The Making

Before You Begin, Kindly Read This

Disclaimer: Know that this article is meant, primarily for pedagogical purposes, aiding you to comprehend the process of building a dune buggy. It is recommended that the reader seeks professional assistance in order to handle the project with paragon confidence and alacrity. As with any DIY project of wide-reaching, wide-ranging nature, the foreignness of the sequential structure and equipment may overwhelm the DIYer. Know that these are no words of diasporic discouragement. Construe this note as one conduit to exercising caution.



Note.-- As a DIYer, indulging in a buggy-building activity may encourage noise and may invite complaints from fellow neighbors. If you have the right to undertake the task, your neighbors have the right over propertied leisure. Restricting your project to sensible hours during the day helps you avoid unpleasant and uncalled-for spars.

Safety Instructions

Setting the Grounds

Readers would not redress the opinion of working in a neat-freak, professionally frothy environment. However, to overstep your boundaries is bringing on full-fledged naivety to the fore. Make do with the spare space you own or look for a garage to act witness to your undertakings. For one, a garage is one ideal piggy bank for tools. Prefer a location away from the public eye. Why? Well, you might like to contradict this one, and before you know it, you will have a nocturnal visitor at your doorstep with a halo of curiosity circling up there. As you would be working with mounds, wrenches and the likes, ensure a solid floor to see you through the process. Besides, before assembling the car, you would be disassembling the wreck; for this to happen without the slightest hitch, make arrangements for a space, which facilitates the process of construction.

Finding/Handling the Donor Vehicle

You know that you need a wrecked Volkswagen Beetle for the build to come through. However, stripping down the Beetle to build the buggy shouldn't mean a heap of spares waiting to be bolted together to a once-upon-a-time Volkswagen Beetle. The assembly should justify a dune buggy, not a spare skeletal magnet. Considering the status quo of buggies to this hour, they carry a far professional feel, than when they were in their halcyon days. Nevertheless, it is tough to find a wreck Volkswagen for you to begin work. Surf wrecking yards, consult used-car dealers; you may strike gold. Look out for 1960s' VW models. The ones that work best are those launched in 1965, 1969, and the years in between. They have impressive 1500cc engines with better displacement and an even better suspension.



Do not use Karmann Ghia and the Transporter series for a donor vehicle. The latter won't work at all; a Ghia may prove useful, exclusively for motor and front-axle assembly. While frequenting yards to zero on a specific model, consider the kind of wreck in situ. Pay attention to their condition. Are they wrecked due to a rear-end, or a head-on collision? If they are, better skip this section all together. The watchword here, is rollovers. For obvious reasons, they are an ultimate buy. They, generally have no major issues; more often than not, it's the wear and tear that subjects them to the wreck yard.



Now, if you have found a rollover (lucky you!), do not jump the gun, and pick up the check. Ask a friend, who has time and know-how to accompany you, and take a look at what you plan to invest in. He putting in his two cents, should, certainly help you act upon the deal and save time, money, and effort. As for the price you must agree upon, it varies in accordance with the geographical differentials. Nevertheless, base your buy on the trio's condition, i.e., the engine, the front axle, and transaxle. They are important to see you through the assembly procedure. Applying this little input should help you close the deal.

Disassembling the Donor VW Beetle

It maybe hard to put your wits to work to gage how you would unbolt the whole of Volkswagen Beetle. Purchasing a wreck, too, does not better the matter. After all, it must have been a baby in its prime! However, to construct a buggy, you must do now, you never thought you would, with a car of this ilk. The good news is, you get to keep the essential parts of the wrecked sedan; i.e., you would segregate the useful from the hopeless, and take to work, the former. Simply put, they are parts required in an as-is condition (in most cases) to construct the dune buggy. Note down the parts that have been saved, so you would know what goes in and what, out. Here is a guild of parts required to build the buggy.

• Battery - (6 or 12 volt)


• Seats and springs (Modification is mandatory.)


