Hasn't Run In Years! '60s Dune Buggy Rebuild | Roadkill Garage | MotorTrend
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- Опубліковано 8 лют 2025
- Steve Dulcich’s teenage dreams finally come true as David Freiburger surprises him with a new project: a 1965-ish VW Dune Buggy! The guys have mastered the American engine; now it’s time they take on something new, or at least new to them. The “Boon Duggy” has a German-engineered four-cylinder 1200 boxer engine boasting a furious 40 horsepower and a four-speed transaxle. There’s only one problem-it’s been sitting around for years and may not even run. Will the guys’ knowledge of V-8s translate to VWs, or will they figure out how to overheat an air-cooled engine? Watch as the guys have maximum fun with minimal car.
#roadkillgarage #motortrend #DuneBuggy
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Lucky Dave didn't mess his arm up by putting it down during the flip. Remember kids just hold on to your seat belts and keep all hands and feet inside the vehicle
Lucky Dave should be his name 😂
My cousins arm is still crooked from that
put up netting dummys
The Honda Odyssey’s of the 80s had rubber loops you put your hands through. Saved my arms from being broken a few times, those things flipped over soooooooooooooooooo easily. It was like driving a crane off road 😂
One of my students rolled up to my dojo 1 time with the bones sticking through his arm from that. Great day gone bad.
Those old VW beetles and sand rails are sweet. The whole no water pump, radiator thing is awesome. People get some good power from those engines also. I've kinda always wanted one.
Im rebuilding my dads one, im excited to eventually ride it.
I had this stupid smile on my face it's through the whole video I built 1 when I was 20 21 May be Maybe not as cool as this but as fun as it my friend rolled mine mine mine was square built with angler iron and scrap and still had the original full length pan And had the most fun Not insane but in the bush had this long Anglian bumper welding on the front to push the bus over man thank you guys you brought back Great memories
im a big air cooled VW fan, and its super cool to see Roadkill actually drive one!
I watch every episode of roadkill garage. This is the only episode that ever convinced me to buy a specific vehicle. My wife and I are shopping for a sand rail. VW power!
That space frame has pretty good lines.
Love how the rear camber varies wildly with suspension travel. Looks like a ton of fun to drive though
It wasn't until I think 1968 maybe 1970 before the CV axle version of the transaxle for these was produced. So if you're going to build one of these, be sure you know which transaxle you are going to use because the frame is different in the back.
Is a transaxle like a transwoman?
It wants to be an axle but the truth is it’s a gearbox 🤣
Another great episode on a vehicle I have always kind of wanted but have never owned yet... On another note Steve looks pretty darn respectable with that nice haircut. 😁👍
What are you waiting on go get you one there's no better time to be in vws in right now because the old parts that didn't work from EMPI back in the day or all dried up and gone with the technology we have the parts of really gotten a lot better and there's the internet to always help when you run into problems real buggies are cheap✌🍺 sorry for the spelling mistakes I'm using voice text because I have a broken screen and can't really text
I bought one of those whin I was 19 about 50 years ago it was great fun. I almost died a couple of times and the jumps and vibration killed the battery so killing the engine in a sandy area was difficult to get it running again. With no fenders the tires threw everything at you driving in the rain was a special experience.
OMG, a friend of mine bought one almost identical to this for $400 back in 1980 IIRC...I learned to drive manual with it and we had TONS of fun with it back in our pre-license days!.....it did have expanded metal floor so one could fully enjoy the open air experience 🤣
my first race car was a VW Beetle. slow, but fun for the times--the '60s. It ran in NHRA's I-Gas class. dune buggies were everywhere then, and not only in the dunes. i still have the exhaust header for that VW race car. it had a 1600 engine. the header is available if anyone who is interested.
I have witnessed the near impossible hill climbs these rail buggies can conquer in Wellsville Ohio and some other areas. Granted they were a little longer, wider, more powerful and had chunky V tread tires on the back. Looks like tons of fun!!
That right there was a good ol grip an flip! I’d have to say as both an automotive mechanic and small engine mechanic the experience from small engines is better applied to these it’s got more in common with an rc aeroplane engine or mower engine than virtually any car lol
Holy cow towards the end of the video I noticed my cheeks hurting my love for rails has me smile the whole video. Thanks guys
MORE BUGGY! That thing is sweet!
I liked Dulcich's first outtro. Chill and soothing. Am I wrong
The car of all seasons and generations! Proven and Tested!
Now I know why they put the fence up, where they rolled over, in Steve Dulcich’s video 🙂. Good video. Best Regards - Mike
Man! Love those old buggies!! I remember when I was a kid & the Manx hit the streets! They've really evolved today! THAT buggy is a time warp! Killer find!👍
I have that same dune buggy in the 4 seater model in my back yard. Runs great!
Rule no.1 during a roll over keep arms and legs inside the cage.
