Project Frogger Lives! Mid-engine Formula Vee Dirt Kart with Mexican Bug Power!

This project combines an old Formula Vee chassis that had been abandoned for decades with the motor and transmission from a well worn Mexican bug.
Finding the Frame:
• Why Did I Buy A Mexica...
Test Driving the Mexican Bug:
• Driving Junk; Mexican ...

[@nickraschke4737]

That VW gearbox fact blew my mind.

[@staninjapan07]

Yeah, and just casually dropping it into the dialogue as though everyone knew it. I have a feeling he is a lot more knowledgeable and a better engineer than his channel name suggests. He clearly is.

[@joegrabowski6011]

You missed your calling can anyone imagine how this type of auto shop teaching would have allowed the students to create their dreams before their minds were filled with all that limiting safety and practically stuff that limits ones dreams, you are inspiring keep up

[@beakittelscherz5419]

I feel like a princess.. bc this Frog puts a big grin on my face😁🐸👍

[@robertburns3014]

You're amazing, my friend! You can get anything up and running with a little bailing wire and imagination. I am enjoying each of your videos. Thanks for letting us tag along on your mechanized adventures!

[@BadChizzle]

I know I’m waaaaaay late on this one, but good going! I like your attitude. After all... you are out in the middle of the desert! Do stuff we could never do in town. Yeah!

[@LowBuckGarage]

Thanks! Its all about having fun with toys...

[@rustyachers2459]

Sound like it’s hitting on 3 cylinders. Cool project!

[@aszilagyi100]

Just a suggestion, instead of flipping the ring gear. You should have just turned the transmission upside down. That’s how the car was originally designed. And it will correct the negative rear camber at the same time. Most formula-V’s are designed that way. Because it also lowers the center of gravity at the same time. Of course you need to plum or move the breather vent . But you can do it no problem

[@manitobaman5588]

Congrats on that shot through the transaxle. It's is so clear and the idea just brilliant. Way to go Low-Buck. Bob from Manitoba, Canada

[@BlindmanValley]

This is hilarious and takes me way back to early 80's. So far your channel has taken me back to my youth three times, the COOT, the red jeep and now the FROGGER, keep up the great work. P.S. My wife told me to stop watching your channel because I go straight to Facebook Market place and start looking for projects :)

[@LowBuckGarage]

Glad you like it! I've got lots more in the works. My wife got a laugh out of your postscript, thanks!

[@beakittelscherz5419]

Find something that you can take the family with you to have extra fun. Like LBG did with the Xmas wagon. 😎👍

[@sleepervega71hill28]

The V-space between W was conveniently spaced to a V pattern/w comfort space for a bigger foot -Foot. Lol. I like this channel 👍

[@martincraig778]

How did I miss this video??? Amazing how versatile those old bugs are. Watching all these different builds on KZbin is really making me wish I didn't live in the rust belt. If I made a video on one of these old vehicles it would be a week long just removing rust.

[@BunkerBlog]

This is probably one of my favorite builds on KZbin - no lie. Reminds me of an old tunnel buggy.

[@LowBuckGarage]

Thanks, I really appreciate that! Glad you liked it!

[@TerribleTim9692]

WOW! I'm surprised to see that the axle nut was so loose. Had to do brakes on mine, and it still 11:13 required a 5' cheater pipe and alot of jumping and cussing.

[@59vaughn]

Be careful...😏you know how fast they got those 917s with this crazy building design😉😝

[@jaygee9249]

Dear Mr Lowbuck, me thinks if you were so inclined, a few of those Froggy desert vehicles would sell quite well. I certainly would think about saying, " Mmmm, that looks quite interesting". Of course a bit of finesse on the engineering side would need to be required but all in all, "Mmmmm, that does look interesting."

[@harryrenner4016]

A poorly made low budget production says it all. I especially liked the first to third gear shifts. and the noticeable change in sound when the header pipe let loose. yeah there's nothing like a job well done. the satisfaction is confidence boosting.

