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Brian_e
Samba Member
Joined: July 28, 2009
Posts: 3284
Location: Rapid City, SD
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 Posted: Tue Jul 26, 2016 10:08 am Post subject: Buggy getting some off-road love on Dirt Every Day. |
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Not sure if this is the right spot for this, but I thought you guys would enjoy it most.
It all started when my buddy Fred sent me a message and said "Hey... you wanna get an old buggy running and drive it too the beach???"
I agreed, and the fun began.
The buggy was bought sight unseen, and we proceeded to make it run and drive. It supposedly hadn't been on the road in 8 or so years. You guys will understand the chaos we went through given only 2 days to work on it, in a non-VW shop 1000 miles from home. We also had to be on the road to keep with a tight filming schedule.
I am sure you guys will find a few "issues" with what we did or didn't do, but remember....... 1959 VW, borrowed shop, minimal time, minimal VW tools, and a tight schedule.
If anyone has any ideas what the body might be, please let us know. We are thinking its an Allied Fun Buggy, but the back of ours is different then all the ones we have found pics of.
Enjoy!! Let me know if you have any questions.
Link
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GoWestYoungMan
Samba Member
Joined: September 30, 2013
Posts: 81
Location: northern Canada (brrrrr!!!)
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| Posted: Tue Jul 26, 2016 4:50 pm Post subject: Re: Buggy getting some off-road love on Dirt Every Day. |
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Gotta give you credit for still smiling and cracking jokes. After about the fourth push start I'd be tempted to dump a tank of gas on the floor and light a match.
Kudos for an entertaining episode. |
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Bashr52
Samba Member
Joined: July 16, 2006
Posts: 5666
Location: On an island in VA
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| Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2016 5:06 am Post subject: Re: Buggy getting some off-road love on Dirt Every Day. |
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I realize you had limited time and a borrowed shop, but it seems like converting the coil and generator and replacing the light bulbs for 12v versions would have been easier than the 2 batteries deal. I'm sure Fred could have come up with some 12v off-road lights you could have used for headlights  |
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Brian_e
Samba Member
Joined: July 28, 2009
Posts: 3284
Location: Rapid City, SD
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| Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2016 5:48 am Post subject: Re: Buggy getting some off-road love on Dirt Every Day. |
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| Bashr52 wrote: |
| I realize you had limited time and a borrowed shop, but it seems like converting the coil and generator and replacing the light bulbs for 12v versions would have been easier than the 2 batteries deal. I'm sure Fred could have come up with some 12v off-road lights you could have used for headlights |
I had originally planned to convert it to 12v, but being a 36hp with the cast in generator stand, I couldn't figure an easy/cheap way to do it. The 12v generators are all larger diameter unless I sourced a small diameter 12v from a 356.
The batteries, both 6v and 12v we both brand new. The more we started it, the worse the starter got till it eventually quit. There were also no new 6v starters available in Oregon. I thought about a 12v starter, but we didn't have the time or tools to try and swap out the bell housing bushing in napa's parking lot.
Like most of these old home built cars, what little wiring was there, was really really bad. This car had more twist on wire nuts then a small house.
I think all total we only had about 10-12 hours to work on the car. I spent 4 of that just straightening out the upside down backing plates.
As of now, the plan is for me to get the car home to South Dakota. My 10 and 7 year old boys and I will pull the car apart, replace the floors, rewire it, swap in a newer trans, build a 1915cc with a few early '70s speed parts I have hoarded. We are going to keep the body and wheels the same, just make it function correctly. Then hopefully next season we can get it back out there to revisit the original plan.
Brian |
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heywebonya
Samba Member
Joined: July 08, 2010
Posts: 823
Location: Portage, MI
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| Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2016 10:41 am Post subject: Re: Buggy getting some off-road love on Dirt Every Day. |
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That is funny and a great episode.
Well done!
_________________
If I knew what I was doing; I wouldn't be building a buggy! |
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Mos6502
Samba Member
Joined: December 30, 2015
Posts: 725
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| Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2016 8:20 pm Post subject: Re: Buggy getting some off-road love on Dirt Every Day. |
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| A friend sent me to the video a little while ago - I have to say the lack of lower engine cooling tin made me cringe even before the overheating started. Of course that's probably not something you could find on short notice. Still thought it was a fun watch. |
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EnjoyNukaCola
Samba Member
Joined: January 27, 2014
Posts: 491
Location: Santa Clarita
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| Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2016 8:33 pm Post subject: Re: Buggy getting some off-road love on Dirt Every Day. |
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Looks really cool, but Fred needs to get inside a proper off-road built buggy.
