Hey Guys, I'm brand new to rail buggys and need some advice. I've been into drag racing and riding atvs for around 15 years. Now in my 30's ,I'm looking to sell my 2 atvs and get into a "safer" hobby and something that I can take the whole famiy along. I've seen quite a few vw rails at some of our local riding spots and am impressed with them,and a friend of mine just bought a really nice rail and it is just a blast. Anyhow my only problem is I want a 4 seater and here in Ky, seems like there are a ton of 2 seaters for sale, but 4 seaters are rare. I'm thinking of picking up a nice two seater and changing it to a 4 seater.
I have all the metal fab tools and lots of experience building race car roll cages, so I was thinking of just cutting and extending a 2 seater frame to fit 4 seats. Can this be done and be plenty strong and look good?
Anybody done this or have advice? Another option I was looking at was buying a 2 seater and then buying a new 4 seat frame and swapping everything over. I am only about 3 hours from Bee Line in Irvine KY.
What do you experienced rail guys think?
Thanks for any input.
Chad

Anything can be done. However, in my opinion, I would say hold off and find a 4 seater or replace the frame.

It will cost you a lot more to swap everything to a 4 seat frame but you will know everything about the buggy and you can upgrade any components you want to.

With the amount of buggies for sale, I would wait for a 4 seater.

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i say just find you a 4 seater then theirs no frame work no swamping later your all rdy for what you would spend changing it to a 4 you could look in your surrounding states for a 4 seater and go pick one up

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I DO NOT FREE BASE COCAINE

I would try and find a 4 seater but if you can find a cheap running 2 seater and you have access to a welder take a look at berrien cruiser knockdown kits. I'm actually building one now http://www.woodsbuggy.com/index.php?option=com_jfusion&Itemid=109&jfile=viewtopic.php&f=23&t=12981

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If it ain't broke ill fix that

Thanks for the info guys,nice looking build hp freak.
I'm not in a huge hurry to buy one as my wife wants to keep our ATVs till the end of summer and then sell them to buy one or start a winter buggy project. Maybe I'll find a 4 seater that suits me for the $$ I want to spend, but seems like all that I find are $6500 plus. For that $$ I'd rather build it myself. I enjoy building stuff as much as anything.
Another question for you guys is what engine would you recomend. I'd like to run a cheap,dependable 1600dp but some guys have told me it will be too weak for a 4seater,but I saw a guy and his family on one a couple of weeks ago while we were our riding and he had a 1600 and said it did just fine.
I like to stay away from building a big cc VW but want enough power to go where I want. I have a Mustang that I've built to the max, and while it is a ton of fun with 755hp to the tire, I've learned that when you build big hp, dependability goes away.
I'd like to just use a stock 1600 if it is powerfull enough but have never driven one. I have also looked into going water cooled with the GM 2.2 but of course it will cost more.
What do you all think?
thanks
Chad

You are correct... The more power the more money.... Here is a great set-up that worked great for years...

1835 Engine
3 Rib Trans
Type 2 CV's
31 inch tires

It is a very reliable combination. The engine has enough power without breaking the CV's or Trans.

There are many people on here that believe a water cooled in a better way to go. I will let them sell on those benefits.

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go with this right here and you will love it

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I DO NOT FREE BASE COCAINE

cool, thanks guys. I'd like to keep it air cooled because it is simpler but like I said I wand it dependable. I have built quite a few small block Ford stroker motors, but nothing with VW. What is an 1835. Just an overbore, or with a stroker crank. How about machine work on the block. I'd like to get an idea of what would be involved.

heres my woods buggy build: http://www.woodsbuggy.com/index.php?opt ... =23&t=5774
I made a 2 seater into a 4 seater without changing the wheelbase. Climbs like a 2 seater! Believe it or not a 300 lbs adult can ride comfortably in the back!

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Maybe you should chug on over to mamby pamby land....

RaceBuggy1098, that is one cool build. Any idea what frame you started with,what wheel base? Did you basicly chop out the upper cage and move the seats foward , then rebuild from there. Or is there more to it?
Also what tubing did you use. I always use .131 wall DOM on drag car cages but of course seamed ERW is sooo much cheaper. What is standard tubing for a woods buggy?

here is a 4 seater not to long of a drive and for what you would spend doing frame work you could use in gas money to pick this one up

http://bham.craigslist.org/ctd/3086137905.html

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I DO NOT FREE BASE COCAINE

That looks perfect except for the 1915. Not sure if this is accurate or not, but I was told by a local VW guru to stay away from the 1915 motors. He said the cylinders were bored to close to the limit and left very thin cylinder walls. He said he has had a few crack on trail rides when hitting water with a warm engine.
Any truth to it?

no worrys on the 1915. Same wall thickness as most of the aircooled buggies on here. I have never seen one break due to that. My woods buggy was a 98" wheelbase, and it is actually shorter now after the build (longer front arms). The frame was a barrien 95 pickup frame. I cut the roof off for more head room and to make it longer for the backseat riders. I used .095 wall electroweld tubing (cheap stuff). it is pretty much standard for buggies. The seats are in the same place they would be in any normal 2 seater. I just made a gas tank to fit on the floor under the rear passengers feet. It holds a little less than 10 gallons.

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Maybe you should chug on over to mamby pamby land....

If you build one from nothing you will have way more than $6500 in it. Only differnce is you will be able to say you built it. I would buy one and swicth it over or find a 4 seater together. I would buy a 2 seater and swtich it over if it was me. Parts and motors are cheaper when bought as a whole and not just peices. Just my 2 cents.

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kydecoy
Work Hard Play Harder

thanks for all the advice guys. I'm gonna go ahead and put my two 4 wheelers on craigslist and soon as they are gone, I'll start looking for a deal. I know to look for IRS,nice motor,cut brakes, and hopefully nice v tread tires. Anything else major to look for on a used buggy. Also what about king pin vs ball joints in the front, and is front brakes a big plus on a woods buggy or are they useless with no weight on the front?

i like baljoint but most will probably say kingpin and front breaks are not needed but they are a good upgrade later on most people dont have them so dont worry about that just look for a 1835 or 1915 and a 3rib or 5rib trans and cutting breaks and buss cv joints and 2x3 arms or 3x3 or anything other than stock back arms and yes irs

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I DO NOT FREE BASE COCAINE

cool, thanks guys.

wasnt that bad habit guy from kentucky selling his yellow beeline 3 seater with the ecotec?

http://lexington.craigslist.org/rvs/3100512655.html

Knock this guy down and buy this. This is a nice buggy! A stroker motor is plenty dependable, don't let anyone tell you different. There's guys that have been running 2500's for ten years or more. Freshen them up once in awhile and maintain them and you wont have any issues.

x2, thats a good deal..you couldnt come close to that price building it yourself

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LEGALIZE BLUEGRASS!!!

Save a tree... eat a Beaver

Wow,that buggy is sweet. I don't currently have that much to spend, but have 2 atvs to sell. Maybe I can scrape something together.

X3 . stroke eng. will run for years in the woods

This is a nice small 4 seater . He did a lot of work to make it all fit.