Tips for Building Your Own VW Sand Rail Buggy

In the pantheon of go-anywhere machines, there are few that are as unlikely as VW sand rail buggies and dune buggies. If you've ever seen a dune buggy climb up the side of a steep dirt hill, however, you quickly begin to realize that there really isn't much that a VW sand rail buggy can't traverse.

A Dune buggy is intended to be lightweight, powerful and protective. With a full roll cage to provide occupant safety as well as the structural integrity, but no body, a VW sand rail buggy is very much an open-air vehicle. They are not legal to drive in all states, but in others you can register them and purchase vehicle tags and license plates for them. On YouTube, there's a dedicated following of enthusiasts of VW sand rail buggies along with the videos to back up their claims.

Collecting parts for your VW sand rail buggy

VW rail buggies use very few parts in order to keep the vehicle's weight down, but the single most important part is the VW engine. Though most any front-wheel drive engine can be adapted to work with a VW sand rail buggy, the Volkswagen engine stands out because of the simplicity of its design, combined with the fact that it's air-cooled. An air-cooled engine requires less plumbing to install, and typically is subject to fewer mechanical mishaps, as long as you keep the engine temperature to a reasonable level while you're driving your VW sand rail buggy.

VW sand rail buggy frames

The second primary component of the VW sand rail buggy is the frame. There are two ways that you can go about putting together a frame for your rail buggy. You can purchase it in kit form from any of the number of manufacturers you can find on the internet, or you can fabricate the frame yourself. In general, the overall cost in dollars and in time spent on the project will be approximately the same, so particularly for beginning builders, its a good idea to go with a kit frame. This will ensure that you not only get the safest and best-quality ride in your VW sand rail buggy, but that you'll have fewer problems with obtaining parts that will fit the dune buggy.

VW dune buggy components

You'll be utilizing some parts and systems for your VW sand rail buggy that are salvaged off the Volkswagen that the engine came out of. While you can opt for expensive aftermarket parts, you can save money by using the rear axle and suspension, as well as the front suspension for your build. The brake systems from the Volkswagen may also be used, though upgrading from the original drum brakes to disc brakes is a good idea, particularly if you do intend to register and drive the VW sand rail buggy on the street.

The first thing that you need to do before you begin the process of building your own dune buggy is to buy a complete guidebook that will walk you step-by-step through the process of building your own dune buggy. Make no mistake, building your own VW sand rail buggy is far from an easy task, but at the same time, you'll find that its a joy to bring something that was once little more than a pile of tube steel and an engine, and turn it into one of the most capable off-road machines on the planet.

Sources:
dune-buggy.com: Building a Rail Buggy: www.dune-buggy.com