Home-Built Utility Vehicle

2008 - Volume #32, Issue #1, Page #28

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"My youngest son gave me a chop saw and some square tubing for Christmas last year, which helped launch me on a project I'd been dreaming about for a long time," says Stanley Smiley, Winchester, Ind.
    The project? A home-built utility vehicle built out of a 1964 Fiat 2-WD car.
    The completed rig is painted orange and black and is complete with a manually-operated dump bed, rollbar cage, front bumper, schoolbus seat, 4-wheel hydraulic brakes, and power steering. It also has two big mirrors, taillights, and headlights off an old combine. It rides on the car's original 14-in. wheels.
    The Fiat body was bad but the engine was still in good shape. He kept the car's 4-cyl., 42 hp engine, 4-speed manual transmission, front and rear axles, and leaf springs. He cut the car's frame off behind the front wheels and used 2-in. tubular steel to build a new front frame.
    He used a 4 by 8-ft. sheet of plate steel to make the bed.
    The power steering system uses a pump that came off an older Ford car that had a hydraulic cylinder connected to the tie rods. Smiley mounted a pulley on front of the engine so he could belt-drive the pump. It sends oil to a hydraulic motor that operates the cylinder. The steering column, steering wheel and hydraulic motor are off a tow motor forklift. The fenders were purchased at an engine show.
    "I had a lot of fun building it, and my family and I enjoy riding it around our farm. It comes in handy for transporting a variety of things," says Smiley. "I spent about $1,500 to build it, which is much less than the cost of a new utility vehicle. The rig's wheelbase is the same length as on a Cub Cadet or Deere Gator. I had to cut 18 inches off the car's driveshaft in order to get the correct wheelbase length. I kept the car's springs on back but added new shocks on front.
    "It steers so easy on the road that I have to be careful that I don't go too fast or I'll oversteer. I overhauled the engine, and I rebuilt all the brake and master cylinders. I plan to add wider tires and a hydraulic hoist to dump the bed. I also want to add brake lights and turn signals."
    The hood was designed for a commercial utility vehicle. "My son bought it on the internet from a plastics company. It has a quick coupler pin on each side, which makes it easy to quickly raise the hood and work on the engine," says Smiley.
    There's a diamond plate steel platform in front of the seat. The gas tank is off a zero turn riding mower and is located between the bed and the seat.
    Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Stanley Smiley, 2076 E. Co. Rd. 600 N., Winchester, Ind. 47394 (ph 765 584-0793).

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Home-Built Utility Vehicle ATV S ATV S My youngest son gave me a chop saw and some square tubing for Christmas last year which helped launch me on a project I d been dreaming about for a long time says Stanley Smiley Winchester Ind The project? A home-built utility vehicle built out of a 1964 Fiat 2-WD car The completed rig is painted orange and black and is complete with a manually-operated dump bed rollbar cage front bumper schoolbus seat 4-wheel hydraulic brakes and power steering It also has two big mirrors taillights and headlights off an old combine It rides on the car s original 14-in wheels The Fiat body was bad but the engine was still in good shape He kept the car s 4-cyl 42 hp engine 4-speed manual transmission front and rear axles and leaf springs He cut the car s frame off behind the front wheels and used 2-in tubular steel to build a new front frame He used a 4 by 8-ft sheet of plate steel to make the bed The power steering system uses a pump that came off an older Ford car that had a hydraulic cylinder connected to the tie rods Smiley mounted a pulley on front of the engine so he could belt-drive the pump It sends oil to a hydraulic motor that operates the cylinder The steering column steering wheel and hydraulic motor are off a tow motor forklift The fenders were purchased at an engine show I had a lot of fun building it and my family and I enjoy riding it around our farm It comes in handy for transporting a variety of things says Smiley I spent about $1 500 to build it which is much less than the cost of a new utility vehicle The rig s wheelbase is the same length as on a Cub Cadet or Deere Gator I had to cut 18 inches off the car s driveshaft in order to get the correct wheelbase length I kept the car s springs on back but added new shocks on front It steers so easy on the road that I have to be careful that I don t go too fast or I ll oversteer I overhauled the engine and I rebuilt all the brake and master cylinders I plan to add wider tires and a hydraulic hoist to dump the bed I also want to add brake lights and turn signals The hood was designed for a commercial utility vehicle My son bought it on the internet from a plastics company It has a quick coupler pin on each side which makes it easy to quickly raise the hood and work on the engine says Smiley There s a diamond plate steel platform in front of the seat The gas tank is off a zero turn riding mower and is located between the bed and the seat Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Stanley Smiley 2076 E Co Rd 600 N Winchester Ind 47394 ph 765 584-0793

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