My Sidewinder off-road buggy build *VIDEO ADDED*

[jones]

Hi,
First post here. I have just finished school and, in my 4 month break, decided to build an off-road buggy. After much research I came to the conclusion that http://www.edge.au.com/ had the best designs out there (no, I don't have any financial interest in the company). Plans for the sidewinder arrived and this is how far I have progressed with the project so far.

Frame:







Rear suspension swingarm:





Front suspension swingarms:





The buggy is not designed for sand dunes. It is designed for rough tracks where very high speed cornering is required, so on the dirt will go MUCH faster than a sand dune buggy.
Last week I went to a salvage auction for motorbikes and picked up this little beauty for a great price:



It is a 2007 Suzuki GS-500F with only 9,500 kms on it (5,900 miles). It has 47hp, it's oil and air cooled cooled, twin cylinder, AND has a 6 speed gearbox. I will be changing the rear sprocket from ~37 tooth on the bike, to 50 tooth on the buggy, so it should have great acceleration and a top speed of around 110 kph (70 mph) which is plenty fast enough for me.

Here is the engine after a friend and I removed it from the bike (it is HEAVY!):





Should have some more updates soon-ish once I get the engine put in

Andrew

[bogstandard]

Andrew,

That is a real sweet project you have on the boil there.

The engine looks plenty powerful enough for what you want to achieve, it is no use overpowering the buggy, if you can't use it.

Are you going to use any of the other bits off the bike, or are you going to ebay them to recoup some of the cost?

John

[Bernd]

Hey Andrew,

Glad to see you made it over hear. 

Stick around for a while so we cam see the finished buggy.

That's a nice little buggy you got going there. I built a dune buggy back in 1976 on a full length VW pan. had it on the road one year. Still have the remains of it (pan & body all seperate). Used a 1600CC V Dub engine. I'm going to have to dig those pics out.

Bernd

[CrewCab]

Andrew, welcome aboard.
Looking good so far, kep us updated please 

CC

[Brass_Machine]

Nice start! Definitely keep posting up!

Eric

[Divided he ad]

Hi Andrew.... That looks like fun


I don't have much on bike engines... But car engines.... Ripped hundreds of them apart.... They can't be that different ehh!!?


I'll be watching this one like the rest of the members.... it looks like too much fun not to view your progress 



Ralph.

[Darren]

Same goes here Andrew, I one built a car from scratch so know how difficult setting those frames up can be.

Looks neatly done, please keep us updated I'm sure many of us here woud like to see how this turns out...

[cedge]

Coming from a background with VW rail buggies built for mountainous off roading, I'd have to predict that short wheel base and your choice of motors is going to combine be a real adrenaline producing ride. One of the guys in our group shortened his frame a wee bit more than prudent and the word "exciting" was only a mild description of the experience. Hill climbing while having only two non-steering wheels on the ground will tighten anyone's rectal orifice...LOL

Glad to see you using some substantial metals. You'll appreciate that to its fullest when things get awkwardly pear shaped at speed. Having ridden mine through a roll over that repeated 5 1/2 times, I was ready to kiss that trusty frame when I crawled out unscathed. They don't have a ride like that at Six Flags over Georgia.... for good reason.

Steve

[jones]

Thanks very much for the comments everyone, seems like there are a few people on this board interested in this type of thing. Let me just say 

John, I'm going to sell pretty much all the parts from the bike. I think (hope) that I will be able to get ALL my money back which I spent on the bike. The bike was $1000 and I have just seen, on ebay, a used petrol tank (without the carbon fibre stripe that mine has and from an earlier model) which went for $340, so... it should be doable. I might even make some money!

I'll be using the rear brakes from the bike, but maybe not the disc. I will sell the front brakes.

Yesterday I found a pair of shocks at a wreckers, but they are a bit pricey. $110 each  Still, that's better than the Edge price of $850 for 3 I am on sort of a tight budget, but that's part of the fun!

Today I am going to go and get those shocks for the front and possibly a rear shock. I'll also try to mount the engine. Since  I will also take some updated pics and post them here.

Stay tuned!

Andrew

[bogstandard]

Andrew,

That would be a real killing if you can get the engine for free, and a bit of left over loose change in your pocket as well.

Have you got machining facilities or can this all be built with a chop saw, welder and a hand drill?

I will say now, I am not into this sort of thing (except for the bikes bit), but I just like to see how other people get on with totally different projects to what I get up to. It is fascinating.

