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Thu Mar 08, 2007 4:47 am

hey there guys :)

as the title says i am the proud owner / builder of my rotary powered baja bug based in Australia. Due to bein aussie the bug is some what tamer compared to alot of baja bugs on the sight but never the less it is starting to push the limits on what is leagal over here.( dam laws and road rules)

it is a 1969 baja with a modified cheetah baja kit,, all four gaurds have been widened and an empi bonnet used. out the back is a newly converted 6 rib kombi box holding onto an injected 13b mazda rotary engine with a large extended port, running an all microtech setup .

the other highlights are pretty much standard baja stuff such as custom barwork race seats and harnesess lifted rear and front end ( 181 front on its way from the usa) ( very limited over here in regards to what can be done and keep the car on the road) 15 in rims with 31 mudders .
im sure you guys get the idea lol

i have started a website on the build of my baja if you guys would like to take a look any feed back would be very much appreciated as it is still very much a project on the go ( bit hard as it is also my daily driver) i got the car at around 16 and now only 19 i feel as if my project is starting to come along and is slowly turning in to a true aussie baja fit for beach and offroad cruising :)

thanks guys heres the my web page i am having problems posting any pics so all the pics are on the website i dont have to many pics on there of the updated modifications but you get the idea :)

http://groups.msn.com/GottaVW

Thu Mar 08, 2007 11:25 am

Quote: ( dam laws and road rules)

What is it with Aussie's there their road rules?! I was in Queensland a few years back and after coming back home I had a nice little speeding ticket taken by a speed camera in the mail. The worst part is that in the picture you can see my brake lights on because I was slowing down for the reduced speed zone. :lol:
I have heard that they can be pretty strict on you guys with modifications too. Too bad, there is endless beautiful desert that is just begging to be enjoyed by way of Baja bug (How about "Outback bug")

Thu Mar 08, 2007 3:37 pm

lol yeah things seem to be alot stricter here then they do over there :) for instance modification wise there is a whole bunch of rules that limit you to doin very little to a car ,,, a are no welding at all of suspension combonents ( big setback) all four wheels have to be completely covered by the guards , engine size limited to 2.5 ltres in a bug ect ect they are just a quick few but yeah it sucks

they are tight ass's over here

Thu Mar 08, 2007 4:48 pm

Would a rotary engine spin the opposite direction down under? :lol:

Thu Mar 08, 2007 4:53 pm

lol heheheheh just wait ill go and check ............... nope lol

Thu Mar 08, 2007 6:05 pm

Dang very strict. Funny thing is when I was there I could not help but notice how relaxed it is compared to Southern California (at least in Townsville and Cairns). Where are those photos taken on your page? Got to love driving on the beach, most places around here you'd be locked up for that!

Thu Mar 08, 2007 7:30 pm

umm the pics on the beach are taken from on moten island during a week holiday there. it is about a 2 hour barge trip to get there from the main land near the port of brisbane.

and i found the sandy trails to be really powder soft in comparison to many of our other more well known beach driving locations.,,,,, but it is a very beatiful place to go beash bashing as you can take your pic between cruising on the hard sand beside the crashing surf ( extremely beatiful ) of go for a bit more up beat drive through the sandy trials thrgouh the forest which include some pretty big hill climbs of you dare.

i have a bunch of other pics i am hoping to up date the website with later on tonight some time from a buggy bash ( offroad hill climbs and courses running up the side off a huge vegitated mountain thing,, also a few bash pics of mud glorious mud lol and some more beach driving

Fri Mar 09, 2007 4:34 pm

Funny you should post...I just found out that I'm going to be in Sydney and Canberra in about 2 weeks. Got any suggestions for VW-type stuff to look up?

Nice rig, BTW. I've seen some really wild-looking things done to meet Aussie laws, but yours looks clean!