[@todmatthew5824]

Amazing, he’s the American version of Red Green, except his creations work

[@mattjaxdad8693]

@21:31 The most important thing to work on is brakes, so I've got a tachometer!!! 🤣🤣🤣

[@jeffhunter2553]

Some buddies of mine used to race a Hi Jumper sand Sprite frame with a mid-engine configuration at the local mud bogs here in Orlando back in the 80s. Long story short they were beating v8-powered buggies with very little money and as a result the officials kept changing the rules. Eventually the buggy got parted out and the frame was converted into a regular rear engine buggy which I still have.

[@remko1238]

Such a great non-nonsens channel 🙌🏿

[@_autoverse]

Such a fun little project, kinda reminds me of something you might see on Junkyard Wars. You’d be great on that show, if it still existed.

[@staninjapan07]

This is no good, this is no good, this is no good, this is no good, and this is no good, so let's drive it. You never fail to edutain me. Good one!

[@mudgrippmike3489]

James, that bad tie rod end makes high speed a little spooky

[@tyhogue8316]

It makes me think of the speed buggy cartoons from the 70’s!😊

[@kcraig51]

"We got leaks, but that's OK with me." Sounds JUST LIKE ME! LOL!

[@jeremyTallen1]

Those headlights are awesome

[@rheidtech]

4:20 ... now thats something everyone can enjoy👍

[@cmac956]

L-BG, You are a hoot ,best entertainment I can get for cheep .just be safe , I like watching you. thanks for the laughs . also the learning opertuneity ( I cant spell ).

[@LowBuckGarage]

Thanks, I really appreciate that!

[@TheOldaz1]

Loving your projects.

[@johncovill8834]

I've come to the conclusion you are a genius! God has Blessed You. Yee Haw!

[@MadScientistGarage]

That thing is a death trap. I wanna drive it.

[@LowBuckGarage]

It is an epic level of sketchy, mixed with moments of fun/fear adrenaline when you get full throttle. At only 800lbs total, it does dance around a bit! Let me know when you're passing through this way, and we'll see what we can do...

[@MadScientistGarage]

@@LowBuckGarage yessssss

[@jolla9963]

For a poorly made low budget production, crikey!, you're entertaining. "5psi so never lose oil pressure" cracked me up, but a "tacho stuck at 8,000 so you know she'll rev", I truly lost it.

[@LowBuckGarage]

Thanks, glad you enjoyed the video!

[@darploin5071]

Looks like they tighten that bolt with a pair of chopsticks

[@SUPER_HELPFUL]

Holy hell man, why have I never seen this video? This is amazing!

[@LowBuckGarage]

Thanks, I appreciate that!

[@rogerscott4497]

Thanks for a Sunday morning laugh. I enjoyed the shit outta that!

[@LowBuckGarage]

Thanks, I'm glad to hear that!

[@albatrosnh]

Brace magically painted green in a flash! :-)

[@LowBuckGarage]

Video magic! If only I could get stuff to happen instantly in real life...

[@shawnmrfixitlee6478]

fun project , With some mods and fixing should be a great toy ! ENJOYED ..

[@LowBuckGarage]

Thanks, my biggest fix will need to be making it fit me so it doesn't hurt to drive!

[@Ashley_Schaeffer]

This thing is RAD!

[@royburnham100]

I love the safety check.....right out of calvin and hobbes

[@brianadams1318]

Try using a lever with a spring for the throttle and clutch might work better the reason sometimes vw don't go in 2cd gear is a shifter bow adjustment

[@joenanny2004]

That's a sweet little dirt road romper

[@malindasamarasinghe9909]

Really enjoyed. Wish I found your channel earlier.

[@brianswelding]

Side note: I love that you're working on greasy stuff without those stupid latex gloves everybody wears nowadays! Real men do not wear latex gloves. 😎 Edit: cool build, new sub right here.

[@LowBuckGarage]

Thanks! I can't stand those gloves, unless I'm dealing with chemicals that burn instantly, I have no use for them...

[@harryrenner4016]

I agree, are those people afraid they are going to get their hands dirty? I can't stand to wear any kind of gloves on my hands they just get in the way. besides I've got to make sure everything I own is covered with dirt and grease.

[@michaelmiller3597]

Landscape looks remarkably like southern New Mexico.

[@nealesmith1873]

Fun build!

