Yo muddy buggers

[sirdiesel]

;D 

New here, but have been a fan of kit cars of all kinds since i was a kid. I'm a sheffield petrolhead par excellence, got petrol running through my veins.. get depressed if i haven't got a vehicle of some kind to work on, tweak, lovingly maintain, thrash the hell out of.. etc.

Always been more a lotus 7 replica man, for the road but always liked the dune buggy/sand rail type kits, was a little put off by the likes of the blitz 1.. not for road use.. but the freestyle.. it's just right. Never built a kit car, but it doesn't seem any more complicated than a ground up rebuild on a suzuki sj, which I have done. My last project car is sold, got a lil bit of profit from it, on to the next

Was going to build myself a little crosser bike hybrid, something like a DT50mx with a cub90 engine in it.. but then i stumbled across muddybuggies and the freestyle.. I want one! No, actually, pish and tosh, I want THREE  ;D           
a Road legal freestyle is a bit beyond my budget at the moment but I can well see a 998cc one actually being a bloody cheap car to run if set up right.. i'll keep my eyes open on the bay for an unfinished kit but this project will probably require a year of "financing" as i recently was made redundant.. my daily drive is a 99 Ka which is in nice mechanical order (due to me) but rotting away, damn you ford.. I reckon it's got a couple of years left in it, three tops. I've had more than my use out of it over the 5 years i've had it and was a sub-£1000, pure unadulterated bargain of the century when I bought it. Did plan to put its engine in a lotus rep at one point, but it's the crappy, heavy valencia engine.. Now, it's sole purpose is to get me around for ~2yr while i finance then build a freestyle to replace it - i've always got a van to drive if the weather is too crappy for the freestyle.. got some mod ideas on that front anyway

anyway, thought i'd introduce my mad scientist tweakaholic self to ya'll, probably be getting to know ya quite well over the next couple of years.. so hi all lol
e2a: quick question.. guys with registered, road used freestyles.. what engines, and what approx mpg do you get? am particularly interested in the 998cc but 1275 stats will do.. got a plan

 

[HolyCount]

Hello and welcome  ;D  Still building mine with a 998 -- plan to use it daily (like a 4 wheel bike -- but not into quads!).  MPG I hope to be a little better than the mini ( leaving it pretty much standard to start with). the thorny problem at the mo is the tank (under new IVA regs) -- need to get a decent capacity for decent range ---- don't want to be filling up on every trip!!

 

[collie]

Hi and Welcome to Muddy Buggies! 
I'm still building mine too, and also on a 998 lump.
Good luck on finding a part built!

 

[sirdiesel]

Aye a 4 wheel bike is a good analogy.. i like quads but with my lead feet i'd probably flip it going round a corner.. besides, there's a bit more protection from the elements in one of these.

Would have thought increasing overall wheel and tyre rolling diameter over that of the mini would increase fuel economy some through less rpm for a given speed, with less effects through having to accelerate harder due to the light overall weight of the buggy.

As for range.. I've seen some freestyles with cylinder petrol tanks behind the seats.. Don't know about the IVA but i was considering an LPG conversion with a small cylinder tank in that location.. It'll pay the ~£400-500 for the conversion back quickly if you're using it daily and LPG is more space/weight efficient than petrol per litre. Ideally one would be looking at a smallish, few gallon petrol tank and something like a 10 gallon LPG capacity (20ish KG) as LPG stations are rarer than petrol stations, particularly around here. Our zuki SJ paid for its conversion in the time i had it and sold for more due to it.

there are other benefits of course.. cleaner, supposed to be better for the engine, exempt from congestion charges? dunno about that one as i've never been in such a zone.. just brainstorming ideas really.. if i put all my ideas onto the car, it'd be the best specced buggy anywhere, and probably weigh about a ton LOL

 

[HolyCount]

Hmmm -- I wonder if IVA will allow a toriodal tank on the spare wheel carrier ---- got me thinking now !!!!

 

[sirdiesel]

probably do it as a retrofit post iva. Isn't that a bit high to be putting a weight like that though? just thinking about overall balance of the finished buggy..

 

[Phaeton]

I had 2x 9 litre tanks mounted high up & it never caused me any problems.



