Road legal Off road buggies
Discussion
The grown up variety, that is.
Those ones that have extra long custom suspension, that you see racing over dunes and dirt tracks. Where they happily take flying leaps 15 feet in the air and land so softly it's unreal.
Something like this:-
http://www.sicklines.com/news-images/primm.jpg
Does anyone know if there is a kit manufacturer (current or past) that makes something like this, that is road legal?
I know you can get teeny tiny one person (or two who *really* get on well together!) buggies which are toys, I'm not thinking of those.
Why?
Well, every time I go out in my weekend car (2006 Boxster S) and my fillings get shaken out a little bit more thanks to all the bloody pot holes all over the place that the council never bother repairing properly, I keep on wondering if I should change the Boxster and go completely the other way.
Something like a road legal one of those buggies could float over pot holes and you wouldn't even notice them. It could happily driver over the biggest of 'em, and any kerbs, pavements, half bricks, central divide, etc, etc, that one might feel the need to cross over.
But apart from Yank dirt circuit racing using the seriously huge V8 powered buggies, I can't find anything resembling it apart from the small toy ones.
Anyone got any ideas?
Those ones that have extra long custom suspension, that you see racing over dunes and dirt tracks. Where they happily take flying leaps 15 feet in the air and land so softly it's unreal.
Something like this:-
http://www.sicklines.com/news-images/primm.jpg
Does anyone know if there is a kit manufacturer (current or past) that makes something like this, that is road legal?
I know you can get teeny tiny one person (or two who *really* get on well together!) buggies which are toys, I'm not thinking of those.
Why?
Well, every time I go out in my weekend car (2006 Boxster S) and my fillings get shaken out a little bit more thanks to all the bloody pot holes all over the place that the council never bother repairing properly, I keep on wondering if I should change the Boxster and go completely the other way.
Something like a road legal one of those buggies could float over pot holes and you wouldn't even notice them. It could happily driver over the biggest of 'em, and any kerbs, pavements, half bricks, central divide, etc, etc, that one might feel the need to cross over.
But apart from Yank dirt circuit racing using the seriously huge V8 powered buggies, I can't find anything resembling it apart from the small toy ones.
Anyone got any ideas?
Thanks but not what I mean.
This sort of thing:-
or
Basically a custom chassis, extremely long range suspension, 4wd, nice V8, fat tyres. And maybe a flimsy plastic pretend body over the top, but I think I prefer them without.
Totally OTT, as useful as a snowball in hell, but fun. Which is what it's all about. (got a Focus for all the 'normal' duties so the weekend car can be absolutely anything I want, limited by cost obviously)
This sort of thing:-
or
Basically a custom chassis, extremely long range suspension, 4wd, nice V8, fat tyres. And maybe a flimsy plastic pretend body over the top, but I think I prefer them without.
Totally OTT, as useful as a snowball in hell, but fun. Which is what it's all about. (got a Focus for all the 'normal' duties so the weekend car can be absolutely anything I want, limited by cost obviously)
I know what you mean,
There are a few in the Jeep club I am in and non of them are or can be road legal.
If you want something as close as you can it needs to be a custon built vehicle.
Comfort = http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Jeep-Grand-Cherokee-OFFR...
Or a wrangler of similer = http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2003-JEEP-WRANGLER-GRIZZ...
More agressive woould cause MOT issues I would think.
There are a few in the Jeep club I am in and non of them are or can be road legal.
If you want something as close as you can it needs to be a custon built vehicle.
Comfort = http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Jeep-Grand-Cherokee-OFFR...
Or a wrangler of similer = http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2003-JEEP-WRANGLER-GRIZZ...
More agressive woould cause MOT issues I would think.
jay140285 said:
Nah, too standard for my taste.jay140285 said:
Or a wrangler of similer = http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2003-JEEP-WRANGLER-GRIZZ...
I like that but my valuation is half of what theirs is.jay140285 said:
More agressive woould cause MOT issues I would think.
I've been keeping an eye out for a UVA Fugitive which is very similar to what 'The Real Pig Dog' posted.They're road legal and are essentially a chassis with wheels and an engine.
I think the trick is finding something good and old that was legal before the strict SVA rules came in. I know modern vehicles have to be able to not crush an egg after hitting it at 15,000mph or similar.
I suppose another option open to me is trying to SVA one imported from the states, but I feel that might involve rather a lot of work.
Probably as much as building a kit car (but the end result would be a lot more fun in this case!)
http://www.dakar.co.uk/Dakar%204x4.htm
uses a 100 inch discovery or range rover chassis
uses a 100 inch discovery or range rover chassis
Edited by skyrover on Wednesday 22 May 18:14
Check out the 'Rakeway Bulldog' as I think its similar to your requirements. I think your basically after a winch challenge truck (although maybe without the winches if you like the look of the Eurotrial style competitions in the videos)
There are plenty of off road racer builders to choose from if your fancy the rallying with attitude type events, Matt Lee's Mattseratis, Guy Smiths GSR buggies, Rakeway's Ridgeback racer, Milners R5 Protrucks and new Evoque (550bhp
), Dave Marsh at QT Services who builds the Wildcats now, obviously Drew producing the Bowler Nemesis, Tornado motorsport etc etc etc!