[@dustcommander100]

For a moment or two, I thought I was watching the old movie "Road Warrior"! Maybe they'll do a remake so your masterpiece can be included......

[@jaymartinez2956]

Man i love ypur humor and im the same way im cheap and like to just make something work even if its wrong

[@LowBuckGarage]

Thanks! Its amazing how much money you can save with a little creativity, and its a lot of fun at the same time.

[@handyhippie6548]

i've built a few v-dub sand rails over the years, the first couple i thought were a "tad" sketchy, but they were factree compared to the sketchiness of this...car?...go buggy?...vehicle?...clusterf*ck? but it does look like more fun to drive than a sharp stick in the eye. lol! on the other hand, i will absolutely agree with you on the "sit in your project fairly soon in the build to make sure there's a handy place for everything, and everything works in it's place" statement. saves a metric crap ton of stress and do-overs, lemme tell ya. been there, done that, don't wanna do it again.

[@MLFranklin]

Cool project! Good video and funny narration.

[@LowBuckGarage]

Thanks, I really appreciate that!

[@jlucasound]

I bought a buggy in the eighties that someone built. It was basically a bug with no body and the rear seat section was remove and welded back together. I had a top quality beanbag chair seat and the gas tank was a 15lb LP tank with a filler neck added. The only problem, which was big, was I didn't live in the desert and the gearing was way too high for the woods. I could only drive in first and there was no practical way to gear it down. Unimog style hubs? The suspension was awesome on the bumps. Unfortunately, I ended up burning out the clutch. 😭 That was such a blast to drive, though.

[@LowBuckGarage]

For the early VW busses they used reduction boxes on the regular bug transmission to get lower gearing and more ground clearance. Only works on the swingaxle transaxles, but same idea as the unimog!

[@darploin5071]

Have you ever thought about putting the throttle on the steering wheel and just have a break and a clutch pedal might be easier for you to actuate with those sailing ships as feet that you have on your legs but that's one way around it without having to terribly redesign the control system for it

[@LowBuckGarage]

That is a good idea. I'm going to have to re-visit that project soon, its been sitting too long.

[@darploin5071]

@@LowBuckGarage I would definitely love to see you get back to the frogger project I would also like to see you be able to use all your gears on it too so locating the shift lever to the outside of the vehicle right next to you might give you more thigh space I mean you are a large man and you need a cockpit that can accommodate you comfortably what about the Mercedes-Benz seat in the frogger give you a nice plush ride

[@roryrice8742]

Safety first...or not!

[@gabehartman6832]

Sooooo AWSOME.

[@Vintageguy73]

Fortunate enough to have driven pre and post Panoz tracks

[@rogerphillips450]

I like your style!

[@LowBuckGarage]

Thank you!

[@ea95401]

That thing would be cool lifted and made road worthy.

[@markuschampos5750]

How is it possible to know all this stuff? How did you know you could turn the differential around like that? Great channel!💪

[@LowBuckGarage]

Thanks! 👍

[@Texas-t-shirts]

You need to swap the seat & battery to solve all your comfort problems!!! ...the old standard was a U1 lawnmower battery sideways between your legs~

[@Baphomet-J.-Moon-Fetus]

The answer to your brake problem is clear... Bolt a section of 'Fence' to the front of Frogger, and you'll come to a safe gradual stop every time - foolproof engineering there, I think.

[@LowBuckGarage]

I might have to try that!

[@ncjohn3429]

I like it with only 1 headlight Looks like ed roth built it that way

[@gregglogan9553]

love your videos. G.L.

[@ronarmstrong835]

I would use something like this for a daily driver.

[@dirk4926]

It looks like it would rattle my fillings out, but I like it

[@johncovill8834]

Snapped off and rusted solid.

[@ponkkaa]

Cut a hole in the floor board and go Fred Flintstone style for the brakes.

[@gregglogan9553]

that take me back . grew up in AZ. in early 65 . learn how to drive in the desert. first car was a 62 rambler 3 speed on column with OD. G. L.

[@reganlittlewood]

Are there any updates coming on old Frogger? Been mothballed a while now!

[@michaelattner550]

Awsome!

[@michaelhartzell9758]

Since im new to this channel, i wonder if you ever get that sparkplug miss fixed.

