inspired by many buggyers who build this kind of buggy for many years now,
i took an old Libre V-Max and started cutting, grinding and welding.
and this is where i'm now..


all the URL's with pics linked to facebook expired, scroll down and to next pages for working pics an movies!!

this is a movie with all pics in it :click here




already found a second-hand skateboard to be used as a steering-board.
feel free to comment

Thanks for posting the pictures. Keep up the good work and keep us posted!

Love seeing this! Please keep us posted as this great looking buggy continues to progress.

BTW - a youtube search of "Crab kite buggy" shows a lot of crab type designs. I had no idea this was such a popular buggy type. All were DIY from what I could tell. There was even one at Wildwood.

Very well done.
Gotta love a bloke that thinks outside the square and repurposes what he has.

Look forward to the rest of the build.

I knew this existed but cruising @ the internet on many forums around the globe and youtubless ofcourse got me inspired.
And having an old V-max and 3 bigfoot full size laying around for years helps a lot.

i hope to finish before the end of this year including a test-drive.

Great work! Looking forward to seeing the finished project.

made some serious progress this week:

pic 7: making the buggy seperable.
pic 8: just have to drill 2 holes M10 for the nuts and bolds
pic 9: alignment of the frontaxle
pic 10: made a shelter to stay dry and making sure that the dog's can't see the light from welding
pic 11: alignment of the hubs
pic 12: alignment of the frame before welding
pic 13:just looking how it's gonna look..
pic 14: found a used skateboard that will do just fine
pic 15: looks very nice with the seat put in.
pic 16: a happy hobbyman.

next week: steering and attachment of the frontwheels.

the gold and grey are spray-can leftovers.
when i'm done with grinding and welding it's gonna be painted black with anti-rust Hammerite

have a great (buggy) weekend

Wow you are really moving ahead rapidly. Must have put in some long hours.

made a little progress:

pic 17
pic 18
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pic 20

being an outdoor-builder i'm hoping for more sun and less rain next week..

I must have missed this thread. Interesting project! Can't wait for the complete build and first run. Keep us up to date

the story continu's.....

contruction of the right wheelhub.
the left one is gonna be easier and take less time
because i just have to copy instead of desiging and measuring it 100 times
before cutting and welding..
the upright bar with al the holes is just for measurment and later on
used for the adjustable rail wich will hold the footplate.

pic 21
pic 22
pic 23
pic 24
pic 25


still hoping to test this Mad-Max Crab-creation before 2020,
but that's gonna be close.

Thanks for posting the update. Looking forward to seeing it in action!

Coming along nicely

I hope to see you and your crabbuggy at Maasvlakte one time

MV2 is fantastic indeed.

CU there ASAP.

Made good progress today..
Produced the second wheelhub wich is a mirror-copy of the right-one.
The Crab is now all grown up to stand on it's own feet.. uhhh tires.

i'm really pleased with the outcome so far...

pic 26
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pic 33

It is really coming together. BTW - the links you have in your sig line show some pretty cool stuff.

not being satisfied with the rear-wheel attachment i decided even before testing to change it,
this was also necessary for a better weight-ratio on each wheel.

before:
pic 1

after:
pic 34
pic 35
pic 36
pic 37
pic 38

next week the steering-axle's


@Randy: thanks

It looks like you changed wheels as well - the original was red.

Quote: Originally posted by Randy

It looks like you changed wheels as well - the original was red.

nope, those are the wheels of the kitebuggy and was just to see how it looked.

next step for testrun complete: the foothboard

pic 38
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pic 42

it looks like i'll be ready for testing before 2020

Your dog seems to think it is already perfect.

a little closer to the testride:
made 2 steering-axle's and reinforced the frame.

unfortunatly had to stop early because of the rain.
luckely my porch is big enough for parking and taking picture's


pic 43
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pic 47

testing in 2019 is likely..!!

This chariot is truly taking form. I've been loving seeing the progression through pictures. BTW, I agree with Randy, the seat appears to be perfectly "right sized". No need to continue beta testing the seat; go straight to production!

I have two nagging questions: first, how does the crab disassemble for transport and is that quite a labor of love; and, second, do the steering linkages do anything to aid or deter from the buggy rolling straight without input on the footplate?

I guess I'm wondering if the tendency is for the buggy to roll straight or will it turn one way or the other when left to its own devices. I see advantages and disadvantages to either occurrence. While riding I think I'd like a system that wants to go straight, but it sure would be nice if the buggy turned upwind if left unattended in high winds.

@ Windstruck: on pics 7 and 8 you can see where i can 'split' the crab.

and as for the handling and wether or not the buggy goes in a straight line when i lift my foot of the board and if the buggy will turn when i want to...
i've looked up every video and photo about a crab buggy and been reading on several forums
building-story's from people who build a crab and hope i didn't forget anything.

guess i'll have to wait and see @ the test..

Please video the test if possible. I'm anxious to see it and think others are as well. I'm pretty impressed with what you have done. How did you design it? That must have been a job in itself.

like i wrote:
Searched for as many footage of other builders, mix it up and add my own flavour and knowledge of 15 years of
buggying to the recepy and pray for a perfect outcome...

the stage of trying my creaction has come, it was crappy wheater but
i am ready for testing the Crab.

it has become a little obese-crab since the scale gave a number slightly over 62 kg.
but my regular buggy with side-ride weighs 74 kg and that's without a passenger..


finished the steering today and tryed if it would fit on my Fiat Seiccento.
i allready made and imperial for the kitebuggy but this one fits even easier.

and to make some nice footage i bought a new actioncam.

and the first testrun is a fact:
handles perfectly, goes straight in a line when i lift my feet
of the board but also corners if i want it to.. :D
it was a little getting used to since the many km-ers i made in a 'normal' kitebuggy but i adjusted quite easely.
the only thing i am going to adjust is the setting of the board so the steering wil be a little less progressive, but not much...

and ofcourse i recorded the try-out:



upcoming monday the second run with other footboard setting.