Fri Mar 09, 2007 5:12 pm

hmm honestly there isnt all that much vw stuff that happens around here all i could suggest is there may be a sydney vinatage car show or dub show happening ,, ill do a search around for you and get back to you on it though :)

thanks :) i like to try keep my baja looking respectable as it id my daily driver and fear being pulled over by the transport departmanet lol sometimes i find myself switching the engine of and rolling past them when they are doin side of the road checks so not to draw to much attention to what is hanging out the back lol

real bugga though im in the process of sourcing a drive problem which i broke yesterday ( after showing some guy up in his lil rice burner lol ) it either gearbox troubles or a blown inner cv on the kombi box lol

Fri Mar 09, 2007 5:18 pm

oh yeah thanks for posting a pic also :) appreciate it as i am having trouble doin so :) feel free anyone to poast anypics if you feel up to it :)

Fri Mar 09, 2007 5:23 pm

Lets see the power plant!!!!

Fri Mar 09, 2007 5:48 pm

lol I cant post pics but it is all on my website at the start of the forum,, including the rebuild / porting of the engine, and the all the engine conversion info such as cooling ect ect ,, heapsof pics on this topic on the webpage :)

Fri Mar 09, 2007 6:00 pm

That is trick shit, knowing the power of rotary that fucker has got balls.
How does does your transmission handle it? That's gotta be on the list.
The only other thing I can think of is the rear weight factor, those Wankel's are heavy. But you can burn those tires until you get bored, dig to the U.S. if you had mudders on it. :lol:

Fri Mar 09, 2007 6:16 pm

I like you web site that you set up. Some great information in there. You could right the book on that conversion.

Fri Mar 09, 2007 9:21 pm

Thanks heaps guys glad you like it although there is a lot of info missing that i need to update including the microtech wiring and electrical setup the 181 front end and a bunch of offroading adventures pics and movies.

I went through around 4 gearboxes in a period of 2 months before i saved my pennies and went with a 091 kombi bow with sa super diff and albions 1 and 2 .

i also now run 32 by 255 mudders for a bit more grip of the road

:) ill let you know when i update the website with all that info :) overall i find it one of the funnest carts i have ever been in ( not to many baja bugs can be seen over here in australia that are road registered and can blow the doors of jap cars like skylines ect ect on the road ( surprises alot of ppl over here )

Fri Mar 09, 2007 9:41 pm

Quote: I went through around 4 gearboxes in a period of 2 months before i saved my pennies and went with a 091 kombi bow with sa super diff and albions 1 and 2 .

Damn how did you have a chance to even have a life? Was it all quick release? :lol:

Fri Mar 09, 2007 10:00 pm

lol i wish ,, someone should create a quick realese setup lol heheh.

i must admit i had very lil weekends to myself during the conversion as i ran into so many problems and spent every weekened for a few months sorting it all out including sourcing items info and learning how to rebuild a rotary for the most hp ..

during that stage the engine was in and out of the car so many times that i now have it down to a very fine art lol with a helping hand from a mate or someone i can manage to drop the cage disconnect all the wiring and colling lines , disconect and remove the exhaust incuding the extracots and unbolt and remove the engine and adaptor plate in close to an hour and 15 mins . not to mention after 4 gearboxes in two months i started to get the art of gearbox removal and fitment down pat ptreey quick as a gearbox change needed to be donw in a single day in order to get the car back on the road for work ( its my daily driver by the way ) ( being only 19 and a full time student i dont have the pennies for a more practicle car and a fun toy car lol )

Mon Mar 12, 2007 9:15 pm

[img]http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=336741[/img]

hmm didnt work ?? trying to post some pics but cant seem to get it to work ?? i have one in the gallery now but cannot post in the forum any ideas guys ??

Mon Mar 12, 2007 9:27 pm

thudknuckle wrote: [img]http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=336741[/img]

hmm didnt work ?? trying to post some pics but cant seem to get it to work ?? i have one in the gallery now but cannot post in the forum any ideas guys ??

at the top of the page where the photo is look for the link
impressive work

Tue Mar 13, 2007 4:37 pm

hmm that was only a trial pic i have some that are are coolier but i still cant post em ( thankyou for posting that one ) is there a link anywhere on posting picss in the furom ?? i have had a looksy but cant find it ??

i have tried using the "img" button adding the link and using the img button again but doent seem to work ?

cheers guys