Buggy Build Diary

[aztecbandit1]

Ay up Jason, what carbs are you using mate? are you running a single or twins?? The one i have is only a 1" 1/2 not the 1" 3/4 SU like i thought, But going to be sending you a brand new Lucas power coil this week coming as i've got 4 of them sitting in my shed :D i did have a full turbo kit and wiring a bit back but sold it just before you started the build which would of made it really good fun :D Looking good so far mate :D

Thanks mate :) Think we are going to just use a single carb to get throug SVA then when we will drop the 1275 cooper engine in and get some double webber carbs i think. Is the standard mini carb the 1' 1/2?

Would have loved the turbo kit but think the plan is to keep it N/A as its nice and easy to repair and work on :P

Jason :P

The 850cc had the 1"1/4 the 998 had the 1"1/2 and the 1275gt had the 1"3/4

If you can get the twin 1"1/4/ OR 1"1/2 SU set up they run very well but have to be balanced just right to run well so can be a pain if your not sure on there set up?

Which Webber twin set are you thinking of mate? as it might be better to run a single due to over fueling unless you go for a ported/polished head etc?

Have you thought of the rover metro 1.4 twin cam engine running carbs? Bl**dy amazing in a mini so would be even better in your buggy

[jason_l]

Thought about dropping the metro gt turbo lump in but don't think we will as if you go too stupid the rear wants to constantly overtake the front, which aint too good!

Think we are going to stick with just the 1275 as we already have the engine and have started stripping it down, we got it from Sarah's brother for £100 with only 30k on it :)

We have several standard 998 carbs so we are just going to throw one of these on for the SVA.

We have found out that the SVA has to be booked by end of February at the latest, but if it does fail then we have an additional 6 months to retest it. This means that we are going to put it in for SVA in February even if we know that its going to fail, if it does fail then we have the extra 6 months and we also will have a list of items it failed on. We then have a proper list of items to be completed and they only do the retest on the items it failed on!

Jason :P

[jason_l]

Ok, for those interested its time for a little update.

Took a few days off before Crimbo and blitzed the buggy for a bit.

We managed to get the role cage padding all fitted on the car, not really needed but should help make it a bit safer to things we hit :shutit:

Also got the speedo unit fitted roughly in place, excuse the steering wheel as this will be changed after SVA. we are leaving this one on for the moment as its nice and rubberey, will get chnaged for a tiny go-kart wheel later on :)

Pedal box fitted and we have run new copper brake lines at the front and rear, just need to join them together. Again this will get changed after SVA for a pendulum pedal box but for now this will do :)

Fitted new front discs and pads, calipers will be getting a coat of paint but we ran out of time :(

Made and fitted a new front panel, this goes under the nose cone and will have all the electronics and fuse box mounted to it. Keeps it all nice and tidy and out of the way :)

Fitted new rear brakes, painted the drums (this is after first coat, we gave it 3 in the end) and fitted new 10mm spacers to bring the rear wheels out a little more

Cleaned the seat up, the seat we got for free from my work but it was ripped, dirty and needed the bottom retriming, now it almost looks like new...................almost :P

We also have ordered up new front and rear bumper bars which are almost complete and we are currently filling in the SVA paperwork and will have it all sent off to be booked in by the end of the week :)

Watch this space for future updates!

Jason :P

[sparkystav]

Looks great mate,

[rig-pig]

looks ace m8 nice one i like seeing this type of thing getting done

[chrisis200]

very cool, may have to make a trip to see it one day

[spikes]

looking good :)

[jason_l]

Been a bit of a developement with this now, sort of good and bad!

My mate has decided that he doesn't want to be involved in the buggy after it is road legal as he is more interested in the build rather than owning it! Needless to say i have to find £800 to soon buy him out and have full ownership. I am going to have to save hard over the next few months and have to buy the remaining parts needed myself to get it SVA'd.

The good part is that soon the buggy will be all mine! And rather than sell the lexus and get a more powerfull car i have decided to keep it and spend some money on the buggy to make a track/fast road car. Hopefully speaking to someone at the end of this month about possible engine options lets just say Toyota, 1.3 and Turbo..............i think you get the idea Won't be for a while yet but defo want to get it done.

Just thought i would let you guys know im staying with LOC for a while yet! :winky:

Jason :P

[aido]

Nice one mate, that buggy is going to be ace but a right Tart :D

[jason_l]

Nice one mate, that buggy is going to be ace but a right Tart :D

Oh you know it! Also don't know if this will be able to enter the Toyota Sprint Series if it has a Toyota Engine??? or if i need to start with a toyota to begin with???

Jason :P

[sparkystav]

Think it needs to be a full toyota with dash etc, but good idea lol.

Why not go for a 1l turbo out of a dahaitsu charade! lol

[jason_l]

Think it needs to be a full toyota with dash etc, but good idea lol.

Why not go for a 1l turbo out of a dahaitsu charade! lol

Thought about that engine, not certain about the starlet engine yet! might go honda 1.6 vtec route

[reganlives]

ooooh 1.6 vtec buggy, now that would be fun! loving the project mate and cant wait to see it finished. best of luck!

[Mr Mole]

Been a bit of a developement with this now, sort of good and bad!

And rather than sell the lexus and get a more powerfull car i have decided to keep it

Just thought i would let you guys know im staying with LOC for a while yet! :winky:

Jason :P

Good news that Jason , the buggy is also looking ace.

but not so good about the £800

You could always still sell me your number plate

[jason_l]

Been a bit of a developement with this now, sort of good and bad!

And rather than sell the lexus and get a more powerfull car i have decided to keep it

Just thought i would let you guys know im staying with LOC for a while yet! :winky:

Jason :P

Good news that Jason , the buggy is also looking ace.

but not so good about the £800

You could always still sell me your number plate

Yes good news, means you can give me abuse about my sunroof for many years to come! :D

Im not too worried about the £800, my bro has ALOT of money sitting in his bank account and he has said that if my mate wants the money now then i can have a interest free loan and pay him off, but hopefully won't come to that. If i just save my ***** off for the next few months i should have enough to pay him off.

Im actually really excited about this project again now as i have nothing standing in my way and now the buggy can be built how it should have been built all along. Plan is to just get it running at the moment and get it road legal, then second it is road legal it will start getting changed!

Just ordered a DVD that shows possible engines to put into the mini including k series, vauxhall, honda and bike engines. Would love a bike engine so i have a sequential gearbox but don't want to have to try and create a reverse gear which could be a pain in the *****!

watch this space!

Jason :P

[Mr Mole]

Looks like this is going to be some machine when its finished mate.

You could always fit a sunroof to your buggy

If you save hard for it yourself it will make it a sweeter drive and give you a bigger smile on your face.

Anyway good luck with this Jason

[jason_l]

You could always fit a sunroof to your buggy

I know that would start, it has already got the biggest sunroof possible!.....................no roof! :D