Homemade Amphibious side by side (aatv)

[hayseed]

Originally Posted by Positrac

I have no idea Red Bullets on the legal requirements when it comes to tires/fenders for driving on the street. I only leaned the tires up against my truck to show how big they are compared to a 3/4 ton Powerwagon on 35’s. This buggy is strictly for off-road use only and the tires are not street legal.

I did however narrow the Dana 60’s so that the overall width was legal for towing down the highway without a permit. If I remember right the maximum width without a permit is 8’6” and the buggy will be sitting just under 8’ in width at the widest (tires) point.

You do not a permit of any kind for over 8'6
Flags will do ya up till 10, then a d sign


Can't wait for the finished product!!!!

[Kurt505]

Originally Posted by hayseed

Can't wait for the finished product!!!!

That's a big X2!

[Positrac]

Well, I’ve done a pi$$ poor job on this thread...

[Positrac]

The buggy build is moving along, albeit there were a few months where life got in the way...

Here are the axles narrowed up to 54” wheel mounting surface to wheel mounting surface.

[Positrac]

I found a 2003 Cavalier with 120 k’s on it. I drove it around for a while and it ran like a champ so out came the 2.2L Ecotec and 4T-40 automatic transaxle.

[Positrac]

The 4T-40 was split and the differential welded up since an actual spool was not available. This will allow both left and right outputs (now front and rear) to spin the same. The unit was like new inside with only 120 k on it but an overhaul kit freshened it up. It all went back together with the help of a buddy that is a mechanic who specializes in automatic transmissions. A stand alone harness and new tuned ecu from Swap Specialties in the States will control both the motor and transaxle.

[Positrac]

All back together with the CV output modified with a 1310 yoke for the driveshaft leading to the Samurai transfer case. I originally planned to have the motor/transaxle mounted in the middle of the vehicle with outputs from the transaxle running front & rear but that made for a longer wheelbase than I wanted, so the motor is going above the rear axle and a divorced Samurai transfer case is mounted mid vehicle.

[fatboyz]

Awesome. This reminds me of when I was a kid. No trikes or quads yet. Some old Prairie Bobcats and Argo's were just coming out. My dad had built homemade tracked vehicles with a 235 chevy straight six. He moved up to a six wheel Argo type machine with a Volkswagen engine and trans axle. There were no chop saws out yet and I remember him cutting all the steel with a torch. Nice to see someone using their hands and good old ingenuity!

[Positrac]

Thanks for the positive comments Fatboyz. It’s been a lot of work and to be honest I expected to be farther along for all the hours I’ve spent on it.

The story about you dad and his creations all made with a torch reminds me of all the videos I’ve watched coming out of Russia. They build some pretty capable machines with not much more than what your dad used back in the day.

[Positrac]

Both differentials have been fully rebuilt. The front F350 Kingpin D60 has 5:29 gearing and a selectable OX locker. The rear D60 has a Detroit Locker. I must have had them apart a half dozen times each before I had the contact patches where I wanted them. A simple home built case spreader helped immensely.

[TrollGRG]

If you put those on the back and regular tires on the front you would be going downhill all the time. Save on gas ;o)

[liar]

[/QUOTE]

wow, thats text book perfect .

[fatboyz]

Originally Posted by Positrac

Thanks for the positive comments Fatboyz. It’s been a lot of work and to be honest I expected to be farther along for all the hours I’ve spent on it.

The story about you dad and his creations all made with a torch reminds me of all the videos I’ve watched coming out of Russia. They build some pretty capable machines with not much more than what your dad used back in the day.

He had a torch, angle grinder (no zip cut discs then) and a real old AC stick welder.
I remember seeing a picture of his first tracked machine. It had 3, 15" idler wheels on each side and 1 drive sprocket in the front. Not sure where he got the sprockets from? Foremost, Nodwell, and Bombardier were all producing tracked machines so they may have been factory made. The tracks were homemade but with bought Growser bars. I remember he used a vehicle rear end to drive the sprockets and a heavy duty manual brake master cylinder that was set up for separate front and rear activation. He used pipe as steering levers and you would pull one side to apply brake to that track. The power would go through the differential and drive the other side allowing you to turn. the first machine would have been about 1969, and in the picture he had 2 20 gallon drums welded to the front with the tops cut off. This is where he hauled gear, and in that pic it was winter and my sister and I were riding in the drums.

[catnthehat]

Slowly but surely coming along there, Positrac!
Cat

[Stinky Buffalo]

Originally Posted by fatboyz

He had a torch, angle grinder (no zip cut discs then) and a real old AC stick welder.

