LRH's Sahara Buggy Build

[LRHybrid100]

G'day All,

I came across the NCF website a while ago and immediately got in contact with Nick to organise the purchase of a kit, the Australian distributor had just been assigned so I waited a couple of months for their demo one to arrive.

Over the Christmas / New Year break I met up with the Aus Distributor to view his gleaming Ford XR Orange Sahara, since then I have been organising the build and what mods I wanted. I asked Nick to make the rear tub longer, to finish on top of the rear bumper and also put some extra cross bracing in the rear cab hoop as I intend to install a harness for competition events.

I am very lucky to have a mate who wrecks Land Rovers / Range Rovers as a hobby and he donated a Disco body shell for me to practice the build on while I wait for my Sahara to be built and shipped over to Aus.

I'll post up some pix of the work so far.

[LRHybrid100]

The original idea was to build a body to replace the body on my 300 Tdi Rangie, then I bought a 1994 Disco 1 update cheap for some parts:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/07/168.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/07/169.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/07/170.jpg

[LRHybrid100]

Spare Disco Body shell to practice on:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/07/166.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/07/167.jpg

[LRHybrid100]

Cut the back off with the plasma cutter and then cut a nice straight edge with the grinder:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/07/162.jpg


Cut the front of with the plasma and tidy up with the grinder:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/07/163.jpg


Then drill out the spot welds on the box panel:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/07/164.jpg

Cut the sills off and outer slin of the A post:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/07/165.jpg

Thats as much of the donor body as you need!

[LRHybrid100]

The following weekends work:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/07/156.jpg

A bit more work is needed on a the A pillar - needs to be flat as possible

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/07/157.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/07/158.jpg

This is as far as you need to go, notice the cut off at the bottom of the pillar

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/07/159.jpg

Give a good going over with Penetrol - wasn't my idea, but I was sure glad as it rained for the next week or so!

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/07/160.jpg



https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/07/161.jpg

[LRHybrid100]

Some more pix from the weekend:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/07/153.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/07/154.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/07/155.jpg

[LRHybrid100]

Now back in England in the cold of Spring the body was having its finishing touches made:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/07/150.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/07/151.jpg

[Barefoot Dave]

G'Day Mate. Good to see you had more success than me.
Any details on the Agent, Kit price (delivered) etc., etc.
Nice to have a wreck to practice on!!
Cheers, Dave

[LRHybrid100]

G'day Dave,

the Australian Distributor will be showing 2 cars (mine and his) at the Sydney LR Expo at the end of Sept - so I need to get a move on!!!

[Barefoot Dave]

OK, So it's all hush hush until the 'Big Reveal'?
Waswondering if they were doing the Outbak/ Vitara as well. PM if you need to.
Dave

[Bush65]

Very good Mark. I will watch this thread with interest.

[LRHybrid100]

so enough of the practicing, onto the build:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/07/111.jpg

Disco body now all cut up and painted in POR15's Raptor Ute liner

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/07/112.jpg


While I was at it I gave the chassis a good degrease and a couple of coats of chassis black:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/07/113.jpg

The back of the D1 chassis was adapted to fit the larger D2 fuel tank - just the mounts as the chassis is similar spacing!

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/07/114.jpg

Then the BIG change, I changed my mind on what to power the beast as a low km Disco 2 Td5 with ZF Auto became available so the engine mounts were cut off and some Disco Td5 ones added:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/07/115.jpg

then along came the realisation of the wiring!!!

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/07/116.jpg

[LRHybrid100]

some of you will reconise the build site! BIG Thanks to Erich and Sheila for putting up with all my junk!

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/07/109.jpg


and Andy and Phil for all their work

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/07/110.jpg

[LRHybrid100]

Now another BIG Thanks to Nick and the Australian Importer as my car arrived last week, unfortunately it also brought some of the Northern English weather with it - arrived Tuesday and didnt stop raining till Friday!!!

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/07/105.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/07/106.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/07/107.jpg


And the easy way to load and unload:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/07/108.jpg

[andrew e]

cool.

[Redback]

Oooooo nice:D

Baz.

[Slunnie]

I'm liking this too! :cool:

[isuzutoo-eh]

I am just an eencie weencie massive bit jealous :)

[dullbird]

good to see the progress :)

[Yorkie]

looking good. :cool:
what color are you going for? or is that part of the big reveal at the expo?.
must return the belt and pulley i borrowed. :angel:

[LRHybrid100]

The Buggy will be Zambezi Silver and Satin Black roll bars!

STILL working towards the Expo for a reveal but have been working on the mechanicals the last couple of weekend.

LRH

[Xtreme]

How is the Buggy progressing Mark?
Are you still on line for the big reveal at the Expo?

It's amazing what can be done in two weeks when the pressure is on. :wasntme:

Even if it's not finished, I'm sure there a a lot of members who would like to see it.

[LRHybrid100]

Hi Roger,

you wouldnt beleive it - just got back from the paint shop today!!!

I will be heading over to Erich's place in the morning to mount it back onto the chassis.

I will update all the pix then!

