For the buggy guys

[Kunker]

Why did you move that way? Any regrets? Is it possible to keep interested/challenged locally?

I've come into a situation where I can either keep patching up the Jeep (and it hasn't even seen a trail yet ), or, for what seems like little more work, start from scratch and build a buggy. Note that the CJ will need a new frame in a year or two, even with patching, so it'll all be coming apart soon enough. Most everything (gas/brake lines, re-route the trans cooler, etc) will likely end up...

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[aweber]

Driving the buggy is fun no matter what the trail is like. There is always stuff you can find to challenge yourself on 80% of the local trails. I remember what my truck was like back when it was street legal (ish) and on 36's. It was at the point of being as capable as possible while still being as close to street legal as possible and I hated driving it on the road. It drove fine, just always worried about breaking on the trail and not being able to drive it home, having to air up after the trail also sucks. Trailering is the way to go.

I also remember last summer when I had the TJ, I remember how I like having the top off but then thinking how much I hated driving it and if I want to go around in the summer in a convertible, why not get a sports car? Much more fun on the road and I had no intentions of wheeling/building the TJ - Buggy is more fun anyway.

It is also nice to load the buggy up with the wife and kids and know they are safe with suspension seats, harnesses and a proper cage. Not going to get stuck unless I want to and no worrying about getting home after. Makes the trail run more enjoyable.

 

[Kunker]

It drove fine, just always worried about breaking on the trail and not being able to drive it home, having to air up after the trail also sucks. Trailering is the way to go.

Yeah, I have that worry in the back of my head now. Seems like every time I turn the key, something new breaks. My confidence of making it to the trailhead and back alone isn't too high right now.

It is also nice to load the buggy up with the wife and kids and know they are safe with suspension seats, harnesses and a proper cage. Not going to get stuck unless I want to and no worrying about getting home after. Makes the trail run more enjoyable.

Cage and suspension seats are going in either, as will a cage. But again, so much work would be duplicated either way, that I'm wondering if it's worth it to keep the body. I know I need more seat time to find out if I'm going to push hard enough to justify it, but at the same time, I hate to keep dumping $$$ into the Jeep if it's not what I want.

 

[mucovich]

I agree 100% with Adrian and I have no regrets - to be quite honest I don't think I would be as interested in offroading if I had a street legal rig. Like Adrian said, it's fun to drive no matter what type of trail i'm on.

 

[bradleyfitz]

I went the full range, as did most of us I suspect. I got hooked my first year. Took my jeep to where I thought I wanted it... which was something very capable that I could drive to the trails. Then I wanted to trailer it so I didn't have to worry about breaking it and getting home. Then I started going to Rausch and discovered what I wanted wasn't what I wanted anymore... I was faced with re-building the jeep again, or switching platforms. Besides which, I was really starting to mess up the tub, so I was likely going to end up going all tube with it anyway if I kept wheeling the jeep. I knew going the buggy route was the right choice. Local trail's are still fun, and it's not like they were really a challenge for the jeep anymore, so nothing changed in that respect.

I did miss driving a jeep though. Which is why I rebuilt my mine for street use. I may take it to local trails this summer, but I suspect if I do, I will probably wish I had just brought the buggy instead

 

[Jimbog]

Well my here is my 2 cents. Started wheeling when I was 18, a 2 wheel drive dodge colt! I was hooked! that's 30 years ago. Next up a bone stock 1988 Suzuki Sammy brand new right off the show room floor. right away I added bigger tires shackle lift, and of course hot pink shock boots an wiper arm covers! Wheeled the shit out of it drove it everywhere, got stuck....I just lifted it up and moved it over a couple of feet. Never let me down. But it was also my daily driver back and fourth to work at the time so that was always in the back of my mind. Only had it for a year, the wife could not drive stick. So Dec 1988 we I traded it in a brand new 1989 Suzuki Sidekick c/w automatic tranny. Once again bigger tires, but no lift available as of yet wheeled it a few times buy always worried about breaking it on the trail and we both needed it to get to work! So in 1990 I bought what I have now a bone stock 1981 Suzuki LJ80. Van body. And then the fun began no more worries about breaking down. I tow bared that little LJ behind the Sidekick everywhere, even to Pennsylvania! But I also kept it plated and insured and drove it all over the place also. The truck has spent the last 23 years "under the Knife" To what you see today, and it will never be finished! I have enjoyed all the work, sweat and blood that I have put into it over the years. Would not change it. I now have a 17 year old son who has 16 years riding shotgun with me. He wants to build a truck now looks like it is starting all over again he wants one street legal to drive to work and trail ride on the weekends. I have told him why not just build a buggy right off the bat! dana 60's full tube big motor and be done with!
I guess my point here is do what you feel comfortable with, or what you want to do, there is no right way or wrong way to do this...you just do your best with what you have and your abilities if you need help with it that's what friends are for.... once this sport is in your blood it will always be there.
After re- reading this I don't think I helped you out very much with your decision!! LOL

 

[mucovich]

Well said Jim, I agree - once it's in your blood...

 

[chunkytrunks]

I agree buggy is the way to go and I will be going this route. But I also love my lj and do every local trail with it and have allot of fun trying to follow the buggies That being said I always trailer now cause I have been stranded twice and had to borrow trucks and trailers to get home. That sucks. Its also a blast to drive on the street top down doors off imo.

What I think you should do is patch the frame and wheel this year and start collecting parts for a buggy cause that's obviously the way to go.
That way you can budget a bit better and still wheel. Keep the repairs up on the jeep cause it will be worth allot more in working condition when you sell it too

 

[Mitko]

do what you feel comfortable with, or what you want to do, there is no right way or wrong way to do this...you just do your best with what you have and your abilities .... once this sport is in your blood it will always be there.

