Buggy Update - AKA: The Frog

[AcIdBuRn02ZTS]

Well guys... since it was nice out today and is going to be getting better... I decided to get the buggy back out of the garage and start work on it... the motor is now out of it and i did some paint work... and cleared out the front end so I can weld up the rest of the front susp. pieces and gussets.

anyways... this is how it sat over the winter...


and after some ... froggy paint work... this is what it looks like as of today...




missing motor


rolled back into its cubby hole...


its coming along slowly but surely.... tommorow im gonna chop the doors and cut some plates to re-inforce the front susp. a bit... get all that welded up within the next few weeks... then build me a fuel tank bracket... a brewer at my work donated a rubber coated 15gal stainless keg which is going to be my new fuel tank.

anyways... thats it for now.

-AcId-

[AcIdBuRn02ZTS]

...well.. got a few more things done today... finished cutting the doors down... pulled the motor around and soaked it down w/ pb blaster so i can tear it apart tommorrow... found a better option for my fuel cell so i'll be selling both of the kegs ive got which apparently arnt cheap from what ive seen so far...

anyways... will be rebuilding the motor in a few weeks and getting everything going... so hopefully will have more updates soon.

thanks
-AcId-

[Jlongoria9]

came out looking good, but it has alot of rust. what are the plans for the engine.... 350 swap?

[AcIdBuRn02ZTS]

well.. as it stands.. just gonna rebuild the 1600dp and maybe either put it on the squeeze or force feed it a little... later down the road... strongly considering the 1.9 jetta turbo diesel swap...

anyways... ive welded in plate throughout most of the floor pan and will be re-inforcing the whole underbody... and most of the body is fiberglass... so im not too worried about rust

-AcId-

[AerofurySC]

1.9 TDI on propane injection FTW! 400 ft.lbs!

[VizualXTacyZX3]

looks great! and the 1.9 TDI swap, i think its a good idea.. great mpg's and real torquey

[AcIdBuRn02ZTS]

made some more progress... made a complete front sub pan today out of 1/8" plate and using 1x1x1/8" angle turned so the point would face up from the plate (two edges on metal per piece of angle) and ran them front to back on the plate making it extremely rigid... and tyed it into the roll cage... front suspension... floor pans... and a few other things... i'll get sum pics up asap... my camera has gone mia...

my seats and fuel system will be here in the next few days too...

more updates to come soon

thanks
-AcId-

[Jlongoria9]

post some pics of the updates. what kind of paint is that, looks like it has a texture to it... btw you are missing a side view mirror

[AcIdBuRn02ZTS]

along with the missing rear view mirror also... and the roof... but those are minor details...

anyways... found the camera... so here is sum pics...

the seats came today... should fit the bill nicely...

got them from summit racing equip w/ the covers for 145 shipped.... and they are pretty comfy considering they are solid pieces.

here is the skid/support plate I built.... its 35" in length and right at an 1/8" thick.... its temp. bolted in but will be fully welded come this weekend...




and a fun little addition... we have a guy at work that does custom vinyl work... so i had him make me a window banner that is pretty fitting....


much more progress to come soon

thanks
-AcId-

[Jlongoria9]

it kinda looks like a frog but u need to add a mouth where the trunk meets the body and add some eye lashes to the headlights

[AcIdBuRn02ZTS]

i'll be mounting a winch behind the front bumper and i'll shape the hole for the cable to come through like a mouth.... already planned out

-AcId-

[AcIdBuRn02ZTS]

A few updates... seats are mounted... new clutch came in today so i'll be mounting a temp motor in it saturday so i can drive it... i also recieved my fuel tank today... will get sum pics up soon.

-AcId-

[AcIdBuRn02ZTS]

no new pics... but some new ideas.....

im gonna have the motor from my foci just laying aroud collecting dust in a few months when I swap in my built motor and svt 6spd.... so I'm strongly considering putting it to good use behind my buggy. I've located all the necesary adapters and what not to make it work... just need to locate a wiring harness and an ecu that I can use.

If anyone knows of anyone that has a wiring harness/ecu laying around for a Zetec focus that they would be willing to part with cheaply or even donate to the cause... please let me know.

sound like a fun project? perhaps a few years down the road... ITB's...