• Gas tank along with the 4 rectangular washers


• Rectangular washers located under the running boards (They are required to secure the renewed body to the restructured floor pan of the Volkswagen Beetle.)


• Retain the steering column. Disconnect it from the chassis by working on the clamping bolt located at the rear end of the shaft. The assembly of the steering column should be saved. Besides, the rubber grommet -- fasteners for wire looming, used to secure holes through which the wiring runs across all sections of the car body -- must also be kept aside for use during the upcoming stages of construction.


• The complete wiring harness ought to be saved; the criterion, however, is good condition. Besides, mark all the disconnected ends to further an uncomplicated future assembly.


• Speedometer with drive cable


• Front floor mats to lend a dimension of style to the buggy (Optional)


• Ignition switch with all the nuts and bolts


• Taillights (Consider the extraction from the 1961 model and onwards.)


• License plate and Brake reservoir -- only if it is in workable condition; opt for a change if otherwise.


• Motor, Switch, and the entire Windshield Wiper assembly (Confine to models of 1958 and onwards.)


• Rubber mounting strip accompanied with a 10 mm bolt used to maintain an element of integrity between the body of the car and the rear trailing arm.

Once you are done saving up the above-mentioned parts to further the assembly of the buggy, the body is ready to be unbolted from the chassis. You would then be left with a rollover chassis waiting to be worked upon at your discretion.

Removing the Body from the Chassis

Preparation to Shorten the Floor Pan

It would be an unethical jump if I skip explaining why the floor pan needs to be compressed to forward the procedure. The reason why the chassis must go through this procedure is to up the buggy's off-road performance. For the buggy body to offer optimum ground clearance, the chassis ought to be shortened. Besides, the shortened chassis doles out efficient front suspension along with maintaining the vehicle's structural integrity.



You will notice that even though the superstructure is off the chassis, there are certain parts -- the front axle, the wheels, and the engine -- that remain attached to the chassis floor. Depending on where you stand on the graph of your experience with automotive builds and the degree of comfort you share whilst handling the car, you may choose to detach the remaining parts from the chassis. Let's get this straight: It won't be much of an ordeal for you to shorten the chassis if these parts, too, are removed, unless you are an A-grader at staying patient. Besides, once they are off, you are able to refurbish them before using them for your buggy. Equipment required to accomplish the task are mentioned herein.

• Acetylene welding and cutting torch


• Electric grinder


• "C" clamps


• Flat Head Screw driver/Phillips Head Screw driver


• A 12'' ruler


• Metal Sheet (4'' x 14'' out to out)


• Carpenter's saw-horse (2)


• Metal Inert Gas (MIG) welder


• Axle stands and trolley jack


• A chisel and masking tape


• Self-tapping sheet fasteners (Pack of 100)

1. The first step is the cleaning up of the tar-based, sound-deadening material from the rear of the floor pan. Hammer the tar with a chisel; an air chisel should serve you better. You may also use a putty knife to remove the tar-rich matter.


2. The "T" fitting at the rear suspension fork must divorce the main brake line which goes through the former. The main brake line must be abducted to the front of the chassis; this maybe done by bending the tabs to facilitate a release. The tabs integrate the brake line to the floor pan of the chassis.


3. The rubber grommet must also be removed; it is situated at the back of the floor pan. Following close is the process of dismantling the foot pedal along with the accelerator and clutch cables.


4. The access cover at front and rear end must be reprieved.


5. Through the access hole at the rear end of the tunnel, unbolt the set screw, which served to be the unification tool for the gear lever and the final drive.


6. Coming to the gear lever, the two fasteners that hold the part must be removed; however, these components must be sided as they would be required for the build to proceed in the latent stages. Underneath the gear lever, is the shift guide plate consisting of a component called the reverse lock out. Its position inclines to where the passenger's seat in the cab is located.


