What is building a buggy?

nealcj8 · Sep 26, 2017

I built mine from the ground up chassis and all but I would have been money and time ahead to buy a chassis and go from there. The guys that have shops and are reputable builders ( Wide Open Design, M&M Offroad, Jims garage,ETC.) have done their research and you know that all of the **** is going to fit like it should.

Eddyj · Sep 26, 2017

I almost feel like it's a step in your education as an off reader.
You take for granted all the work that goes into a working suspension and those damned driveshafts... ( Rockwell build)

I don't know about the rest of you but I won't build another one. I'll buy a chassis or modify a running rig.

Rockwells607 · Sep 26, 2017

Another take on it . Some builders sell tons of bare chassis , joe smoe buys it brings it home and covers it with **** and cobbles flux core wire all over it and says " I have a Tucker's Offroad buggy " . Well...? Anyone the knows my work or others know we wouldn't send it out the door that way . But our name is attached to that buggy. Other times it goes the other way and they claim they built it when it's was my chassis . Idk the answer here . See it all the time though . Jimmy smith has put out over 100 chassis and some are beautiful and others are garbage . Not his fault but it's whoever finished it out . They always advertise them as " jimmy smith " I know some big shops and their my personal friends , the owner of these said shops don't touch a finger on that rig but it's a " company name " buggy and the fabricator goes unknown

BUG-E J · Sep 26, 2017

Eddyj said:
I almost feel like it's a step in your education as an off reader.
You take for granted all the work that goes into a working suspension and those damned driveshafts... ( Rockwell build)

I don't know about the rest of you but I won't build another one. I'll buy a chassis or modify a running rig.

The best thing to do is buy a complete rig that has the parts you want and change what you don't like or go to a shop and say call me when it's done. I've done my fare share of building and the **** just isn't worth it

Eddyj · Sep 26, 2017

Rockwells607 said:
Another take on it . Some builders sell tons of bare chassis , joe smoe buys it brings it home and covers it with **** and cobbles flux core wire all over it and says " I have a Tucker's Offroad buggy " . Well...? Anyone the knows my work or others know we wouldn't send it out the door that way . But our name is attached to that buggy. Other times it goes the other way and they claim they built it when it's was my chassis . Idk the answer here . See it all the time though . Jimmy smith has put out over 100 chassis and some are beautiful and others are garbage . Not his fault but it's whoever finished it out . They always advertise them as " jimmy smith " I know some big shops and their my personal friends , the owner of these said shops don't touch a finger on that rig but it's a " company name " buggy and the fabricator goes unknown

That's a great side to the story that most of us don't think about.
I've had many people give my rig the dirty eye ball, because Murrah (rocfun) redid most of the tube work. I always go out of my way to tell them that "I'm a cheap idiot, murrah did all the nice bending then I really did my best to half ass it."

Rockwells607 · Sep 26, 2017

I think anyone with even a little pride doesn't take credit for other work they kinda explain themselves . Asshats just say they built it

Mr. leafspring · Sep 26, 2017

I always get have u been at that mud bogg park I'm like WTH ????

TBItoy · Sep 26, 2017

One day I want to be able to say "Hell no I didnt' build it, I bought this thing just like it sits!"

Eddyj · Sep 26, 2017

One day, one day...

#uppermiddleclassproblems

fordcontraption01 · Sep 26, 2017

Eddyj said:
One day, one day...

#uppermiddleclassproblems

# Tonybolton

TBItoy · Sep 26, 2017

Eddyj said:
One day, one day...

#uppermiddleclassproblems

Lower middle class. Bigly. :JRich:

bjeep · Sep 26, 2017

Eddyj said:
One day, one day...

