CLEVERLY ENGINEERED BUGGY, 2.3L TURBOCHARGED I4, 4-SPEED, COILOVERS, FAST & FUN!

1974 Volkswagen Rail Buggy Turbo Description

This 1974 Volkswagen Rail Buggy Turbo isn't for everyone, we know that. But if you're the kind of guy who does appreciate a machine with this one's capabilities, then you'll definitely need to sit up and pay attention, because this is not your average dune buggy.Technically, it's titled as a VW because at some point maybe there were a few parts that were in a Beetle, but the truth is that this is a one-off with all kinds of upgrades designed to make it not only fun, but reliable and safe in the most demanding of all places: the desert. It's a tube frame chassis, of course, and it's based on the standard sand rail blueprint, and has additional gussets and tubing welded in to make the cage incredibly rigid. It's got that wonderful purposeful look that comes only from form following function, although a few concessions to comfort are included, like a roof to keep you from being burned in the sun. The entire framework was powder-coated silver, which looks fantastic, and is easy to maintain. There are a few modest body panels to shield the passengers from some of the sand that's sure to be coming their way, but adding protection also adds weight, so only things that were necessary went on the car. The 5-seat interior, if you want to call it that, even though it's about as exterior as you can get, offers all the right equipment for having some safe fun in the sand. The two-tone black and silver racing buckets are upholstered in durable perforated vinyl that's comfortable and easy to maintain, an important consideration for a car like this. 5-point harnesses are probably mandatory for this car and directly hard-wire you to the car's chassis for unbeatable control in the rough stuff. The floors are aluminum, so no worries about tracking dirt on anything that'll get stained, and the controls are limited to a giant tach, some auxiliary gauges in the center of the "dashboard," controls for the AM/FM/CD stereo (yes, it's got a radio and some killer speakers!), and a stubby shifter for the 4-speed manual transmission. The steering wheel is a beautiful billet piece with a grippy rim so you can grab it even with gloves on and it's bolted securely to the frame so it won't mind you hanging on for dear life.The engine is a very stout 2.3 liter Ford SVO turbocharged inline-four that cranks out enough power to make this sand rail explosively fast. It's fuel injected and uses a Tral blow-off valve and an intercooler, so it's bulletproof reliable, which is an important consideration, and the radiator is up high where it catches clean air and stays out of harm's way. The 4-speed manual transmission is a built piece from a VW bus that's rated to 300 horsepower, and it feeds a set of polished axles to custom hubs and spindles held in place with adjustable arms from Suspensions Unlimited. There are also a full set of Race Runner adjustable coil-over shocks with remote reservoirs and something like 15 inches of travel, so it's set up right. Something that only weighs so little really only needs disc brakes on the back, so that's what it wears, and it sits on beautiful polished aluminum wheels with staggered 6.70-15 front and 33x10.5-15 rear tires.If playing in the sand and turning heads is your thing, this is your car. Purpose built using the best parts available, it's fun on wheels with few equals. Call today!