7. The gear lever shift shaft tunnel must also be suspended from the front access cover and should be stored for future use.


8. Uninstall the emergency brake lever and the cables associated with it, from the chassis.


9. The battery must also be removed and kept aside to further the build.


10. The heater control must be removed; however, there is no need for you to store the heater controls of/for the car.

Procedure to Shorten the Floor Pan

Optimizing the floor pan is a primal step in the process of building a dune buggy. The reason is simple. If the framework goes kaput, it is but a clear case of inviting a wrench in the works. This, perhaps is the step that stands at the top of the totem pole with regard to the conduction of the build. If you are not confident about doing it yourself, assign the task to an expert. It is no prestige issue if you cannot shorten the chassis. Without sounding dour, an expert's advice would help you ride through the project with considerable ease.



Step 1: Support the frame with the help of a carpenter saw-horse, or car lift. This will facilitate the process of welding and cutting the frame in order to shorten it in accordance with the requirement of the dune buggy.



Step 2: The chassis is to be shortened 12'' on center; this area of the floor pan carries the sound-proofing material, which must be removed. The tar is highly combustible, so ensure you are good at completing the task; better still, dial an expert.



Step 3: In the diagram given, the line that runs across the floor pan ½'' behind the seat tracks must be considered. Score a line across the width of the floor pan.



Step 4: With a 12'' ruler, you must make sure that the sides are true and square. Now, this ruler is supposed to help you lay down a second adjacent line across the floor pan of the chassis. How do you use it? You need to place the 12'' ruler such that one end of it, superimposes the first line scribed ½'' behind the seat runner track. The opposite end of the ruler now becomes your second starting point. Scribe a line across the chassis pan.



Step 5: To insure accuracy, use a metal sheet to cover the tunnel area of chassis. Measure the metal sheet to be 4'' in width and 14'' in length. Place it conforming to the curvatures of the tunnel. This, in entirety gives you the section that should be removed to shorten the chassis.



Step 6: Next, you will begin with the removal of the tunnel section. This is a principle step in the process of cropping the chassis by 12''. With an acetylene torch, cut the tunnel out of the frame by cutting it vertically over the surface area of the tunnel. The process should be repeated to operate over the base of the tunnel. This way you have successfully disjointed the tunnel section of the chassis.



Step 7: The part that ought to be discarded is now recognizable. Besides, there are tubes situated inside the tunnel; practice caution to avoid any contingency with regard to the broached concern.



Step 8: Guidepost: The section to be removed from the VW frame/chassis is 12''. Ensure accuracy in this regard. If you are a DIYer, or essentially a first-timer, not too confident of your skill set, do not, in no face of conjecture, cut the frame across to remove the tunnel section. If your hands wobble on site -- perhaps, you break a sweat -- have a mate look upon for support. Even better, dial a buggy guide to help see you through the procedure. If, however, you have decent experience at cutting, welding, and handling an acetylene torch, you may go ahead. Place the torch proximal to the line, but not on the line. This way you provide yourself a leeway to be "inaccurate," if I may say so. Thereafter, filing up the edge of the lines will help you derive defined, sharper cuts.

Step 9: You don't need the heater cable tubes any longer; do away with them. Now, through the rear access tunnel, you are to find the clutch and the throttle spot welded to the floor pan. The acetylene torch would help you cut the weld so that the clutch and the throttle tubes maybe loosened.



Step 10: These tubes will lead you to the emergency brake. Maintaining the adjoining plane with the frame, cut the tubes and remove them from their spot-welded condition. The emergency brake control must not display any disturbance or wear and tear.



Step 11: The 12'' section can now be removed safely. The process would now mark the commencement of welding the floor pan back together. However, look carefully before you begin. Notice the edges of the floor pan. Are there any shavings, or chips remaining? If they are, hindrance while you are at work, certainly may not be entertained.



Step 12: This way you have two halves, which require a welded repositioning. For this process to wheel, you would require 2 carpenter's saw-horse and jacks to support the raised section of the frame.



