Is a Dune Buggy Better in Mud Than a Bronco?

[EricLar80]

Thought some of you might get a kick out of this video I found:

 

[Scoop]

My earliest driving was in a VW dune buggy and a GPW. I like them both. But not more than a Bronco!

 

[Howard2x4x4]

What a fun video! Thanks for passing it along! Btw, was that Scoop's Patina build?

 

[bmc69]

I used to have a Meyers Manx in south Florida back when everything west of I-95 was wide open sand dunes and quarry lakes (1970s) ; thousands of acres of it, left over from quarrying all the fill to build the shoreline communities. Had very wide front tires and wide semi-paddles on the back. We'd routinely - as in every time we went out to ride - find 4x4 trucks, including Jeeps and Broncos, stuck to the floorboards in the same sand we sported around on with total ease. Mud?...not sure..never tried that. ;-)

 

[green61bug]

I can't say they are better because my buddy and I took his fairly stock 73 bronco through some deep deep mud in high school. I don't think my 1961 beetle would've made it through some of that but I did take it a lot of places that we didn't think it would go tho... My beetle was stock beetle with street tires too. It was always pretty darn impressive. Years later another friend built an awesome rail buggy and that thing was awesome and would basically float over mud puddles with enough speed. I bet the rail buggy is the only 4 wheel vehicle I've had all four wheels a few feet in the air. I know a couple guys with Meyers Manx buggies as well. Never seen em in the mud but they go right through the sand no problem. Bruce Meyers passed away a couple years ago and now the price of the real deal fiberglass bodies are starting to shoot up. Can't imagine how many of those bodies were ruined with tom foolery like this. haha.

 

[.94 OR]

This was my ghetto rig. Bus transaxle with the gear reduction boxes, turned front tubes, hydraulic steering brakes, 3" body lift and a 1641 dual port. Picture doesn't show all the lights I mounted on it. I could also drop the spare off the top and haul my canoe to the lake.

 

[bmc69]

This was my ghetto rig. Bus transaxle with the gear reduction boxes, turned front tubes, hydraulic steering brakes, 3" body lift and a 1641 dual port. Picture doesn't show all the lights I mounted on it. I could also drop the spare off the top and haul my canoe to the lake.

I built two "baja bugs" back in teh 70s. The first one had a mildly built 1600 and suspension mods but I ended up using the engine and transaxle in my second Meyers Manx buggy I owned. The second baja bug project was more powerfull with a rebuilt but stock Corvair 110-HP 6-banger. That one was evil...until the trans blew up. ;-) I traded it, busted, even up for a '64 Buick Riviera.

 

[Yeller]

I built two "baja bugs" back in teh 70s. The first one had a mildly built 1600 and suspension mods but I ended up using the engine and transaxle in my second Meyers Manx buggy I owned. The second baja bug project was more powerfull with a rebuilt but stock Corvair 110-HP 6-banger. That one was evil...until the trans blew up. ;-) I traded it, busted, even up for a '64 Buick Riviera.

Oh to have that 64 Riv today......... one of my favs in car land.

 

[bmc69]

Oh to have that 64 Riv today......... one of my favs in car land.

It was a rocket from a 30 mph roll. I wish I'd kept it. But then I say that about all the many now-collectible cars I've owned. You shoulda seen my 1963 Cadillac ElDorado convertible. Black with white leather interior ...it was beautiful. And huge.

 

[Rustytruck]

weight is everything ifyour leaving solid ground power to weight ratio favors the buggy. its about staying on top rather than plowing through.

 

[FordBronc]

This Bronco will hold it own against a DB any day.

 

[Rustytruck]

Not many Bronco parts left.

 

[Rustytruck]

Have you ever weighed it? My VW Chenowth is 1500 pounds at 60 HP.

 

[FordBronc]

Not many Bronco parts left.

What...it still has Bronco bones, like the glove box door with vin tag that matches the paper title. 73 Bronco frame, axles, D20 xfer case, OEM 3 spd and OEM speedo and the 73 drum (but power) all what way around. Ok so yea it is has a Mustang 302 with a saginaw p/s upgrade. But it has a great wheeling point of view. I am almost ready to make it road legal.....

 

[Rustytruck]

Looks like a nice toy and if you roll it you wont feel so bad as rolling a Bronco and dealing with insurance issues.

 

[FordBronc]

Absolutely correct. I always thought that VW dune buggy's were cool. And I like the new Razor/Can-am side by sides...then I found this and could not say no after the test drive. Yes it need finished up and I bought it as another project...like I need another project.

 

[Rustytruck]

Razors and Canams suck money like Broncos do, they are very thirsty for maintenance and repairs.

 

[FordBronc]

Yes I hear ya, that is why I stayed with the Bronco plan, I have spare parts/other Bronco's and sort of an idea what I am doing to it.

 

[offroadaction]

Ha! That is my video! Thanks for sharing! There is rumor of some old vhs videos with lots of Bronco content coming my way to get digitized, edited and added to the Vintage 4x4 Canada channel.

 

[sprdv1]

Nothing is better than a bronco period....