Building a custom dune buggy design is a rewarding experience!

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First, to do this project you will need a place to work. I.E. garage, shop or a covered area to protect your work. An organized work area is a good first step in any project! You will save many hours of build time if you know where your tools and materials are when you need them. Less build time = more play time! :) Once this important step is done, we move on to the tools and equipment. Basic tools are needed for any project. We suggest a minimum of useable screw drivers, wrenches, socket sets, C-clamps, vice grips, 3/8 electric drill, a set of sharp drill bits, hack saw, small hand grinder, saws-all, bench vise Etc. Take inventory of what you have and go from there. A lot of times you will see that you can repair and use what you already have! And don't forget about those people who you can borrow from as well as rent things you may only need for a short period of time. For example find someone who can do the welding for you after you have prepared the parts. Minimum time for him and less cost for you!:}

Next we need to find an area to set up a level and square surface plate or jig fixture. It needs to be placed in and area that is as level as possible with enough space to walk around it as you start the building process. Dont panick! This is a simple rectangle table that can be made of metal angle, box tube, or small I beam. This can be bought at a local scrap yard or heavy perforated angle can be found at a building supply house. The dimensions are 10" (feet) long and 32" (inches) wide with four cross pieces installed. (see drawing below) If you dont have a welder it can be drilled and bolted together. It must be square, level and all the top surface must be flush and smooth so as not to interfere with the dune buggy chassis sitting on it during the fabrication process. The height should be 20" (inches) top to floor. This gets it up to a height so you are more comfortable and still able to work on the top of the roll cage easily. This is a temporary set up for you so it can be set up on blocks. It is very critical that it be completely supported from one end to the other. I.E. supports every 2' (feet) if useing angle. Take your time and make sure this is very strong, square and will not move around as you begin building your custom dune buggy.

Now, level it side to side, front to back using metal shims as needed with a good 4' (foot) leveland X measure it from corner to corner to get it correct. Very important!! This table will be thereference point you will use for the measurements for your new custom dune buggy! :) Next you will need 3 (three) pieces of straight and clean 2"x 2" box tube, minimum 1/8th to 3/16 wall (thickness) 4' (feet) long. These will be placed on the jig table and bolted or tack welded left to right as the 32" pieces were. One 12"in on each end of the table and the third mounted in the center. Finally, a centerline mark is made by measureing to the exact center on each 32" inch wide end of the surface plate. This is another critical point that must be very accurate.This will be your centerline reference point for the start of your dune buggy. Once you have your marks, take a hack saw and cut a small notch in the top edge of the metal just deep enough so that the string or light gauge metal wire you will be attaching will stay in place. Next attach the string or light gauge wire on one end and stretch it from front to back and attach it to the opposite end. This must be tight as you will now us it as a starting point to to measure from. This string goes under the 3 2x2 cross pieces and on top of the ends of the table. Your jig should now be square, level and ready to start mounting your front and rear suspension assemblies

Idealy your parts need to be clean and free of grease, paint and have the necessary parts re-built that are worn out before the pre-assembly starts. You can use the dune buggy transmission and engine as is for the pre-assembly process. After pre-assembly using your dune buggy blueprints you will dis-assemble everything for final grinding, welding, detailing, and custom painting. Then the transmission and dune buggy engine can be rebuilt and modified as you see fit. Remember! Pre-assemble the whole car completely including all wireing! This will minimize the posibility that you will have to change something and ruin you new paint! Street legal dune buggies require more brackets for mounting lites, fenders etc. Now is the time to plan out you dune buggy designs and write down what you want to do with the custom dune buggy you are building. Nothing smacks worse than"good concept poor execution" :(

Now you are ready to begin pre-assembly of your dune buggy frame. Depending on your dune buggy design, your wheelbase will now be determined. The most important thing that needs to be done is that when you mount your front and rear suspension that they are centered on your jig centerline and are square or equal length from each other.

Below you will find free drawings that you can use for reference but are not for re-print or distribution! You will find many links that can also help you with parts, tools or even further instructions on how to complete your custom built dune buggy! Remember! Take your time and think it through before you cut it, weld it or paint it. Measure twice, cut once. Once you build it wrong, its twice the work, time, not to mention the aggravation to do it right! Go to dune buggy /surfaceplate

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