When I working at Andy Mannarino's shop in Detroit back in 1994-2002 there was a friend of Andy's who had a VW sand rail that he's expertly grafted the engine and front drive train from an Olds Toronado onto the back of the thing and the we'd built a 455 that made 480 hp. I never got a chance to drive it but I rode in it, INSTANT Wheelie machine and Fast! (on a 300 foot dirt drag strip) But a Buddy from years before that had like a 1962 VW we'd put a Baja KIt on it then built a VW engine and a Bus cklutch1 Lots of fun driving that thing off road, outrunning the cops and such!
vw sand rails are super cool, i try making as much vids as i can driving, building,and havin fun.
glad your all good, that was super crazy
I bet if the tires were aired down they could have got out of that sand. Looks like a lot of fun and I was always amazed on the ride of the vw suspension. They don’t beat you up on rough roads.
Sweeeeet!! Love those VW sand rails, and the one than ran round LA or another city.
I'd love to build one on a faux VW Splitter, wasn't your fault it was the rear swing axle at the back.
You could see it coming a mile off after they said they didn't want to roll the buggy.
In the 80s we had them here but with aluminium body panels and LWB and some fitted with colour coded V8's or VW moors.
I'd love to find one local to me and rebuild it with more power that it needs, maybe a Subaru Boxer engine.
The open sound of the engine and rippin' it down the blacktop.
Here in Australia dirt-bikers usually rub brand-new helmets in the dirt before using them. It's a superstition about having the helmet hit the dirt so it's over and done with and you fend off Lady Luck so you don't headbutt the dirt yourself.
This is great! 👍 What good clean fun!
That thing is really fun!
I had the exact same skid lid as that blue one visor and all.
A quick VW tip...when ajusting the valves cyl.numbers 1,2,4. exhaust at .006,cyl number 3 at .007-.008,the oil cooler makes no.3 run a bit hotter.
Ahh cheers man..got one in Aust about to get love!!🍻
Most 009 dizzys have a ground lobe for number 3 also to help with the heat
I had a volkswagen pipe frame buggy like this as a kid on the farm, it was amazing I didn't kill myself in the thing!
I hope to see more of the buggy
Please send this to my house as a gift hahaha fan since day 1
With some floating.. Brake mount located fenders and a set of LED lights and flaps.. Probably be a less scary rig. Backs can be left open for Smokey burnout
Well done boys!
Needs spring plate stops and a camber compensator but that still won't prevent tail happy spinouts. Mid-engine or IRS is the way to go.
That was cool. Would love to see this full episode
I learned to drive stick on one of these. Great memories!
I’ll fix it up for you for the revisit. Swap the rear suspension for a later IRS setup, fix the fan and engine.
Dave's helmet reminds me of the old Battle of the Planets cartoon. G-Force!
Keep your arms in the ride Fry!!
When they roll watch him put his arm out. This could have cost him his arm. This is why you grab the straps when you roll.
Dang that short wheelbase frame is a beastly appearance.
The old air cooled VW powerplants were used in the airboats down in the glades.
I’m not gonna lie , I’ve always wanted a dune buggy!
OMG I laughed so loudly when Dulcich flipped that bad larry.
in 1973 I first learned to drive a Rail Buggy (which is what this is, not a Dune buggy:, a dune buggy is different). I was driving solo at the ripe old age of 6, running the clutch, and shifting gears by myself.
Did you ever have a roll over?
Next you can try a high performance motor with the stock transaxle. That always works out well ;-)
I have One. 4 seater 2.4liter straight 6 diesel. No problem whatsoever
Though the Tiny movie I have on my Chanel shows it with the 1.6 VW diesel if One checks it
for the price, should swap for air-cooled 911 engine and transmission. turbo running gear if balling. this would be a greatest setup and would be cheaper.
Something I learned the hard way 50 years ago...
if you do any of roading with that sand rail.... you might want to put some of the orginal tin work on between the valve covers and engine block to help protect the push rod tubes.....
Nothing beats VW powered adventures
ok... now I want a vintage dune buggy.
Awesome. I want it !
Can't not love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍
That camber is what made em roll
It looks like an early to mid 70s rail, my own was state or the art in 77 when I built it. MIne was also sand only, mid-engine with paddle tires and two ply. That old car can go either way, a rock crusher or a sand rail just by changing the wheels and tires. Just for fun, read Everything you need to know to keep your VW alive. It's so basic but has all the info you need!
Like watching batman and robin .Great with hot cup of coffee. 😎👍
You only crash when your buddy talk about crashing! It called a Jinx! We had a guy in our play group and we called him the JINX MASTER! We got rid of him after a few episodes!LOL
Ya gotta admit; for a 60+ year old mod design on a 90 year old VW design, those things make a great off roader.
As in, Why would anyone buy a $25K side by side? when you can buy/build a ‘rail for way less money.
This car is worth a good resto-mod build-do it!
Thumbs up!
Looking at the swing axle, I had a thought. Correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't the swing axle make you even more prone to rolling over? All the buggies I grew up with were never swing axles and we never had any rolling issues. I feel like the positive camber specifically would run a higher risk of rolling vs a regular IRS axle. More surface area for the tire to work with ya know? I'm just genuinely curious because I'm not an expert, but I love buggies lol. They were my childhood
It's called "jacking" and is a trait of swing axle suspension. The early Corvairs had the same type of swing axle, and made Ralph Nader famous with his "Unsafe at any Speed". Cornering forces cause the rear to lift, lose traction and spin out. Or roll if light and grippy enough. Both the Beetle and Corvair later switched to trailing arm suspensions with gave better handling.
