TheSamba.com :: View topic

Sun Sep 06, 2009 10:53 pm

I've been lurking here for awhile reading and asking a few questions but, I'm almost done with my frame off rebuild of my daily driver baja. I wanna show off my work at this point. This post is gonna be picture intensive so those with low bandwidth beware.

Here's what i started with:

This is one of those cases where it looks good from afar but is far from good.

Exhibit A:

The wiring caused quite a few headaches, one time i had to choose between engine ignition and lights due to poor wiring... :shock:

The Final Straw:
I was ok with that though but the straw that broke the camel's back so to speak was when the accelerator cable broke merging onto the highway...

On the night before prom no less...

So over the summer i started taking things apart

Might have something to do with why it overheated all the time?^^^ :roll:

As i was cleaning the pan with a wire wheel i had a slight accident involving that accelerator cable. (it's out to get me i know):

anyways back to the tear-down:

And then my first addition to the car!:

and the new 1/4 floor pan:

My new(or repainted engine parts)

And now taking the engine apart to replace the pushrod tubes cause i bent the old ones with my ghetto engine stand.(In the backround)

But then i dropped a stud with screw attached into the oil filling hole...

Here it is all put back together after my friend got the stud out with a screwdriver and a magnet.

After painting the frame and wheels: (I agree with Lotrat the black wheels are how the cool kids roll nowadays)

Sanding down the body for paint:

Primered:

Painted:

Maybe this is why the car's ride sucked so badly? I replaced these shocks with the grey KYBs and the suspension has stiffened up significantly and the ride height is taller now:

Here it is with the body back on:

I'm gonna mount shallow mount Tailights in the fenders but haven't quite figured out how to make them level.

Mocking up my seat mounts:

And the rear seat i got for $20 at the bugorama at Sacramento:

I'll be updating as i finish this rebuild this next week. Feedback is always appreciated.

Mon Sep 07, 2009 8:47 am

I like those wheels... Are you putting the old baja kit back on? Not my favorite look, but it's a rare kit. I also noticed your front beam is missing the torsion arm seals. Nice tear drop too.

Mon Sep 07, 2009 10:58 am

Nah I got a one piece front end I'm gonna be putting on there as soon as I get it home. Couldn't fit it in the Honda with the seats and rest of my stuff. I am not a big fan of the previous kit so I'll CL and put it in the classifieds, shoulda taken em to bugorama an sold em but wasn't thinking that far ahead.

Noted and added to the list of things I need to get when I pick up the front end.

Thank you, the teardrop was my high school senior project. It turned out ok but unless I'm getting paid some big money I'm never doing one of those things again.

Mon Sep 07, 2009 12:13 pm

RecruitJohnston wrote: Noted and added to the list of things I need to get when I pick up the front end.

You don't need them if you replaced the needle bearings with bushings.

Did you go with a flat or satin black paint. Looks nice.

Mon Sep 07, 2009 12:56 pm

Lotrat wrote:

Did you go with a flat or satin black paint. Looks nice.
It's Rustoleum Industrial Grade Flat Black. It sticks pretty well and is real easy to touch up.

Got both of the seat mounts welded in and am now working on the speaker box for the back. Planning to make the box out of 1/2 plywood cause I got some laying around. At least that's the plan, I have automotive ADD so who knows what I'm gonna work on next.

Mon Sep 07, 2009 5:39 pm

dude that looks awesome..

check out my rims, im rockin the flat black rustoleum as well...good stuff
i just finished mounting my tires yesterday

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Mon Sep 07, 2009 10:07 pm

I do like the black wheels i only wish all four of my wheels matched in style... one can wish

Anyways here's what i got done today:

Welded in my seat rails:

I painted over the welds but forgot to take a picture.(doh!)

Here's the layout for the back speaker box:

Here it is getting painted, sorry i get into the zone of building things and forget to stop and take pictures.

Here it is with the speakers installed:

The speakers are 6.5" JBL's not too fancy and kinda old but you can't beat free stuff.

Just sitting in the car, i'm gonna make some angle iron mounts for it. unfortunately i didn't make the space underneath the box large enough for the amp so it's needing to find a new home.

If i can find a place to get some thin diamond plate, im going to do all the interior panels in diamond plate. But that's a few days down the road.

I also got the main wiring harness in and hooked up to the voltage regulator and am hoping to finish the wiring tomorrow. I want to have the car running by Wednesday.

Quick question what would you all suggest to cut the fiberglass fenders for my new shallow mount tail lights? I have a Zip Saw and a rotozip at my immediate disposal but can get a jigsaw.

Mon Sep 07, 2009 10:19 pm

Who needs matching wheels?

