So I threw down more money than I should have and bought it.
It came with a 1641cc VW bettle motor, which wasnt exactly pokey but had enough power to move the 1600 pound buggy... but could always get turboed in the future Sadly after several trips around the block, the motor started to run worse and worse and eventually stopped starting all together. Upon teardown we disovered the cylinder heads were shot along with the piston heads. This had already turned into a lost cause in terms of money.
The prospect of essentially building a new motor and 2nd gear being harder and harder to engage led me to the decision that this thing needed a new drivetrain. The VW motor/tranny was cool but it was heavy as hell, shifted like crap, and made no power for its displacement.
After driving a friends EX500 motorcycle engined buggy I was convinced there was no better option. I was further convinced when a mangled 2004 cbr600RR (~110hp) came up on craigslist for $100less than it would have took to rebuild the stock 42hp motor. So the tranny came out and the bike got cannabalized.
Stock engine with only 8000 miles out of the mangled frame
Weight now~ 1250lbs
By putting a custom sprocket on the stock differential, the motorcycle engine+tranny can connected by a 530 chain. This way the original heavy duty axles and spindles can still be used.
Differential is mounted in a protective, but not finished, box. The custom 60 tooth sprocket arrived and the whole assembally is waiting to be aligned with the motor
1/4" thick steel is cut and bent for the upper and lower rear engine mounts
Airbox installed, front engine mounts installed using 1" square steel tube.
Radiator and gas tank mounted. The gas tank had to be cut open to mount the bike fuel pump but suprisingly didnt leak with 2 gaskets and jb weld
Side veiw
All thats left is headers, exhuast, wiring, shifter, clutch, and throttle.
This is going to take a while...