Amen.


My humble $0.002 :
I am on the other side: For one or another reason I can not afford to buy and maintain a tow truck, a trailer and a buggy. And since the sport is in my blood system in the last 20 years I choose to drive a road worthy vehicle offroad. I know that this limits very much where I can go and what I can do; hence lowering the fun level. It is true that breaking and carnage are always in the back of my head; but from other hand in the past 20 years offroading I don't remember a one time that I couldn't make it home on my own. One thing thou - your offroad rig if it is a plated road vehicle should never be your daily driver.
As I love to say: suum cuique

 

[Kunker]

I went the full range, as did most of us I suspect. I got hooked my first year. Took my jeep to where I thought I wanted it... which was something very capable that I could drive to the trails. Then I wanted to trailer it so I didn't have to worry about breaking it and getting home. Then I started going to Rausch and discovered what I wanted wasn't what I wanted anymore... I was faced with re-building the jeep again, or switching platforms. Besides which, I was really starting to mess up the tub, so I was likely going to end up going all tube with it anyway if I kept wheeling the jeep. I knew going the buggy route was the right choice. Local trail's are still fun, and it's not like they were really a challenge for the jeep anymore, so nothing changed in that respect.

I did miss driving a jeep though. Which is why I rebuilt my mine for street use. I may take it to local trails this summer, but I suspect if I do, I will probably wish I had just brought the buggy instead

I was curious what you'd have to say since I know you miss the TJ. Thanks for the input. In the back of my mind, I'm having the same thoughts that the CJ is already too built for local trails (to some extent), so why keep up the hassle of keeping it street legal?

 

[Kunker]

I agree buggy is the way to go and I will be going this route. But I also love my lj and do every local trail with it and have allot of fun trying to follow the buggies That being said I always trailer now cause I have been stranded twice and had to borrow trucks and trailers to get home. That sucks. Its also a blast to drive on the street top down doors off imo.

What I think you should do is patch the frame and wheel this year and start collecting parts for a buggy cause that's obviously the way to go.
That way you can budget a bit better and still wheel. Keep the repairs up on the jeep cause it will be worth allot more in working condition when you sell it too

Frame will get patched (cleaned it out today, holy sh$t there was a lot of rust scale that came out), and it'll be wheeled at least this year, if not next as well. Shop will likely be built next summer, and then it will be decision time. Either way, I'll likely use the drivetrain out of the CJ for at least the short term to keep costs down (unless I find a wrecked 6.0 Chevy for cheap). Besides, I can't imagine any shop out there passing a safety on that thing anymore, which kills part of the resale.

 

[Kunker]

Amen.


My humble $0.002 :
I am on the other side: For one or another reason I can not afford to buy and maintain a tow truck, a trailer and a buggy. And since the sport is in my blood system in the last 20 years I choose to drive a road worthy vehicle offroad. I know that this limits very much where I can go and what I can do; hence lowering the fun level. It is true that breaking and carnage are always in the back of my head; but from other hand in the past 20 years offroading I don't remember a one time that I couldn't make it home on my own. One thing thou - your offroad rig if it is a plated road vehicle should never be your daily driver.
As I love to say: suum cuique

Yeah, I started back in 2001 with EOTB and a stock S-10. Had a hell of a lot of fun putting around Larose with everyone, and missed it over the years. The off road rig will never be the DD, that's one thing I learned early. Making sure I can get to my job is a lot more important than my hobby.

 

[Kunker]

I remember what my truck was like back when it was street legal (ish) and on 36's. It was at the point of being as capable as possible while still being as close to street legal as possible and I hated driving it on the road. It drove fine, just always worried about breaking on the trail and not being able to drive it home, having to air up after the trail also sucks. Trailering is the way to go.

Took the CJ out for a quick spin today (overheating issue looks to be solved ) and man, on-road driving isn't what I remembered. Flat-spotted bias TSL's and a tire pressure issue causing wandering on and off the gas was far from fun. I can't even see driving to and from the trail being fun. In the empty lot next door, on the other hand....

 

[berger]

I know this has been brought up before, but you should check out the buggy for sale at March Road Motorsports . Some say overpriced, and it may be, but that doesn't mean you can't check it out and make an offer. Good platform anyway....and I say that with NO experience in this sort of thing!! :lmao:

 

[Kunker]

I see that abortion every day on the way to work.

Overpriced, ugly as hell, and I don't think it'd really take too many rolls with the cage setup (as they say, needs more triangulation). For me, it'd need axles, engine/trans/tcase, seats, coil overs and cutting the back half off, and likely re-doing everything. Easier to start with a blank canvas.

 

[Andries]

I see that abortion every day on the way to work.

Overpriced, ugly as hell, and I don't think it'd really take too many rolls with the cage setup (as they say, needs more triangulation). For me, it'd need axles, engine/trans/tcase, seats, coil overs and cutting the back half off, and likely re-doing everything. Easier to start with a blank canvas.

For the right price there might be something, but if it needs this much... yeah,start from scratch might be the way to go if you have the time and space.

 

[Kunker]

For the right price there might be something, but if it needs this much... yeah,start from scratch might be the way to go if you have the time and space.

$6-7K is the asking price. No chance I'll touch it for that with the pieces that are there. Plan will be 60/14, 6.0/5.3 depending on what I find, associated 4L60/4L80, or the TH350 out of the Heep, and either a 205 based doubler (NWF Black Box, ORD Magnum box, 203) or 2 speed Atlas/TWF t-case. It'll certainly be a learning experience. Goal will be to keep the CJ together as long as possible so I can at least wheel while the build is happening.