TheSamba.com :: View topic - Simon's Baja Bug being rebuilt/cleaned/made better

Tue May 25, 2010 8:48 pm

I've been lurking on here for about a year and a half now. Before I hadn't been doing much on my baja, so i didn't bother to create a thread. however, thanx to a friend/fellow clubmember (Randy), we're now going to be doing some pretty cool stuff.

btw, 71 body, 68 pan (swingaxle)

first off, a few pics of it in it's current state. These were taken at longbeach, WA last summer.

The engine is now pretty much crap, leaking from a cylinder. To keep from destroying the longblock, I won't be driving it for a while (instead i'll drive my sister's '66 bug w/ hello kitty seat covers).

We have a '70 bug that was going to be for me, but ended up needing more work than my dad realized when they bought the bug. so, they bought me a baja instead.

The '70 has just been sitting as a future project. We were planning on using the pan, so i could go IRS, but now we're going to rebuild the engine on that (into a 1641). I unbolted the body so we can begin cleaning up the pan, weld in a few small patches, and do some basic suspention modifications.

Because I'm 16 w/o a job we're only going to do the basics. Install adjusters in the beam, rotate spring plates. Randy has a tubing bender, and we'll be doing a full roll cage.

Tue May 25, 2010 8:59 pm

Cool car, where's the bigger and better? Give us some of you Ideas for the future.

Wed May 26, 2010 1:16 pm

The "bigger and better" isn't going to be to major.

here's a list of things i'm going to do, or at least would like to do.

suspension seats (racetrim)
raised spindles
new paint would be nice (all white)
16 gal fuel cell tank
high rear fenders (the dubbers toybox ones)
front disc brakes
adjusters (i'll crank 'em up high)

better shocks (i have the kyb gr2s now), i'm thinking maybe bilstein 5150s, or 5100s (because they're cheaper) for the back. not sure about front, we'll see what the budget allows.

eventually i'd like to get 33x9.5 tires from bf goodrich to run on all 4 corners.

that's just mentioning a few things.....

Wed May 26, 2010 4:50 pm

Looks like a cool project! One note: 33" tires all around with stock transmission / gearing is going to be difficult. You might look at reduction boxes for the rear as they can handle the larger tires.

Have fun!

- Greg

Fri May 28, 2010 12:47 am

You got a nice list of modifications. Would love to see the progress. Keep us posted.

Fri May 28, 2010 11:42 pm

good news, the '70 is being completely parted out to fund the baja bug.

Sun May 30, 2010 1:12 pm

headed down to woodburn next weekend to sell doors, fenders, gar tank, some front suspention stuf, pop-outs, wheels, t-bars

Sat Jun 05, 2010 10:15 pm

Forget Wordburn, it should be called sunburn. it was really fun though. got rid of some stuff.

I picked up a new exhaust. bobtail style (w/ heater box delete). also got 4 new VW t-shirts, an oil filter adapter thing, some big (3 feet) VOLKSWAGEN decals, and a really cool german license plate.

Sun Jun 13, 2010 12:39 pm

randy rotated my spring plates 10 degreees

I've been cleaning a bunch of nasty grease off the transmission. Randy says he has a full strap kit, so that's cool.

Randy tack weled in some metal on the floor, we'll be sealing it up w/ silicon.

Fri Jun 25, 2010 3:45 pm

adjusters and a new pan seal are on their way! pics to come hopefully.

Fri Jun 25, 2010 4:23 pm

bomberbaja wrote: adjusters and a new pan seal are on their way! pics to come hopefully.

nice be sure to post oictures putting them in :D

i need to put a pair on my baja

Mon Jul 19, 2010 11:20 am

adjusters are installed, about 12.5 inches from the bottom of the beam. used to be 9.

painted both sides of the pan w/ duplicolor truck bed liner (in a spray can)

i got some longer than stock KYBs, got them cheap because they were on the front of a pos baja randy's parting out.

sorry no pics, i need to steal/borrow my little sister's camera.

the body is just about off of the baja. then i have to swap over pedl cluster, brakes, steering box etc. ugh lots of work, but it'll be worth it or so i'm told.

