Throwing in the towel - my MarsFab buggy build

untchabl

untchabl

On the rocks
Joined
Mar 30, 2009
Location
Bear Creek, NC 27207
Some of you may have seen my build thread on the Sami buggy I've been building for over 3 years. Well, I threw in the towel and gave up on it.

The build made good progress when it was at @DirkaDirka875 shop getting the chassis built and into a roller. Once I got it back home, the snail's pace started. I gained, lost, gained and lost motivation as time went on. I'm a decent mechanic but I'm not a fabricator. I spent hours/days to make minutes worth of progress.

After years of not wheeling, I honestly got fed up and was over the build process. Offered to pay a couple buddies to finish it for me but they didn't have the free time due to work/family commitments. So I reached out to Chris at @MarsFab and spent a few hours at his shop discussing what I wanted.

I stripped down my Sami buggy and took Chris a large trailer load of parts so he could get started. The plan is for him to build it out to a fully plumbed roller. I'll bring it home and tear it down for paint then reassemble it. Still undecided on the wiring, may try to get a few buddies together for a weekend or may just take it back to Chris.

This is where it currently sits.

IMG_20210517_105630.jpg
 
Subscribed. This will be fun.
BTW
Wiring is @MarsFab 's favorite part!
 
Using most of the parts from the Sami buggy but I did change/upgrade a few things.

2-seater
106-108 ish wheelbase
Suzuki 2.0L, auto trans, Tracker to Toyota t-case doubler
Trail Gear Tacoma width front axle
IFS rear axle
39.5 sticky Iroks on KMC beadlocks
4-link front and rear
Air shocks (for now at least)
PRP UTV high back seats & harnesses

PXL_20210415_223240506.jpg
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IMG_20190913_174119.jpg
 
Ah I see now! From the table picture it looked like half of a v8!
 
Looking forward to this build. Not going to lie I am going to miss the Sami, wanted to see it all done and on the trails.
 
Congrats man. Happy to see you getting exactly what you want!
 
I feel the same way about progress. Mine is still moving at a snail's pace. I might get to work on it a few hours each week. I hoping now that I have the trans in I can speed up some. There's no shame in letting the pros get on it. I'm just too cheap and proud to let someone else work on mine. The upside is that you'll be on the trails before you know it.
 
Chassis looks awesome... But I really want to know what's going on with that hanging chimney back there :lol:
 
awheelterd said:
Chassis looks awesome... But I really want to know what's going on with that hanging chimney back there :lol:
Click to expand...
When I bought this house 5 years ago there was an existing 50x22 block building on the property. The previous owners used it as a man cave. Had a wood stove, pool table and all his hunting gear. I added on to the back of that building with my new 40x50 so what you're seeing is the old exterior rear wall of that block building and its chimney protruding out. I have since removed the wood stove and put my CNC plasma in its place. My original plan was to build a "range hood" thing to hang over the table and draw fumes and dust up and out the chimney. Unfortunately I decided against it because I'm worried it'll just drop soot all over my metal roof and speed up the Sanford and Sons appearance of my building....

And before you say it... :) Yes I know I would love to have kept the wood stove. There's nothing better in the winter but years ago I had one in my old shop that we used constantly. (my neighbor was a pallet shop so we had an endless supply of wood) Over the years I had a few customers complain about the smoke/wood smell in their vehicles after they sat inside while being worked on.
 
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