Ol' Smokey - The Cursed ECORS Buggy Re-Build (Right this time)

[MetalCraftSolved]

Some years ago at an ECORS race in Auburn, Alabama.... Rob Klinger's buggy caught fire during the race. I remember because we were about to fly by in Adam Woodlee's Hustler buggy, but I can't remember what lap it was. We saw fire balls dripping out from the bottom of his buggy, and Adam slammed on the brakes. Rob had just emptied his fire extinguishers, and quickly grabbed the ones off of the Hustler, and emptied those too.

Needless to say, the fire was too powerful to stop.

The original idea was to design and build a complete 4 seater buggy from scratch, but we went with the rebuild idea because there will be less money involved, and Rob can still revive his sentimental machine.

We have to make this thing into a trail rig again, and now it needs to seat more people.

Lots of tube work, and firewall protection on the way!

 

[REDLYNER]

I was in that race, sad day for sure. Glad to see it getting some love.

 

[BRUISER]

did he ever figure out what caused the fire?

 

[91oneton]

To many hair care products is what I heard

 

[BRUISER]

To many hair care products is what I heard

that would be Redlyner

 

[snappy]

did he ever figure out what caused the fire?

Brad carriers fat butt????

 

[rockcity]

The battery was mounted behind the driver and the cables run under the driver seat and up to the firewall behind the pedals. The straps broke at some time prior to the race and the cable was resting on the skid plate supports (vertical flat bar on the skid plate). Over time the battery cable wore a hole in it and shorted out, thus causing the cable to get really hot and the insulation melted and caught fire, which in turn caused some residual oil to catch on fire on the skid plate, which caused the oil accumulator line to catch fire and so on and so on. The fire eventually spread to the seats, adjacent wiring, etc. Still, once the fire was exhausted, it kept returning as the wire continued to short out and burn anything it could. Eventually we put it out but not before it destroyed most of the buggy.

So, moving forward, I've been gathering parts at a leisure pace until recently as I decided to take the plunge and just get David to tackle the rebuild as I've been too busy with work out of town each week. I really wanted to spend the weekends with the family, not working on the buggy.


Specs for the rebuild are pretty typical...

reuse the 14b rear and install a new MudPro truss/link setup
reuse the d60 front. build and install new upper link and panhard.
rework the rear to add a new 36" bench seat as well as the fuel cell and some storage above the cell that is relocated behind the rear seat.
build the rear to integrate my Yeti 45qt cooler. this way I have a decent cooler that fits the buggy and will last forever and be plenty for any trail rides with the family.
I sold off the D300 with the 4:1 and replaced it with an 3.8 Atlas
the th350 was rebuild by Lee but was sitting in the garage. I sold it a while back and picked up a built Cooks th350 a couple months ago.
due to the fire, the LQ4 needs to be rebuilt. Rather than spending the $ on that, I found a very mild built LS1 that has not been run yet.
Wheels are Raceline Monster beadlocks with 43" sticky SX tires.
While I was at it, I pulled the Humvee winch and have a Warn 9.5ti winch to put up front.
because my Hella lights were stolen the night the buggy burned, I picked up a 50" LED light bar to mount up top.
I pulled the air shocks and ordered some 18" ORI struts for better trail manners

The buggy will be a trail rig for the family. I wanted to keep the wheelbase the same at around 116" and turn it into a 4 seater with the storage I wanted, etc. My main concern was to make sure the family was safe. This will include 1/8" aluminum floor and firewall around all of the seats and especially the back seat for the kids.

Everything should be completed around January so I have time for powdercoating and reassembly to get ready for the spring riding season.

 

[shawn]

So no RCI aluminum fuel tank, then?

 

[rockcity]

So no RCI aluminum fuel tank, then?

Maybe Chip will let me use his

 

[MetalCraftSolved]

General layout is complete. Coming back with some rise and little shape in the center of the roof, and work in some nice light bar protection.

 

[rockcity]

Lookin good.

ORIs are ready should ship out very soon.

 

[MetalCraftSolved]

Waiting on call to run and pick up a number of shocks from MetalWorx.

LS motor on the way this week.

Random: I bet Rob loses sleep thinking about his Yeti cooler.... Those coolers are pretty wicked.

This is Rob and his Yeti cooler =

 

[MetalCraftSolved]

 

[rockcity]

I should be there Thursday with some more parts and the LS1.


We are incorporating the yeti in the tube work so I have a dedicated location for a good cooler that will last for years and keep the drinks cold. There should be enough room on top of the fuel cell for some tools and whatever I need for the trail.

All this packed in to 114" wheelbase.

 

[MetalCraftSolved]

Yep ^.... All of the electric fuel system should fit good beside the fuel cell and looks like plenty of room beside the cooler & above the fuel cell for tools. The fire wall surrounding the rear seat should flow into a tool chamber.

 

[MetalCraftSolved]

The rear suck down winch is the wild card, but it will be incorporated some how or another.

 

[rockcity]

Put the winch under the floor of the back seat and put a pulley down to the axle?

 

[MetalCraftSolved]

Thinking maybe mounting it on the axle housing, since it's pretty small. bump

 

[Will Carter]

I should be there Thursday with some more parts and the LS1.

Don't under-power this bus of a rig. Lemme set you up with a stout little 408.

 

[rockcity]

I'll call you this week, @Will Carter

My only concern is that I'd have too much power with a 408 for this rig considering I'm not really adding that much more weight, if any.

 

[rockcity]

Thinking maybe mounting it on the axle housing, since it's pretty small. bump

On the axle would be fine with me if it was easy and simple.

 

[MetalCraftSolved]

Pretty stoked about it. These are the perfect shocks for Smokey. I'd bet that Rob is going to say it was money well spent after I get done with them.

 

[rockcity]

bling.

They look better than I was anticipating

 

[Will Carter]

...too much power...

Your auto-correct must be acting up because that can't possibly be what you meant to type.

 

[amcjeepman]

There is no such thing as "too much power" only not enough of everything else! ;-)
Too much power is an abstract concept.