BR LRH

[LRHybrid100]

WELL its been a big couple of weeks on the build, a few mods were made such as moving the back bumper out about 10mm so it didnt touch the D2 TD5 fuel tank and also installed a couple of battery trays behind the cabin - all thanks to Phil!

so here we are just dropped off for painting:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/09/830.jpg

all the panel joins have been Sikaflex'd to death! The panel shop spent ages cutting back on my excess!!! :angel:

Front one piece:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/09/831.jpg

and after hours of prep and painting:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/09/832.jpg

Land Rover Zambezi Silver and Satin / Low Gloss Black on the outside and Raptor Ute liner on the inside.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/09/833.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/09/834.jpg

[LRHybrid100]

and now a couple of days later the main body returns:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/09/828.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/09/829.jpg

[LRHybrid100]

then its over to Erich's at the weekend to be re-fitted back to the chassis:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/09/825.jpg

the forklift makes life sooooo much easier

All re-fitted and body mounts all line up:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/09/826.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/09/827.jpg

Looking GREAT!!!

[LRHybrid100]

one of the early mods - a DWE modified D2 TD5 front down pipe, no cat in these early ones and moved the flexi to further down:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/09/824.jpg

All coated with Pot Belly black fire box paint.

[LRHybrid100]

The passenger side support fitted no problem to the TD5 Intercooler mount:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/09/823.jpg

the drivers side will need a slight mod to fit - pix soon.

[LRHybrid100]

I spent most of yesterday planning the wiring - I am hoping to re-locate the TD5 Engine ECU into the cabin and the the fuse box onto the scuttle panel.

As you can see, there is plenty of wiring to do!

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/09/822.jpg

[LRHybrid100]

The dual battery trays are located behind the cabin and recessed into the rear tub:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/09/818.jpg

These are welded onto the new sills:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/09/819.jpg


The passenger one will be for the Aux battery - mainly the winch and the drivers side one to hold the main cranking battery:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/09/820.jpg

Both are made to fit a Genuine D2 Td5 battery:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/09/821.jpg

[Redback]

Looking good Mark, hopefully it will be ready for the Expo to have a look see.

Are you going to have a soft top option as well for those wet days.

Baz.

[LRHybrid100]

THX Mate,

I will be making a Hard Top roof panel - could have a glass panel but would get too hot in the cab.

[LRHybrid100]

also there are doors not yet shown.

I am on annual leave from tomorrow - will be working double shifts in the shed till the 25th!!!

[Rayngie]

That is very cool...but not as much as your Range Rover...i want it.

cheers,

Ray

[LRHybrid100]

That is very cool...but not as much as your Range Rover...i want it.

cheers,

Ray


Hehe, THX Ray

The Rangie will be retired off once we buy our property - will become the farm hack.

[cjc_td5]

LRHybrid100,
Any progress to report? I would love to see some pics if you have it finished.
Can the kits be bought in OZ yet?

Chris

[dullbird]

personally i think it would simply be rude to retire the rangie as a farm hack! give it to me, you know it would be for the greater good, consider it doing society a service as you know i dont like classics only yours and RRturobD's

[Scouse]

you know i dont like classics only yours and RRturobD'sI'll remind you of that next time you run out of cars to go 4x4ing in :twisted:.

[muddymech]

scouse
we never run out of cars just tow ropes to keep them moving
ian

[dullbird]

I'll remind you of that next time you run out of cars to go 4x4ing in :twisted:.

there is nothing wrong with yours I just prefer the look of theirs!!:p
besides you dont even own a classic you won a hovercraft thats totally different!!

[Casper]

NCF Motors Ltd (http://www.ncfblitz.co.uk/)

Cheers Casper

[Barefoot Dave]

GeezeMate, Talk about leaving us hanging....
So what happened?
Whereisit???
And who is the Mystery dealer?!?!

mate..
Mate...
You OK?:(


Dave.

[philco]

have you got any more pics of the sahara?

[wilga]

:wheelchair:

[Scouse]

Those local to Sydney might have a better chance getting some info if you come along to the Expo next month ;).

[philco]

So its september now, any more news on the build?
I called the kit builder in the UK and he was saying the dealer in Aussie went cold on the idea and didn't know what happened.
Still willing to ship to Aussie if anyone is interested in them.

[LRHybrid100]

and there was me thinking nobody was interested!

Buggy is all finished, Engineered and Rego'd since last year! Since then it has been taken apart and put back together to add in some improvements over the last couple of months.

Scouse is right, the Buggy will be making an appearance at the LROC Expo on the 23rd Sept and then Zukana event the weekend later! pix will follow!!!

Cheers

LRH

[LRHybrid100]

So its september now, any more news on the build?
I called the kit builder in the UK and he was saying the dealer in Aussie went cold on the idea and didn't know what happened.
Still willing to ship to Aussie if anyone is interested in them.

I'm surprised at that as Ben was looking at the possibility of buying the Aussie rights and then making them closer to home.

Nick at NCF is a TOP Bloke, always willing to have a chat and make some changes to the design / build.

I was originally in contact with Nick to become the Aussie agent / importer but Ben had just beaten me to it, however my job now does not allow me to take up this great offer :angel:

Cheers LRH

[philco]

Funny that as i asked him about doing a similar thing but he wasn't keen at all.
I got 2 x disco 1's i want to build a similar buggy for but not to keen on the price from the UK so was going to have a go doing my own style buggy kit. Unless i can find something similar in Aussie.

So do you have any more pics for us that don't live in or near Sydney and cant make the show? thumbsupbig]

[Larry]

..........So do you have any more pics for us that don't live in or near Sydney and cant make the show?

Unfortunately it didn't make this year :BigCry:, but here are a couple of pics from the 2011 Expo. ;)