Build idea, although not sure if it can be called "lawn tractor"?

Alrightly.

I've got an 85 750 interceptor that I've had for a couple decades now. It's a long term project that has stalled for the last 10-odd years. I like the old hack, but I've literally dragged it from one side of the continent and back with very little change to it's project state. Here's how it sits today:





With my VMax 1200 powered Venture and FJ1200, I've got more bikes than I can make practical use of.

The VF is too far from complete to sell as a ridable bike (would not get much for it) And with only 35,000 kms on the engine, it's too "fresh" to scrap.

I was going to tear the VF down and put the running gear in my Argo, but I think I'm going to sell the Argo off.

So I'm thinking of either doing a road going hot rod out of it or maybe build a quad bike/offroad car out of it.

I've seen this on youtube:



And I absolutely love it! But....not very useful, or even usable around here. Fun? Yup! anywhere to use it? nope.No deck on the one I woudl build, I've got the MUT for that.

It would mostly just be the lawn tractor sheet metal, the frame would be tube and the drivetrain all motorcycle. At the speeds it woudl be capable of, lawn tractor parts would not cut the mustard....

The other option is to make an offroad  "quad" out of it. Maybe even a side by side type of deal.

So here's the thoughts on that one: pick up an old quad 4x4 as a starting point, widen it to make a cage to hold 1-2 people. Drop the VF750F running gear in it, Sprinkle in some big brakes and good tires. Build long travel suspension. Then pick up some lawn tractor sheet metal to make it look like something besides a tube buggy.

I'm thinking something like and old Roper than is all metal so I can split the front "grill" and widen it, as well as widen/lengthen the hood as needed. Rear would just be the bolted on tractor fenders. So I guess it would almost come out looking like a flat fendered Jeep in the front, quad/buggy in the rear.

Or if I made it for one person, I could leave the grill/hood alone and would look more like a Quad with lawn tractor sheet metal.

So, what do you think?

Road going terror or offroad mud slinger/dirt runner?

My favorite idea is a compact side by side, with a little bed in the back and the tractor hood out front.

I would build whatever one that would best suit or fulfill your needs, -that or flip a coin. They both sound like good fun builds.

Picked up this old hack today for 40 bucks:





I started taking it out of the truck and the rain picked up so thats why it is where it is.

Not much to speak of, its just a crappy run of the mill lawn mower without deck. Been sitting so long even the steering kingpins are seized up. Heres the data tag if anyone is interested:  




Theres a window in the side of the block, but thats no good to me anyways.

6 speed transaxle, but its TINY TINY TINY! And its also locked up. It shifts, but wheels are solid. Its a foote 3864 so its pretty weak. No use to me anyways.

Tires are all flat and split, but those are also no good to me in a buggy build. I may see if I can salvage the rear wheels for the yard cart.

But it has the nose and hood I’m looking for. All steel, easily split and widened. Its also the look” I wanted as well. Something to make guys on the trail go “what the hell is that?”

So I’ve decided to make a side by side tube buggy and hang the tractor sheet metal on it. Hood and nose of course, but I’ll have to split it down the middle and widen it.

I’m kind of digging the colors and decals, I may keep them.

Keep the rear fenders and probably the floorboards, although the floorboards will be more like side steps than floors. You will sit IN the buggy, not ON TOP of it like a lawn tractor.  

I’m kind of thinking of saving the dash and steering wheel and incorporating that into the buggy somehow as well.

The sides of the “chassis” will also be reused, but just for covers on the sides of the tube chassis.

The idea is to use as much of the tractor as possible in the buggy, while still trying to keep the “flavor” of the tractor, maybe even so far as the “Rally” theme.

Havent decided if 4x4 or 2x4 yet. Trails here are mostly woods and wet, muddy and root filled. Theres no real wide open areas to let a long travel 2wd buggy strut its stuff.

2wd sure would be easier to build though. Then theres always the issue of a reverse gear. The VF750F powerplant only has fwd gears and a neutral, reverse is an issue. I had thought of maybe using a transaxle to send power front and rear to a couple differentials, which would also give me a reverse gear. But I doubt any transaxle out there would stand up to the rpm and power of the VF engine.

Hmmmm, more thinking needed....

You definitely got the power for a 4x4. Should be unique too.

So I think I’ve got the concept laid out in my head.

Essntially, a 4wd buggy. Independant front and rear suspension. Tube frame and you sit in it like a buggy, feet forward. 2 pers, side by side. Small tray behind to carry bits and bobs but not much more.

Tractor provides sheet metal. The hood will basically just be covering your legs and feet. Nose will mostly just hold the front of the hood and a couple LED flood lights.

VF750 provides the engine and electrical as well as a few other little bits. Engine is rear mounted and I’ve got an old vf750 kerker 4 into 1 that will be the exhaust. Will probably use the VF frame to make the engine cradle as it alreay has the mount postions correct.

Front and rear differentials are honda foreman units. Cv shafts are also honda foreman units. Ditto with the hubs and a arms. Shocks from various honda quads, all matched sets of 4.

The Rally will also give up its transaxle. I’ll turn it sideways and build a sprocket for the input shaft. The VF750 will drive the transaxle and the transaxle will drive shafts to front and rear diffs. I’ll likely weld up the foote diff so I dont end up with front or rear not driving. Will also give me a reverse gear, which I need around here. Hard to push a buggy back down a narrow trail that you can’t turn around on. Its just the “wussy” foote 3864, but if it blows, it blows. I can always swap in something a bit stronger later on like an 820. Sprocket sets will be selected to maintain around the 2000 rpm input rating, which is pretty much the same for most transaxles. The VF750 does 9500 rpm at redline and thats before the transmission. I’ll stick an rpm gauge on the transaxle when testing to see where it comes out.

Brakes will likely be drive shaft mounted. Keeps them out of harms way and means I only need 2 instead of 4. I’ve got a nice complete set of Honda SP2 front brakes that will do well for that.

Maybe time to do an illustration/concept drawing....

I think I'm going to stick a pin in this for a while.

Too much work to finish on the MUT and a second build is just going to make it take that much longer.

I'll probably finish the brakes, paint and the snowblower on the MUT before revisiting this project again.

Hey, wait...what the......?






The gears are turning again.....

That mini rock bouncer is friggin cool!  That looks like great inspiration for this build.

I really like your build plan other than using the foote transmission.  Combined with the reduction of the VF750 transmission and the honda foreman rear ends on the axle I think this will be a slow crawler and I don't think the foote will hold up at all.  For a vehicle like this you will want 4x4.

The Foote might hold up if it has enough of gearing after it. Like atleast 6 to1, but would be crawling the whole time and the gears in it would be screaming, if it don't rip off the input shaft first. The engine would eat it for breakfast the first time you gun it. Best bet on keeping the rig alive would be to make your own transfer case with the reverse gear in it.