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View Full Version : Advice on Sandrail (dune buggy)?


lupinsea
08-18-2009, 06:06 PM
Ok, here's a question I'm struggling with. I think I know the answer but I'd like to talk to everyone here about some advice.



What do I do with my sandrail?


Not sure if everyone knows but I have a sandrail that I built several years ago. This was back before I had a Jeep and just had a little Samurai that I'd tow to trail heads. Used to take the Samurai down at least annually to Sandlake on the OR coast for some dune riding and got interested in the sandrails there.

So I built my own sandrail.

Lot of close consultation with a pro-sandrail builder. Put about $8-9k into it between having a professional build the frame, selecting solid components, sourcing an 100 hp EFI watercooled engine, getting strong CV joints and axles, IRS and AL beam IFS suspension, 4-point pro-grade racing harnesses, disc brakes, aluminum Douglas rims and brand new stagger cut sand tires, turning brakes, marine grade throttle cable, adjustable pedals, the works. Even custom built a special trailer for the sandrail, too.

It's light (~650 lb.) and fast and just flies over the dunes. A real blast to drive. And it should be reliable as I wanted to balance some decent power (but not too much) with some stouter running gear (3-rib bus transmission, bus axles, and bus CV joints).

Only problems is that I've only run it one weekend after spending 2.5-3 years building it. That was the shake down run.

Toward the end of the build I graduated, got a sports car, met my future wife, bought a Jeep and really got back into the Jeep'n thing. Kind of forgot how much I loved the Jeep'n thing and general 4x4 trail riding, actually. So I never got back around to the sandrail. It's been sitting in my aunt's garage for nearly 4 years now.

I hate the idea of selling it but really, I don't see getting back into the rail thing. The dunes are so far away (5 hr drive one-way, min). Camping rates at the state parks seem high, especially for extended weekends. Gas to go down and back, plus racing around the dunes. Finding time to do all that driving to get to the dunes, then turn around and drive home a couple days later. And now that I have a young son here who's only 1 yr old . . . Sometimes it seems tough just to get out on the local trails with my Jeep.

On top of this storage is an issue. I keep it at my aunt's place and she'd been patient but . . it just sits there and I never use it.

Thoughts?

Should I just go ahead and sell the sandrail and trailer?

Should I hang on to it for another several years until my son is old enough to join me?

I don't neeeeed to sell it, we aren't hurting for money, but I don't know what else to do with it since I don't apparently use it (I did mention I haven't driven it in 4 years, right). If I do sell the sandrail I can use the proceeds to do more fix-up work on my Jeep. But this isn't a great time to sell stuff with the economy in the crapper and unemployment high.

Part of the reason I hesitate on a sale is that I put so much effort into building the sandrail and that most on the market are pretty crappy that I highly doubt I'd ever get another. So maybe do I hang onto it for another 3+ years so my son and I can enjoy it together? But would we? And another 3 years of it just sitting around for a "maybe" seems silly.


Photos of my sandrail.

http://homepage.mac.com/jgreening/.Pictures/Photo%20Album%20Pictures/2005-03-24%2011.56.49%20-0800/Image-A91554229C9E11D9.jpg




http://homepage.mac.com/jgreening/.Pictures/Photo%20Album%20Pictures/2005-03-24%2011.56.49%20-0800/Image-A9159E969C9E11D9.jpg




http://homepage.mac.com/jgreening/.Pictures/Photo%20Album%20Pictures/2005-03-24%2011.56.49%20-0800/Image-A91568A89C9E11D9.jpg

John V
08-18-2009, 09:26 PM
That thing is so freaking cool, I couldn't sell it if I had built it myself.

My $0.02

lupinsea
08-19-2009, 05:55 PM
One thought is to list it for sale at the price I want to get. . . if it sells, fine I get a nice chunk of change. If it doesn't sell then I'll hang on to it.

I wouldn't mind keeping it, but it just seems cruel to not drive it. . . like it's not fair to the engine and drive train. As it is, the engine hasn't been cranked over even in four years. I'll have to go through the engine start up procedures.

