By Cody Hooper
Greg Cottrell of Rugged Radios wanted his next custom dune buggy to evoke the classic California beach buggy without giving up modern UTV performance. He started with a new 2016 Polaris RZR XP 1000, enlisted Nick Valentine of NV Fabrication in Grover Beach, California, and wrapped a heavily reworked chassis in an MGM fiberglass long-pan body. The result was the Rugged Radios Beach Buggy RZR, unveiled in 2016.
The Beach Buggy followed Rugged Radios’ earlier Baja RZR, a Volkswagen-inspired custom build. This time Cottrell chose the open, long-pan look of a vintage sand buggy and commissioned substantial chassis work to make the proportions and suspension fit.
A RZR Rebuilt Around a Fiberglass Buggy Body
Valentine modified nearly the entire frame apart from the center rails. The MGM body required careful placement of the seats and B-pillars, while the front shock mounts were moved to keep the shocks beneath the hood. Campbell Enterprises helped stretch the rear wheelbase by 4.5 inches with custom trailing arms so the tires aligned with the body’s wheel openings. Reid Nordin of Walker Evans prepared custom 2.5-inch piggyback shocks finished to match the blue bodywork.
Cottrell remained closely involved as the car took shape at NV Fabrication. The body was far more than a cosmetic shell: its fit determined the cage lines, seating position, shock placement and rear suspension layout.
Turbo Power and Sand Setup
Boondocker supplied a bolt-on turbo system with a Garrett GT2860 turbocharger, stainless header and piping, UMP-filtered intake and water-to-air intercooler. A ceramic-black Gibson dual exhaust completed the package. The original build description identified a GTX2860 as an available upgrade to the base kit; it did not provide a measured horsepower figure for this car.
For dunes, the Beach Buggy wore 30-inch GMZ Sand Stripper XL-HP rear paddles and ribbed front tires on GMZ wheels. RCV axles handled the driveline, while a Lone Star Racing sway bar and oversized under-seat fuel cell rounded out the mechanical changes.
Retro Interior, Rugged Communications
Because the long-pan fiberglass body did not accept the stock RZR seat mounts, the team built out the cockpit around custom PRP seats and harnesses. Rugged Radios installed an RRP660 Plus Bluetooth intercom with AlphaBass headsets, an RM25R 25-watt mobile radio, and a dual MAC1 helmet-air system. Those were the components fitted to this 2016 build; the linked stories document the period equipment.
KC HiLiTES Daylighter LED headlights and Flex LED pods supplied lighting, with two programmable Whip It LED whips at the rear. XTC Power Products supplied the turn-signal and horn kit. Assault Industries radius rods, mirrors, speedometer bezel and fire extinguisher added finishing details.
The completed Beach Buggy made its debut at the 2016 Sand Sports Super Show in Costa Mesa, California. Its fiberglass silhouette recalled an earlier era of dunes, but its turbocharged RZR chassis, custom suspension and communications system were firmly rooted in the 2010s UTV scene. Explore more period builds in the UTV of the Month archive.
Rugged Radios Beach Buggy RZR Build Sheet
- Base vehicle: 2016 Polaris RZR XP 1000 two-seater
- Concept: Greg Cottrell, Rugged Radios
- Fabrication: Nick Valentine, NV Fabrication
- Body: MGM fiberglass long-pan buggy body
- Suspension: Campbell Enterprises custom rear trailing arms, Walker Evans 2.5-inch piggyback shocks, Lone Star Racing sway bar
- Engine and exhaust: Boondocker bolt-on turbo system, UMP intake filtration, Gibson dual exhaust
- Wheels and tires: GMZ wheels, 16-paddle rear tires and ribbed front tires
- Driveline: RCV axles and CV joints
- Interior: PRP custom seats and harnesses, oversized under-seat fuel cell
- Communications: Rugged Radios RRP660 Plus Bluetooth intercom, AlphaBass headsets and RM25R 25-watt mobile radio
- Helmet air: Rugged Radios dual MAC1 blower system
- Lighting and electrical: KC HiLiTES Daylighter and Flex LEDs, Whip It LED whips, XTC Power Products turn-signal and horn kit
- Other details: Assault Industries radius rods, mirrors, speedometer bezel and fire extinguisher; Linson Signs graphics and decals
Rugged Radios Beach Buggy RZR Photo Gallery
