I first took a picture of this about ten years ago in a friends barn, it's funny how things come around eh?
My friends name is Steve Dyer and he's built quite a lot of stuff in the past, including a yellow Beetle on a Range Rover chassis that used to do RTTS etc. I built my beach buggy in the barn alongside this, so they kind of grew together.
It's based on a Rover 80 chassis, with the original front suspension, a narrowed Discovery back axle, 3.9ltr Rover and auto box. He took about three or four years to build it, enjoyed it for a while and then one day I found out another mate Clive had bought it.
On the way to the Autumn Riot 18months ago, I found out that Clive had put 'first dibs' on it when Steve wanted to sell. So I did the same.
Back in January Clive mentioned he was thinking about selling, offered first refusal to Steve, who is deep into a Mk2 Jag rod project and then it came to me. In another incestuous car based situation, I bought my beach buggy as an unfinished project from Clive in 1996, after selling him a bay window Crew Cab.
So, here it is. Landed back in the UK on Sunday night for a few weeks and sorted this on Monday. In the last four days I've done around 400 miles, pretty much everyone looking like this ;D
It runs solely on LPG, and goes pretty well, although it needs a tune. The suspension is pretty soft on the front end so when you load two people in, it comes down a bit... Not sure if this is hard slam, but it's pretty low.
Plans are to sort a few niggles out, maybe lose the flames off the side, change the exhaust back to side exits in front of the rear wheels, swap the rear lights back to Land Rover items and maybe make up a truck cab top...
PICSHURES>
My friends name is Steve Dyer and he's built quite a lot of stuff in the past, including a yellow Beetle on a Range Rover chassis that used to do RTTS etc. I built my beach buggy in the barn alongside this, so they kind of grew together.
It's based on a Rover 80 chassis, with the original front suspension, a narrowed Discovery back axle, 3.9ltr Rover and auto box. He took about three or four years to build it, enjoyed it for a while and then one day I found out another mate Clive had bought it.
On the way to the Autumn Riot 18months ago, I found out that Clive had put 'first dibs' on it when Steve wanted to sell. So I did the same.
Back in January Clive mentioned he was thinking about selling, offered first refusal to Steve, who is deep into a Mk2 Jag rod project and then it came to me. In another incestuous car based situation, I bought my beach buggy as an unfinished project from Clive in 1996, after selling him a bay window Crew Cab.
So, here it is. Landed back in the UK on Sunday night for a few weeks and sorted this on Monday. In the last four days I've done around 400 miles, pretty much everyone looking like this ;D
It runs solely on LPG, and goes pretty well, although it needs a tune. The suspension is pretty soft on the front end so when you load two people in, it comes down a bit... Not sure if this is hard slam, but it's pretty low.
Plans are to sort a few niggles out, maybe lose the flames off the side, change the exhaust back to side exits in front of the rear wheels, swap the rear lights back to Land Rover items and maybe make up a truck cab top...
PICSHURES>