I'm running some warped Marathon wheels up front that my buddy was gonna throw out. I have a pair of Jackmans in the rear. I was gonna replace them once I found a pair of Jackmans for the front, but I never have. The Marathon wheels kinda grew on me, so I'm keeping them.

Tue Sep 08, 2009 1:59 am

Looking good. Like the set up of your speaker box. :wink:

Tue Sep 08, 2009 4:00 am

Lotrat wrote: Who needs matching wheels?

I'm running some warped Marathon wheels up front that my buddy was gonna throw out. I have a pair of Jackmans in the rear. I was gonna replace them once I found a pair of Jackmans for the front, but I never have. The Marathon wheels kinda grew on me, so I'm keeping them.

lotrat, we should do a switcheroo, im running the exact same setup i think?! haha

Tue Sep 08, 2009 6:17 am

Looking good so far. Can I ask how you knew you were having an overheating problem? I see a lot of people talk about overheating on here, but not many elude to how they came to that conclusion. I'm 100% new to VW's so I always like to learn something new about them.

Tue Sep 08, 2009 8:46 am

carlos_magnum wrote: Looking good. Like the set up of your speaker box. :wink:
Thanks, It turned out ok for not having any bench tools.

Quote: Looking good so far. Can I ask how you knew you were having an overheating problem? I see a lot of people talk about overheating on here, but not many elude to how they came to that conclusion. I'm 100% new to VW's so I always like to learn something new about them.
I had a oil temperature gauge that had the warning line at 250*, i went up to that line quite a few times.

Time to cut the fenders and get the wiring done. Also going to pick up my front end today.

Tue Sep 08, 2009 1:13 pm

Nice project RC ! There is a guy on eBay called "cutmetal" that sells all colors and thicknesses of diamond plate pretty cheap.I got a piece to do my dash for like $12+ 5 shipping. Its thin and you can cut it with anything.
All I found around here was a piece 12 x 24 and they wanted $45 !!!! :-({|=

Tue Sep 08, 2009 2:54 pm

GonzoTx wrote: Nice project RC ! There is a guy on eBay called "cutmetal" that sells all colors and thicknesses of diamond plate pretty cheap.I got a piece to do my dash for like $12+ 5 shipping. Its thin and you can cut it with anything.
All I found around here was a piece 12 x 24 and they wanted $45 !!!! :-({|=
Thanks I'll check that out. What size pieces does the guy sell 4x8s? Well after a big struggle got the back bumper on and level-ish. Also got one out of two tailights mounted.

Tue Sep 08, 2009 9:35 pm

Today's work:

My modification to the bumper to turn it from a shock mount kit to a firewall mount kit.

Still mocking it up^^ wasn't quite level

All finished mocking up now i just need to drill the holes for the retaining pins

Here's my tabs for the License Plate:

A close up of the weld on one tab:

Adding tabs for my front bumper because i forgot. #-o
oops

And close up:

And finally to finish everything off the flat black treatment:

Sorry i didn't get the engine on the car till late so no pictures of that yet. I'll get that first thing in the morning after putting in the other taillight, then it's full steam ahead on the wiring. Hopefully i can get this thing running tomorrow. [-o<

Wed Sep 09, 2009 12:37 am

Your wheels match, just not to each other. A near sighted vending machine maintenance guy who only drives Kia's wouldn't notice.

Lotrat wrote: Who needs matching wheels?

I'm running some warped Marathon wheels up front that my buddy was gonna throw out. I have a pair of Jackmans in the rear. I was gonna replace them once I found a pair of Jackmans for the front, but I never have. The Marathon wheels kinda grew on me, so I'm keeping them.

Wed Sep 09, 2009 11:37 am

Ok as promised here is the back end:

I'm working on the wiring right now hopefully i'll be able to fire this thing up today.

Wed Sep 09, 2009 12:25 pm

Mountain Dew :D

Wed Sep 09, 2009 12:40 pm

It is looking good. You might want to tie the seat frames into the heater boxes and tunnel for strength. Unless your a sadist round the corners on your brackets.

Fri Sep 11, 2009 11:48 am

Hey RJ, On that eBay diamond plate, I've found his web site www.cutsmetal.net I'm pretty sure the guy sells every thing from full sheets to any cut size you need.
Looks like the build is going well. I wish I could get going on mine. I spent a month in the hospital with pneumoina and since then I can't work in the heat for very long (and we've had the heat !!!) I've got the new trans in with the disc brakes and I've got the motor done so now I need to finish my bumpers and fab up some skid plates and paint my wheels satin black and......
Damn these things are never done !!! ](*,)