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A dune buggy is a customized off-road vehicle designed for sand use, often made from a Volkswagen Beetle. Sand rails are buggies designed specifically for sand use, while custom-built buggies offer more room for customization. The frame is usually made of tubular steel, and the engine size is chosen based on the vehicle’s size and suspension. Most buggies have manual transmissions, and some use fiberglass panels to save weight.
A buggy is a type of off-road vehicle designed for use on sand dunes or on beaches. The dune buggy is often a highly customized vehicle that is stripped down to save weight, and the engine is often upgraded for more power. The tires are usually quite wide and sometimes feature tucked-up wings that help the vehicle gain traction in loose sand. A buggy that is specifically designed for sand only is often called a sand rail, while more multi-purpose vehicles are known as buggies. The Volkswagen Beetle is a commonly used vehicle for customization into a buggy.
There are two common ways to make a buggy: the first is to buy a Volkswagen Beetle and customize it from there, and the second is to weld a frame from scratch and create a custom design. The Beetle is commonly used because the engine is rear-mounted, meaning much of the engine’s weight falls on the rear wheels rather than the front wheels. This weight distribution aids traction during sand use. Volkswagen parts are also often quite interchangeable, meaning smaller Beetle engines can be customized with parts from larger vehicles, such as the Volkswagen Bus.
Creating a buggy from scratch can be difficult and expensive, but it allows the builder more room for customization of the buggy, as well as unique designs that can improve the performance of the vehicle. The frame is usually made of tubular steel for strength and durability, as well as saving weight over solid steel. The general design of the vehicle will change based on the builder’s intended use for the vehicle; some sand rails tend to be quite long, while buggies intended for off-road use in other conditions can be shorter and even narrower. The manufacturer will choose the engine size based on the size of the vehicle, as well as the amount of suspension the vehicle features.
A buggy built from a Volkswagen Beetle is often a manual transmission; Custom buggies can feature either a manual or automatic transmission, depending on the builder’s preference. Most original Beetles came with a manual transmission from the factory, so most buggy owners stick with the original design and components if possible. Some owners replace the body panels with fiberglass panels to save weight over the original metal panels; It’s not uncommon to see fiberglass panels molded in the style of the original Beetle panels.
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