Darryl comes in and ask "Dad I need to do a project for FFA again. What can I do?". My normal response is I don't care what you do. Looking over the list there is not much to do. We can't make a bird house we did that last year. He says "It says we can rebuild a lawnmower or go cart lets do that!!!". My response is OMG are you kidding me do you know how much that involves? He don't care he just wants a go cart out of the deal. I explain to him if we can talk Mama into it I know where one is I've been trying to buy for 20 years. He talks to Mama not realizing how much money this thing is about to suck up, and she agrees for us to rebuild a go cart.
I go back to the people whom I been trying to buy the Dune Cat from now forever. I knock on the door, an elderly woman late 50's early 60's comes to the door. I explain to her I've been trying to buy this Dune Cat from her family for 20 years and they don't want to let go of it. Her response "If it was up to me you could have had it 20 years ago". BINGO I just found the right person to talk to. I explain my plight to her about the FFA project and what we are planning on doing. I go into great detail about how I had one as a child and drove it until the wheels fell off. Needless to say after an hour of talking to her I left my name and number and also got hers with the promise to call around 8:00PM to talk to her husband. I'm 100 miles away from home so I go to my brothers home nearby and wait until about 6:00PM. Not being able to stand it any more I call. She answers I ask if she has spoken to her husband about the Dune Cat and she says"Well he says he don't want to give it up but since it is for your son and it is an FFA project what the hell come and get it so what are you willing to give??" I said I'll give you $50.00 "Ohhh that sounds good to me come and get it" was the answer I got. On the way I went. This is what it looked like when I got it home.
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Dune Cat Just Purchased |
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| Dune Cat Just Purchased |
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| Dune Cat Just Purchased |
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| Dune Cat Just Purchased |
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| Dune Cat Just Purchased |
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| Dune Cat Just Purchased |
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| Dune Cat Just Purchased |
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| Dune Cat Just Purchased |
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| Dune Cat Just Purchased |
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| Dune Cat Just Purchased |
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| Dune Cat Just Purchased |
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| Dune Cat Just Purchased |
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| Dune Cat Just Purchased |
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| Dune Cat Just Purchased |
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| Dune Cat Just Purchased |
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| Dune Cat Just Purchased shows damage to front |
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| Dune Cat Just Purchased |
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| Dune Cat Just Purchased |
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| Dune Cat Just Purchased |
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| Dune Cat Just Purchased shows wheel eaten away by rust |
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| Dune Cat Just Purchased Torque converter eaten away by rust |
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| Dune Cat Just Purchased |
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| Dune Cat Just Purchased |
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| Dune Cat Just Purchased |
As you can see from the pictures it was in bad shape.
Here is the kicker. If you will remember from the early history I stated it was bought from One Stop Denham's in Sycamore. After talking to the old man about it I found out this one came from the same place as mine about the same time.I will be willing to bet money these 2 carts were sisters and I had owned both of them. What are the chances of that happening? He gave me all of the history on it including how it hit a pecan tree and broke the front. His last words to me as I was loading it up onto my trailer were " If you change your mind and decide you don't want it bring it back and I'll give you money back on it." I thought to myself not on your life.
So now the major work begins this is in late August early September 2010. Darryl comes in and tells me we have to have this thing ready by September 24. At least be 80% complete by then to get a grade. He then tells me he wants to enter it in the fair. Way to put the pressure on son. After speaking to the teacher there is not a category this will fit into so no fair this year. We tear everything off body and frame are the only pieces we reuse everything else is trashed.
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| Dune Cat Parts Removed |
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| Dune Cat Parts Removed |
Darryl's bud Keean comes by to see this masterpiece and gets suckered into helping with the restore.
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| Look how the axle is bent from where they hit a Pecan tree |
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| Dune Cat Darryl showing off welding skills |
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Dune Cat Darryl showing off welding skills |
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| Axle is bent |
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| Dune Cat Middle Of Project |
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| Dune Cat Middle Of Project |
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| Dune Cat Middle Of Project |
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| Dune Cat Middle Of Project |
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| Dune Cat Middle Of Project |
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| Dune Cat Middle Of Project |
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| Dune Cat Middle Of Project Putting on Bearings |
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| Dune Cat Middle Of Project |
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| Dune Cat Middle Of Project |
Next we went to Harbor Freight and purchased a 6.5hp Honda clone motor for $129.00 pulled it out of the box oiled and gassed it up fired on second pull. It will now start every time on the first pull as long as you choke it first hot or cold doesn't matter.
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| Rolling death trap no brakes or gas pedal but had to ride Dune Cat Middle Of Project |
Next comes the body work. Found all spots where it was cracked broken or rubbed through and began to repair them. I used US composites epoxy resin and 3:1 hardener along with their woven roving glass cloth. I believe it was 9 oz cloth there or about anyway. If you have ever used any of there products before you know they work better than anything on the market. I cut the body at the seat and added 6 inches to seat and side areas.
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| Darryl sanding the body getting ready for the extensions Dune Cat Middle Of Project |
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| Dune Cat Middle Of Project |
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| Dune Cat Middle Of Project |
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| Dune Cat Middle Of Project |
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| Dune Cat Middle Of Project |
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| Dune Cat Middle Of Project |
This what it looked like after being primed
Here is the final Dune Cat after the third paint job.
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| Dune Cat Middle Of Project |
First paint job with hand made Dune Cat stickers looked okay but I goofed up and ran the second coat of tri-stage paint. I was upset $150.00 worth of paint shot. Mama said we had to use it like it was so I clear coated it. I couldn't sleep at all that night. I got up went to work the next morning thought about it all day long. I decided that wasn't going to cut it. Left work went straight to the paint store and repainted that evening total chaos ensued. before I could put the clear coat on, the paint bubbled and cracked all over. Another $150.00 worth of paint shot.
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| Dune Cat Hand Drawing and small run |
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Dune Cat First Paint Job |
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Dune Cat First Paint Job |
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Dune Cat First Paint Job |
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Dune Cat First Paint JobNot bad for a hand drawing but the color pencil coloring blah! |
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Dune Cat First Paint JobThe worst run I've ever seen. Too many shadows in the makeshift paint booth. |
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| This is what the second paint job looked like. The salesman at the paint store said I didn't let it cure long enough before trying to repaint. What a dumbass mistake to make |
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| Base Silver Coat on Dune Cat See the shadow where the run was. I couldn't tell it had paint on it. |
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| Look at that baby Sparkle Shiny New Dune Cat |
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| "Sandy Claws" fixed on the computer looks much better |
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| Side Emblem "Dune Cat" Yellow and White like original |
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| "The Dune Cat" Front Emblem Yellow and White Like Original |
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| Other Side "Dune Cat" Emblem Look at that sparkle these pictures really don't do it justice At night under the street lights it glows. |
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| "Sandy Claws" Other emblem |
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| Dune Cat |
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| The Dune Cat |
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| The Dune Cat |
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| The Dune Cat |
Future endeavors will include a new seat and upgraded braking system. I tried to use the Azusa mechanical disc brake and it just didn't work well with the differential. One side would brake the other side would increase in speed. I've ordered a hydraulic caliper and disc brake for a 4 wheeler. This should work, I just have to take it apart to redo it.
I hope you have enjoyed the story of our Dune Cat and School project.
Bigdaddyal77
See our pictures here
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