Car based buggys

Baloo

Member
hello boys
right here we go please ask or tell me anything that pops into your head about this project as this is the discussion section
I find myself with time on my hands as most of us do at this time and feel the need for a buggy to rip round my field in, ive ended up choosing to use a Vitara chassis for several reasons not least I have a few kicking around the place ::)
also if i dont alter the chassis in anyway my understanding is i can keep the original reg number and all I have to do is send dvla pics of before during and after then fill in a form and they will amend the v5 to reflect its new state/shape so will have to think up a clever name for it,
also i have quite a collection of offroad wheels and tyres and they are all suzuki stud patten
it may of well have a V8 up front as there is plenty of space and i like a rumble ::) ::) i have a rover v8 and a lexus v8 to choose from both have plus points the rover has the advantage its easier to wire up but well down on power compared to lexus quad cam 4.3 vvt the lexus is over twice the bhp but do you need it in a lightweight buggy ?? i think i would like to use the lexus but its downside is the complexity of the wiring its epic but there is plenty of info out there on the net i can by a custom made loom for £650 :eek: :eek: :eek: and thats the bit i dont like as i think i can build this with buying anything else at all, any wiring geniuses out there want to help out here ??

so heres the vitara............
 

Phaeton

Moderator
Staff member
Andy,

Click on Full editor then near the bottom there is
Attachments click on the & upload the file

Screen Shot 2020-05-08 at 19.32.07.png
 

Baloo

Member
they fail everytime maybe the file size is too big I will look for a resizer
 

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Baloo

Member
ok I resized them down to large ::)
 

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Baloo

Member
a mechanically sound Suzuki Vitara starts drives and functions perfectly but the cills have rotted out no one welds up cars these days do they
so £250 later it was mine
 

Baloo

Member
so that's a mk2 or grand Vitara very similar to a mk 1 except the rear axle is located with a 5 link set up as opposed to 3 so less axel articulation but better handling and the mk 2 has a power steering rack as apposed to a steering box on the mk 1 other than that they are the same thing really
the front axle diff and drive shafts are just bolt in some Vitaras are 2wd only as they come and already have these missing so the choice is there to be 2wd or 4wd ?? having the engine over the front diff means you have to mount the engine high up to give clearance this I don't like as I want a low bonnet line
 

Baloo

Member
you can see in these picture how high the original engine sits compared to the suspension towers which I want as the highest point

Subaru flat 4 engine would fit nicely but would need an adapter plate to get to a rear wheel drive gearbox
 

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Phaeton

Moderator
Staff member
You learn something new everyday I didn't think the MKII had a ladder chassis, or am I thinking of the Grand Vitara?
 

Baloo

Member
Phaeton":2sdo8x6i said:
You learn something new everyday I didn't think the MKII had a ladder chassis, or am I thinking of the Grand Vitara?

morning Alan
mk1 and mk2 both had ladder chassis they went to a unibody construction around 2007 with the mk3 like this pah
 

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Baloo

Member
this is what I am aiming for similar to a fugitive but with out the rear overhang and front engine obviously
long bonnet and seats right back over the rear axle, I want a low bonnet but the suspension towers are going to be the limiting point here but I guess I could let them poke through the bonnet and use them to mount the lights on ???? would have to check lighting positions for mot I guess.

so im thinking lexus V8 but a Subaru engine still appeals as they are nice and low being a flat 4 and they do have a nice exhaust note
 

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Baloo

Member
this might get a little confusing as I have more than one project on the go using a Vitara chassis and the next pictures to show how a lexus motor fits in are from my beach buggy project but its the same chassis just this one has been blasted and painted as I don't like working with dirty bits :eek:
 

Baloo

Member
.
 

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Baloo

Member
this time im going to move the motor back 6" which means it will then go down 5" as the sump will clear the crossmember and the oil filter will be behind it too hopefully the top of the engine should be level with the suspension towers when ive done that
 

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Baloo

Member
morning guys

ive been hunting on the internet for the dvla's guide lines on modified vehicles and keeping your original registration number
ive found the attached , does anyone have a better definition of "unmodified" for instance if I weld onto the chassis a new hanger for the exhaust system is that modified ??? or if I move the engine mounts back 6" ? I seem to remember that some modifications were allowed like adding in crossmembers or strengthening but no cutting or shortening of the chassis ?
if the chassis from my buggy could be removed and fitted back in a Vitara is that unmodified ?
anyone got any comments or better still links to better dvla guide lines ??
 

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Phaeton

Moderator
Staff member
No links, but over on the Madabout-kitcars.com/forum/ they run as close to the wind as you would think. They re-body Spitfires, Scimitars etc. the rule they seem to use is bolt it on then weld from the bolted on part. But it is very grey area & lacking in clarity to my mind, there is https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-registration ... d-vehicles which is essentially a repeat of what you have already got.

For what it's worth (nothing) I interpret it like yourself, if you could take your chassis & put it back in a Vitara then it is not radically modified, look at all the MK1/MK2 Escorts running around with twin cams in. I didn't have to re-register the MR2 when the V6 was fitted even though it didn't use any of the existing engine mountings. Will you be using the existing suspension?
 

Baloo

Member
Hi
Yes completely standard suspension, steering, axles
Only thing im changing is engine and box thats seems to fit the criteria for a rebody i think
 

250buggys

Well-known member
Baloo":yzf42mr4 said:
Hi
Yes completely standard suspension, steering, axles
Only thing im changing is engine and box thats seems to fit the criteria for a rebody i think

Go for it, worse case scenario is they will call you into one of their test centres for an inspection.

The picture of the white buggy you posted looks awesome!

Can't wait to see it progress, always nice to see a new buggy build...
 

Baloo

Member
250buggys":34u4lrq0 said:
Baloo":34u4lrq0 said:
Hi
Yes completely standard suspension, steering, axles
Only thing im changing is engine and box thats seems to fit the criteria for a rebody i think

Go for it, worse case scenario is they will call you into one of their test centres for an inspection.

The picture of the white buggy you posted looks awesome!

Can't wait to see it progress, always nice to see a new buggy build...

im going for it lol

I dragged the rolling chassis that im going to use out from storage yesterday will drop the engine and box in over the next couple of days and see how it all looks
 

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Baloo

Member
..
 

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