the build man . Post some pics if you get a chance. :D
 

xjtony

Well-Known Member
Location
Grantsville, Ut
I have picked up some more parts, but have not had much time for working on it. I have been working 70+ hours a week but I have not forgotten about it! When I have some progress pics I will post up.
 

xjtony

Well-Known Member
Location
Grantsville, Ut
Picked up these guys today. Got enough to do the rear. Going with 2 inch. 25 wall for all the links.I have something special planned for the axles, more to come on that. Also picked up a hoist today so I can move all this stuff around the garage!
IMG_20120831_212348.jpg
 
Last edited:

xjtony

Well-Known Member
Location
Grantsville, Ut
I'll be home in a bit more than a month, and will be able to start working on the buggy again. I've picked up 16" air shocks for the rear (thanks Ryan!), truss for the rear 4 link and some other random parts while I've been gone. Hopefully it will be ready for some Fall wheeling
 

jinxspot

~ Bush Eater's Offroad ~
Location
Salt Lake Utah
yeah buddy, can't wait to get ya back home and wrenching on your new ride!!! We'll be out on the trail in no time... your def gonna have to have a wrenching party or two with the bbq rolling & the beers a flowing!!!
 

mombobuggy

Well-Known Member
Location
Highland
Agreed on the 7.17 gears tony. The pinion gear is small for a dana 70. But I have seen them take serious abuse under heavy and powerful rigs. With 44 inch tires they are still not low enough all the time with the 205 1.96 reduction. What size tire are you planning to run?
 

xjtony

Well-Known Member
Location
Grantsville, Ut
Agreed on the 7.17 gears tony. The pinion gear is small for a dana 70. But I have seen them take serious abuse under heavy and powerful rigs. With 44 inch tires they are still not low enough all the time with the 205 1.96 reduction. What size tire are you planning to run?
I will be running 38's for now (just because I have them already) Ultimate goal is to run 40-42s. With the 4.3 I wont be putting up too much HP. Lowmax is doing runs of the 205 3:1 gearset again so at some point that will probably be in the works.
 

mombobuggy

Well-Known Member
Location
Highland
I think 3 to 1 would be nearly ideal. I will probably end up with a 203/205 setup since I have one. I helped my friend put rockwells under his 4 dr s10 and it does very well with the stock 700r4 and push button transfer case. He thought it would break but it wont die and the gearing in the stock setup allow him to pull 47s just fine. He still is geared lower than me even with the bigger tires.
 

xjtony

Well-Known Member
Location
Grantsville, Ut
Between deployment, injury, car wreck, starting school and trips to Ohio I have not been in the garage at all in a while. I have been collecting parts though and got a few hours of work in today. I got the truss fitted to the rear axle (truss was for a 60 so it took some grinding to get it to fit my 70) and started cleaning up unused brackets on the axle.
 

xjtony

Well-Known Member
Location
Grantsville, Ut
So I am trying to clearance a truss for a 60 to use on my rear 70, but I ran into a bit of an issue. The diff is offset, so when I mount the truss, my upper link mounts end up being offset by about 2 inches. Anyone else running triangulated uppers offset, or am I going to need to build a truss from scratch?
 
Top