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"when i go to drive it i get to like 5-10 mph it is at high rpms and gets higher the faster i go when i shift up to second the rpms drop is this normal or what and this is my first vw please help" |
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bikesndbugs
Samba Member
Joined: January 06, 2015
Posts: 218
Location: san diego
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| Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2016 9:00 pm Post subject: Re: Buggy getting some off-road love on Dirt Every Day. |
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Link
this ones pretty good too |
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Brian_e
Samba Member
Joined: July 28, 2009
Posts: 3284
Location: Rapid City, SD
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| Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2016 9:18 am Post subject: Re: Buggy getting some off-road love on Dirt Every Day. |
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| EnjoyNukaCola wrote: |
| Looks really cool, but Fred needs to get inside a proper off-road built buggy. |
Fred has been around and built all kinds of different buggies for many years. Rockcrawling, sand, Baja, etc.. He drove a few legs of the 1000 in a Wide Open Baja car a few years ago.
Brian |
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Brian_e
Samba Member
Joined: July 28, 2009
Posts: 3284
Location: Rapid City, SD
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| Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2016 9:22 am Post subject: Re: Buggy getting some off-road love on Dirt Every Day. |
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| Mos6502 wrote: |
| I have to say the lack of lower engine cooling tin made me cringe even before the overheating started. Of course that's probably not something you could find on short notice. |
Haha.. I noticed the missing tin also, and no chance of sourcing and installing them on our schedule. Really, the missing tin was one of the least of the many other "cringe worthy" items on the little buggy.
Brian |
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I Ride Sand
Samba Member
Joined: June 07, 2012
Posts: 567
Location: utah
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| Posted: Fri Jul 29, 2016 8:41 am Post subject: Re: Buggy getting some off-road love on Dirt Every Day. |
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| so, did you get a dirt heads jacket yet? |
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caleb0101
Samba Member
Joined: August 26, 2014
Posts: 524
Location: Bristol Connecticut
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| Posted: Fri Jul 29, 2016 9:29 am Post subject: Re: Buggy getting some off-road love on Dirt Every Day. |
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thats one of my favorite episodes so far
_________________
Ruby red 1967 beetle sedan with a 2021cc
1967 beetle sedan baja project
April 60 euro spec ragtop beetle with a 1641cc |
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BIGMIKEY
Samba Member
Joined: September 24, 2007
Posts: 1104
Location: North East Pennsylvania
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| Posted: Sat Jul 30, 2016 1:09 pm Post subject: Re: Buggy getting some off-road love on Dirt Every Day. |
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I had a much different reaction watching that episode. I watched fully expected it to be trashed at any moment. Happily it wasn't that way at all. Just a litany of things going wrong with a classic buggy that has set for a long time.
The top would fit fine if you simply turn the whole windshield around. See that groove? It's supposed to face frontwards. The top has a stiff front edge that tucks into that groove. It's even got side curtains. major score there.
Looking forward to seeing it get the respect that it deserves.
Mike T
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BIGMIKEY
Deserter Series 1 project.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=787047&highlight=
1973 Beetle Driver, Marina Blue. |
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bruces
Samba Member
Joined: October 12, 2009
Posts: 221
Location: sudbury ontario
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| Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2016 3:18 pm Post subject: Re: Buggy getting some off-road love on Dirt Every Day. |
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Kindly tell Fred my son and I love watching his show .
Bruce. |
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Brian
Samba Moderator
Joined: May 28, 2012
Posts: 8340
Location: Oceanside
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| Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2016 9:28 pm Post subject: Re: Buggy getting some off-road love on Dirt Every Day. |
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That was painful to watch. But that's my point of veiw, I'm glad that buggy got some fresh air and did what it was built for. I have a lot of negative things to say, but for the short timeline that's awesome man.