I may be pointing you in the wrong direction or barking up the wrong tree but check a few out and see what you think.
There are plenty of off road racer builders to choose from if your fancy the rallying with attitude type events, Matt Lee's Mattseratis, Guy Smiths GSR buggies, Rakeway's Ridgeback racer, Milners R5 Protrucks and new Evoque (550bhp
), Dave Marsh at QT Services who builds the Wildcats now, obviously Drew producing the Bowler Nemesis, Tornado motorsport etc etc etc!I may be pointing you in the wrong direction or barking up the wrong tree but check a few out and see what you think.
Big Patrol: That looks nice and the videos look fun, I bet you enjoy it! Is that for sale?
BigBlock: That looks OK too. I wonder how much it'd cost to prepare it and SVA it, couple of £k? For me electronics and wiring is easy, welding I have next to no experience in (and don't have a welder)
PhillipM: Yes those Wildcats look a lot of fun, and the small compact size appeals to me. £14k new (more for road legal one) Worth considering and trying one out.
Sarge: Those Can Am Commanders, I see two groups of photos on Google - narrow wheel base that looks just like a quad and wide wheelbase. They also do look a bit tall but will definitely investigate these.
Les: Those look similar to the Wildcats and again, a heap of fun. Watched a video of one that's obviously been race prepared on a track day - very impressive. Upto 1.5G cornering force
There's a pre-owned one for sale on the manufacturers website for £31500 or so, going by that they're out of my price range!
GreenHornsAce: Head, Nail, Interface. That is perfect! I can't find any details on the web apart from that one made especially for one person. Is it a one off? Do you have a link to the manufacturer or UK distributor?
All brilliant suggestions folks, keep them coming and very much appreciated!
BigBlock: That looks OK too. I wonder how much it'd cost to prepare it and SVA it, couple of £k? For me electronics and wiring is easy, welding I have next to no experience in (and don't have a welder)
PhillipM: Yes those Wildcats look a lot of fun, and the small compact size appeals to me. £14k new (more for road legal one) Worth considering and trying one out.
Sarge: Those Can Am Commanders, I see two groups of photos on Google - narrow wheel base that looks just like a quad and wide wheelbase. They also do look a bit tall but will definitely investigate these.
Les: Those look similar to the Wildcats and again, a heap of fun. Watched a video of one that's obviously been race prepared on a track day - very impressive. Upto 1.5G cornering force
There's a pre-owned one for sale on the manufacturers website for £31500 or so, going by that they're out of my price range!GreenHornsAce: Head, Nail, Interface. That is perfect! I can't find any details on the web apart from that one made especially for one person. Is it a one off? Do you have a link to the manufacturer or UK distributor?
All brilliant suggestions folks, keep them coming and very much appreciated!
PhillipM said:
All those are generally built to order so you'll have to pick up the phone and ring Milners/Guy/etc, if you want something that serious. You are looking at serious money for some of them too though!
Heh, I realise a lot of the more ideal ones will be custom built or built from a chassis.I can see plenty of US companies selling tube chassis, you tell them what suspension, engine, box, diffs, axles, etc, etc, and they'll sort out the mounting points.
Doing that'd be tempting (and keep me busy in the garage for a year or three) but the cost of shipping a whole tube chassis, built, wouldn't be cheap. Plus engine, suspension, box, all the other parts, mods to make it SVA compatible. I will probably dig around the US forums a lot more to try to get a lot more accurate idea of the US costs, weights, shipping costs for the bits I can't get here, etc.
I'm sure that the people that commission these custom builds must sell them at some point (preferably before they're worth scrap metal value
), I just need to know where to look for them and then bide my time.I've found a place that will build a complete tube frame that bolts to a Beetle floor pan complete with all the running gear. They do a complete on the road buggy for £5k which sounds silly cheap. I'm going to go and have a look and see whether it's something I'd be interested in or not. Ccertainly merits investigation.
Powersliderides? Okay for a roadgoing toy, not up to the terrain the above suggestions will fly over though, but if it's a road toy that may be all you need.
As for finding second hand versions of the others AWDC/NORC/Marches4x4 websites for sale sections, however, many are pure competition use, so would need some work to get through an IVA.
http://www.allwheeldriveclub.org.uk/index.php/clas...
Most of those companies will just sell you a frame and/or bodywork+suspension to drop your own engines/drivetrain into though.
Or, save a lot of money and headache and buy an old french car on wafty suspension, because if you're worried about a few potholes then all the squeaks, rattles, whines and vibrations from most of these is going to really piss you off
As for finding second hand versions of the others AWDC/NORC/Marches4x4 websites for sale sections, however, many are pure competition use, so would need some work to get through an IVA.
http://www.allwheeldriveclub.org.uk/index.php/clas...
Most of those companies will just sell you a frame and/or bodywork+suspension to drop your own engines/drivetrain into though.
Or, save a lot of money and headache and buy an old french car on wafty suspension, because if you're worried about a few potholes then all the squeaks, rattles, whines and vibrations from most of these is going to really piss you off
Edited by PhillipM on Friday 24th May 23:03
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