Basically its going to be a tube frame MR2 with lots of wheel travel
The 3D pic is old, the front suspension is going to be more inboard and attached to a sub-frame. Its way over complicated in that pic and relies on my frame being perfect (which its not).

Going to use a Camary 1MZ-FE 3.0L V6, they're all alloy and affordable. (side note- its the daddy of the V6 thats being used in the new Lotus Evora).
Boost is planned, maybe even sequential Bi-turbo boost. I have a 60-1/.81 A/R P trim waiting to be used. Sequential would be ideal to provide ultra low RPM GRUNT.
Using a 99 V6 5spd (another part I have lying around with an ACT HD clutch) which is really heavy duty transaxle. I'm going to adapt 930 style CVs for more angle.

So far I have my basic frame all layed out (1.5 x 0.120 wall DOM). The big parts where definitely a test of my newly constructed bender.


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nice,im a big sand car guy and hit the dunes all the time with friends.i'll be watching this

 

Had to hack apart my bottom frame as I completely re-configured the front suspension
But its all slugged and tacked back together now and I have over 23" of wheel travel
Using Nylon bearing from mcmaster ($2.60 each), 1.25 x 1 x 1 w/ 1 7/16 x 1/16 flange fit perfect with 1.5 .120 wall outer and 1 x 3/16 wall inner (5/8 bolt).
The main spindle will turn on MDS filled nylon in the king pin type setup, this gives lots of spindle arm angle (vs vertical mounted rod ends).
Quiet and semi-economical. All off the shelf wear parts.

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I've seen a lot of sand cars, never ridden in one, but that looks amazing!

 

More progress on the front suspension... all the main parts of the arms were jig welded together.
I got one arm all welded up, not as planned but it will work. Its going to look better when I put in all the re-enforcement plates.
The front arms alone killed my last 20fter Time for more tube

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theres nothing like it

 

Oh ya we have a working front suspension!
If my guess is right there's 28+" of possible suspension travel
This thing should float.

Using Ford Probe rear rotors (they're spindle mount and I have matching calipers), running the whole brake system reversed.
That gives me 5 x 4.5 all around so I can use vic. spares in the front.

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progress on more frame work, going to build / weld the whole frame before attaching suspension...
Ugly colored DOM tube

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Cool project!


I'm a little worried about your A arm design though. I'm on my schools SAE Baja team, last year we hit a rock that was a little bigger than a bowling ball at ~20mph, we bent the solid 1/2" shank of the upper rod end to a 45* angle. Our A arm survived because the rod end was the only thing sticking out that was unsupported. I have a feeling you're going to bend the hell out of it the first time you take it out.

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A solid 1/2" threaded shank is easier to bend than a 1.5" x .120 wall DOM tube...1/2" ends seem really light for a spindle end.
But the A arms are nowhere near done. I'm going to add a lateral web along the top of the arm to stiffen the bend.
A 1/4" x 1" backbone + the tube will not bend very easy. I'll also be adding lots of shear panels and some ridiculous coilover mounts.
I know the lower arms need to be HEAVY DUTY

I'm busy working out the frame first tho... And my motor is on its way, its a key component to the rear IRS.

 

We used a small-ish rod end because there was almost no lever arm, the rod end was threaded all the way in. I think the distance from the center of the contact patch to the spot it bent was about 2.5-3". The A-arms are 1.25x.083 4130. Also, our car weighs ~380lbs and has a 10hp briggs, but with the suspension we've got, you're wot 90% of the time on a motocross track.

I suppose it might live with some decent reinforcement, but that lever arm still makes me nervous. Either way, I'm looking forward to more pics.

 

Here's a diagram of my re-enforcement plate... It makes a straight line in between the joints.

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And some more pics-
We have an engine and a welded frame.

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We have a drivetrain!
If anybody wonders why the engine is offset its to get the diff close to the center (MO travel)
I'll counter balance with my fat ass, fuel tank, battery, turbo, intercooler, radiator, etc, etc.


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Went E-bay crazy-
New pan
TPS to replace the broken one (New ones are $170+, ebay used one- $35 shipped).
Camry gauge cluster, couldn't pass it up for $10 considering it came with pig tails... It will bring me closer to street legal status if I want to apply for a limited use permit
SRT4 shifter- because it was $10, a cable shifter, and I used to have one and have fond memories of it

 

looking good,me and a freind are going to build a long travel vw thing.we saw one at the sands sport super show in sept and it was simple and badass.it didnt even look like the thing at all.

 

haven't updated this in a while....
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Looks awesome and well thought out. I am and will enjoy watching the fab work. Good luck

 

More stuff..
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Needed different brackets for the rear arm mounts...
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My arm jig, it worked for the most part.
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It fits! clears the belt no problem.

 

MOR!!!
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Redid trans mount, didn't clear the suspension :x

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Assembled a spindle , rotor clearance non-issue.

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Had some "scraps" laying around so I decided to make a jig for lining up the wheel base, etc. casters will be here tomorrow. It will be length adjustable via different box tube... it'll work good for the next build and it will break down pretty small for storage... I might add a rotisserie attachment as well