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Sun Nov 25, 2007 8:41 pm

Well after several months of trying to muster some money up i finally got a '69 bug.http://www.flickr.com/photos/21233310@N07/2063989389/in/photostream/
Not much but for 700 dollars and runs decent ide say i got a good deal.I wish i had better pics but my friend was taking the pictures.I bought her about a week ago,Im in the process of baja'ing it but at 15 years old its hard to earn money.I already bought a 7 piece wide eye fiberglass kit and installed it(took 5 days because i had no idea how to do it).My question is how much can a ball joint front end take it said in baja bugs and buggies that you will have to carry a extra shock handy because the shock will break,is this true?how hard is it to convert to link pin,when i got the fiberglass kit the guy said i had to buy some type of container to hold the lights in place and wanted 20 dollars a piece for them i didnt buy them because im broke :cry: well my dad did say vw's will do that to ya,but are they needed and is that way to much money for them.Thanks

Sun Nov 25, 2007 9:07 pm

WOW! Thats a shame to Baja that, but whats done is done :wink:
Its quite a bit of work to convert to linkpin. As far as the shocks breaking, I dont think so, that sounds odd, you could break a balljoint though.
Just stick with the balljoint. Balljoint front end is just as strong if not stronger than linkpin. If you are capable and have a welder you can reinforce the shock towers at the seams and where they meet the upper torsion tube.
As far as the light buckets go, Dont buy the plastic ones, they are junk. You can use the stock ones with a baja kit by simply using small nuts and bolts through the chrome ring.

Mon Nov 26, 2007 12:13 am

welcome the the samba glad to see another young vw fan :D

Mon Nov 26, 2007 1:14 am

Thanks ill keep that in mind the next time i go to my parts store.Yea the car is in fairly good condition but it does have a bit of rust and bondo,tho the pan and interior is in great shape specially since i got her for 700 dollars.When i was cutting it i felt a little bad because it was in good shape but like you said whats done is done but it's looking really good,im gona paint it gunmetal grey soon,and need to get a rear engine cage but im not sure if you have to weld it on or bolt it on because i don't have a welder.Ill see if i can get some photos up soon.

Mon Nov 26, 2007 1:20 am

There are kits that just bolt on. Not as good as the one you would weld mounts to a cage but they do the job.

Mon Nov 26, 2007 4:46 pm

Hey, i helped cut that apart...but it sure was fun! U need to get some new pics i want to see the front end finished. That gun metal grey is going to look awseome! I might need to borrow your sprayer soon :wink:

Mon Nov 26, 2007 7:04 pm

Stick with the balljoint beam for now. I have a 67baja with cut a turn balljoint beam with gusset spindles, reinforced tie rods and hook stop kit and I beat the hell out of my car and have not broke a front end part yet. I have a nice paint job on my car but after this last weekend the bushes put some scratches in it so I would not worry to much about paint and make it the last thing you do to the car. If you can learn to weld and be resourcefull about getting parts it will save you alot of money in the long run. Just my 2 cents

Mon Nov 26, 2007 7:50 pm

Thanks for the help.I heard about the ball joint problems from the book Baja bugs and buggies.ya ya thanks for the help so cal vw.Is there any other way to lift the front end beside cut and turn method(will that require a welder to).Thanks

Mon Nov 26, 2007 8:05 pm

You can lift the front of your car with lift spindles but I think for the same price you could also buy a used welder off of Craigslist and learn new things.

Mon Nov 26, 2007 8:09 pm

Yea i was figuring that,i could use a welder,good skill to learn anyway.What amperage would you recommend for welder.Thanks

Mon Nov 26, 2007 8:28 pm

ffhofer wrote: You can lift the front of your car with lift spindles but I think for the same price you could also buy a used welder off of Craigslist and learn new things.

I bought mine for $75.00 off thesamba.
As far a welders, how much welding do you paln on doing, and what kind of welding will you be doing? For sheet metal and casual light welding go for the 110v. If you plan of doing alot of welding, and suspension and cage work go for the 220v. I picked up a new lincoln 175 MIG 220v for $500 shipped to my door off of Ebay. It came with every thing to get started and a DVD to teach you have to weld with it.

Tue Nov 27, 2007 6:06 pm

Mostly light work,for nitro rc's and minor work for my baja bug(no cages or anything like that).Would 110v work thanks?

Tue Nov 27, 2007 7:52 pm

'69 baja wrote: Mostly light work,for nitro rc's and minor work for my baja bug(no cages or anything like that).Would 110v work thanks?

I use a 110v welder to do everything such as gusset spindles and weld on the hook stop kit. My welder has an OXY/Argon bottle along with an AMP. adjuster to really burn into the metal and I have not had any problems. I have know guys to build complete cages with a 110v welder but alot has to do with your prep work and how good of a welder you are.

Tue Nov 27, 2007 8:22 pm

it would have been better to buy and sell for more. keep looking for the deals buy and sell until you have enough to buy what you like.. I started out buying a 1500$ jeep in 3 months I worked up to 30k I did not want a jeep after that so I built a buggy and paid bills. quite easy to make 30k in spare time. most of the time you never have to put out the cash but just act as a broker. Find the car, put it up for sale on e bay. use deposit to buy car and keep the rest.. I cant tell you what car makes all the good money ( my secrete) but Vw's could do well.

Tue Nov 27, 2007 8:41 pm

seabeebuggy wrote: it would have been better to buy and sell for more. keep looking for the deals buy and sell until you have enough to buy what you like.. I started out buying a 1500$ jeep in 3 months I worked up to 30k I did not want a jeep after that so I built a buggy and paid bills. quite easy to make 30k in spare time. most of the time you never have to put out the cash but just act as a broker. Find the car, put it up for sale on e bay. use deposit to buy car and keep the rest.. I cant tell you what car makes all the good money ( my secrete) but Vw's could do well.

I have made alot of money doing the same thing but I dont tell alot of people how easy it is or how it is just something you learn over time.

Tue Nov 27, 2007 9:39 pm

'69 baja wrote: Mostly light work,for nitro rc's and minor work for my baja bug(no cages or anything like that).Would 110v work thanks?
Cool... I guess I'm not the only R/C'er here. (What r/c forums ya on?)
I just got my first car (86 Syncro) last month. I'm also trying to acquire a SandRail or a Baja-Bug.

Wed Nov 28, 2007 6:52 pm

Used to go on rc universe alot but im going away from that hobby because of my baja,but i started my savage x and ran a few tanks this morning(rare).Thanks for all of the help.Ive seen people make alot of money doing what you said,but it would take a ridiculous amount of time for me to just buy the initial investment.

Sun Dec 02, 2007 8:20 pm

Ive been thinking of going coil over since i bought my bug,what would that require for the front on a ball joint front end.Here's what im looking at they any good http://www.mooreparts.com/AC413001.html i know it needs thru rods but im not sure what else.Thanks

Sun Dec 02, 2007 8:43 pm

'69 baja wrote: Ive been thinking of going coil over since i bought my bug,what would that require for the front on a ball joint front end.Here's what im looking at they any good http://www.mooreparts.com/AC413001.html i know it needs thru rods but im not sure what else.Thanks
Those shocks are'nt worth the shipping on them.You'd be far better off buying a good set of Bilsteins to bolt onto your balljoint front end then trying to put through rods on BJ arms.

Sun Dec 02, 2007 8:59 pm

Whats wrong with them ive seen them in person and they look of good quality but of course looks can be decieving.Im on a low budget and they sounded good,ide like to go coil over and im pretty set on getting coil overs,can you recommend any good budget coil over shocks.Im looking for a very mushy soft front end.Thanks