'56 Oval Baja Build with RGB's

[joescoolcustoms]

Thats funny Louis! If the haters would have stepped up in the year that car was posted for sale on this site and restored it, then I would not be so tempted to bunk with Lucifer. It was sooo close to being cut up for parts when I bought it.

I do not look forward to doing the rust repair. I have a one piece front end and have kicked around using it on this body, but still want the sealed dash and trunk space. I will make that decission while holding the cut off saw.
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The early bird might get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.

Looks like it was painted with a live chicken,polished with a brick and buffed with a pine cone

Member of Wagenfolks
http://images.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/870707.jpg
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=479740

[LouisB]

You seem to be a pretty talented fab guy, you could probably come up with an inner structure made from thin gauge sheetmetal or aluminum for the one piece front.

There was a blue and white oval baja w/ a bug eye kit in HVWs a few years ago that looked killer. Always liked that car.

--louis
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Louis Brooks
'67 Manx II

Old people at weddings always poke me and say "Your next." So, I started doing the same to them at funerals.

[joescoolcustoms]

Got a little more done last evening.

Before putting on the wheel adapters, I decided to weld up the press in studs so they would not break loose and turn, trapping the wheel on the adapter. Just a good healthy tack. I ran the aluminum adapters (4 VW to 5 chevy) for 6 years and 117,000 miles while commuting to college with out any problems and being hammered with a teenager and a 1915, so I bet these steel units will work OK.



I finished fabbing the E-Brake handle / Poor Mans Steering brake aparatus. I am now ready to cut the cables, silver solder them and install shorterners to get a E-Brake for it functioning.

Here it is at rest.



Here is one side in use to stop a spinning wheel when stuck.



Here is the E-Brake applied to park the car. Cool $ 5.00 purchase at a swap meet.


_________________
The early bird might get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.

Looks like it was painted with a live chicken,polished with a brick and buffed with a pine cone

Member of Wagenfolks
http://images.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/870707.jpg
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=479740

[joescoolcustoms]

I am very close to finishing the pan. Just the last few small items left to go. Put oil in the RGB boxes, trans oil, short hard brake lines to the rear brakes, align the front suspension and rear suspension. I will wait until after the body is on to install the peddles because they will be in the way for rust repair work.

So, I just completed the cable shortening for the E-Brake / Poors Mans Steering Brake set up.

I am useing a EMPI part (darn it!). A cable shortening kit.



I then drilled out the shortening side a little to make room for the cable end like I want.



After measuring and marking the cables, I cut them to the length I wanted. Then, the reason for drilling out the cable shortening item, I slightly unraveled the end of the cut cable.



I then applied Flux and Silver Soldered the ends. (Some call it silver soldering, some call it silver brazing. Either way, it involves using a high composition silver rod and heating the steel to around 900*. It is WAY stronger than the lead/tin solder that is used on copper pipe). The unraveled end gave a slight taper to help physically keep the cable from slipping out of the the shortener.



The sand blasted handel is still drying from being painted, but here is a look at the shortened cables ready for use. I live on a hill and my drive way's slope, so getting the body out of one garage and into the next garage on this pan will involve a E-Brake to keep what is mine on my property.



The down side to using these poor mans steering brake set up is that the heater controls cannot be used in the stock location. Another fab problem to over come.
_________________
The early bird might get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.

Looks like it was painted with a live chicken,polished with a brick and buffed with a pine cone

Member of Wagenfolks
http://images.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/870707.jpg
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=479740

[joescoolcustoms]

I contemplated not building the body lift at this time to help meet the goal of having a drivable Baja for October 25th. But, if I do not build it now, the rear bumper will not line up where it goes through the firewall to the roll cage when the body is lifted later. Also the risers off of the trans cradle forks that will also connect to the roll cage will be too short when the body is lifted.

So...

I barrowed a cut off saw from a friend and started the body lift. I am using the POS 3 inch body lift as a model to get started.



Then cut reliefs through three sides of the 2 X 2 boxed tubing and made the bends needed.



One side almost done in about 30 minutes. Just have to weld, grind, drill, clean up and paint. Yep, almost done.


_________________
The early bird might get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.

Looks like it was painted with a live chicken,polished with a brick and buffed with a pine cone

Member of Wagenfolks
http://images.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/870707.jpg
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=479740

[surewriting]

I am addicted to your build! It has truly been a pleasure to watch and learn as this cool vehicle is taking shape. I applaud your skills, ingenuity, and creativity. Keep the updates coming!

[STOICH]

[Lotrat]

[joescoolcustoms]

Thanks for the props surewriting, I am addicted to the build too! Plenty pictures to come.

