off road wheel

off road wheel

Since my son is so involved with the most expensive hobby there is, I decided to share his story with those of you who have dreamed of building your own off-road vehicle but yet can never find the money to do so. My son was able to build his off-road vehicle on a budget!

Question:

Son, you have recently built your own off road vehicle. Please tell me your story and how you did this project on a budget.

Answer:

Millions of people every year are building their own off road vehicles rather than putting out the big bucks on purchasing a brand new one. These self-built vehicles are built to withstand the toughest terrain the land has to offer; utilizing rocks, mud, hills, and many other things to prove that the self-built off road vehicle is the best.

My passion about off road vehicles began when I was a youngster and my passion only grew stronger the older I got. Due to my passion and the fact that I was sick of breaking my "daily use vehicle", I built one of my own off road vehicles. In order for me to accomplish this large project I had to plan methodically because funds are tight for toys. My plan came in handy when it came time to order parts and actually build the off road vehicle.

My plan began with the purchase of a 1976 Chevy Blazer. To ensure I got my moneys worth on my original investment of $500, I drove the vehicle until I had major trouble. The major trouble ended up being the transmission. This put my Blazer out of commission! Luckily, I had saved up and bought myself a cheap car to get around in while I drove the Blazer. So far so good! I still had wheels under me and I also had my Blazer. I was pumped to the gills with energy and faith that I would soon have a self-built off road vehicle of my own.

The second phase of my plan fell together nicely when I stripped the vehicle of all usable parts that were useless to my rebuild and I sold them to friends in need. By the time it was over, I made more money than what I paid for the Blazer to begin with. Now that I had some cash in my pocket I began my build.

In phase three of my plan, I began by rebuilding the transmission. Although this was the first rebuild on my own, it ended up coming together nicely. I then set out on a journey to replace the stock 350 engine. Since I had 44" boggers already stored from a trade the year before I found an engine that satisfied my needs. I traded the stock 350 engine, very little cash, plus some labor for a strong 400 small block engine. The labor I provided far exceeded our original trade agreement so I ended up getting help with the engine installation.

By the time I got to phase four, I was really feeling the rush of using my off road vehicle so my heart constantly pounded. I ordered parts and metal and built a new firewall and roll bar. Furthermore, sheet metal was placed on the frame for flooring. Ground clearance was achieved by shortening the frame as well.

The final phase of my project was mainly tidying up loose ends such as bucket seats, gauges, radiator, and the fuel cell. The radiator and fuel cell were re-installed behind the seats along with a handy toolbox. The spare tire was mounted on top of the roll bar. And of course, I anticipated that I would be in predicaments that called for help so I found me a sweet deal on two wenches; one for the front and one for the back.

On the suspension side of life, you may be wondering how I fared financially on that end of the deal and what quality of suspension I had. Honestly, my suspension was nothing fancy due to the fact that I did not want to spend more than $1,500. The suspension is a Rancho 4" lift kit with dual shocks in the front and rear. I also got my hands on some front and rear lockers for traction.

Finally, my project was finished and I had a very capable four wheel drive off road vehicle. I have had a lot of fun with this project and spent under $2,500 on it plus my original purchase price of $500.

I would recommend that if anyone wanted a toy that doesn't cost so much in the long run to follow a plan and own that plan. My plan was much cheaper than replacing parts in my "daily use" vehicles. Remember that planning and trading is key to successfully building your own self-built off road vehicle on a budget."