Purchased 500$ '95 tracker to make a buggy, but ...

m9b7v5 · 05-04-2009, 11:20 AM

purchased a '95 tracker to make a fun buggy ...

(309k miles new junkyard 16v 1.6 with approx 60k on motor, 3 speed auto)

was going to removing everything from the frame up and make a tube cage ...

But drove it home and it did very well ...

wife and i and two dogs loved it ...

pulled into the garage and the newly filled gas tank split at the seam

wife and i removed the intererior, bumpers, and rotted frame from the rear shock mounts back ...

but everything else was in suprisingly good shape ...

seats, dash, paint, tranny, axles all in pretty good shape

my delema is whether to...

1) break out the mig, fix the rear frame, buy a gas tank and make it a nice spare 4x4 ...

or

2) continue with the fun "grape ape" buggy plans we had in mind when we bought it ...

deciding factor may be exhaust and computer related ...

if i run it on the road everything will stay in place as it runs strong ...

powerbraking resulted in several 1 wheel 30' burnouts ...

as buggy i was going to remove everything exhaust / emmsions related and make the a/c compressor an air compressor ...

i want to keep it cheap either way ...

can i remove the ENTIRE egr system and stock exhaust (replaced with a short muffler) and expect the fuel injection function well for an offroad tube buggy that will only see 1k miles a year tops?

or is the suz computer too smart ...

i have a friend with a geo buggy that probably wieghs 1/3 less than stock, who removed his exhaust from the cat inlet back and welded on a small glasspack ...

but our new project is noticeably stronger stock than his 33 x12.50 'd buggy is ...

is it his larger tires or does the suz computer go into some kind of limp with everything removed?

have read some on here and his doesn't seem to run rich using the NASAL computer

but his has less pep ...

shackwrrr · 05-04-2009, 05:24 PM

Its acually that the computer is extremely dumb. If it doesent see the EGR pressure then the computer doesent know what to do and goes to limp mode. You can get a 1.3 manifold and run a carbi or propane. You can get intakes and carbs for less than 50 bucks on ebay.

GeoZilla · 05-04-2009, 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by m9b7v5

purchased a '95 tracker to make a fun buggy ...

(309k miles new junkyard 16v 1.6 with approx 60k on motor, 3 speed auto)

was going to removing everything from the frame up and make a tube cage ...

But drove it home and it did very well ...

wife and i and two dogs loved it ...

pulled into the garage and the newly filled gas tank split at the seam

wife and i removed the intererior, bumpers, and rotted frame from the rear shock mounts back ...

but everything else was in suprisingly good shape ...

seats, dash, paint, tranny, axles all in pretty good shape

my delema is whether to...

1) break out the mig, fix the rear frame, buy a gas tank and make it a nice spare 4x4 ...

or

2) continue with the fun "grape ape" buggy plans we had in mind when we bought it ...

deciding factor may be exhaust and computer related ...

if i run it on the road everything will stay in place as it runs strong ...

powerbraking resulted in several 1 wheel 30' burnouts ...

as buggy i was going to remove everything exhaust / emmsions related and make the a/c compressor an air compressor ...

i want to keep it cheap either way ...

can i remove the ENTIRE egr system and stock exhaust (replaced with a short muffler) and expect the fuel injection function well for an offroad tube buggy that will only see 1k miles a year tops?

or is the suz computer too smart ...

i have a friend with a geo buggy that probably wieghs 1/3 less than stock, who removed his exhaust from the cat inlet back and welded on a small glasspack ...

but our new project is noticeably stronger stock than his 33 x12.50 'd buggy is ...

is it his larger tires or does the suz computer go into some kind of limp with everything removed?

have read some on here and his doesn't seem to run rich using the NASAL computer

but his has less pep ...

got a 400$ geo tracker, its a beater, but i like your tube buggy idea.

i was thinking of building a buggy with frame rails and going from the ground up. I would love it if you posted pictures for us well me

just to get an idea (i been beating around the bush financially and work related when it comes to welding up a decent roll cage. ) id love your input.

ours is in limp home mode hah, it has to be it always has the check engine light on and yeah runs a bit rough =D.

m9b7v5 · 05-05-2009, 08:27 AM

thanks for the replies ...

still wondering what to do ...

will work on putting a tank and rear frame back in for the time being ...

would do the buggy in a heart beat if the exhaust would let me ...

i like the fuel injection for steep inclines ... after all that's what a buggy would be used for in West Virginia ...

propane = $$$$

and carb = $$$$ & sputter on steep incline ($ when compared to the total investment)

fuzzy1 · 05-05-2009, 01:08 PM

I dunno, if you want to stay on the cheap side, get some coil spacers & 30's. Fix what need fixing, maybe a little trimming in wheelwells... & run it. You can have a street legal rig that likely will go most places a buggy would. The 33's on your friends are prolly what makes it seem sluggish if it's not regeared... thats more tire than trackicks like. Lower diff & or xfer case gears would take care of that. Is it 2dr or 4dr? If 2dr, then swapping in 4dr springs will give you some height too. Next is going to OME spring/strut/shocks... but cheapest I've seen em is $699 on LowRangeOffroad, then Calmini etc etc... theres tons of options out there. Spools, lockers, the list is endless... Guy on ebay (Hoepkers aka jeff1997 on zukiworld) sells spacer kits pretty cheap. Really, a bit of lift/tires/wheels & some armor, maybe a locker or 2 & you can run these little rigs thru alot. Just think, you can show up to the trail in your trail rig & help your friend unload his buggy from the trailer!

hth

Fuzz

m9b7v5 · 05-05-2009, 02:39 PM

yep ... leaning more towards road legal ...

according to the guys at napa when i brought in my air filter and pcv valve in for replacement for a tune up the motor is a california smog motor ???

we found the window sticker and original owners name and address in the owner manual pouch in the glove box ...

my sig line shows up on my user cp but not on my posts ???? (Well there it is now??????)

but i also have an '85 bronco with dana 60's, doubler, 5.13's, spool/detroit and 37 bfg's

that was gonna be the tow vehicle for the buggy ...

but the geo drives so well and was so much fun before the tank broke that now we're probably gonna use it for a backup ...

if i could just unbolt all emmissions and exhaust and keep it reliable i would buggy it in a heartbeat, but it seems like spare vehicle status will be easier and cheaper ...

what is the largest tire with minimum trimming ...

31x10.5 or 30x9.5???