I think you might be getting the idea. Looks better than great.

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Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most.
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Thanks guys... I owe each one of you for getting this far... For the tools I have and what I have to work with I am pretty happy so far. I will get a few more pics once I get the other things bolted up... then I have more questions

Very nice ! There is no better feeling of accomplishment than building /modifying your rig yourself !
Anybody can buy one already done .

Could not agree more with this comment.

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Water Cooled Consortium, Chairman of the Build (Former AC purist)

AKA: SXS
AS much as I love to drive the wildcat, I think my buggy will be more fun and better, for a 1/4 of the price!

Thanks again for this thread it is helping me a bunch with my build. I just ordered my axles and will be setting droop and bump over the holidays!

Cool... good to hear this info will continue to help others... I didn't get to do any work on the buggy tonight... will try tomorrow... would love to get the trans and axles back in... gas tank too I guess. After that I am going to keep it on its wheels for a bit... I hope to have some tubing to knock out the other stuff after next week as well.

Cant thank you all enough... I am pretty happy so far... Looking forward to getting this thing running some day soon I hope.

Merry Christmas...

Tubing should be here next week and I will add the seat brace, 1 inch frame ties and the brace for the bump stop... this should complete the most of what I want to do in the back (till I get a bender).

I tossed the trans and axles and wheel son it so I can roll it out and clean up and have a bit more room for another car incase I need to park inside.

See the seating area... looks like they use plate steel for the seat... I guess its fine as its sturdy... just thought I would point out what's down there... I would like to space up or lift up the seats about an inch so I am not sure if I will cut and raise that plate or if I will just add some spacers to the current plate to lift it up... I may just do spacers, as I know if I do keep this frame I will want better seats.

Another note to my self... I did not torque anything nor did I Loctite the bolts that need it (will come back and hit them all before I take it out).

Ignore my goofy plastic bags... I got out of control and ended up getting paint on lots of things... next time I need to prep before I paint... now I have a tone of stuff to get paint off of... or at least I can try











I posted in the trans area... I had a ball pop out of the cage when I put the axles in... first time I ever had that happen... I guess the race prepped CV's are so loose that it can... Also what do you guys use for clamps on the CV boots? Zip Tie's (like the plastic ones, or Band clamps or the banjo style clamps)..

I am looking for some wheels to match my back ones wide 5 and I need bigger tires I think??

yeh the balls can make there way out if you get the angle to far. just put it back in and try to not let it happen again! you need wheels for what? i have some wide 5 steel wheels, 12 inch wide for the rear. i see you got firestones on there , what size are they?

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ANTI- antifreeze!!!!!!

looking for some to replace the front... the ones I have in the back are 10 1/2 I think... 31 inch firestone's I guess I could just paint the ones I have black in the front for now... next year I want to redo the front end as I did this year with the rear... guessing I need a 5 inch wide front? not sure what I am looking for just yet... Plus I would like to have a bumper up front too... but I am not sure how to get one without me making one..

Just through bolt the seats on top of some PT 2x4. Save some cash and get some suspension seats. You can then change your seat mounts.

Looks good sitting on the wheels. Front tires look into Yokohama Y742 7.00x15 radial front tire, it is light truck tire about 30" tall. They run about $125 each.

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Water Cooled Consortium, Chairman of the Build (Former AC purist)

them look like 23degree, uncut, how wide are the tires? and as far as a bumper goes you got a ball joint front end, as do i, for $80 i got mine at drews off road, but maybe davis motorsports is closer for you, just call and make sure they have it before you drive there.it makes for a real nice spot for the beer cooler as well

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ANTI- antifreeze!!!!!!

good deal on the bumper I think... would they ship to me? I cant buy anything like that near me best I know... I am usually stuck with ordering... I did a search and couldn't find one... is it just a balljoint tube bumper? I did see some for Baja... just wasn't sure. The front tires are the 3 rib type: Goodyear Triple 5.00-15... rail has a rake to it now... but I thought it might with the non lifted ball joint front end though...

I think its these:
http://www.millertire.com/products/tractor-tires/front-tractor-tires/5-00-15/5-00-15-goodyear-3-rib-front/

Back Tires are the Firestone Implement 12.5L - 15...

Would Drews ship to me? I wish I had a place close to me like you guys do... half the time I am afraid to buy something cause I don't know if it will fit...

