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and transmission were the power plant of choice for many owners. By placing the motor and transmission in the rear of the frame it allowed the front of the sandrail to remain extremely light and thus able to "float" over the sand dunes. An added value of placing the engine in the rear of the vehicle
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In 1958 Pete
Beiring of Oceano, Calif., took the body frame or "pan" from a damaged Volkswagen and shortened it into a new machine that eventually became the precursor to the dune buggy. This eventually led to the first production dune buggy called the "Sportster", which was developed around 1960 by
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Accidents most often occur in collisions with other off-road vehicles, and are frequently the result of not being seen. In many dune areas, all sand vehicles (motorcycles, quads, sandrails, UTVs and sandcars) are required to use an eight-foot antenna whip and flag. This is critical to being seen by
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Although sandrails are primarily designed for the sand, they have been successfully used on "soft pack" dirt, mud and even snow. Some of these types of applications usually require the use of off-road type tires versus "sand" tires. They are typically not well suited for rocky terrain due to their
252:(~350 pounds). Because of the availability of affordable parts, the Volkswagen engine continues to be the mainstay of many sandrails today. At some point in the late 1970s in the wake of the Ford Pinto product liability cases, the first alternative engine was sourced from the Pinto, primarily the
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Due to its economical cost to build and maintain, access to new parts and good balance between weight and power, the sandrail continues to be used by many enthusiasts today. However, the heavier and typically more powerful sandcar now represents another style for duners. This style often employs
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safety belt system. Many sand rails also utilize roll bar padding and fire extinguishers. More advanced safety features sometimes include: arm and wrist restraints, netting for large frame openings, automatic fuel cut-off switches and horns. Additionally, the use of eye protection (goggles and
287:. Some performance engines can run on premium unleaded gasoline. However, many high performance engines must use racing fuel or fuel additives. A high performance sandrail Volkswagen engine can produce well into the 170-200+ horse power range and as high as 700 horse power with methanol fuel.
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with few or no roads. Having an increased disposable income, these GIs formed the original core of off-road enthusiasts. Initially, they used surplus Jeeps and cut-up cars to build their off-road vehicles. Soon these "off-roaders" discovered that with little more than a
119:
As the late 1960s and early '70s approached, enthusiasts developed lighter and more powerful sand vehicles capable of ascending steeper and higher dunes. Many started experimenting at home by building super light weight vehicle frames from metal tubing, often without a
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is that the sandrail will rarely have windows, doors, fenders, or full body panels. The sandrail will also be a lighter weight vehicle compared to the sandcar. On most sandrails, the engine is typically at the rear. Some sandrails also use a
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Associations such as ASA hold events throughout the year in some parts of the country for sand racing and hill climbing. Additionally, these associations provide representation for enthusiasts with legislators and land management officials.
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are relatively top heavy and can only safely climb or descend steep hills with a mostly perpendicular approach to inclines or downhills. In the case of driving up a steep sand dune, many would simply "dig-in" and get stuck.
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have been unscrewed from the intakes for either cleaning or display purposes (See the two vertical pipes closest to the camera at the center-right of the image, and the second set of pipes in the background).
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and other armaments. State authorities, such as rangers at sand dune parks sometimes employ sandrails, removing the passenger seat to convert the sandrail into a makeshift ambulance with a stretcher.
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was that heat created by the motor did not blow into the face of the driver and passengers. From the 1970s forward, sandrail builders continued to push the delicate balance between weight and power.
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The need for more power comes from necessity and desire when driving in steep sand dunes. This has driven sandrail engine builders to add performance features to engines such as the stock (24 to 50
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Sandrails are ultra lightweight vehicles often weighing in at 800 and 1500 pounds (≈363 and ≈680 kg). They typically use high flotation smooth or farm implement front tires and special rear
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other vehicles as a driver traverses from one dune to the next. Most sandrails employ a variety of safety features for the driver and passengers. The most common is the use of a
306:
Early sandrails often consisted of little more than a steering wheel, brakes and accelerator. However, today an entire industry is built around all kinds of accessories such as
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mammoth cars weighing several thousand pounds and using highly advanced suspension systems and transmissions coupled with large performance V8 engines such as the latest
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while "duning" is increasing due to the advances in performance. Sand associations along with state and federal land management agencies work to provide
124:. Many were nothing more than a frame, engine, transmission, wheels and one or two seats. Because of their versatility, light weight and simplicity the
112:
Company. It was an angular sheet metal vehicle built on a stripped-down
Volkswagen chassis. Many others followed including the ever popular
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configuration. This design offers favorable weight distribution and traction, which is very desirable for dune "hill-climbing".
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and even the military. They are still in use today by the Navy SEALs. The military design of these vehicles is based on the
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design. Dune buggies had a style all their own with fiberglass siding and other "heavy" body features.
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55:. Sandrails can be driven on other types of terrain but are designed specifically for sand.