Alan...

 

[jason_l]

Hi and welcome along to the club,

Like many others im currently building up a Freestyle, although i have ditched the 998 and 1275 engine i had and now have a starlet 1.3T engine going in next week, can't wait.  ;D ;D ;D

Anyway, would be best to build up a freestyle and if you do decide to go road legal then do the LPG conversion after the IVA. After it has been made road legal then you can pretty much change it all about, within reason of course

Jason

 

[sirdiesel]

oh my freestyle will definitely be road legal, but yes i was planning to LPG after the IVA.

starlet 1.3t in a freestyle should be fun, and probably terrifying. read your log so far, nice idea. I had (for 2 seconds) the idea of perhaps putting a diesel in one like one of the vauxhall/isuzu 1.5s for an off road competition car.. but we'll save that for later, richer days  ;D

damn weather, raining lots again 

 

[jason_l]

oh my freestyle will definitely be road legal, but yes i was planning to LPG after the IVA.

starlet 1.3t in a freestyle should be fun, and probably terrifying. read your log so far, nice idea. I had (for 2 seconds) the idea of perhaps putting a diesel in one like one of the vauxhall/isuzu 1.5s for an off road competition car.. but we'll save that for later, richer days  ;D

damn weather, raining lots again 

Diesel idea sounds interesting  I went the starlet route as it hasn't been done yet. Also thought about the honda vtec 1.6 engine but decided for the starlet engine in the end.

whereabouts you from? If you get time then fill in the members map!

Jason

 

[sirdiesel]

Brave to do a not yet tried conversion.. but.. toyota reliability.. nice

i'm from sheffield, land of the hill.. it's why i love diesels, the relentless "chill, we'll get there" grunt of a diesel, there's a road up my mate's way that has a T right on the top of a REALLY steep incline and the road has subsided and it's a pig to do in a small engine'd car especially if you have to stop at the junction (5k rpm and hammer clutch).. our Partner 1.9d managed it no prob with 2 2.25 landie engines and various heavy articles in the back, me and my bud (who is also 15-16st) in the front.. in the snow last winter, total blizzard. Love that van.

a diesel freestyle would be, well probably a let down on the road (but quite economical.. anyone still able to get old veg oil?) unless you went for a big turbo one, but i'm quite interested in entering car trials/4x4 events, i'm sure diesel power would be quite an advantage

e2a: anyone else notice i use (brackets) quite a lot? I seem to, on forums.. Either i've a two-track mind or a split personality.. not sure which although i think the former. I am however biased in perspective. 

 

[jason_l]

Like you say a Diesel engine may not be good for the road but if its great off road then it doesn't matter. The engine needs to suit your situation and what you intend to use the buggy for. I intend on keeping the car solely road going. Will be entering hill climbs/ sprint series/ track days next year when the car is all up and running.

Im very much into Japanese cars so the Toyota engine was a natural progression and seemed right. Its almost a perfect donor for the mini conversion. Clutch is hydraulic (same as mini), speedo is cable driven(same as Mini) and gear selctor is drive by cable so should be relatively easy to sort something out. The fact i have seen several starlet engined mini's means that the engine should fit into the buggy without too much hassle. If you didn't know the Freestyle uses the standard mini subframe at the rear so anything that can go into a mini can go into a freestyle (in theory).

For any idea's on what engine may be a good donor then just ask the guys on here, lots of knowledge about so you will get loads of answers.

I remember reading a post on here about a freestyle entered in a off road event against alot of 4x4 land rovers. The standard mini engined freestyle did better than most of the others and i think there was a few parts that ONLY the freestyle got through!

Jason

 

[Steve]

Hi and welcome to the site.
I have a 1275 in mine but used to have a 998. I have always got anywhere between 40-50 m.p.g, but to be fair my foot is usually down. It is one of those cars that is hard to drive slow. (just for the record, I am always within the speed limits).