#uppermiddleclassproblems

TBItoy said:
Lower middle class. Bigly.

fordcontraption01 said:
# Tonybolton

Man y'all make me the lower class look really bad. :JRich:

#lowerclassblues

kody29 · Sep 26, 2017

my current buggy Travis at barnyard built my chassis and me and my buddies did everything else in my garage and a buddies shop. I would never build another buggy that far again its a ton of work. My daughters buggy Travis at Barnyard built me a rolling chassis with her complete drive line in it and I will finish the rest. I'm not really sure where the line is drawn on built not bought but I would definitely say I built mine.

sleepsontoilet · Sep 26, 2017

Aside from pouring the ore and casting the block, I've entirely built mine in a garage with beyond minimal tools and experience. I'm blessed Dave at Brave Motorsports is willing to cut out some of my ideas on his table. Which allowed me to build custom headers, intake, thermostat housing, etc. I didn't build the Cs or actual housings, but i did modify them and weld them together. I don't think that makes me or my rig better than someone who doesn't. I wanted to buy a full roller from Jesse Haines, but didn't want to wait 1.5 years. I was told to wing it ground up, and guessed with no blueprints, drawings or measurements of any kind. I just read a lot and try to learn what didn't work and hope for the best. I've built/modified several rigs, but this is the first ground up build from scratch. Hoping less than a week till i try a burnout.

Dan99tj1 · Sep 26, 2017

I've bent every tube and cut every bracket, only because I can't afford to pay others to. Honestly what I save in money I spend in time. Don't really think it's worth it other than fighting with my wife over how much I spend on it. It's easier to buy cut off wheels and disks for the grinder than ordering $100 on tabs and explaining I really don't have $10K in the juggy I stated years ago.

jeeptj99 · Sep 26, 2017

Not sure about buggies but I like to think we built my jeep. I saw we because my dad and a couple others helped me out big time. No way in hell I could have figured that out on my own. We did the front 3 link, cage, axle swap, and I have almost all of the parts to do the backhalf and 4 link in the rear. It's not going to be as big and bad as most people's buggies but I'm proud of it. Maybe one day I'll be in a position to do bigger axles and a v8 swap. But for now I'll rock the 6 cylinder and 35's.

TacomaJD · Sep 26, 2017

I'd just say "Why, yes I built this bad boy from the ground up. My name is Tim Cameron, you may have heard of me...."

I'd also have a sticker on it that said "Cooler than your uncle's yota on 35's" to refer them to when they start that side of their story.

:flipoff1:

617_Racing · Sep 26, 2017

I set off to build mine completely. I did it all; engine build from bare block, trans build, axle builds (lockers, gears, shafts, brakes), bent up chassis and welded it, set up all suspension and drive shafts.

In the end I've been very proud of my work. Other than I eventually gave up on building my on trans and bought a PTC unit.

I think every time I've stopped at a gas station with it I've had someone approach me asking about it. All kinds of ridiculous questions like how many deer have I ran over with it..... Odd. But usually it ends with the person asking if I could do work for them. My usual answer is no, I've only gave my number to one guy and I never heard from him.

I enjoyed the build almost more than riding, almost. So I'm already planning the next build.

nhl_bullitt · Sep 26, 2017

I bought a new, bare bones chassis, even had to add some tubes to it still. Did damn near everything on it from there, then brought in a friend to do an excellent job wiring it up for me.
So I have to say I bought the chassis and built it from there. Honestly though unless you have done that, you just don't know what goes into it. It was 10 months of straight WORK, no breaks other than my real job. If I wasn't at the shop I was probably studying online or researching what parts to buy for the project. Heck I've been there for 3 straight months again just doing some upgrades.

3j7 · Sep 26, 2017

617_Racing said:
I set off to build mine completely. I did it all; engine build from bare block, trans build, axle builds (lockers, gears, shafts, brakes), bent up chassis and welded it, set up all suspension and drive shafts.

In the end I've been very proud of my work. Other than I eventually gave up on building my on trans and bought a PTC unit.

I think every time I've stopped at a gas station with it I've had someone approach me asking about it. All kinds of ridiculous questions like how many deer have I ran over with it..... Odd. But usually it ends with the person asking if I could do work for them. My usual answer is no, I've only gave my number to one guy and I never heard from him.

I enjoyed the build almost more than riding, almost. So I'm already planning the next build.

I looked at a bunch of chassis but couldn't find exactly what I wanted, so drew mine up on some graph paper... I feel like I built mine even though I did farm a couple of things out (wiring, gears, transmission rebuild)... I'm like you 617, I enjoyed the build (even though it took way longer than I wanted it to) and have started drawing up the next one with a few changes. Never again will I part out a rig to build a rig, kept me out of the woods for 3 years. Nope

I would post a picture but all of my **** is on dumb ass photobucket... whatayagonnado?