This was once a Dodge Omni car. Tom Luimes cut off the roof and cut up the body to create a utility vehicle. (Nelson Zandbergen photo)
CAR SURGERY: Creates utility buggy from a Dodge
Nelson Zandbergen
Farmers Forum
SPENCERVILLE — Retired mechanic Tom Luimes has a thing for turning old cars into dune buggies. But this one is for moving empty wagons around the farm.
Since 1992, this buggy (at left) has proven useful at his Seeley’s Bay cottage and — more recently — at his son’s Spencerville-area crop farm.
Luimes worked 44 years in the service department at Arnprior Chrysler, so he naturally picked a Dodge for the project.
He stripped down the front-wheel drive 1989 Omni model, cut off the roof and cut into the body to shorten the car by almost 24 inches.
The unit features Chrysler’s venerable 2.2-litre engine (made famous during the K-car era).
It’s set up with a wiring harness to power the taillights and emergency flashers on wagons and trailers being towed.
