Loud, fun and dirty, that’s what these brute monsters called the Swamp Buggies are all about. These massive mechanical beasts are the king of the Florida swamp. If you’re out for some high adrenaline action, then you’ll love this massive mud-eating monster. These buggies are useful in the terrain of southwest Florida as they can get through places no other land vehicle can hope to cross. In fact, these beauties are so useful even the state police have them; allowing them to save more lives.
Since these vehicles need to be powerful enough for races and be reliable for rescue operations, they must be built in the best quality as possible. These machines need to be tough. Rough terrain and moisture from the swamp water and mud will batter these bad boys to almost no end. And the thing is, parts for these vehicles aren’t available off-the shelf so they either must be welded together using durable but lightweight metal such as aluminum and the engine must be from some other high-powered vehicle like a pick-up truck. This means the chassis, deck and guard-rails all have to be custom built from scratch.
The chassis frame must be made from high grade super strong steel tubing, molded to shape then welded together to form the base of the buggy. Now, to the juicy part – the engine. The motors of these monsters range from 300 to 1000 horsepower, with a minimum of around 5.8 liter engine and lots of torque. Builders make sure to make the engine reliable as it is not fun to be stuck in the middle of a swamp with a broken ride. To keep the weight of the vehicle to a minimum, 50% of the metal used will be aluminum and this includes the railings which must be bended to shape then welded to the body to keep everyone safe on board. Once the engine’s been mounted on the chassis, it is then outfitted with torsion and suspension bars that absorb the pounding as the wheels hit the rough terrain.
To keep up with the engine’s brute power, big wheels must be installed. So after, the deck board is lowered unto the chassis using a forklift and welded to the chassis, wheels are very carefully attached and builders make sure they are extra thick and extra wide for that extra grip in the slimy mud. Now that our buggy is almost complete, a steering wheel is attached next. Then, after the seat mount, the driving deck steps and a few final tweaks are in place, you have a complete swamp buggy.
The swamp buggy is now ready for recreational use, fire and rescue missions, of course, racing. The swamp buggy is a testament to the creativity and the love for innovation of the people of southwest Florida; but most especially, their love of fun and the people’s carefree spirit. If you are looking for some downright dirty mayhem then look no further than the events listed in our website for the next wild ride.
