I'm kind of wanting some input from the members of the community on here. Eventually I'll start a build thread on my dune buggy, but I'd like to have more input. I've already started a thread on another forum who specializes in VW, but I've spent many more hours on here and I'd rather not leave this community I'd call home.
So I've come to the conclusion to dismantle the current buggy and strip everything on it and salvage the tubing from it for other things, rather it be for shelving or just practice metal for joints, or whatever I decide to do with it; and do up a different frame. I'll be doing this for several reasons, wheel base is too short. The welds on the frame and cage are just way too sketchy for me to want to call them safe. It will take way too many hours of grinding, re welding, adding extra bracing, extending, etc to make it better. I'd rather start with a clean slate.
So my options are, build a brand new frame from the ground up or buy a prefabricated frame that just needs to be welded together. I have many many more hours welding than I do fabricating from scratch (going off of plans would be ideal, but none really exist) and I have zero experience bending tubing and I'd rather not waste money on tubing if I can help it to learn to bend properly at this time.
Where I'm at with the whole thing at this time is, need to buy a new master cylinder, front and rear wheel cylinders, shoes, drums. Need to buy two 15x5 wheels for the rear. Need 205/75/15 tires for the front. 235/75/15 tires for the rear. Going to have the generator gone through and maybe have the output increased. Get a proper spun aluminum fuel tank and toss out the plastic 5 gallon can that was being used. Rebuild the carburetor. Remove the old exhaust and install the set of performance pipes that I got with the extra parts pile I got for $300. Remove the GM bench seat with lap belts for buckets with 5 points. Rewire everything including the gauges. Add in a cylinder head temperature gauge for cylinder number 3 (hottest cylinder), add in a volt meter along with the current ammeter. New 12v battery. New voltage regulator (if needed, more than likely).
Did find out that the Amber lights on top of the cage are Chieftain halogen fog lights.
So I have a pretty full plate with this and I'm probably forgetting several items, but I'd like to start fresh on the right foot with this so it can be driven safely on road and off road. And yes I did say on road because i want register it again for road use.