L series vs MY1800 buggy, what would be best

guyph_01 · Post by **guyph_01** » Wed Apr 28, 2010 12:15 am

Hi guys,

As you know, MY and L can be found pretty cheap these days and somethimes free. So he is the deal, We want to get a cheap shell with a running engine/ box etc and make it in a buggy. A bit like andrew's old bug.

Pav, a few of my mates and i, don't really want to go EJ but keep the std running gear and strip it as much as possible. We don't want anything too crazy and spend huge amounts of money. We just want to have some fun and be a ble to trash it a bit more than our loved project cars:P LOL ( i love to go offRoad in my car but im scared of breaking it:( )

The questions are;
What would be the best, most causes the most reliable car to do it, A L series or an MY?
What would be the advantages of on over the other?
What would be the best engine?

We have read andrew bug post and got learnt quite a bit from it.
We were thinking to do something like this to make it strong and safe after its been stripped.
Looks like and L ute:)

Not sure about lift yet as it not really free, but maybe only suspension lift.

Plz let us know what you think.
Thx
Guyph

D3V1L · Post by **D3V1L** » Wed Apr 28, 2010 12:21 am

both of them will do the job mate

the only important thing is safety....safety safety......

the my snapped in half without a frame *well nearly) so a cage and support is a must... they both will do the job they are intended for

...

i got a 4x4 buggy too ....but mines got 300zx power, hilux diffs, and boonta sized tyres

..super long travell suspension ....but getting rid of it shortly

they are fun...just go for it...sometimes u take what you can get ..hahah

davo

guyph_01 · Post by **guyph_01** » Wed Apr 28, 2010 12:27 am

yeah i will stress a lot on the safety side of it, Do you think the frame i drew would be enough as long as it welded properly? Would you recommend some other way?

Would one car have an advantage over the other? size, weight, reliability, durability etc?

Yeah i'll grab what i can if its available but i like to have all the advice i can so that if there is a possibility of choosing i chose the best option:)

thx

red_rocket · Post by **red_rocket** » Wed Apr 28, 2010 12:31 am

surely the L would have a stronger frame right?
although the my may be a tad lighter once stripped back?

D3V1L · Post by **D3V1L** » Wed Apr 28, 2010 12:33 am

L may be a tad stronger and have more pwer
MY may be lighter and less power...LOL....

as long as everywere the cage is attatched to the origional car is plated for strength you should be fine.

wacky bug went like a shower of shit with the stock motor and 27's...just caus of the sheer weight cut off...with ej22 it was scary.

i reckon do the L just to be different:)

davo

red_rocket · Post by **red_rocket** » Wed Apr 28, 2010 12:34 am

hahah true,
yeah stuff it do the L, will look sweet

guyph_01 · Post by **guyph_01** » Wed Apr 28, 2010 12:36 am

all depends on the cheapest running car i find:) but yeah i'm thinking L series... Pav got one for free for his cousin, lets hope we have the same luck again:)

And if we get one soon we could test it out at the next pines trip:)

guyph_01 · Post by **guyph_01** » Wed Apr 28, 2010 12:45 am

btw, did you guys know that the engine and gear off andrew's old bug is in the White "Moster mouse" ( that's what we call her now:P ) brumby in those pines pics that we took on the trip last weekend.
Thx to andrew, that brumby is so much better now than ever before...., and will keep on getting better hopefully:)

D3V1L · Post by **D3V1L** » Wed Apr 28, 2010 12:59 am

no i didnt know that..but i do now...ahahahaha...ill bet it goes better...funny how quick we where at making wackybug..aHAHAH

davo

GOD · Post by **GOD** » Wed Apr 28, 2010 1:35 am

Rust-free Ls are usually easier to find, but both models have their pros and cons.

For the chopping, I'd say remove the windscreen too - it will likely fall out with the chopped body flexing. Front mudguards can go, but some plastic shields might help keep the dirt out of your face.

Run the front members of the cage to the front strut tops, probably still with a vertical brace to the floor at the front of the cab. The rear tubes will need to bolt up to something solid like the rear K frame. Rather than just plating the floor where cage is joined to it, I'd run an extra tube under each sill, to restore some bending strength to the chopped body (i.e. so it doesn't break in half). Join up the left and right with some horizontal or diagonal members and bob's your uncle.

Have you seen the MY-based buggy design that was around a few years ago? It was by a company called Rhino Buggies, but they seem to be focussing on their Hummer replicas now.

Dane.

Pav · Post by **Pav** » Wed Apr 28, 2010 11:35 am

I have to say I agree with Dane's picture, that's the way I was picturing it, and the mounting points will make it strong and safe. So yeah best to take the windscreen out

AndrewT · Post by **AndrewT** » Wed Apr 28, 2010 12:36 pm

Yeah definitely spend abit of time on the frame. Make sure it's welded properly. Even a frame (if not properly done) can be dangerous. Don't want to hit a hidden rut and end up with a piece of box section through your chest.
EJ engine is totally unnecessary, even with the EA81 mine went like an absolute cut snake.
You will love how it just doesn't sink into the sand cause of being so light weight - it's a weird feeling. Normal 27" tyres are absolutely fine, even less would be fine.

Pav · Post by **Pav** » Wed Apr 28, 2010 12:56 pm

Yeah I reckon we put those 15" hilux wheels on with 205/65s (cheap commonly available, and we already have the wheels)
Maybe like a 1 or 2 inch suspension lift, and play around with different shocks for better travel (good for high speed driving over bumps etc.

)

Post by **Alex** » Wed Apr 28, 2010 1:11 pm

find a lib wagon with rear end damage

rear chop, roof etc etc, hello ej powered comfortable buggy

imsure once a lib has all the plush rear seats and stuff ripped out it wouldnt way too much.

just another different option.

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Wed Apr 28, 2010 1:15 pm

Go with what ever you have the most spare parts for - or what you can get for nix.

Looks like some fun though.

Cheers

Bennie

sven '2' · Post by **sven '2'** » Wed Apr 28, 2010 6:14 pm

Try here for further inspiration - they go like rockets - esp the straight LPG supercharged version...

Sven

Post by **TOONGA** » Wed Apr 28, 2010 7:31 pm

Guy if you are quick there are at least 4 subarus at the wreckers in Margaret River why do i say quick because in the middle of next month they along with every other car in the yard will be crushed I counted 2 L series wagoons an Lseries sedan with a sunroof (poo brown) and an my touring wagon with ventilated front discs

TOONGA

guyph_01 · Post by **guyph_01** » Wed Apr 28, 2010 8:48 pm

oh really? what do you think they would want for the cars? I don't really want to pay too much for them. do you have a number or address?

Pav · Post by **Pav** » Thu Apr 29, 2010 5:04 pm

Nothin good in the qoukka today for the buggy... Where is another good source of cheap crapboxes lol, i've tried ebay and gumtree, any other good sites/places ?

guyph_01 · Post by **guyph_01** » Thu Apr 29, 2010 5:45 pm

Hey pav, been thinking, I have two options.
Either we bolt back the L series at your place and use that since it already half dismantled and we know the engine is running. Or we use the brumby shell im wreaking and put the ea82 in. We will have to put more work in but at least the buggies are gonna be kinda free...

What do you think?

Or even better, so we don't have to mess around to much to fit the ea82 in the brumby shell...., Davo, would you donate or sell us your ea81 in the brumby you bought?