Boardbysled's Budget Buggy Build

[boardbysled]

I recently started a new project and figured it was getting far enough along to share.

This build will be a budget build reusing many parts from my old rig ( The Pathy). (which is currently still together and I am still wheeling it for the time being.

New rig will be lots of tube with just mostly the firewall and windshield frame left from the stock rig. Frame will be cutoff in front of the motor mounts and behind the seats.

Couple reasons for starting fresh versus just building my current rig:

-Pathy's motor is on deaths doorstep
-Pathy has a 5 speed versus an auto in the new rig
-Fresh frame (Pathy's frame has a few patch jobs on it

Parts I plan to use off the Pathy include:

-Waggy D44 Front axle (4.56's, yukon chromos & super joints, lock-right)
-NWF TX-10/D300 doubler kit & JB Fab twinsticks
-Rear H233b 4.63 third member w/lock-right

and thats about all haha.

Here is the 'new' project. Stock 1992 Pathfinder VG30E and a auto trans.

 

[boardbysled]

Finally figured out the photo stuff.

Started tearing down the the new Pathfinder.

 

[boardbysled]

Some new parts,

EMPI Wide vinyl suspension seats from Jeep Swag

2.5"x16" FOA Coilover shocks with reservoirs

Speedway steering wheel and quick disconnect

Pulled the housing and stripped the brackets off it and shaved the drain plug

Started building an axle truss

 

[boardbysled]

Fabb'd up the rear 4 link, double triangulated with decent numbers according to the 4link calculator. Barnes 4wd brackets and heim joints. PVC links for now.

 

[boardbysled]

Started on the tube work! Most of the tube is 1.75"x.120" DOM with some 1.75"x.120" HREW where it won't make contact with rock, along with some 1.5"x.120" HREW mixed in.

Hole-sawed a hole in the frame.

Cut it off in the center of the hole so the tube mates up well.

Broke the follower die getting the bends too close together.:mad3:

New style follower die from JD2.

HF notcher setup. (Drill died today after about 18 notches)

Notch fresh from the HF setup, just needs a little flap wheel work.

 

[boardbysled]

Matching rear 'framerail'

Crossbar in the rear (hopefully setup for a rear swaybar in the future)

Cut the rocker panel off to make room for the slider bar.

Slider bar and b-pillar mocked up.

Rear belt-line bar mocked up

Rear seatbar mocked in

Bend in the front seatbar to clear the transmission shifter cable

 

[boardbysled]

And now we are caught up to today:

Started on the roof-line bar.

Roof-line bar & B-pillar connected. Next step will be to bend the roof-line bar down to meet the belt-line bar at where the rear shocks will mount in the future to make a node.

 

[SJR]

Thanks for sharin, fun to see people's progress on there builds with the tubing and creativity , will be following your progress

 

[CHOP SHOP]

Lookin good! :awesomework:

 

[boardbysled]

Thanks guys!

 

[boardbysled]

Worked on it a bit more today. Decided that before I got much further, that I should redo the rocker bars. Moved them up about 6". Made sure to add frame plates.

 

[boardbysled]

Was able to work on it a bit this weekend,

Shortened the rear framerails

B-pillars and rear belt-line bar in:

Notching the A-pillar

Roofline bar in, just need to cut and turn it and notch the C-Pillar.

 

[boardbysled]

Didn't get a chance to work on it a whole lot this weekend, but got a little bit done.

Got the A-pillar/roofline/C-pillar bar in. All one piece, 3 bends, with 2 offsets.

No pictures, but worked on the seat mounts some. Being 6'4" and mostly torso is making it a little challenging.

 

[dfowlkes]

Nice tube work!

 

[boardbysled]

After about 4 different variations, I was able to get the seat mounts in. I'm 6'4" 300lbs so it was hard to get them low enough without having to raise the roofline a bunch. They are sat as low as they can go in the chassis, but should work good.

Got the passenger side roofline bar bent up. Had to cut and sleeve this one as one of my offsets was a few degrees off.

Did a timelapse of bending up the roofline bar:
https://youtu.be/K8xVM1xtaIE

Got one of the roof bars in along with the harness bar. Also got some of the triangulation bars for the B-pillar in. I plan on ditching the normal headrests and making some that attach to the diagonal bars.

 

[boardbysled]

Wanted to see where I was going next, so I did some layout with painter's tape.

Got started on the rear shock mounts. Shocks are 16"x2.5" FOA's. Using a behind the axle shock mount bracket from Barnes 4wd.

Had a bunch of grand ideas for shock mounts, but once I mock'd it up, a plan for a nice easy mount came together, almost like I had planned it...

Looks like I should end up with 6" uptravel and 10" down.

I'll built a bracket in between the tubes. The hope will be to squeeze a 2"x2" airbump in as well, should be plenty of room.

 

[JOOP]

Looks Good:awesomework:

 

[boardbysled]

Looks Good:awesomework:

Thanks Jon.

Little bit of progress.

Got the rear shocks mounted.

Little bit of contact between upper links and seat bar mount at full bump that will have to get addressed.

Started on the roof bars. Got the browbar in.

 

[boardbysled]

Also remembered I had this photo of the 4link calc with my rear link geometry.

 

[Chevyjoe]

I like it! Keep the updates coming


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