Buggy In Progress!
The Plan
Motor: 4.3 Chevrolet Vortec V6 Fuel Injected
Transmission: TH350
Transfer Case: Atlas 2-speed 3.8:1
Axles: Dana 60 front and 14 Bolt Rear, 5.38 and locked
Chassis: Full 1-3/4 DOM cage
Suspension: Front and Rear 4-link with 16" King Coilovers and Fox Air Bumps all around
Steering: PSC Full Hydraulic
The Progress
The chassis has been purchased...
The front Dana 60 has been fully rebuilt with a Detroit locker, 5.38 gears, ARP studs, High steer arms, PSC double-ended steering ram, 35-spline chromoly stub shafts, chromoly drive flanges and BTF link mount truss and PSC ram mount.
The 14 bolt has be rebuilt with 5.38 G-2 gears, a Detroit locker, BTF link mount truss and pinion guard, rear disc conversion, and Solid diff cover.
This Saturday it was time to transform the chassis into a rolling chassis. All the four-link chromoly joints arrived, I purchased the King Coilovers and Fox air bumps, and picked up the DOM tubing for the links. Brandon Rummage, my dad, and myself worked from 8am Saturday until 3am Sunday, solid. Below are pictures showing the workday progress...
Well, we got the motor cranked on the stand this weekend. We encountered some issues, but we got it too run and the engine seems to be mechanically sound. On to the next step. CLICK HERE FOR A VIDEO
The Atlas transfer case finally arrived after waiting on it for three months!!!
Once the Atlas arrived and all the options were verified correct, the engine, transmission, Atlas, and about every other part in my position was loaded up in the back of the Powerstroke. The 4Runner was put on the trailer and off to Hickory I went to my father's shop. I had to take the 4Runner to Hickory to provide space in my garage in Charlotte to bring the buggy back down once the driveline was mounted. My father, Rummage, and myself worked 26 hours once weekend installing the driveline and making mounts for as many other pieces of equipment as possible. All the equipment was not installed yet because the chassis will be painted soon. After much deliberation the colors of a neon green chassis with jet black skins was decided on. The pictures of the work performed are below and the last picture is the buggy in the garge in Charlotte. Hopefully some steady progress can now me made. Time to start sanding the chassis.
The chassis is finally prepared for painting after two weeks of sanding. The chassis was primed with Epoxy primer and Sherwin-Williams Automotive custom mixed some neon green paint...
After the chassis was painted, it was time to start the never ending detail work. I have began the long process of fabricating hard lines, brake lines, fuel delivery components, etc.
Work has been slow and steady over the last few weeks. Mounts for accessories have been installed, the wiring has been roughed in, and the dash has been completed.
The parking brake mechanism was finally figured out. Thanks to one from a Mitsubishi Eclipse and the shifters were installed
Motor air intake filter supports and headers were fabricated
This is what $300 worth of fluids looks like
Well after a long period of assembling the buggy to a point that I felt confident enough to get corner weights to send to King for spring sizing....the coils are finally here...and installed. I "restroked" the Fox air bumps to have a 2" stroke and installed them when I put the coilovers on. Notice the ABS plastic skins are also installed.
Since the headers had be be run outside the main "frame" of the chassis, something had to be developed to protect the exhaust...
