Buggy build from KIA Sportage to Shooting/Farm sidebyside

[john40981]

Hi all, I have just finished my latest project. We had an old 1988 Mitsubishi Triton ute at our farm that the gearbox crapped itself and I couldn't justify the price they want for a side by side to replace it so I decided to custom make something that would do what we wanted. It started it's life as 1 1998 KIA Sportage 4wd wagon and after taking to it with the plasma cutter and MIG and a few months work at weekends it turned out OK I think.
It's great on the farm, my wife likes driving it and our dog likes getting in the back and so far works good for shooting so my boys claim. Has roof mounted spotlight, LED lights in the back as well as the LED work light, gun racks for two rifles either side, removable/tilt rear tail gate, so the lazy dog can get in and out. The high post at the back is to hold onto to get in the back when we go spotlighting and I have made a piece that goes into it to hold the back legs of an animal in the air for my son to skin ( he seems to like that sort of thing??)
I am happy with the way it turned out, just hope the old KIA's up to the task mechanically, so far so good. We have named it "Penny" and there is good reason to name it that. Do any of you watch "Big Bank Theory" can you guess why we named it Penny??

How it looked before

Stripped ready to cutup, hope you like all our safety gear for plasma cutting:laughing: we are in Australia remember, were stupid I mean tough over here. :thumbsup:


Hacked up

ready for paint

The finished build. :cool2: I've put huge mud tyres on the back since this was taken that lifted the back 3". I will find a picture of them and post later.

 

[PapaPerk]

That thing is awesome!!! Is it 4wd?

 

[john40981]

That thing is awesome!!! Is it 4wd?

Yes, has a transfer case so it has high and low range 4wd. Looks good with the huge tyres on the back now too, I will post a picture of that tonight when I get home, I don't have that picture here at work with me.

 

[Jeff F.]

Check out those huge headlights!

 

[thayerp81]

looks like a lot of work for a farm buggy, but it sure came out nice!

 

[amazincaucasian]

Great job! I am jealous, and can understand not justifying the cost of a side-by-side. I think they're completely out of line price-wise for what they can do. And the ones I've been in sounded like they were about to have a scrap iron fit. Even when new. With this rig, you can go faster, pull more, haul more, and probably get parts easier and cheaper. Plus you have the satisfaction of custom making it yourself. Nice build bud!

 

[john40981]

Great job! I am jealous, and can understand not justifying the cost of a side-by-side. I think they're completely out of line price-wise for what they can do. And the ones I've been in sounded like they were about to have a scrap iron fit. Even when new. Nice build bud!

Yes, side-by-side prices are expensive, you can buy a brand new road car for less money, not sure why they are worth so much. This build cost me about $3000 finished. Just hope the motor or gearbox doesn't give any problems in the future after so much work on the body.
It was to be a father & son project!!! Guess what, it turned out to be a father only job as two sons that were all keen at the start, found many excuses to be busy every time I had time to work on it.
I was looking forward to building it with them but it probably went smother by myself and I enjoyed the build but was glad to have it finished.

 

[CaptPicky]

They forgot to fix the steering wheel, it's on the wrong side

 

[john40981]

They forgot to fix the steering wheel, it's on the wrong side

It's the land down under remember, were lucky it's not upside down

 

[k0ua]

That is really an awesome build, Good work!

 

[PoorPlowboy]

You're going to explode the transfer case in 4wd with the differing tire sizes front/back.

 

[john40981]

You're going to explode the transfer case in 4wd with the differing tire sizes front/back.

Good thought I was looking for an excuse to put those big mud diggers on the front as well, Might have to do more mods to make them fit though.
It is driven mostly in 2wd but we have soil that has no bottom when it gets wet so just needed 4wd in case we got stuck but have a dozer or tractor to pull it out. Might be better to tell the boys not to use 4wd. Thanks for the heads up though,:thumbsup: I hadn't thought of that problem.
Might swap the wheels at the weekend and see how they fit on the front. They do give a good ground clearance lift.

 

[john40981]

The latest pics showing the big *** back tyres out on our farm

 

[PapaPerk]

The latest pics showing the big *** back tyres out on our farm
<img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/files/build-yourself/379385-buggy-build-kia-sportage-shooting-dscf0662-jpg"/>
<img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/files/build-yourself/379386-buggy-build-kia-sportage-shooting-dscf0659-jpg"/>

You gotta run same size tires all the way around... In 4wd it will tear itself apart. Should be pretty easy to put big tires in the front too.

 

[Cherokee140]

You gotta run same size tires all the way around... In 4wd it will tear itself apart. Should be pretty easy to put big tires in the front too.

Yes very true....they are going to be turning at a different rate....one is going to have to slip or something is going to make it slip. That is a fantastic vehicle you built, so much more useful then a side by side. Is it street legal, that would make it even more handy. I really like it.

Hijack Question:

What to you have to do so you can own guns down there. I know the laws changed greatly.

 

[john40981]

Yes very true....they are going to be turning at a different rate....one is going to have to slip or something is going to make it slip. That is a fantastic vehicle you built, so much more useful then a side by side. Is it street legal, that would make it even more handy. I really like it.

Hijack Question:

What to you have to do so you can own guns down there. I know the laws changed greatly.

No not road legal, our transport rules are almost as bad as our gun laws.
You can have a bolt action rimfire rifle, double barrel shot gun or bolt action centerfire rifle if you are a member of a gun club or are a property owner over 100acres or work for one. Semi-auto anything is very restrictive but possible if you are a property owner and can justify why you need one and why any other gun won't do the job and has to justify it's ownership each year. But you can only have one firearm of this type registered to your property, that's if they let you have it at all and it can't have a mag capacity of more than 10. Assault rifles of any sort is almost impossible to be registered to own.:hissyfit:
More requirements than just that also like doing safety course for each category of rifle and applying (and paying) for a permit to acquire before you buy each rifle. Currently takes about 6 to 9 months to get a new firearms licence after applying and paying the fees.

 

[willi67]

Nice work ... have you seen this site Rising Sun Buggies they make a Kia buggy as well

 

[tcartwri]

That is freakin cool. Reminds me of the Suzuki's the kids used to build about 15 years ago.

 

[john40981]

Nice work ... have you seen this site Rising Sun Buggies they make a Kia buggy as well

Yes their site gave my the idea, I just elaborated on the design a little

 

[SanDucerro]

Awesome build! Love it!