Old School 2 Seat Alumicraft Rebuild

[Reece Pettersen]

After talking to 2 owners with similar alumicraft frames over this last trip (one turbo honda on n/a), I'm now wondering if converting the car to a mid-engine is a better path forward. Turbo guy said he can't keep the front wheels of the ground, and non turbo guy mentioned after doing a few things to get more weight up front the car improved...this of course is subject to debate on driving style etc., but it got me thinking.

Given I need to change the motor and trans mounts anyway (going to get a 2D) - moving to a mid-engine is relatively the same cost. The car will be driven by my wife and a wheelie on a tall dune would just scare her...a mid-engine duner seems like a good option. I'd somewhat copy my existing car - radiator location, exhaust, etc..

Thoughts?
Here's some pictures of a car with a honda engine and 2d trans setup...according to the owner Alumicraft built it...it kind of matters to me that if i do a mid-engine it's what alumi craft could have done back in 2001ish.

I would not convert the car to mid engine. I would run a N/A k24 engine and a mendeola 2d. Keep the weight off the back of the car and it will work much better than a mid-engine.

 

[Kick310]

I started with a J&J aluminum car. Every other trip I had to weld the car up. Car was a blast but definitely not the safest car to ride in.

 

[wesinls]

Figure I'd post an update as to where I am with the project.

Sold the 002, VW Engine, and the trailer the car came with...got ~$2500 back, which is helping fund the project.

Spoke to Matt at Alumicraft to get his thoughts on a mid-engine 3.5 vs keeping it a rear engine - and after speaking with him, he was in agreement a mid-engine would be a fun car and a good choice...game on.

Picked up a freshen'd 2D with a ProAm Shifter from a member this last weekend - thanks again @Greg Rakes - he even had the trans guy convert it to mid-engine for me while it was in the shop...and the gear ratio's in the trans seems like it will be perfect after putting them in the weddle gear calculator.

Found a Mendeola mid-engine shifter thing that bolts on the back of a 2D from a dude on Facebook...This setup seems clean vs the funky looking cable setups - There's a guy a ride with sometimes who has this same setup and is happy with it.

Called ECP (Powder Coating Company) - and asked about orange candy colors - they suggested looking at the Illusion colors offered from Prismatic Powder vs candy colors...pretty cool company (Prismatic) as they send you samples for free (plus shipping) - I had them send me 11 different shades of Orange - arrived at my house in 2 days after ordered...With some back and forth the wife settled on Illusion Orange. We plan to powder the frame and aluminum this color - and maybe someday paint some sort of design over the sides.

Had JetTrim send us various brown material colors for the seats- the wife picked the two colors shown in the pic below that will be used in various parts of the seats - also shown is the illusion orange power sample. I'm waiting on some thread colors from them in the mail before we pull the trigger and order the seats. The seats take 6 to 8 weeks once ordered - and I'll need those before having the fab work done.

Misc parts - XL80's main lights, Squadron Pro Ambers for low / dust, and Red S2's for running lights...billet 3 panel mirror, Autometer Gauges.

And lastly - finally got my 3.5 engine today...hoping to get the clutch, flywheel, and pressure plate from a member in Glamis in a few weeks.

Hoping to start fab work in Aprilish?

 

[Greg Rakes]

Figure I'd post an update as to where I am with the project.

Sold the 002, VW Engine, and the trailer the car came with...got ~$2500 back, which is helping fund the project.

Spoke to Matt at Alumicraft to get his thoughts on a mid-engine 3.5 vs keeping it a rear engine - and after speaking with him, he was in agreement a mid-engine would be a fun car and a good choice...game on.

Picked up a freshen'd 2D with a ProAm Shifter from a member this last weekend - thanks again @Greg Rakes - he even had the trans guy convert it to mid-engine for me while it was in the shop...and the gear ratio's in the trans seems like it will be perfect after putting them in the weddle gear calculator.

Found a Mendeola mid-engine shifter thing that bolts on the back of a 2D from a dude on Facebook...This setup seems clean vs the funky looking cable setups - There's a guy a ride with sometimes who has this same setup and is happy with it.

Called ECP (Powder Coating Company) - and asked about orange candy colors - they suggested looking at the Illusion colors offered from Prismatic Powder vs candy colors...pretty cool company (Prismatic) as they send you samples for free (plus shipping) - I had them send me 11 different shades of Orange - arrived at my house in 2 days after ordered...With some back and forth the wife settled on Illusion Orange. We plan to powder the frame and aluminum this color - and maybe someday paint some sort of design over the sides.

Had JetTrim send us various brown material colors for the seats- the wife picked the two colors shown in the pic below that will be used in various parts of the seats - also shown is the illusion orange power sample. I'm waiting on some thread colors from them in the mail before we pull the trigger and order the seats. The seats take 6 to 8 weeks once ordered - and I'll need those before having the fab work done.

Misc parts - XL80's main lights, Squadron Pro Ambers for low / dust, and Red S2's for running lights...billet 3 panel mirror, Autometer Gauges.

And lastly - finally got my 3.5 engine today...hoping to get the clutch, flywheel, and pressure plate from a member in Glamis in a few weeks.

Hoping to start fab work in Aprilish?

View attachment 135878
View attachment 135879

Nice to meet you this past weekend and this is going to be a sweet buggy for your wife. Can’t wait to see this out in the dunes in the future!

 

[Sandkist]

Figure I'd post an update as to where I am with the project.

Sold the 002, VW Engine, and the trailer the car came with...got ~$2500 back, which is helping fund the project.

Spoke to Matt at Alumicraft to get his thoughts on a mid-engine 3.5 vs keeping it a rear engine - and after speaking with him, he was in agreement a mid-engine would be a fun car and a good choice...game on.

Picked up a freshen'd 2D with a ProAm Shifter from a member this last weekend - thanks again @Greg Rakes - he even had the trans guy convert it to mid-engine for me while it was in the shop...and the gear ratio's in the trans seems like it will be perfect after putting them in the weddle gear calculator.

Found a Mendeola mid-engine shifter thing that bolts on the back of a 2D from a dude on Facebook...This setup seems clean vs the funky looking cable setups - There's a guy a ride with sometimes who has this same setup and is happy with it.

Called ECP (Powder Coating Company) - and asked about orange candy colors - they suggested looking at the Illusion colors offered from Prismatic Powder vs candy colors...pretty cool company (Prismatic) as they send you samples for free (plus shipping) - I had them send me 11 different shades of Orange - arrived at my house in 2 days after ordered...With some back and forth the wife settled on Illusion Orange. We plan to powder the frame and aluminum this color - and maybe someday paint some sort of design over the sides.

Had JetTrim send us various brown material colors for the seats- the wife picked the two colors shown in the pic below that will be used in various parts of the seats - also shown is the illusion orange power sample. I'm waiting on some thread colors from them in the mail before we pull the trigger and order the seats. The seats take 6 to 8 weeks once ordered - and I'll need those before having the fab work done.

Misc parts - XL80's main lights, Squadron Pro Ambers for low / dust, and Red S2's for running lights...billet 3 panel mirror, Autometer Gauges.

And lastly - finally got my 3.5 engine today...hoping to get the clutch, flywheel, and pressure plate from a member in Glamis in a few weeks.

Hoping to start fab work in Aprilish?

View attachment 135878
View attachment 135879

Orange? Did someone say orange?

 

[Tonyd]

Orange kinda grows on you.
My friend went w/ brown seats and regretted it afterward...he thought it dated the car vs updating it.