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What about the Canadian Argo vehicles?
And Ura-Ki, lol, use ballistic steel plates for the lower half, build similar to the German SDKFZ 221 scout car but leave top half unarmored with cage?

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DO the whole thing in Special A-1 Armor steel!
Then you'll need a way more powerful engine.. one of the smaller Cummins v6s?

The armor steel is incredibly heavy for the protection/surface it gives.

Perhaps a better option would be to maximize armor only around the crewed portion of the vehicle on the bottom, and to install lighter armor steel framework that can accommodate replacable ceramic tile arrays for Level 4 type armor? Just an idea there. Might be expensive and difficult to implement properly.
 
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A slick little build would be to harvest a old Subaru Justy 4X4 turbo ( With Low Range) and build a small rig from that!
I would have a bunch of Steal Plate CNC Plasma cut to shape and build it as a monocoque!

A Bigger more powerful version would harvest one of the last of the Ford Exploders with the Independent suspension and 5.0L V-8 drive train, same Steel Plate Mono chassis/cage as above, just bigger! I'm thinkin Mad Max beyond Thunderdome War Rig!
For a while I considered a Subaru Baja, but got my X1 instead. If Subaru still made the Baja I might have bought one. Ditto with the Honda Element. But for off-road, I like my Toyota 4x4 pickup.
 
FWIW - mice have damaged the wiring harness on my BMW X1. Replacing the harness would cost close to $2K. Repairing it (not sure it is possible yet) will probably be $1K. The car drives ok, but ABS and other things are disabled and the computer is very confused. I am not sure if the AWD works or not - maybe not. Not sure if it would pass emissions with the constant confusion in the computer - DEQ plugs into the computer to get their info on late model cars - they do not put anything in the tailpipe.

Vehicles with complex systems like this are nice for daily drivers - I like my X1 and prefer to drive it over my trucks, even though my trucks have had mouse problems too.

In a SHTF situation something that is simpler and easier to repair or work around issues, it probably better to have.
So the shop is finished with my car - $1K+change is the bill to repair the damage cause by the mice to the wiring. Would have cost a lot more if they had replaced the wiring harness instead of repairing it.
 
Im currently building a 6 wheel buggy (two axles in the back, both with power). With a 670cc v twin. Im going to make skis for the front too. Put paddle tires on the back and take it on groomed trails to my cabin in the winter. Ill do some sort of rifle rest for the passenger too. There is a range we can drive into, perfect setup for comfy shooting. Ill do a roll cage, and probably put a jump seat on the roof for my crazy friends :) Still have a ways to go. Getting inspiration from the Chenworth buggy:

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Im currently building a 6 wheel buggy (two axles in the back, both with power). With a 670cc v twin. Im going to make skis for the front too. Put paddle tires on the back and take it on groomed trails to my cabin in the winter. Ill do some sort of rifle rest for the passenger too. There is a range we can drive into, perfect setup for comfy shooting. Ill do a roll cage, and probably put a jump seat on the roof for my crazy friends :) Still have a ways to go. Getting inspiration from the Chenworth buggy:

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I would like something like that with a Ducati 1+ liter V-Twin - I love the sound of those. I would be interested in how you are going to drive the 4 wheels.
 
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Yeah, I'm curious as to what setup for powered rear axles with the V twin.. quickest/most economical that I can visualize is basically tandem axle setup with the "middle" axle driving the rearmost axle?
Chain drive would be easiest, couple of #10 farm chains and sprockets would be super easy to rig, plenty of ratio options!
I want to build this, just need to find a good pair of snow mobile tracks for cheap!
 
Yeabut Im looking at a lot of the current 6x6 UTVs which appears to use tandem axles with their independent suspensions vs the straight axles with chains and sprockets?
You could build anything with the right mind set, a couple of short shafts and pillow bearings, and "steering" U-Joints to make the movable shafts, some simple hub design and your off to the races!
 
I would like something like that with a Ducati 1+ liter V-Twin - I love the sound of those. I would be interested in how you are going to drive the 4 wheels.
You should check out "sidewinder" style karts. The utilize motorcycle engines specifically, and many of the suspension components from said bike. Pretty cool.

The 4 rear wheels/two axels for mine will all be on the same flat (reinforced) piece of frame. That frame then pivots with three shocks, against the main frame. Same basic way dirt bikes have the rear suspension set up. Im going to use a Predator 670, its a clone of a Honda 670, a horizontal drive engine (like most motorcycle engines). I'll do a cvt torque converter (like a snowmobile) running off the main drive shaft, then run a chain to the rearmost axle. Ill probably go 72 tooth on the main drive sprocket, or something real big to keep torque high. Then, somewhere else on that same axel, ill run a second sprocket, with the same tooth size up towards the second drive axel (just behind the driver). So three of the same size sprocket in total. Ill have to run the last chain over some of the steel on the frame, but it wont touch, so no worries. That axel should have the least amount of weight on it, hence whe its the last one to recieve power (if something goes south, Ill disconnect it). The engine, and all the drive components will all be on the same pivoting "plane", which makes building easy for rookie welders like me. Im going to put the engine as far back as possible, that way its weight is directly above the rear tires. Also makes maintenance easy. Here is a few photos of the "proper way" the build the frame, Just imagine bigger tires the rear part stretched, a touch wider, and with an extra spot for a second axel:

I would love a 6x6 utv, but don't have the money. But I do have tools and some ectra time. Plus doing a 6 wheel buggy has a big pro with being light weight, low center of mass, cheaper, easily customizeable, and easily adaptable to variouse engines. Im a big dude (6'9" 340) hence why Im doing an extra axel. I stretched the frame a foot from my build plans too. Tires will be 22" tall, 11" wide, on 8 inch wheels aka old school 3 wheeler "balloon" tires. They are low pressure, so will help with extra cushion. Also the high surface area will be great for sand and snow. The county in Idaho where my cabin is at, grooms about 35 miles back, so I wont be doing any deep poweder.

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1999 Ford Escorts don't do half bad in sand either! Im all about practical. Shopping cart roof rack I pulled off the highway. Vaccume hose snorkel, and 3/4" strut spacers cut from a plastic cutting board. Got 30" tires to fit with a sledge hammer and angle grinder. Pretty fun seeing it in the teachers parking lot at my school, haha.

You have to love central/southern Oregon, beautiful country!

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Looks to be pretty simple and should be easy enough, got some ideas to make it better!

Just need to find a pair of decent tracks, I have everything else I would need, including a 22 HP V-Twin motor and clutch assembly!
Are you in WA? I see used skid steer tracks pop up at auctions quite often, they sell for next to nothing.
 

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