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Brandt, Marlin (February 18, 2012). "Informal survey of 100 people at Dumont Dunes 2012".
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specifically built for traveling in sandy terrain. Synonymously referred to as
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170HP Volkswagen mid-engine performance sandrail engine.Note that the engine
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model and have been modified for a third seat above the engine to control a
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to go almost anywhere. Throughout the 1950s the sport continued to develop.
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ballistic-grade glasses) is considered a necessity. Finally, the use of
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and 2.3L. More recently, some enthusiasts have turned to lighter weight
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Links and information on sand dunes in the United States and worldwide
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Originally becoming popular in the 1960s, sandrails used lightweight
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thousands of soldiers returning from the war had spent years driving
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Sandrails have been employed by US state authorities, the
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Online forum for the dune buggy and sand rail enthusiast
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357:mostly limited suspension and lighter duty frames.
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310:, radios, passenger communications headsets and
260:such as the Subaru boxer or GM Ecotec engines.
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379:through pamphlets, online and in classes.
153:When it comes to serious sand dunes, most
191:. The distinction between a sandrail and
180:Sandrail frames are built from a tubular
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75:Sandrail frame advertisement circa 1978
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578:"Arizona Department of Transportation"
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347:Chenowth Advanced Light Strike Vehicle
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648:Important sand dune enthusiast links
100:, they could get a stock air-cooled
518:All About Performance VW Engines #3
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391:Sandcar at Silver Lake Sand Dunes
383:Future, industry and associations
271:. These include: larger pistons,
330:Some states in the USA, such as
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23:Sandrail at Dumont Dunes CA 2011
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796:Short course off-road racing
592:"CA Dune Safety Regulations"
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16:Lightweight off-road vehicle
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343:United States Border Patrol
326:US Navy SEAL sandrail, 2010
149:Dumont Dunes sandrail video
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446:. HP books. pp. 2–3.
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653:American Sand Association
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835:Cross-country rallying
554:Baja Bugs & Buggies
444:Baja Bugs & Buggies
377:dune safety information
351:.50 caliber machine gun
296:automatic transmissions
283:, and high performance
552:Hibbard, Jeff (1983).
520:(Summer): 12–13. 2011.
471:. Dune Buggy Archives.
442:Hibbard, Jeff (1983).
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312:GPS navigation devices
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886:Dual-sport motorcycle
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308:HID and LED headlamps
290:Most sandrails use a
240:(~200 pounds) or the
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157:including those with
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702:Types of off-roading
483:Sand Sports Magazine
469:"Dune Buggy History"
467:Dune Buggy History.
258:water-cooled engines
918:Rally support truck
814:All-terrain vehicle
485:. July–August 2012.
292:manual transmission
402:Ford Coyote engine
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318:Other applications
298:are used as well.
277:racing carburetors
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218:air intake filters
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982:Off-road vehicles
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896:Trials motorcycle
891:Enduro motorcycle
806:Off-road vehicles
739:Dirt track racing
621:Missing or empty
563:978-0-89586-186-3
533:Missing or empty
498:Missing or empty
453:978-0-89586-186-3
269:Volkswagen engine
246:Mitsubishi Minica
242:Chevrolet Corvair
230:Volkswagen engine
228:engines like the
171:center of gravity
155:off-road vehicles
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129:Volkswagen engine
102:Volkswagen Beetle
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952:Off-road related
913:Off-road go-kart
903:Four-wheel drive
754:Formula Off Road
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79:At the end of
67:Sandrail, 1973
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608:. March 2011.
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923:Rock crawler
744:Dune bashing
724:Beach racing
714:Green laning
623:|title=
614:cite journal
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556:. HP Books.
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81:World War II
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960:PowerNation
869:RallyGP/2/3
759:Mud bogging
694:Off-roading
406:Range Rover
368:three-point
302:Accessories
294:, although
265:horse power
182:space frame
114:Meyers Manx
93:half-tracks
829:Dune buggy
786:Rally raid
781:Rallycross
416:References
404:series or
226:air-cooled
202:mid-engine
193:dune buggy
136:Body style
126:air-cooled
98:skid plate
53:sand dunes
876:Crosskart
764:Motocross
234:VW Beetle
232:from the
189:roll cage
175:sand dune
122:roll cage
33:sand rail
976:Category
928:Sandrail
881:Dirtbike
859:Group T5
854:Group T4
849:Group T3
844:Group T2
839:Group T1
824:Baja Bug
400:series,
197:sand car
110:EMPI Imp
41:sand car
29:sandrail
373:helmets
332:Arizona
275:, dual
238:Porsche
185:chassis
59:History
943:Truggy
749:Enduro
696:topics
560:
450:
361:Safety
91:, and
819:Buggy
89:tanks
85:Jeeps
39:, or
864:Quad
719:Baja
627:help
558:ISBN
539:help
504:help
448:ISBN
336:Utah
334:and
254:2.0L
248:and
236:and
108:the
37:rail
729:BMX
195:or
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
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