 

[Mini Mad Max]

Hi and welcome to Muddybuggies!
I'm building my buggy to cope with the offroadingness of cumbria, where no-where is naturally flat
It will have a 1330cc mini engine, tweaked here and there, with a low final drive ratio so i can deliver all my power and torque at low revs offroad, and to up acceleration, and so i don't go over 90mph in the buggy... SCARY! ;D
I like your ideas!
Max

 

[sirdiesel]

Yes, i too have the lead feet syndrome. Developed a technique even as far back as when i was learning to drive of accelerating hard up to the speed limit then backing off just before the limit.. car goes up to limit and stays there..

I expect a mini-998 engine'd freestyle will be as good as anything else small in town, mpg wise.. tis more the constant 65-70mph runs and long distance hauls i'm thinking of because when I build my car, I'm off around europe on a camping trip in it(if its road legal abroad?).. done the first leg (france) a few years ago with a few mates on cub 90s/cg's etc.. they're all boring old farts, concerned about hairline, job, credit card bills etc now - the best thing about never ever using credit is it endows one with extra freedom - so i'm probably going on my own or taking just the one minion this time.

aye max i know parts of cumbria and a buggy with a lot low down will be awesome fun.. i'm thinking about going for a stage 1 kit on the 998 just pull a little extra out of it and it's probably bull but some places seem to suggest an increase in mpg can result..

 

[Mini Mad Max]

Alsorts you can do for a 998! The one in my first donor mini, i stripped and sold bits off, i have a dino sheet for it and shows 55bhp at the flywheel! It had 1 1/2 carb with K&n on a water heated inlet manifold, an LCB, A Single back box comp exhaust, 998 cooper big valve head (12g295), uprated cam, and that was about it, but that would have been well nippy!
I'm about to sell a mini neon 998 engine to fund my new crown wheel and pinion to lower the final drive, me thinks i will go for 4.33 final drive ratio.
Max

 

[sirdiesel]

jeez all that work for 55bhp at the flywheel 

i really don't mean to offend anyone with this but now i remember why never bought a mini.. aside from the fact i got stuck in the driver's seat in one when i was late teens and rather on the large side.. had to ooze out of the seat so my hands were on the floor and walk them away from the car, trying to get my legs up on to the passenger seat..  doing all that for 55bhp would depress me though man

55bhp..  anyone got an 850 engine? 

 

[iank]

jeez all that work for 55bhp at the flywheel 

i really don't mean to offend anyone with this but now i remember why never bought a mini.. aside from the fact i got stuck in the driver's seat in one when i was late teens and rather on the large side.. had to ooze out of the seat so my hands were on the floor and walk them away from the car, trying to get my legs up on to the passenger seat..  doing all that for 55bhp would depress me though man

55bhp..  anyone got an 850 engine? 

Tuning mini's is always expensive for the power you get.  Fortunately for a buggy 55bhp gives you roughly the equivalent power to weight to a Golf GTi so it's not a slowcoach.

Not being rude but have you tried to get in/out of a buggy?  I find they need a bit of acrobatics compared with a mini so you might be a bit on the tall side for an unmodified one.

 

[Phaeton]

Not being rude but have you tried to get in/out of a buggy?  I find they need a bit of acrobatics compared with a mini so you might be a bit on the tall side for an unmodified one.

Okay Ian, you started it so , I will be rude, it might not be the length that's the problem but the width  ;D ;D I think the maximum seat width is 17 inches, it's very cosy in there. Need to come down to Newark next month introduce yourself & have a trial fit.

Alan...

 

[sirdiesel]

well i'm 6'1" but my legs are a little short for my height. The problem when I got stuck in the mini was i bulk up really big and fast when I go to the gym and I was at college part time then an working as a mechanic apprentice during the day, going to the gym 3-4x a week, then swimming, etc..i'm.. on the big side of normal now at 15.5-16st as i'm a bit lazy and haven't been to the gym for a couple of years but I was BIG at the time (52" chest) at around 20 stone.. my legs got caught between the steering wheel and the seat, amongst other trapping factors.

If i can extend a paw and pull myself up on the roof bar of the buggy, i can get out of it. Getting in, reverse of getting out, with a controlled fall at the end ;D

edit: hmm there's a show at newark? might have to turn up to that.. need to see the buggy in the flesh before i make more plans/ideas/outright,sheer,amazing genius  anyway...no point in thinking any further if i can't cram my big ass in it comfortably