I remember seeing a picture of his first tracked machine. It had 3, 15" idler wheels on each side and 1 drive sprocket in the front. Not sure where he got the sprockets from? Foremost, Nodwell, and Bombardier were all producing tracked machines so they may have been factory made. The tracks were homemade but with bought Growser bars. I remember he used a vehicle rear end to drive the sprockets and a heavy duty manual brake master cylinder that was set up for separate front and rear activation. He used pipe as steering levers and you would pull one side to apply brake to that track. The power would go through the differential and drive the other side allowing you to turn. the first machine would have been about 1969, and in the picture he had 2 20 gallon drums welded to the front with the tops cut off. This is where he hauled gear, and in that pic it was winter and my sister and I were riding in the drums.

That reminds me of a machine that a friend of mine built. Toyota engine, box iron frame. Lots of parts from old Bombardier machines. Plywood body. Lots of moose came out of the dark recesses of the Bush on that rig.

Was a sad day when I found out that he had sold it.

Awesome thread, am enjoying the progress!

[Positrac]

Lol. I really suck at build threads.

Still working on it when time allows. The drive train is done and I just ordered $3,000 worth of steering components last week. The 20 gallon twin aluminum fuel cells are also done. Still need to work on the tubing and gusset the whole thing. Goal is to have it done for the summer and wet season.

[Moo Snukkle]

Looking good. It’s no Sherp but looks like it’ll go places for sure. Looking forward to the finished product. Keep at it

[Pixel Shooter]

This is awesome. Now it’s looking like something. Fun written all over it

[Grizzly Adams]

Gonna look kind of like this ?


Grizz

[KhaosDubz]

Great work! things always take longer than expected.

im going to be attempting something similar in the near future. I will make a thread about it soon.

Mine will have tracks on it instead.

Id love to chat more and discuss some ideas!

Keep up the good work!

[Trochu]

Like the update!

I've got a car project I've been working on for years, thought it would be done in 2018, still plugging away on it though.

[Twisted Canuck]

Originally Posted by Positrac

Lol. I really suck at build threads.

Still working on it when time allows. The drive train is done and I just ordered $3,000 worth of steering components last week. The 20 gallon twin aluminum fuel cells are also done. Still need to work on the tubing and gusset the whole thing. Goal is to have it done for the summer and wet season.

It's beautiful already! Can't wait till the prototype is done and you go into full commercial production! I'll put a deposit down on the first one. A small deposit. With penalties in the contract for delivery delays.

Looks great man.

[waldedw]

Looks like an Arse kicking machine can't wait to see the finished product

[Positrac]

Originally Posted by Twisted Canuck

It's beautiful already! Can't wait till the prototype is done and you go into full commercial production! I'll put a deposit down on the first one. A small deposit. With penalties in the contract for delivery delays.

Bahahaha! I know better than to sign that contract!

I get most my work done between the beginning of December and June, then I hit the wall in summer which rolls into hunting season.

It’s hard to tell by looking at what’s there how many hours are into it. I kind of through the budget out a long while back but I still have to use materials wisely so there has been a lot of time spent just standing there looking at it. I’m sure anyone who has taken on a big project like this know what I mean. Despite the rumours, beer doesn’t help...

Seven days off so I should make a bit of progress in the next week. Christmas came a few days early since UPS dropped off all my steering components. PSC high flow pump, orbital control unit, 2-3/4” x 8” double ended ram, tie-rods, cooler, etc...

[JustBen]

Curious as to how one would get insurance for this rig... that's been my biggest concern about building something like this myself.

[no-regard]

I'm very happy to see this thread active again! I know almost nothing about any of it, but I sure do enjoy it, and I certainly can appreciate how much time and energy go in to it.

[Sundancefisher]

It’s very cool.

Need an amphibious skidoo. Your next project.

[stubblejumper01]

Originally Posted by JustBen

Curious as to how one would get insurance for this rig... that's been my biggest concern about building something like this myself.

I was wondering that too. All our off highway vehicles need registration and insurance. Would you be able to get a VIN assigned and then get insurance and plates?

[elk eater]

Originally Posted by stubblejumper01

I was wondering that too. All our off highway vehicles need registration and insurance. Would you be able to get a VIN assigned and then get insurance and plates?

That’s why he bought the cavalier. It came with a data tag. Just a cavalier with a few mods !!!!

[fishnguy]

That is insanely cool to be able to build something like this! Well done! Cant’t wait to see the end result and some “in-action” footage perhaps.

And thanks for sharing!