My early volkspares/vw(?) buggy

[Pine]

I like Tony777's design, especially the fact that it is anchored so securely to the chassis. The rear part offers support for the fibreglass body at the back, and is especially helpful if you want to carry a load at the back. This is Volkspares' standard 6-point anchor SWB Lolette cage (which utilizes the front part as a window frame), for a LWB buggy the centre 'T' bars are simply made longer

[buggyfan]

Tony, a lekker build man. Tell us more about your cage, why the particula design (particularly towards the rear), and have you got more build photos of the cage?

I am building a buggy and first thing on my mind is a cage - style, pipping, etc. I am though building a lwb, so a tad different too.

Pine, are there any 'off the book' cage designs one can get a hold of, especially for a lwb?

Tony did you bend the cage yourself(own bender) or did you have it done?

[tony777]

howzit Hloni

Uhh yeah no problem. Il organise a few more pictures of the cage. Well, I wanted something that would be strong but also I had a very specific side profile that i wanted to achieve.. Hence I started with the two main hoops (the two that run parallel with the windscreen) then added the two braces between them. At this stage I basically had a standard volkspares looking cage. Then I built the little 'box' in the back to brace the cage further and this meets up with the cage that bolts on around the engine. This was important to me because I wanted both a strong roll cage and a strong engine cage. You see, in case of rollover, if the cage gets any force applied to it, I didnt want it to fold anywhere. I may still be putting an 'X' cross brace in the main hoop behind the seats. The cage was all my own design and idea, because I simply wasnt happy with any of the other cages available out there.

It was extremely easy to build. I modelled the cage first with 10mm solid steel bar. It is easy enough to bend with your hands, and i just traced the outline of where I wanted the cage to go. Then, I would go to the local exhaust shop, and i would get it bent up accordingly. I didnt use a mandrel bender as you can see, but frankly, if you brace the cage correctly I dont think it lands up being much weaker. Also, Its a hell of a lot cheaper! I built the cage over about 2weeks in a holiday, and it cost me around R1500 from front to back, powder coating included.

[tony777]

Here are a few more pictures I found while digging. You guys might be able to see the cage a little better in one of these. Please excuse the horrible wiring It was halfway through when these pictures were taken.

[Tony Z]

@ Tony Z - yeah at this point i dont think i had any dampers in either. i sourced old motorbike coilovers and put them in which worked fine, ride height is just where i wanted it, but the damping is unfortunately too weak. this means that standing still she is perfect but the second the buggy hits a bump, the wheels go in too easy. busy hunting for something similar with stronger damping. all im worried about moving her back to standard setup is that dreadedpositive camber look..

as for the tyres, yeah they are great, but i feel like im running out of power with them. I have a 1300box, which should help for the ratio's but she still feels a little sluggish. next thing, once she has been run in properly, is to look for a 36 downdraft and replace that silly solex maybe then she will feel better.

Do you still have the rubber bump stops? Maybe using bus bumpstops (bigger) might help.

[Tony Z]

BTW, that cage looks fantastic!!

[tony777]

Thanx ;0 yeah im looking for bigger bump stops at the moment. Know of any?

[hitlers revenge]

Cool buggy! Tell us where you got your headlights from and what model are they. Thanks

[tony777]

uhh, I will have to get back to you on exact model number, but they are IPF lights. Takes a H4 globe, which is nice for getting past roadworthy, and they have a concave shape to the actual glass which gives an incredible light when driving at night.

[tony777]

Ok so there is alot of dispute over this body shape.. I believed it was an early volkspares body for a very long time but I have heard from a reliable source that vw made a few factory built buggies themselves long ago and this is one of theirs? mayb you guys could shed a little light on this situation? thanx

[hitlers revenge]

In your first post you asked for criticism, well I just have one question. Why didn't you turn the tank around so that the filler is placed right in front of the driver?

Otherwise as I said previously , that is one cool buggy

[tony777]

hehe, I actually really should have turned the filler round. only problem is that the tanks shape is specific to its direction. I could have cut the nozzle off and re-welded one at the top, but when I bought the body it already had a hole cut out for the filler there, so i figured it would be fine. Now its landed up a little too close to the spots for my liking, but, it might be a future modification

[Pine]

Ok so there is alot of dispute over this body shape.. I believed it was an early volkspares body for a very long time but I have heard from a reliable source that vw made a few factory built buggies themselves long ago and this is one of theirs? mayb you guys could shed a little light on this situation? thanx

To the best of my knowledge, VW never produced a factory buggy looking like yours, the closest they came to a fibreglass model was the Project 1021, recently discussed elsewhere here on ACVWSA -



Yours could be an early Lolette, this pic, taken in 1968, is of one that won the Roof of Africa Rally in 1968.



This is a 1971 Lolette ad:




This pic is of a 90's Volkspares Lolette, it has the Volkspares logo of the time (a Baja Bug) moulded into the bottom centre of the nose, and the rear has a 'ridge' above the rear wheels and engine, not 'smooth' like yours.

[Hloni]

If you check the Volkspares Lolette which Pine posted, the filler too is far left on the bonnet.
Tony777, maybe keep it that 'unique' way.
Seems like you has yourself some gem there boet

1 advice though: please add some form of reflectors on your buggy. Last thing you want is someone slamming you up the rear!!

[tony777]

Thanx for the research guys It made my day!! iv been looking like mad to try find evidence of my buggy but i think you have hit it on the head!
I am very stoked that it is in fact a Volkspares buggy, as this means its not only South African but also a classic (I am a bit of a classic freak)

oh, and reflectors will be going on