[@pouyan225]

Nice Build! :)

[@LowBuckGarage]

Thanks!

[@roulsalzer5407]

It looks to me more like a mantis Shrimp think it needs a name change😂😂

[@darploin5071]

For you covered wagon project I know you used an old Jeep pickup truck but what would be awesome you use a unimog 404 chassis on the covered wagon then you shouldn't get stuck at least not easily

[@LowBuckGarage]

I'd love to get my hands on a unimog, but so far they're all out of my price range. If I do run across a cheap one, I'll put it to use!

[@robertmartin7546]

Need details on how you made the shifter work. That's the most complicated part....

[@LowBuckGarage]

That was an old cable shifter that came with the chassis, some kind of aftermarket unit. It didn't work well, I've got to take it apart and get all the gears. There will be an update on this one coming up soon.

[@RuubRoyce]

If it's fun, it makes sense.

[@lsnowy7758]

Well! You wasted money on a rev counter. will self regulate at 3000 flat out. A big orange indicator light on the pressure switch would be better as it will flicker spectacularly when oil is boiling hot!. Oh and a box on the back to put all the bits that fall off!

[@rogerscott4497]

looks like the body was in pretty good condition

[@LowBuckGarage]

It wasn't rusty, but pretty beat. I sold it to a guy who was really into the Mexican models, so he'll put it to good use.

[@FJB8885]

If the old girl ran on all cylinders she be a little bit more fun. Does the speedo you installed work and if so, what was your top speed? Like your videos 👍✌️🇺🇸

[@LowBuckGarage]

The speedo needle bounced around all over the place, so I'm not sure. I've got parts lined up to do some more work and an update on this one.

[@FJB8885]

@@LowBuckGarage 👍✌️

[@gregburzenchenko1363]

I wish this guy was my dad.

[@webslinger67]

So did i hear you right...mexico was still building beetles in 1994?

[@beakittelscherz5419]

Where can I buy these *air cooled fuel lines*? 🤔🤔😂👍

[@aldellarte4988]

Looks like a auto dynamics mark1 or 2?

[@LowBuckGarage]

I had actually assumed that it was homemade, but now that you mentioned those I had to do some digging. I only could find frame photos of a mark IV, but it does look pretty similar. It definitely could be an earlier model. There's no plate or ID that I saw, but if you have any good way to ID it please let me know!

[@stevencharette7918]

lol project frogger silly so funny man i know go carts that would run circle around that its needs some power

[@antfarmmining7824]

You had me laughing so many times lol thanks

[@robertobuenrostro2781]

Mario! 👨‍🔧

[@nitewatch2.027]

Maybe I should get you to help with a 4x4 van project,,,,,,,,,,, is your r/v a 4wd?

[@LowBuckGarage]

I did put a dana 60 in the front of the RV, but didn't finish the conversion. I'm actually going to replace that with a different dana 60 and finish it off in an upcoming video.

[@nitewatch2.027]

@@LowBuckGarage sweet,, looking forward to it

[@danielstrachan8988]

👍👍

[@thomasbradley4868]

You need someone there to help you !

[@hobtink]

You skipping second gear, does it have second gear?

[@LowBuckGarage]

The transaxle does have second, but that shifter wouldn't engage it. I've got to do some work on the shifter, because it won't let me put it in reverse either.

[@blairmurphy5531]

🤟

[@scriptonite2182]

Leak Frog

[@thomascagle8904]

😂 A fun way to put yourself in the hospital for 3 weeks

[@Vein1986]

It has no power at all, isn't it running on three cylinders?

[@kevinleee3408]

Im wondering which one of us is older. Im 39

[@williampankratz600]

That kind of sketchy work well get my subscription

[@paulbarthol8372]

Praying Mantis might be a better name

[@Junk_and_disorderly]

What ever happened to this?!

[@blairmurphy5531]

🖖

[@dale5898]

Get ride of the Herman Munster shoes. Lower the seat.

[@TheCramunhao666]

bom

[@JohnMcPhersonStrutt]

Just be glad of the "lubricated" brakes. You don't have the cloud of asbestos dust to breathe-in and give you mesothelioma a few decades later.