project busa powered side by side....

**yoshi** · 06-22-2007, 11:43 PM

Project busa powered side by side....

Ok, *everyone knows the issues I had with the transworks box. *Well, I designed my first chassis around the unit, and the frame I built for that unit was pretty much trash, since it was quicker to build a new frame in my jig than to cut out and rebuild the back of the chassis. *So, the frame has sat in the back of my shop for the last 9 months collecting dust. *Well, about 2 o'clock yesterday afternoon I decided to pull the frame down and wack off the front end, floor, and all the subframe tubing so I could build a compressed version of my rail for a customer that sent in a deposit for it it over a year ago, and just called last week to say he has the funds to proceed. *

I worked for about 6 hours yesterday, and then about 4 hours this morning rebuilding the front end and dropping the floor down 4". *I raised the front of the seat up about 6.5" off the bottom and the rear is 4" off the bottom, this brought my feet back quite a bit (very comfortable by the way) and allowed me to shorten the front by 22". *Overall length of this frame is 113", which is .5" shorter than a stock rhino, so if I keep the tires inside the frame, I should be able to keep the overall length to 113" as well. *I am sucking the rear wheels in to the widest point of the frame which is 60", which is only 5" wider than a stock rhino. *I am gonna go with rear a-arms and of course it will have a busa powerplant and a jeffco reverse diff. *I will be using the wheels pictured below on this setup. *The rims are 14" and I can get the tires in 27" or 30" height. *Frame clearance will be about 3 or 4" and I have no idea of the travel numbers yet, but I will have the reverse unit mounted low and will be using my 40 degree plunging u-joint axles. *I am also putting a firewall infront of the occupants legst to enclose the cockpit as well as a lexan windshield. *

I designed it to use the same roof and side panels as my current design. *I will be building new rear bearing carriers for the a-arm suspension, and new spindles to mount the heims horizontal and to house the brakes on all 4 corners. *There is also a really good size space between the shocks and the firewall up front, so I will be building a trunk there. *There is also a huge space under the seats, so I will have an 1/8" floor, and then a 10 or so gallon fuel cell above that and below the seats. *I will then be able to mount the radiator and oil cooler where the gas tank was, and I will have trunk space where the old bumpstop cans were in the rear. *

I have been playing with the numbers and I believe I can get this built and available to the public for just under 28K, but I need to see how the numbers work out. *Lemme know what ya think. *This is a rough prototype, meaning it was thrown together to give me a visual reference. *I will build a second chassis based off this with a few adjustments, then I will build a fixture off that chassis to reproduce them. *So, there is a lot of cutting and quick fitments to get this looking the way it does so don't knock the details, lol..

**yoshi** · 06-22-2007, 11:52 PM

Oh yeah, these are the wheels I'm getting....

**Bugpac** · 06-23-2007, 12:51 AM

Looks good yoshi, all tho, seems a busa power plant in that short wheelbase may be a bit crazy....You are building a car right there that a lot of people want....Just not the cali duning people...

**yoshi** · 06-23-2007, 01:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bugpac\";p=\&quot

Looks good yoshi, all tho, seems a busa power plant in that short wheelbase may be a bit crazy....You are building a car right there that a lot of people want....Just not the cali duning people...

lol, thank ya much. *I realize now the market is a lot bigger for side by sides and trail stuff, so i'm expecting to sell a lot more of these than my full size rails. *The wheelbase is 90", and if I can get the track width down to 60" I will be very happy. *That short of a wheelbase and track width will make a large percent of the people happy, and i'm setting this thing up to upgrade to wider a-arms front and rear to increase the track width and wheelbase quite a bit. *Adding suspension components will make it bigger, but there's nothing I can do to make it smaller once it's done, so building it as small as I possibly can will open me up to both groups of people with bolt on parts. *I'm even thinking of pulling the side rails *back 4" (above where my current trailing arms mount), that way I can get the overall width down to 56" which is only 1" wider than a rhino..

far as weight. *My motor is low, the gas tank will be in the dead center of the rail on the floor, and the overall height will be less than a rhino, so yes, it will be peppy as all hell with the busa, but it won't be nearly as unstable as the rhino's..

**Bullnerd** · 06-23-2007, 01:57 AM

No offense but i like the new stubby version more than your standard size rail.

I like the back ,looks like the super buggies.

cant wait to see it done.

**yoshi** · 06-23-2007, 02:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bullnerd\";p=\&quot

No offense but i like the new stubby version more than your standard size rail.

I like the back ,looks like the super buggies.

cant wait to see it done.

no offense taken, I love both designs, I would prefer you like it better than to think it looks too stubby, that's what I was trying to stay away from. *When I first built the 2 seater, I thought it was way wide since I was use to seeing the single seater, now the single seater looks too small to me. *I just finished the side by side frame today, and it looked odd to me at first but I am really liking it. *I think that people who see both my current 2 seater and/or the new side by side version for the first time will love the way the side by side looks. *After all, what are they gonna be comparing it too, rhino's and other side by sides, right? *They are all so big and boxy looking, I defiantly think I have the edge on looks, and even though I have a 15" longer wheelbase, the overall length is .5" less than a rhino, so I can't wait to see what people think about it that are in the market for side by sides.

I love my current 2 seater, it's great for sand dunes and wide open spaces, but there are more places to take the side by side, so I am just opening myself up to a bigger market. *My next project is a 4 seater, I already have something in mind that hasn't been done before and will keep the length down. *I can't wait to start that, but I need someone to drop a deposit for it to make it happen AND have the time to prototype it. *I sold my first 2 seater, and all the ones shortly after it, before I had a completed rail. *People asked if I could make a 2 seat version of the single seater that looked as good, I said I could and they took my word and dropped money before seeing a completed product. *I think I have exceeded their expectations. *The current side by side is the same deal, a customer asked if I could do it, I said yes, so he dropped a deposit and is paying for the build as I go so it's not coming outta my pocket. *I will *do the same thing with a 4 seater, I won't build it just to build it, it has to look good, and I think I can pull it off and yes, it will have a busa powerplant. *I have figured out areas to cut weight so I can keep a 4 seater about the same weight as my current 2 seater I think, will be a fun project when the time comes...

**yoshi** · 06-23-2007, 03:32 AM

This is to kind of give an idea of the overall look. *These are not the tires I will be using, the rear is 31" tall, the front is around 30" I believe. *Ground clearance is 15"....

**chopshop** · 06-23-2007, 03:57 AM

Looks good ! I myself like the stubby front end look better. Wanna *see when its done as a roller so I can visual the size. *I think side x side are popular. Cant leave the G.F. or wife at camp. I hope too see your car in person someday at the SSSS. Or grporters when its done. He is about 2 1/2 hrs from me.