Newbie rock crawler build questions

[willis_racing]

This one was ready to go and was a solid build for $28K. I personally wasn't nuts about the 4 cylinder and Powerglide combo, but I know the rig works.
NM - Rock Buggy

Holy chit I think i recognize that thing. Is he one of the dudes who wheels on private land up in Roy? If so I rode along with him on a run once years and years ago. not gonna say that was the reason I started into crawling but it definitely had an effect. Wow that was a throwback.

 

[woods]

Buy. Every time. Unless you got the skills, space, and tools, buy something decent as a starting point then build around it. If I were doing it again, which one day I may, I wouldn't waste the time and especially money making up a stock rig. Unless it were removing the bed, the fenders, welding the diff, and slapping some 38s on it.

 

[white-rhino]

I may have missed it but I don't think littleboss answered the question if he wants a v8 or not. A couple of the buggies you guys have listed for cheaper prices didn't have v8's. It seems that as soon as someone throws a LS motor in, the price jumps quite a bit. Yeah that Truggy fo $9k sounds like a smokin deal.

 

['84 Bronco II]

Holy chit I think i recognize that thing. Is he one of the dudes who wheels on private land up in Roy? If so I rode along with him on a run once years and years ago. not gonna say that was the reason I started into crawling but it definitely had an effect. Wow that was a throwback.

You would be correct.

 

[K5_489]

I've got 15 grand in a Samurai, still running a little 4 banger, with a stupid amount of time spent scrounging up parts as cheaply as possible, I'm dealing with several issues on the steep learning curve, and I openly admit it's still a flaming pile of shit compared to most of what gets posted up here (I'm terrified that one day I'll see it posted on the ghetto fab thread, lol). Does it work better than the typical dirt cheap trail rig? Sure. Can I even dream of hanging with the properly built rigs? Fuck no. But it's what I could afford, so it is what it is.

Years ago I had the bright idea to take one of those Chinese buggys (Joyner type shit) as a base for a poor man's SxS...figured add a bit of steel to strengthen the chassis, add some better shocks, a decent set of tires, etc, and I'd be in for only a couple of grand...and I still got embarrassed by the cheapest SxS out there, and was even before the Rzrs got stupid popular. One of the biggest wastes of money ever in my life...and I've owned several Jeeps

Everyone else is right...with no experience, you're gonna end up spending WAY more learning how to do it than just buying a complete rig in the first place.

 

[Yotota]

OP should go buy this (or something like this):

Poison Spyder Buggy 2 Seater - cars & trucks - by owner - vehicle...

Poison Spyder Bruiser Buggy 2 seater -Ramjet 350 -TH400 with cooler and art carr shifter -Atlas 4.3 -Front Dynatrac Prorock HP 60 - 4.88 Detroit Locker 35 spline Chromoly shafts new seals -Rear...

yakima.craigslist.org

I know nothing about that rig/seller beyond the CL post, caveat emptor, etc. Looks like a cool rig though.