Sun Aug 15, 2010 9:19 pm

I'm finally on the IRS pan!

look at the rear fender clearence!

before:

after:

other lousy pics

strap kit

truck bed liner'd pan. bad pic + it's pretty dirty right now. i promise it lokks much better in person!

sorry no good pics of adjusters

Wed Sep 15, 2010 10:22 am

ugh...project is taking a while. it will be running this week end. i think. motor should be running today. we were bleeding brakes, but one is going to need taken apart :( .

good news.....i may get to buy a one piece front end for it. We decided we'll be building on own lift spindals (Blind Chicken Racing style). tweed's are nice, but i have 2 sets of spindals, and $250 is a lot on $ that could go else where.

lift spindals will probley be a while by the way, like next winter. so don't expect to see 'em built next week.

Wed Sep 15, 2010 11:24 am

Coolness. Do you plan on using the 5 star wheels? If not, let me know.

Wed Sep 15, 2010 2:35 pm

yeah, I'll be using them. I think they're a bit ugly, but wheels are near the very bottom of my "parts i want to get" list. it may be a while but my plan for paint is the body all white, black bumpers/engine cage, and I'm thinking I'll paint the wheels red.

Thu Sep 16, 2010 8:04 am

Well if you change your mind, hit me up. I have the same wheels and need extra's so that I have tire options without having to mount tires.

Thu Sep 16, 2010 8:41 pm

this build may need to be re-named the "Duke Nukem Forever build".

So......i need to get people's thoughts on this. I've not driven my baja bug since like last may. Right now I'm driving my sisters '66 beetle and can continue to drive it (she got a NB) complete w/ hello kitty seat covers. The baja wouldn't be a high miles car, just driving around town, vw club stuff, etc.

It could be running very soon, this weekend most likely.
OR
I could remove the baja kit on it and try to sell that this week end at volksfest, along w/ a couple other things (freeway flier tranny, pan, maybe some other little things). because....I have the opportunity to get a 1 piece front end, rear fenders that i like better, and a 6 pt roll cage all for $200 from Randy (he got a great deal on a baja he's parting out).

The thing is, I have $165 now, and will need to pay Randy $250 for the engine in there. I'm trying to sell the tranny and pan w/ title for $250 each, so if i could sell both of those, i wouldn't need to bother trying to sell the baja kit now.

so what do i do? do i get it going again and drive it as is, or upgrade stuff and take a bit longer on my project?

Thu Sep 16, 2010 10:53 pm

funny. I dont currently have a baja, but really want one, but cant have one until I finish the projects I am currently working on, and have for the last 3 years. I would want it running ASAP, so I could enjoy it, and maybe it would be great the way it is. When I do build my baja, i want a traditional hood, not a one piece, and I just want to beef up the stock suspension and running gear, make it bullet proof, so I can have a tuff dual purpose vehicle. I say get it running and use it.

Fri Sep 17, 2010 5:56 am

bomberbaja wrote: this build may need to be re-named the "Duke Nukem Forever build".

So......i need to get people's thoughts on this. I've not driven my baja bug since like last may. Right now I'm driving my sisters '66 beetle and can continue to drive it (she got a NB) complete w/ hello kitty seat covers. The baja wouldn't be a high miles car, just driving around town, vw club stuff, etc.

It could be running very soon, this weekend most likely.
OR
I could remove the baja kit on it and try to sell that this week end at volksfest, along w/ a couple other things (freeway flier tranny, pan, maybe some other little things). because....I have the opportunity to get a 1 piece front end, rear fenders that i like better, and a 6 pt roll cage all for $200 from Randy (he got a great deal on a baja he's parting out).

The thing is, I have $165 now, and will need to pay Randy $250 for the engine in there. I'm trying to sell the tranny and pan w/ title for $250 each, so if i could sell both of those, i wouldn't need to bother trying to sell the baja kit now.

so what do i do? do i get it going again and drive it as is, or upgrade stuff and take a bit longer on my project?

Ask STOICH. He would have some sage advice on this subject.