Builds And so it begins - buggification (1 Viewer)

[Eskimo]

Sorry Woody - couldn't hold out any more, the tub had to go. Based off the what it took to re-compress the rear springs, so far we've lost a ton of weight... There was LOTS of 1/4 plate reinforcing the tub...

So what's the term.. Cruggy?

 

[woody]

looks better already!

 

[Mace]

Plans???

 

[Eskimo]

Plans -

A pretty typical cage/buggy thing, boatside sliders... simple rear area, to hold the forklift tanks, with a small toolbox and a really tiny cooler mount. I've got a bunch of aluminum diamond plate in .120 and .063, so expect to see alot of that to be used... There will also be some tube going up front to protect the goods there.

On the more unusual note - We're gonna try and make a console that extends down from the center of the dash to hold switches, gauges, and stuff like that, so that it can be reached while belted in the 4-points. will go from the dash bar down to the seat mount bars.

The stinkin' PO cut the center of the dash to bits, so I think a solid piece of diamond plate (painted) will cover all that.. Still gonna keep the cruiser gauge cluster and the glovebox door though (For the purists!)

If we had more time, we might hack the frame behind the front spring hangars, but I don't want to spend all summer wrenching... I'll save that for the 4-link & 1-tons.

 

[orangefj45]

i guess we'll have to share the name "cruggy" for our rigs.

 

[wngrog]

Get it!

 

[ScottFJ40]

Rock on!

 

[cruiserrg]

Good Start. More cutting needed!

 

[Rock Taxi]

Good Start. More cutting needed!

No doubt. Home Depot has more sawzall blades.

Ed

 

[redcorn]

give me a few weeks and I will be up your way with some plastics...........


i will bring the shine

john

 

[Eskimo]

A little more work, nothing too special.. cut off the sliders, and the 1/2" plate that was above the spring hangars... re-made the crossmember 2" lower to allow the BBQ tanks to sit down some.. a little pressure washing, and a WHOLE lotta paint!

before:

after today...

OK, I'm not ready to weld for Sunray's buggy, but I haven't been welding much lately, and was pretty please how these came out. (Don't mind the top weld, I used a scrap, the top was shaped like that)

 

[Eskimo]

Doesn't look like alot of work, but the first part took the longest, and we had to re-plumb the bender with the correct valve (works sa-weet now!), and let my friend Rob finish some work on his junk.

Sliders do have a bit of a boatside to them, they're not crooked

Here's mock-up to get an idea where the seats need to go.. ghetto-fabulous!

The end result- seat rails are burned into the tubes, but everything else is only tacked for the time being. The seats ROCK... (Might have to get a set for the CTD )

And if you're curious... so before the seats (20lbs/pair), and approx 20' of tube, Blue was ~1100lbs lighter than before, where she weighed in at 4160. I hope to have her trail ready at under 3500 lbs.

 

[woody]

damn...lookin great....keep 'em coming!!!

 

[wngrog]

I want those seats!!!

 

[gunmetalcruz]

Are you going to cut the frame behind the rockers? Fernando's is so much more rigid then mine. The suspension is doing all the work, mine still has the cruiser frame flex.

 

[LC_Hamma]

Are you going to cut the frame behind the rockers? Fernando's is so much more rigid then mine. The suspension is doing all the work, mine still has the cruiser frame flex.

I was thinkin' the same thing. What's a buggified Cruzah with all that rear frame & bumper weight? Now'z a good time to link it out!

 

[Eskimo]

Not just yet. I need to get this thing back on the trail pronto. I've already missed the roundup and GSMTR... The cage is designed so that when I do go links, there will be a minimum that needs to be done to hack the frame off.

slight update, but nothing picture worthy.. Saturday was spent at the disel dyno day, so Sunday - bent up the a and b-pillars, which were the most complex (and longest) on the rig, so I'm glad i didn't screw them up! Also made some scab plates to go on the inside of the frame to brace where the b-pillar, sliders, etc.. tie in. The top of the cage is very Woody-esque, the only difference is that my overhead bars will V from the front to the back, where as his go rear to front. I will run a windshield bar.

 

[Eskimo]

A little more from this weekend:

Before anyone says anything.. the body parts are not really bolted down, so that's why the tube doesn't line up with the body panels.

 

[Eskimo]

Well this weekend saw ALOT of progress.. though Saturday was an excercise in anger management, which I failed miserably... (Sorry Rob, Susan, Carey, & Logan!) Sunday kicked ass...

3 more small tubes to add... and I'll be at 160' of 1.75, and ~12' of 1.5". THEN the work begins.. plumbing, wiring, center console, fueling, yadda, yadda.
And yeah, the rear bumper looks ridiculous now. Probably gonna have to do something about that.

Nodes? You want nodes? (Yeah, it was a PAIN!!)

Inboarded the body mount so I can cut that rock magnet off.. trimming it up like it is wasn't good enough. It also lowered the body tub 1" for better visibility.

 

[lowtideride]

sick cage dude.