John

[jones]

I have a workshop for model engineering which has a 12"x36" lathe, mill drill, shaper, drill presses, and angle grinders but almost all of this buggy can be made with hand tools. It just means you have to buy a few more parts so it becomes more costly.

[Bernd]

Yup, your right 

Sounds like you've got the whole thing under control. Hope you make out with selling the parts.

By the way, I went to that site, I like the accessories that come with these carts. I didn't know they came in sets though. 

Bernd

[jones]

Yeah, you can buy the karts in kit form and weld them together yourself. However, mine is 100% built in house to save money, and build my welding and fabrication skills. Will have pics soon when I finish.

[jones]

OK, I have done a bit more since the last update. HAVE PICS!

Close up of the bars which I added to the front of the frame:



Put on the rear suspension mounts:



Cut the frame



Then welded it back together 20mm downwards. The HUGE Suzuki engine won't fit otherwise











I also bought two shocks from a yamaha XT-550. Unfortunately the designer of the Edge buggies says that I will have to upgrade the springs in them to make them work properly. I will see how it goes.

Andrew

[sbwhart]

Hi Andrew

Great Project  real neat welding job, welding is one skill I couldn't get to grips with, so have huge admaration for any one who can

Look forward to your next up date

 
Have fun

Stew

[Darren]

Stew,

Where are you based?

I would be only too happy too happy to share any knowledge I may have with welding.
The welder is here if you are not too far away.

N/Wales

[Darren]

Gettin' excited yet Andrew, I know I did when I got my engine in....it's almost finished init...

Well not quite, but you must feel like you're getting on with this....

[Bernd]

By the way, I went to that site, I like the accessories that come with these carts. I didn't know they came in sets though. 

Yeah, you can buy the karts in kit form and weld them together yourself.

Not quite what I had in mind. It's those two nice females sitting on the Barracuda. 

I see your mounting the engine on the side. Won't that make it a bit unbalanced in the handling department?

Bernd

[sbwhart]

Stew,

Where are you based?

I would be only too happy too happy to share any knowledge I may have with welding.
The welder is here if you are not too far away.

N/Wales

Hi Darren

I'm based in Crewe about ten minutes from John's in fact I've just come from John's he was doing a bit of milling for me that was too big for my machine.
 
Cheers

Stew

[Darren]

Oh yes of course you are, that "Stew" 

OK you chaps over the pond, shut your eyes cos I just know you won't relate to this next bit....

I'm Nr Porthmadog and I know it doesn't look far on the map these roads are not what you could call quick.....!!

I think it took me nearly two hrs to get to Johns last time.
You are more than welcome all the same, though it might be a bit far for you just for a quick demo on welding?
But if you do get down this way do give me a shout....

[Bernd]

I don't want to take away from Andrews nice build here, but I mentioned earlier in the htread that I had pics of a buggy I had built back in 1976. Found the pics and here they are.







Now back to Andrews nice buggy build.  

Bernd

[zeusrekning]

Still cant wait to see it finished. I am having a hard time tracking down engines. I would really like to have an XR650 but... If only I knew a motorcycle guy, hmmm maybe on in the new jersey area. YEAH Eric, any good leads on salvaged bikes up your way???

[jones]

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Bernd, that looks like SO MUCH FUN. You did a really good job on that buggy.
The buggy will be unbalanced, it's sort of inherent in the design. HOWEVER, I will be putting a large (35L) fuel tank and car battery on the other side of the buggy to try and balance it out... when it's full of fuel.

I have a small update. I have done 2.5 of the 4 engine mounts. I need to get some bolts to do the front and rear mounts because they need to be removable so that I can get the engine in and out.









All mounts have these machined washers (made on the lathe) so that if it needs to be moved slightly I can machine a slightly thicker/thinner washer to move the engine.



Here is a picture of the frame as it is now



And Rocky likes to think he has helped a bit



Andrew

[Bernd]

Thanks Andrew,

Now that you mention the tank and battery I do rememeber seeing them on the buggy site. Now it makes sense.

Great idea with the washers. One never thinks of using a system like that to shim sideways. It's alway up and down.

I don't think Rocky helps. I think he supervises. He just lets you think he's helping. Ask Bogs his Bandit does the supervision in his shop and don't let him tell you different. 

I'm realy interested in the drive train and steering on that buggy. But I can wait till you get to it.

Bernd

[Brass_Machine]

Good work so far Andrew. On my trike frame design I am doing almost the same thing with the shims and engine placement. Glad to see I am not the only one!

Eric

Rocky's job is to supervise, criticize and heavily observe!