Step 13: The forthcoming task involves bringing together the two sections to be welded and repositioned.



Step 14: In the above-mentioned step, we had asked you to loosen the clutch and throttle tubes. Now, it's time you pull/cut the wires out of the rear section of the floor pan. Out of the two, the clutch tubing is essential as it may aid in accommodating the clutch cable guide tube in the revised design of the chassis.



Step 15: Tack welds must now be implemented over the lateral exterior surface of the tunnel. The welding must begin at the lower rear end of the tunnel, alternating between the sides of the tunnel, being 6'' on center.



Step 16 Besides, after the 12'' section removal, the alignment should strike true and square. For this, a section/strip needs to be cut for the alignment to come through. A critical point here to be noted is the standard width of the rear section of the VW Beetle, which needs modification.



Step 17: The top and the bottom of the tunnel sections need considerable amount of heating to weld the whole of the edge of the top and the bottom of the tunnel, which would depict the seam fit of the two sections. Follow a certain procedure of welding to avert any probability of warping.





Step 18: The clutch cable guide must now be installed, however, only after soldering the clutch and the throttle tubing in through the rear access tunnel. With a hacksaw, settle the flexible clutch cable guide 1¾'' posterior to the floor pan. Watch for another indicator of correctness: The clutch cable should be flush with the final drive mounting plate.



Step 19: The clutch cable guide needs to be shortened on the floor pan to avoid noise, or breakage of the cable due to preloaded transmission. The flexible clutch cable maybe wound with rope clamps. They are provided in the EMPI kit (Mentioned in the following sections). Place the looped cable ahead of the rear.



Step 20: Coming to the emergency brake cables; they, too, need to be shortened by 12''. The 12'' ruler will come to play in this step by measuring it from one end of the emergency brake cable. You need to segment the cable into two with the help of acetylene torch. This makes the condition conducive to the union of the emergency brake cable and the EMPI threaded end. Make sure that the cables fused are valved to the bottom, besides being soldered through their length, in toto.



Step 21: Through the rear of the chassis, run the main brake line through a tunnel provided in the rear section of the chassis. The rubber fasteners that you kept aside for later use -- now is the time to bring them to the fore. Reinstall them, and crimp the spare metal at a point where the tunnel steeps toward the bottom.



Step 22: Pay attention to the placement of the line. Avert the idea of suffocating it. All it does is invite kinks. Not good. It is out and open, inside the car. The line could remain snug if taped to the torsion bar. This prevents the wobble and the resultant disturbance caused due to the same. What the wobbling may probably do? Well, the line maybe subjected to friction and fraying, which may escalate to damaging the brakes of your car. And we don't want this, do we?





Step 23: Installing a VW battery -- 6 or 12 volt in the area provided in the rear section of the chassis is the next step to forward the procedure. You would see a built-in battery box where the battery needs to be docked. Drill holes considering these as the exit points of the lead and ground cables. As far as the battery box lid is considered, secure it with self-tapping sheet fasteners.



Step 24: The gear shift lever shaft tube must also be condensed by 12''. You have used a 12'' ruler in the former steps, haven't you? Use it here as well. The straight section of the tube must be marked, for the portion is to be sided. Considering the side of the tube, score a line along the side. Draw another line maintaining the distance and the range to discard the probability of any change when the halves of the shaft tube intersect. With a hacksaw, sever a 12'' portion of the shaft tube. You may now weld the tube ensuring that the intersection is flush. Wind a safety wire around the screws where the sections of the tube connect. The tunnel meant for the gear shift lever displays two screws, which are a part of the adjustment profile of the lever. You see, when you maneuver the cover plate -- when you slide it back and forth -- you will notice a feature that lets you control the top and the bottom of the gear shift lever. This completes the process of shortening the chassis to make it conducive to the the buggy body profile.

Preparing the Chassis