@@thoriated ooooh I see. Thank you!
Correct. Something most high-performance bug owners have learned the hard way, myself included! 😉There's a contraption called a Z bar that helps. But IMO, better just to go with the latter chassis with IRS.
Try dual port cylinder heads, you will pick up a little bit of power, although they do tend to crack in between the valves.
I want one.. my brother has a Myers Manx sitting and rotting in Ridgecrest.. wish I had the time
Make the time if it's a legit Meyers manx it's worth a lot of freaking money dude trust me I've been doing it for 25 years if it's a knockoff go save it anyways😂✌ I'm in California I ship parts and back it up with knowledge and troubleshooting help like I tell my friends who put things off you don't get time back in life 10 minutes here an hour there 2 hours here and there it all adds up to a finished car instead of wishing you were doing something✌🙏
Just do it! 😉
Congradulations Ground-Strap, you successfully trouble-shot something a 12 y/o would have done in Temecula in 1970! Maybe you know even less.
get that buggy doing wheelies
If you had enough power and traction to wheelie, the stock transaxle would grenade shortly after you dumped the clutch.
I want one of those so bad. I have a twin cam Harley motor with a six speed that would be great on that chassis
Your back plate on the generator is mounted upside down ;). And ps your running a 30 horse. Im betting some dude is willing to trade a 1600 dual port or even something beefier for it.
"I don't want to go to crazy with the slides, if you roll this thing you could hurt yourself"
-Goes crazy into slide and rolls it
You just HAD to say something didn't you?
The boon duggy!
Crashing a swing axle VW by de-cambering the rear end is another thing we have in common ;-)
Same. 😉
This is the best car you've bought in years. i love this car 🥰
so
When are you boys gonna build another barn and put the cars under cover and buy a lift there only $4k these days
This rocks
Keep them arms inside, protect your squish melon, chin down, arms in. Which motorcycle engine are you putting in? Liquid cooled? Rotax? Goldwing?
Just got a buggy project for $50 today , gonna be fun
Inspired to dig mine out....
Good luck 👍
As a 51 year old, born in Visalia California, this area your in looks very familiar to where I grew up. I'm guessing somewhere between Fresno and Visalia? Selma? Kingsburg?
Hopefully Ole Steveo meant by stuffing it with a Big Romping Two Liter sporting a legit set Italian 48 IDA’s or a side draft turbo backed by a 4 puck clutch coupled with Rancho 091 Bus box with all the upgrades 930 cvs 3 x 3 arms and 6” over beam with double shear shock hoops for the mid travel suspension with all inbetween components someone of knowledge would use to tie it all together!
Steveo and David would be instant Type One enthusiast guaranteed!
Need to upgrade it a bit. Also those rear tires angled put make me nervous.
I thought for sure Fryburger was gonna break his arm
Had 3 or 4 buggies, rear brake hose's break down inside locking up won't drain back fluid... Just a thought
Really. Wide back tires next time Guys! helps your stability on your turns, and keeps you right side up!
The reason yall rolled over was because of the transaxle yall using. Swing axles are notorious for rolling over what you need is an IRS out of old Volkswagen bus you that that on the IRS out of a Porsche. Either one can handle a mildly powered V-8. As long as you don't get too wild doing burnouts. But the IRS keeps the rear tires flat and level
and yes I have even rolled these.
Those nobby front tires throw rocks pretty hard and corners could hurt
"I don't wanna roll it"
*procedes to roll it*
Is the rear camber adjustable. They way the are tipped it will cause it to roll Easier due to making the tire edge bite
Easiest engine to work on or change!! 4 bolt's hold the engine on, started bolt's, throttle linkage and a fuel and your done!!
All that camber
The Tune Buggy
Y'all are killing me. That is a rail buggy. A dune buggy has a fiberglass body.
Dulcic......""I want to take it easy....47 seconds later....."I nearly killed Freiberger"
Procharger next😁
muy buen video
"I can overheat anything!" David Freiburger
i make monsters out of these all year long for less than 5k . 90s triple thundercat snowmoblie motor with muffler delete ,vanagon irs set up with foa 14 inch travel bypass shocks , 33 inch atv interco boggers on 14 inch rims , plexi windshield , window nets , 6 point harness , ditch the front axle and make a-arms with g body spindle and brakes
The reason it rolled is the corvair style rear suspension.
The VW has the Corvair beat by 22 years. But yes, the swing axle suspension set up like that is no where near as stable. But unless you run IRS or Portals you won't get the lift for big tires or ground clearance.
Vw came out with the swing axle before gm did,gm copied vw
I think it needs some dual Weber carbs
Oil cooler in the fan shroud!? How did you miss that
muy buen coche, como se podría conseguir los planos para fabricar uno a qui en Europa?
Those sandrails finish the baja 1000 on a regular basis
Love it