I love watching build threads, so I decided to finally start one for myself. I might not be able to update it amazingly often, but I'll try to keep pictures coming as I make progress.

This is a Berrien Warrior frame.
The plan as of this posting is to put a Camaro 3.4L V6 engine in it, mated with a side-shift vanagon tranny.
So far I have the basic frame welded up, the seat mounts made and tacked in, the balljoint beam mounted (frame was made for KP) and the pedal assembly put together (needs to be cleaned up).


Trying to design a new type of steering bearing using electrical tape.


Your standard warrior frame. Soon to be semi-heavily reinforced.


Powerplant. Plan on getting Dean's 3x5 arms to hold this bad boy up. (Love AC, but don't have the money. I'm not a hater either way!) I love the sound of a V6.


Another angle. You get the idea. (don't pay any attention to my lack of space, I've learned to live with it, hah)

As I go through this, please feel free to point things out and give me constructive criticism. This is my first build and I've only ridden in one buggy in my life! Everything I've learned is pretty much from this site and people in it. (special thanks to Larry - kybuggy1, Tony - CrazyBone, Dave - DVS1, Curt, and Dean).

Thanks a lot guys!
Pat

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Get me that hammer, pronto!

Looking good. I like your power plant ! & I have just as much space as you do, it's a pain ,but better than being outside.
Bruce

Thanks Bruce. Yes, that's exactly how you have to think: at least I'm not outside in the freezing wind!

Also, I want to add that at this point it's most likely to be on the road more often than on the trails, but I'd like it be able to do either with maybe a change of wheels/tires. (I've found a pair of 33x21x15 street tires that I'd love to put on it! ) Anybody know what width rims you need for those?

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That would be a cool street tire . I know a guy that runs a tire that size on a street buggy & I think he runs a 12" or 15" wheel. Street buggies are cool too.
Bruce

must be nice my dad has a 30 by 36 garage and i get up there maybe once or twice over the winter to do what i need to do othr than that me my overalls and mother nature enjoying each other

Should be getting the tubing for the bracing this week, hopefully a mid-shift tranny next week, and I'm in negotiations with Dean for 3x5 trailing arms. Should be getting my air shocks this week too. Ready to spend some money! I'm excited though. I need to keep from getting burnt out!

Question: I'm going to be running two pairs of shocks, one regular pair and one pair of air shocks that will be taking the brunt of the weight. SO my question is, what is involved in mounting them? Does it consist of just getting a grade 8 bolt to attach them to the arms? What is normally done to mount them to the frame? Anyone have any pics for reference?

Thanks and sorry for my ignorance!

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Get me that hammer, pronto!

One thing I might point out about running that heavy of and engine and HP with the short wheel base is your front end will tend to be off the ground a lot. The longer rear trailing arms will help I just dont know how much.

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Water cooled Dry Sumped Subaru Powered Turbo Charged Fuel Injected 2500CC Tank. Oh Rah! He who dies with the most Toys not only wins, He also wears them out!

Hah, yeah, that would be a major design consideration. I assure you something like that has not been overlooked.

I talked to a couple people about that and the concensus is that it should be able to wheelie on command, but it should stay on the ground if I want it to. Plus, it's not being built to be a climber, otherwise I'd go VW or Subaru (or maybe even chaindrive). It will mainly be for the road and probably some trails.

And Curt, I can see how the arm mounts could be made double shear pretty easily, but what would be a good way to make the top mounts double shear? Any pics?

Thanks!

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Get me that hammer, pronto!

Got my mid-shift tranny in today! The shipping weight was listed as 99lbs! I didn't know that transmission was that heavy. It's gonna be a bear to fool with.
I'm looking forward to designing my own shift linkage for it though, I have some different (hopefully simpler) ideas for it.
Hopefully I'll have some more pics soon.

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Get me that hammer, pronto!

Not a huge amount of progress, but I have started mounting the tranny and I put one of my new 3x5's on and it's looking like a 21" axle will be too long. A bus axle looks almost right for some reason. I need to put my bearings and rear stubs in the arms and bolt it up and check.

Meanwhile, here's a crappy picture of one of my tires I just got next to the buggy.

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Here's a drawing of the frame with all of the bracing I'm planning on adding.
Any suggestions?


Also, I think that may be somewhat the angle it will be sitting at with the 38's on the back.

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COOL START CAN'T WAIT TO SEE IT IN THE WOODS IT 'S GONNA BE FAST

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(LIVE EVERY DAY LIKE IT IS YOUR LAST) AND AS I TELL MY 10 YEAR OLD BOY ANYTHING BROKEN CAN BE FIXED

38's??? thats huge!!

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-Dakotah/koko
keep on keepin' on!!

Hah, yeah, they're pretty big. Not as big as most of the chaindrives, but plenty big for me at the moment!
I can't wait!

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I have one of my 3x5 trailing arms on and got the stub and bearings in it.

I bolted up a bus axle (from 3-rib bus) and it seems to be the right length.

Can this be possible?

The bellhousing of the transmission is about 1/4-1/2 inch behind where a 3-rib would be.

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Get me that hammer, pronto!

dont forget to build some tree kickers on the sides of i they help out alot

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if its not broke dont fix it!!

tree bars are a must i the woods. dont wanna rip a wheel off. it sucks lol

Yup, definitely gonna have tree bars!

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Get me that hammer, pronto!

[quote='RailHomie']I have one of my 3x5 trailing arms on and got the stub and bearings in it.

I bolted up a bus axle (from 3-rib bus) and it seems to be the right length.

Can this be possible?

The bellhousing of the transmission is about 1/4-1/2 inch behind where a 3-rib would be.[/quote]
It shouldn`t work?Those are 3 wider and 5 longer?you should need 19 1/4 length axles for 3x3 and those should be the same for 3x5.

aaron

A bus axle seems to work in a 3x2 or a 3x3. But I don't think you could pull it off with 3x5. They may bolt up but I don't think they would last long.

Dean

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It's amazing what you can accomplish when you don't care who gets the credit.-
Harry S. Truman

Dean you just use the axle stretcher

Can I borrow yours?

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It's amazing what you can accomplish when you don't care who gets the credit.-
Harry S. Truman

Dean your avatar is awesome I have an axle stretcher I made last year for my 2x4`s if anybody wants to borrow it?

UUUHHHMMM??? What??? And I thought I had seen it all in the sand. You guys are crazy

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RAJAY + SAND = FUN!!! Can we put a turbo on that??*** Hey look in here for more junk.*** http://s119.photobucket.com/albums/o157 ... ndoffroad/

Haha, alright, so I actually measured this time and when I raised the arm level with the tranny it was about 19-3/4" from bottom of cup to bottom of cup.

What size axles do you recommend and what can I get them from? (Anyone wanna sell some?)

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Get me that hammer, pronto!