STOICH, your build thread has inspired me also. I like seeing different ideas, it spurs creativity. The shirt is me being a cheap @$$. I bought a bunch of dealership shirts from a secondhand clothing store to work in. They are not very comfortable, wife hates the looks of them, but dang it, they do not stain like my tee shirts do. And they get me discounts at the parts stores from people thinking I work as a mechanic!

I am a firm beleiver in building the way you want Lotrat. Notice all the old school stuff? Swing trans on a Baja, who does that now days? E brake cable steering brakes, aluminum slot rims, ball joint front end, long ranger fuel tank. I am building it just the way I want and not sparing any quality, just on an accelerated time table.

The goal is a hard set goal because of my health. I can not walk very much due to my hips and knees and we are planning on going to the beach this fall. I cannot walk on the beach like I used to and want to drive about 100 miles of beach and dunes on vacation and cruise the full North Carolina Outer Bank islands.

I will not be finishing some things on this compressed build. Will not paint the body or body parts, will not repair the rust on the door bottoms, will not be putting in new interior, may not polish the front rims, mat not put the Thing spindles and disc brakes on the front to shave off time. These items will get done, just not in the next 6 weeks.

If I only did not have to work at my Garbage job (I work for a landfill disposal company), I could get something done.
_________________
The early bird might get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.

Looks like it was painted with a live chicken,polished with a brick and buffed with a pine cone

Member of Wagenfolks
http://images.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/870707.jpg
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=479740

[Lotrat]

So when are going in for a rebuild? My next door neighbor had his knees replaced and plays golf non-stop now.

[joescoolcustoms]

[joescoolcustoms]

Body lift almost complete. Just final welding of sections to make a complete perimeter.




_________________
The early bird might get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.

Looks like it was painted with a live chicken,polished with a brick and buffed with a pine cone

Member of Wagenfolks
http://images.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/870707.jpg
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=479740

[JWHracing]

not to hi-jack or anything, but if you or anyone else is curious where to get those torsion bar covers CB Performance has them on their website. Saw them while i was browsing.
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65 Baja, Turbocharged 1915 cc, IRS Rear, Link Pin front, 2.0 Fox Shox all around, full cage front to rear, Starburst blue and Briar brown paint, Douglas Aluminum Wheels, Pioneer components

[LouisB]

Nice work on the lift. I just finished welding mine up yesterday but I still need to drill all the holes.

--louis
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Louis Brooks
'67 Manx II

Old people at weddings always poke me and say "Your next." So, I started doing the same to them at funerals.

[joescoolcustoms]

Thanks JWHracing for the tip on those aluminum spring plate caps from CB Performance!

I understand LouisB, 52 9/16 holes will wear a man down, not to mention the drill bit too.

I filled up the RGB boxes and tranny with a combination of Lucas and 85 W - 90 gear oil. Installed the rear hard brake lines.

I more than tacked together the perimeter body lift, WOW! what strength that gives the pan. Still needs just a little welding to finish it after the body comes off for the gaskets. The heater channels are bolted in place and the pan is ready for a rusty body.



The body is all but toast. I did not realize just how extensive the rust is. But, I am saving a Oval, perse. What is shocking to me, the pan is in better shape than the body. Hopefully tomorrow, the rust pile will sit on top of the RGB pan.


_________________
The early bird might get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.

Looks like it was painted with a live chicken,polished with a brick and buffed with a pine cone

Member of Wagenfolks
http://images.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/870707.jpg
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=479740

[roland]

awesome work, love what you're doing with that baja!
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[perrib]

Go for it I would have no problem Bajaing an oval or split if I find a cheap one. Your doing a great job.

[joescoolcustoms]

Thanks for the props guys! Keeping me motivated to get it finished by my goal date.

Moved the other heaps around so I could get the new(er) '67 pan over to the house garage to get the '56 body. Wow, my legs are tired from pushing too many non-running VW's.

Here is the first shot with the body sitting on the pan!



Then push it back over to the work garage, ugh. (notice the floor dri where my SCab marks it's spot)



Progress! Not quite ready to just start welding back together yet. The body needs raised and the bad portion cut off, lowered back down then I can start welding back together.


_________________
The early bird might get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.

Looks like it was painted with a live chicken,polished with a brick and buffed with a pine cone

Member of Wagenfolks
http://images.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/870707.jpg
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=479740

[BugMan114]

freakin sweet. I'm loving this build
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1974 Super Beetle: Custom resto in progress
1972 Super Beetle: Daily Driver
1971 Std. Beetle w/ 1929 Mercedes Benz Gazelle kit
1960 Baja Bug
1969 Baja Bug
Sand Rail- Homemade
Sand Rail- FUBAR

Aircooled Airheads

Why the hell do they call it a gland nut. its obviously a big fat bolt!!!

[LouisB]

Sits good and looking tough.

--louis
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Louis Brooks
'67 Manx II

Old people at weddings always poke me and say "Your next." So, I started doing the same to them at funerals.