Are close to Dayton? If not, I know these guy ship- http://www.larrysoffroad.com/productCat78042.ctlg

Nah, I am close to Louisville KY, but in Indiana near the Bass Pro Shop... nothing near me... Its worked out so far... just so I know what I am ordering... Will any of those bumper work? And thanks for pointing me in the right direction...

I drove all the way down there to buy a bike once. I think any of those Ball joint bumpers would work with maybe a little of tweeken but from the looks of it nothin you can't handle.

http://www.davis-motorsports.com/ how far is this from you? cut them stones and run the three ribs if your woods riding and you'll be fine! that ass end will settle down when you put the motor on there. they always sit way high without the motor. and whatever you do , do not buy the 3inch raised balljoint spindles from empi they are junk.

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ANTI- antifreeze!!!!!!

Larry's and Drew's both would ship. Larry's is about 15 minutes up the road and I'm pretty sure most of their business is internet or over the phone and shipped. They do everything buggy but really specialize in beetle and VW stuff. If it's a part you can't find they probably have it. Drew's seems to be more offroad oriented and I'm sure they ship. Both are great shops and both Larry and Brian are very knowledgeable. I'm sure there are other good choices as well but they are local to me and I've spent thousands at each.

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"Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal." -Henry Ford

wow, with all the parts on its starting to look like a buggy.. nice work one thing i noticed, and this is purely on experience, but i would put a solid floor under your seats. sticks WILL come through and no telling where it could poke you or your passenger.. painful lesson i learned with my first buggy

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LEGALIZE BLUEGRASS!!!

Save a tree... eat a Beaver

Thanks Reno... the floor under the seats has a bend in it to make up for the flat roof... I am not 100% sure how I would close it in, but I may be able to be creative with some more tubing and a bit more plate I think... don't want any surprises like that...

I think I am going to focus on getting this thing to run and then build on that... I want to complete the bracing I still have to do, and I will try to close in that floor (makes sense to me) and for the rest I need to start doing the plumbing and the wiring and need to figure out how to shim the rockers and cut the push rods to fit... once I get all that out of the way I will dive back into the frame I think... I have a few ideas and would also like to have new tree bars too... Forty... I want a bumper like yours... so I am going to hold out for what I want. Wish you could do one up and ship it to me
Anyway... Once I get the seat brace added and motor in I will snap a few more pic's... the wiring part is going to be the next hard one for me... not so much the what goes where but how the heck do you guys hide it... Also I think I need a different dash... the one I have might not be big enough for the fuse block. Once I get my CC paid back down I want to re do the front... no cash at this time though... so might end up as a next summer/winter project.

Any thoughts on where I should put the battery? I have an Optima with a Optima battery mount (weld in type) I was thinking about just forward where the passenger foot rest will go...

thoughts?

the closer you put the battery to the starter the less you will spend on battery cables just a thought. I put mine in the front but i think im gonna move it to the back to make room for a cooler on the front. I think im going to try to mount it right over the tranny so my battery cable is only a foot long (less voltage drop)

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If it ain't broke ill fix that

for sure, jus lookin out for ya... look at the photos of daves buggy, see the foot rest and the space in front of it?? thats good a place as any for a battery.. maybe have someone sit in the passenger seat and see about where to mount the footrest and battery tray

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LEGALIZE BLUEGRASS!!!

Save a tree... eat a Beaver

hpfreak made a very good point.. all depends on space available and personal preference. you got this and keep the pics coming

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LEGALIZE BLUEGRASS!!!

Save a tree... eat a Beaver

I could try to build a shelf above the transmission much like in the pic below... I was just thinking it may help get some weight forward... seems like most of the weight is reward on these things... I might have the cable already (need to chk) just looking to do what's right...

I don't have a bender so if I make one it will be more squared off... but you get the idea... And I am saying this without even knowing if I have the space... that's also where my gas tank sits... I will look it over oin the morning... if there is no room.. then front it is.

i had the battery in front on my fugitive, for weight and the limited space. my stalker, i had the battery behind the passenger seat.. forward cab and 18'' behind seats to torsion. my latest project (build thread coming soon) is an invader, very similar to fugitive and will have to relocate my battery to the front

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LEGALIZE BLUEGRASS!!!

Save a tree... eat a Beaver