By Josh
There are projects that you build for speed, projects you build for the trail, and then there are the ones you build—or in this case, inherit—because they carry a piece of history. This week, I took a road trip to my grandpa’s place to pick up one of the strangest, coolest, and most meaningful vehicles I’ve ever had in the Build Bay: The Doodlebug.
What on earth is a Doodlebug?
If you aren’t familiar with the term, “Doodlebugs” were a product of pure American resourcefulness during World War II [02:06]. Manufacturing was tied up for the war effort, so civilians who needed tractors just… made them. They’d take old car frames, shorten them up, throw on some tractor parts, and get to work.
My grandpa built this specific one over the last decade using the same philosophy. It’s a mix of different projects from his life—a custom grill, an old toolbox, a specific gas tank—all built around an old truck frame and cab [02:21]. It’s not just a machine; it’s a rolling timeline of his life as a gearhead.
The Pain: Dead Alternators and 12-Volt Puzzles
The goal was simple: get it home and take it cruising for Hot August Nights. But as we say at DPV, the “Pain” is part of the process.
We spent the afternoon digging through grandpa’s shop, finding “old and crusty” vintage lights that were perfect for the rig [04:17]. My dad and I spent hours wiring them up, only to realize during the cruise that the battery wasn’t charging [16:07]. Turns out, the alternator wasn’t even hooked up! [16:34]. We ended up limping through the cruise on 8 volts, barely keeping the engine firing.
The Victory: Skidding Logs and Family Ties
Once I got it back to my shop, the “Victory” started. I fixed the charging system, swapped in a new ballast resistor (old-school coils don’t like a full 12 volts!), and cleaned up some sketchy wiring [17:13].
The real payoff, though, was trying to do exactly what my grandpa did for his first-ever paid job: skidding logs [20:22]. We tried to drag a massive log out of the woods using the Doodlebug’s granny gear. While the log was a bit too big for the current setup [21:48], it proved one thing—this little rig has heart. It’s already hauling our fire trailer and becoming a favorite for my girls, just like it was when they were little [11:32].
What’s Next for the Doodlebug?
We aren’t done with this one. I’m thinking bigger rear axles, deeper gears, and maybe a locker [22:02]. I want to make this thing a log-skidding beast that would make grandpa proud.
This project reminds me why we do this. It’s not about having the flashiest rig; it’s about the stories, the family, and the grit to keep things moving.
Wheel it, Wreck it, Wrench it, Repeat!
— Josh
Days of Pain and Victory 
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