[MarcusA]

just got my hands on a (deregistered) wrangler today and i plan to start a new project to turn it into a dune buggy. i live in the middle east (Qatar) so there's not alot of rocks to go climbing over.

there are a few restrictions:

if cars are unregistered the police are a bit strict on what you can do with them. to use it in the desert it can no longer resemble a street car. this isnt a big problem as i planned to remove most of the body work and replace it with a roll cage (straight to the chassis). i have just been told to get away with my idea the front would have to be removed aswell (so it no longer resembled a jeep).

this is where my question is...why dont people ever remove the fronts of their wranglers?

is it simply because they want to keep the prestigious jeep front end or does it cause serious complexities?

 

[YJ4LIFE]

is it simply because they want to keep the prestigious jeep front end...?

I'd say so. Some people do like switching front ends of different jeeps since most of them bolt on and off with little to no modification, but the new front end is still Jeep.

 

[MarcusA]

ive had more news, the law here states i cant use a rolling chassis so im going to have to build that aswell.

my plan is to just replace the factory chassis with two RSJ 4"x2" box beams (straight) and then move all the mounts from the factory chassis onto it. i know it seems a waste of time but you have to jump through the loops here. so eventually i wil have build a full space frame for it....and the front end will definately have to go

 

[landscraper]

Sounds to me like you would be better off building the whole thing from the ground up. I say sell the Jeep and go tube buggy.

 

[MarcusA]

normally i would agree with you but the cost of space frame buggies here is unbelievably high! and the jeep cost me nothing.

the stock jeep parts are pretty tough too so with a little mod here and there it should stand up to what im going to do with it, its just for some fun in the desert.

camera is away at the shop (having yet more sand removed from inside), once i get it back i'll take some pics of what im starting with.

 

[MarcusA]

i hate asking questions that someone else has already asked but i've been searching around and cant find anyone else who has done the same as what im planning.

im fairly new to this type of thing, i am more comfortable working around motorbikes and the odd single seater dune buggy or quad.

what problems am i going to run into using straight RSJ beams as the chassis (suspension mounting, shock mounting etc.)?

 

[MarcusA]

ok, camera is back from the shop.

here's as she stands, ready to be stripped down

one thing i need to know, as i mentioned earlier its been deregistered which means i have no plates and the VIN plate has been removed from the dashboard. where else will i find the VIN numbers so i can check its actually been deregistered and i havent bought a stolen car?

 

[j2005]

hey marcusa, you private maessaged me a few days ago and i jsut relplied back yesterday. the firewall should have a vin number on it somewhere. from the pic i see some things i could help you remove in your strip down...and keep. if you could shoot me back a message with your phone number i can give ya a call and go from there...i NEED another "project" to help with/work on. finding the material for a tube frame is a pain in the ass here too...ive got a friend that is an arabic speaker that knows his stuff and lives next door to one of the police cheifs here, ill ask him whats up and what you have to do to it.

my number 3315-9801

 

[MarcusA]

as she stands now

 

[MarcusA]

would like to thank J2005 and J2005 (Sr.), qatarrover and another friend George (who needs to get his ass on here).

as im working on a tight budget (not hoping to spend a penny is the final hope) i need to get hold of a shop manual or wiring guide so i can get the wires sorted. just need to be able to strip out everything that isnt needed and run the simplest wiring loom possible.

i can get hold of a wiring guide for a 1994 on Scripd, is there any difference?