Just need braces

Differs from the original plan a little but the look now suits the rest of the build. Killed a 32mm TCT holesaw making the yokes for the forks and waiting on a delivery for a replacement. The only way to make big tidy holes in stainless quickly. Once I have the forks welded I can judge the seating position add the final bracing and start on the rest. Still a lot of cleanup to do but you get the idea:

Just struggled some big tyres onto the 11" asymmetrical rims. May just make it in time for the 4-5July buggy bash at Raglan.

Goose loose on the Moose

In order to match the size and add a bit of weight in the front I went with a Protask style gooseneck. Still have to clean a pickle it a bit after adding some tabs for the mudflap.


Original idea was to make a 'cubbyhole' recess to hold the GPS but it shielded the unit too much. Built a second with slightly less recess and have a block of PVC to make a holder out of using some acrylic for the face.


My visit to the recyclers proved fruitful and I could have spent a few hundred dollars on material. Got the flatbar I needed and stuck to my $40 limit. Today I did a little work on the seat frame and welded some gussets on the bolt tabs for the rear damper. Still pondering a yoke profile though I'm sorted on a way to match the rest of the design.

Evolutionary progress

1998 - Bit more padding and bigger wheels
This was the year PL introduced the midi wheel. The first shipment was sold before I'd even heard of them. In the mean time I found these 15" midi's which was a great upgrade from the 12" barrows. Decided to build a new frame, adding lenght and width. By this time I had also sourced a better sewing machine for building foils which came in handy for making buggy seats, foot straps and padding.


2002 - Bigfoots, higher rails and goosenecks
Finally scored a set of PL Bigfoot classics and built a buggy to suit them. First use of a gooseneck downtube. The picture shows the PL fork that has since been replaced and the 1" tube siderails has also been braced to cope with riding dunes.


2003 - The dark side prior to the hiatus
After failing to teach my wife to buggy I built her this small landyacht and while she still does not grasp basic sailing it's near impossible not to have fun with it.


Finally built a race buggy using 1.25" tubing, 25mm stub axles and a gooseneck downtube. By this time there was less than a handfull of buggiers in Auckland and no regular following.

New found inspiration.

13 years after taking up kiting I found my passion for buggying has waned a little. The freedom of the sea and watersports has always been more attractive. However buggying has always satisfied a more technical aspect for me. While I used to build a kitesurf board now and then it never involved the joy of machining and welding up a steel buggy frame.

Now I finally find myself with a TIG welder, lathe, mill and more importantly, enough room to work. So when a group of locals set off to challenge 100kph speeds it ignited a spark. To celebrate my new found passion I set off designing something new to build a buggy the way I want to build it.

Criteria:
Bigfoot wheels - choice of Duro's on 7" or 11" assymetric hubs
Leading link front fork
Chunky gooseneck downtube - parallel rectangular box section
Spaceframe seat/box frame - 1" tube with bracing and gooseneck socket, no flange clamps
Duratorq style dampener - multiposition end flanges allow some adjustment
Double tube axle with 25mm solid stub axles

Alternative to duratorq:
Springboard laminated back axle

Additional:
Built in GPS holder on gooseneck
Checkerplate alloy skidpan

Where it began.

1997 - Fabricating my first kitebuggy with little more than a hacksaw, handfiles, drill and a MMAW welder.


The 12" wheels were too small. The frame was too light. The steering was just a little better than a decade old shopping trolley.
But it was my first!