Vehicle Overview
Wide Open Design is proud to unveil our newest turn key Rocketship, “Brawler”, that was built for Tyler Roebuck. Inspired by the buggies of 15 years ago, he wanted a build that brought back the rowdy feel of old school buggies, but performed like the racecars of today. Check out the details that make this thing so sick.
Right out of the gate, the color scheme hits you hard. Tyler wanted a rig that stood out from the crowd and running opposing wheels and graphics on each side does just that. It all comes together on the hood and roof panels, creating a cool light and dark effect we haven’t seen on a buggy before. The graphics then flow onto the dash, giving a smooth transition from the exterior vinyl to the interior powder coat. The black powder coat we used as a secondary color ended up having a subtle purple tint, which matches perfectly with the chassis without being too much. Tyler initially planned to run just two black wheels and two silver wheels to stand out, but as the build progressed, the graphics evolved into this 50/50 design that pulled everything together.
The buggy’s stance is aggressive. With an overall roof height of only 72” tall, it is one of the lowest sitting buggies you have ever seen. We built the tube work in the door bars with a low check mark to give great visibility and make climbing in and out easier. The PRP Alpha seats are mounted to the bottom frame rail of the chassis, right alongside the drivetrain, which gives you a connection to the buggy unlike anything else. Having the seats set up this way also makes for a nice and wide console, providing plenty of space to set up all of your controls right where you want them. The console runs through the entire interior leading up to the custom dash. All designed in CAD, this thing was press broke, cut, and welded to get it exactly where we wanted it. It will accept a digital screen or analogue gauges (shown here) and the gauge cluster is offset and angled at the driver to allow for better visibility of the gauges. Other interior features include a Rugged Radios communication kit, our tilt steering column, and PRP 5.3 Harnesses and window nets.
For a power plant we went with a Mast Motorsports LY6 6.0 LS engine with a Harrop LSA Supercharger on the top. We chose a Holley Terminator X system for engine management. This combination will deliver fantastic power that will work well all day on the trail and be competitive on the track. To keep it cool, our new Rocketship chassis accepts a Huge 38” Radiator with dual 16” Spal Fans. Behind the engine sits a 4L80 4 speed transmission and an Atlas 3:1 transfer case; allowing more tire speed when you need it while retaining a great crawl gear for all types of riding. From there, we installed our 1480 driveshaft kits to make sure this thing will hold up to anything you throw at it, anywhere in the country.
For a buggy like this, we had to go with a set of Crane Axle 14 bolts. Both axles feature 4” x .500 wall tubing, custom Wide Open Design Trusses, Yukon 5.13 gears, 40 spline ARB lockers, our Unit Bearings, and Crane Axle flange covers. The front axle features RCV Big Bell stub shafts and 40 spline inner axle shafts, Crane Magnum inner Cs, knuckles, and unit bearing adapters. The rear axle features Crane Axle’s 4340 Chromoly 40 Spline axle shafts, and 05+ unit bearing drive flanges. This buggy features our Hydroboost kit that is plumbed to Crane’s light weight brakes on both the front and rear axle. Speaking about brakes, we installed a Willwood cutting brake which should make this thing a ton of fun to drive.
Attaching the axles to the chassis is our 1 1/4" Rod Ends, 7075 Aluminum Link Bars and billet trailing arms. For shocks, we went with a set of Radflo 3” 5 tube bypass shocks and 2” coil carriers with Eibach springs. This shock package will produce great control from King of the Hammers and Ultra 4 pre-running to launching up hills on the East coast. The sway bar is packaged behind the seats for a clean look and great control. Lastly, this buggy features Radflo 2” bump stops front and rear to control those big jumps and harsh downhill G-outs
Other standout components include a rear storage compartment and a custom fuel cell that holds over 20 gallons. These are great for longer rides and give the back of the buggy a clean, finished look. With a buggy this low, the belly is going to take some hits. We stuck with our tough 3/8” aluminum skid plate then added a 3/4” layer of UHMW underneath. The aluminum makes it strong, and the UHMW softens the blow. When you bottom out, it’s more of a thud than a crash. It also makes it easier to slide over stuff. The engine cage, tool box, rear shock mounts, sway bar arms, rear bump stop pads, and rear axle truss all feature custom CNC work that adds a unique 3D effect throughout the build. Between the rock lights and the powder coat, these details really come to life. From there, KC lights, PSC Steering, A Winters shifter, and a Warn RC 9.0 complete the package.
This buggy turned out exactly how we wanted. Every part, from the first weld to the last bolt, was built with purpose. It mixes old-school attitude with modern performance. We’re excited to showcase this thing at PRI—if you see us there, come say what’s up! It’s a great example of what we’re about at Wide Open Design—pushing the limits, dialing in the details, and having fun along the way. We couldn’t be any more proud of how this build turned out and can’t wait to see it in action.
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