If I could get around to heading down to the dunes and driving it at least one 3 or 4 day weekend per year for the next few years until my son is old enough to ride shot gun then I'd feel much better about keeping it.

Just need to see if that works out.

And even then. . . seems odd to store it at my aunt's house indefinitely and I don't really have a good place to store it at my house.

Hmph.



.

ZBB
08-19-2009, 05:57 PM
And even then. . . seems odd to store it at my aunt's house indefinitely and I don't really have a good place to store it at my house.



I was going to say that it would be a different story if you had a place to store it other than your aunt's garage. Might be best to attempt to sell it just to get it out of your aunt's garage.

You could also try asking whoever you sell it to to contact you for a first right-of-refusal if they ever sell...

FC
08-19-2009, 06:42 PM
I think the right move is to try to sell it for whatever price would make it not-so-painful. If it sits for a while, then you reconsider.

bren
08-19-2009, 08:56 PM
list it for sale at the price I want to get. . . if it sells, fine I get a nice chunk of change. If it doesn't sell then I'll hang on to it.


If you don't need the money, and you have somewhere to keep it then this is what I would do.

lupinsea
08-24-2009, 01:03 PM
I'm keeping the sandrail.

Went out to my aunt's house / farm this weekend to move the sandrail out of the way (she was getting a delivery of 12 tons of hay next weekend).

The sandrail was in a lot better condition that I had figured. . . And that's sort of comparative, given it's been sitting in a barn on a farm untouched for 4 years.

We did find piles of rat feeces on it and two desiccated rat carcasses. Lots of accumulated dust, cob webs, and other "stuff". :ack::ack::ack: Batteries were dead, of course. The rats had nibbled on the rubber shift boot and some rubber housing for some indicator lights, and one of the seat cushions. But it looks like they avoided the wiring harness. And some of the aluminum bits (alternator, intake manifold, etc.) were showing some white powdery oxidation). But as I tried moving various mechanical bits everything seemed to rotate and move easily enough, almost as if no time had passed. Steering and bearings moved freely, suspension was smooth in actuating, throttle / throttle cable was good. Foot pedals and hydraulic lines / pressure were good to go.

Even the tires were ok. After sitting, completely flat for 4 years, they re-inflated easily and held air. No popped tire beads or anything.

Oh, and it turns out my aunt's groundskeeper had drained the fuel tank years ago to siphon gas for the lawn mowers. Sweet. No worries about nasty gas sitting around.

I didn't try starting it. But when I do I'll be going through the engine carefully before firing it up, making sure everything is lubed and spinning freely.

My plan is to get back to work on fixing up and tuning up the sandrail next spring. It shouldn't take long, but I don't have time now and it's not something I'd do during the winter, either. So, next spring. Then at least one 3-4 day run down to the Oregon dunes per summer for the next several years until Nathan is old enough to join me in the sand car. At which point we'll see how it goes for doing this maybe a few times per years. And firing up the engine at least a few times a year in the inter-dune-run times just to keep fluids and lubrication circulated.

I still haven't figured out the best way to store the sandrail. For the winter we wrapped it in a heavy tarp and set it outside next to the barn. It'll have to do. I don't have time this summer / fall to do anything with it.

My aunt is still happy to keep the sandrail stationed at her place (surprisingly enthusiastic, actually) but I'd like to make a little home for it. Perhaps a more permanent lean-to on the side of her barn. That'll wait till next year. If/when I need to do work on it I don't know. My aunt has a garage but I have the tools at my house. Depending on what's needed I might just shuttle the rail back and forth on the trailer.

Oh, trailer storage. I might store the sandrail on the trail and then set the trailer on blocks. In any case, that's something to figure out later.





Side note:
After reexamining some of the welds and design decisions I made regarding the rail and placement of various components I had to laugh at myself. Everything was "functional" but the welds weren't pretty and I know I could have done a significantly better job of everything now. It has me thinking of changing a few things.