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Wash your hands
'69 Bug
'68 Baja Truck
'71 Bug
'68 Camper
Only losers litter |
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oebgronin
Samba Member
Joined: June 01, 2016
Posts: 10
Location: Aguascalientes, Mexico
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| Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2016 5:01 am Post subject: Re: Buggy getting some off-road love on Dirt Every Day. |
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| I've been a fan of Dirt every day an roadkill for a while and gotta say that I didn't like this episode, is sad how he can swap engines on big trucks like the alabama Army truck or the roadrunner, or also one chapter in wich he get made a jeep from scratch and can't invest a little more money or time in a vw? seems to me that the chapter looks rushed or he does not find entertaining fixing a bug |
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Richard
Nigerian Scammer Trainee
Joined: January 23, 2003
Posts: 263
Location: Totally Lost
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| Posted: Tue Aug 02, 2016 7:55 pm Post subject: Re: Buggy getting some off-road love on Dirt Every Day. |
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This was my favorite episode. Fred knew exactly what he was getting into prior to purchasing "Eugene" the 36 hp vw buggy. It was my impression that he was more interested in a road trip adventure in a beater VW buggy with a good friend than he was in reaching a finale destination. Kudos to him for flying out of state, buying a car sight unseen that had not been driven more than 3 miles in the last 8 years and taking it on a road trip that would be more than challenging to many of the aircooled VW's on the road today.
Yes he could have done many things differently but that's what makes this episode special. He took it for what it was, kept it period correct (kinda, almost) and went for it. After it did not make it he didn't complain, his first comment was "we had a great time, it was a lot of fun"
I found the video to be inspiring.
Thank You Fred & Brian
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It's not a slow car...It's a fast house |
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Brian_e
Samba Member
Joined: July 28, 2009
Posts: 3284
Location: Rapid City, SD
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| Posted: Wed Aug 10, 2016 10:12 am Post subject: Re: Buggy getting some off-road love on Dirt Every Day. |
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| Richard wrote: |
This was my favorite episode. Fred knew exactly what he was getting into prior to purchasing "Eugene" the 36 hp vw buggy. It was my impression that he was more interested in a road trip adventure in a beater VW buggy with a good friend than he was in reaching a finale destination. Kudos to him for flying out of state, buying a car sight unseen that had not been driven more than 3 miles in the last 8 years and taking it on a road trip that would be more than challenging to many of the aircooled VW's on the road today.
Yes he could have done many things differently but that's what makes this episode special. He took it for what it was, kept it period correct (kinda, almost) and went for it. After it did not make it he didn't complain, his first comment was "we had a great time, it was a lot of fun"
I found the video to be inspiring.
Thank You Fred & Brian |
Thanks for this! This is exactly how we felt about the whole trip. We have both been around and owned many different "projects". We knew exactly what we were getting into. We were limited severely by time, tools, available parts, and sponsor requirements.
Fred and I have known each other for about 12 years back when I was doing competition rock crawling. Now days we only get to see each other once or so a year, and we talk frequently. We just wanted to have some fun screwing around, hanging out, and trying to get a cool old buggy going again. We really had nothing to loose. Just a couple of car buddies taking a shot in the dark, at something that realistically shouldn't work given 12 hours and very few parts.
All in all, I would have liked to have had a different engine and another day or so to work on it. I offered to build a nice simple 1915cc, put it on a pallet and ship it too Oregon. Then we could have installed it and been on our way. The producers decided it would make a better show if we just gave the 36hp a chance.
Some of the best moments we had didn't make the video. We filmed for about 24-30hours, and ended with 20min of video. A ton of stuff we did was left out.
The buggy was a lot of work, and we didn't make it far, but I also had the most non-family fun I have had in years. Just two buddies trying to make old stuff work again.
For those who didn't like it, or would have done things differently, I challenge you to do the same. Buy any old car sight unseen that hasn't run in years. Fly 1200 miles, work on it for 12 hours, and then hit the road. See what happens. That's the beauty of it...the unknown.
Brian |
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Richard
Nigerian Scammer Trainee
Joined: January 23, 2003
Posts: 263
Location: Totally Lost
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| Posted: Fri Sep 02, 2016 2:22 pm Post subject: Re: Buggy getting some off-road love on Dirt Every Day. |
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Is there an update on the buggy project or has it gone back into hibernation for the season
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It's not a slow car...It's a fast house |
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Brian_e
Samba Member
Joined: July 28, 2009
Posts: 3284
Location: Rapid City, SD
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| Posted: Fri Sep 02, 2016 3:28 pm Post subject: Re: Buggy getting some off-road love on Dirt Every Day. |
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| Richard wrote: |
| Is there an update on the buggy project or has it gone back into hibernation for the season |
It is finally getting delivered to me here in South Dakota this Monday! It took a while, but I found a fellow VW guy who was headed here from Oregon. I rented a trailer for him, and gave him some gas money.
I have a mystery 1500sp the boys and I are going to get running, and slide in the buggy. We will fix a few things and drive it as much as we can till the snow hits. This winter we will tear it down, fix the floors, nice engine, rewire, etc...
Thanks for checking in!
Brian |
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