How to Make Dune Buggy
Building a dune buggy can be just as exciting as driving one. This article gives you a good starting point in building your own dune buggy. Before starting, search the Internet for buggy designs and blueprints. You will need to know how you want the buggy to look before starting.
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Things You'll Need
- Welder
- Tube bender
- Mild steel tubing
- Screw drivers
- Wrenches
- Socket sets
- C-clamps
- Vice grips
- 3/ electric drill
- Set of sharp drill bits
- Hack saw
- Small hand grinder
- Saws-all
- Bench vise
- Light gauge metal or string
Instructions
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1
Find a dry place to work. Ample room is needed to move around. Ideally, you will want an inside or covered working area to protect your project from the elements.
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2
Set up surface plate or jig fixture. Buy a rectangle metal angle or small "I" beam from the local scrap yard. It needs to be 10 feet long and 32 inches wide. Install four cross pieces. Flush and smooth all of the pieces. Level it with metal shims.
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3
Once your area and level is in place, start on the pre-assemble. Take three pieces of straight and clean 2-inch by 2-inch box tube and place them on the jig fixture or surface plate. Bolt or tack weld them left to right. Weld one 12-inch piece on each end of the fixture and another one in the middle.
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4
Cut a deep, small notch at the top edge of th fixture with a hack saw. It needs to be deep enough for the gauge metal wire or string that will be installed later to stay in place. After cutting the notch, attach the wire or string on one end and stretch it to the other end. The string or wire needs to be very tight. The wire or string will go under the three cross pieces and on top of the ends of the fixture.
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5
Clean, grease and paint all the necessary parts. Install the transmission and engine.
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6
Use the blueprints to assemble the buggy. Then disassemble the parts for the final welding, detailing, grinding and painting.
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7
Reassemble the frame. Determine the wheelbase of the buggy. Center and mount the front and rear suspension.
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Tips & Warnings
Be thorough with measurements. Measure everything twice before cutting.
If you do not have a welder, then parts can just be bolted together.
There are a certain amount of danger when working with power tools. Always be careful.