-AcId-

[VizualXTacyZX3]

Originally Posted by AcIdBuRn02ZTS

no new pics... but some new ideas.....

im gonna have the motor from my foci just laying aroud collecting dust in a few months when I swap in my built motor and svt 6spd.... so I'm strongly considering putting it to good use behind my buggy. I've located all the necesary adapters and what not to make it work... just need to locate a wiring harness and an ecu that I can use.

If anyone knows of anyone that has a wiring harness/ecu laying around for a Zetec focus that they would be willing to part with cheaply or even donate to the cause... please let me know.

sound like a fun project? perhaps a few years down the road... ITB's...

-AcId-

do eeeeet :lol
an off road VW buggy powered by focus.. FTWWWWWWW

[AcIdBuRn02ZTS]

I'm trying to research it now.... Just got to figure a few things out like how to get around the PATS system since the car is push-button start w/ no key... and things like the VSS that the buggy wont have...

I have an xcal... which is locked to my car's ecu code... so what could I do to be able to tune both cars with it? If i found an ecu with the same code that is in my car now... would the "locked" xcal work on both?

anyways... we'll see what happends.
-AcId-

[brads03zx3]

Originally Posted by AcIdBuRn02ZTS

I'm trying to research it now.... Just got to figure a few things out like how to get around the PATS system since the car is push-button start w/ no key... and things like the VSS that the buggy wont have...

I have an xcal... which is locked to my car's ecu code... so what could I do to be able to tune both cars with it? If i found an ecu with the same code that is in my car now... would the "locked" xcal work on both?

anyways... we'll see what happends.
-AcId-

You don't need no stinking VSS. PATS can be turned off with the computer if I'm not mistaken. You cannot tune two cars with the same xcal unless you have a 2 VIN license. Give Randy at FocusSport a call. He can answer all these questions for you.

[LOW FOCI]

cool man,... I miss my old VW's. I had so much fun with them! keep the updated pictures coming!!

[slverfocus13]

cant wait to see that VW done

[BC3Racing]

I love that bug!

[AcIdBuRn02ZTS]

Hey alls...

Well... plans have changed yet again Looks like pricing for the adapter system to swap in the Zetec is a bit out of the budget for this project at the moment... and a rebuild for the aircooled motor is cheaper then the adapter plate alone... let alone all the other crap to deal with... so i'll be ordering the overhaul kit in the next few weeks.

Ive got the temp motor running ok but it has so much crank endplay that timing is all over the place (as the crank walks, the ign. timing changes.. dist. is driven by the crank.) It has roughly 1/2" of back and forth play... and its only supposed to have around .050" MAX... so i think its out of spec a bit. It'll move so much that if i push the crank in and try to turn the motor over by hand, the rods bind up.... so i think its safe to say this motor is ready for someone else to take it off my hands and rebuild it for themselves while i swap in my fresh dual port.

Anyways... here are a few updated pics... not much to show because ive been working my ass of on my house and a bunch of other stuff has come up too... so anyways...

New ign. system


All old wiring deleted


New rear harness made up but not installed yet... waiting on fuse blocks to arrive


Custom bikini top partially fitted... not quite finished with it either...




I'll have more for ya guys later.

Thanks
-AcId-

[glowin3232]

This is an awesome build man, I cant wait to see your progress!

[AcIdBuRn02ZTS]

Got my spare motor apart... cant quite figure out why the guy couldnt get it to start... or do anything for that matter...







Cleaned up one of the heads w/ the bead blaster at work.... i'll be ready to port it out in the next few days....






Planning on building a mild motor for it that can hold up to sustained 7k rpm and perhaps mild nitrous use.... we shall see what happends

-AcId-

[secondechomatt]

lovin the build man. the cage kinda gives me the willies though....

open ended tubes, not notched and needs more triangulation. I say that not out of picking at your car, but for your own safety.

and....whoa at that spare engine!

[AcIdBuRn02ZTS]

im not too worried about the cage.... im having a professional welder at work seam everything up nicely and will probably be adding more bracing in before I ever put it in a position where i might actually need to use it.

what sort of triangulation where you thinking about though? I dont mind input on how to make it stronger yet...

thanks
-AcId-