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andygere Samba Member
Joined: January 31, 2014 Posts: 600 Location: Central Coast, CA
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Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2014 9:38 am Post subject: |
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x2 on the urethane rag joint. I pulled the black urethane version out of mine, and this is what it looked like. No fabric inside and the joint was close to failure.
The front end and the rest of the build looks great, nice work. |
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truckdude Samba Member
Joined: May 01, 2014 Posts: 148 Location: Beverly Hills baybee
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Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2014 12:32 pm Post subject: |
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OK, a new rag joint it will be.
I figured out the shock issue after talking to the guy at CIP1 who had the same problem on his '63 front end. The old shock bushings are rusted on to the mounts and look like one piece. A little penetrating spray and a vice grip and 3 are clear, one might need to be cut off, letting it soak some more. |
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truckdude Samba Member
Joined: May 01, 2014 Posts: 148 Location: Beverly Hills baybee
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Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2014 12:45 am Post subject: |
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Making progress on the chassis. Still have the front brakes, brake lines, front end alignment, etc remaining. Ordered a couple more parts too like outer front wheel bearings and the rag joint. Tires on the way 165/80-15 up front, 255/60-15 in back. Final coats of paint on the wheels tomorrow. I need to figure out the hubcap clip rivets.
Hopefully I didn't mess up the rear swing axle reassembly too badly. One of the inner spacers was missing. I think I have the axle seals all redone properly.
Saw this for sale about 1/4 mile from my house if anyone is interested. '73 Super Beetle pan, 1600 cc engine. Asking $5500 at the dealer.
Or you can buy the hot car behind it. Shawn the salesman coming up to me while I have my head inside the buggy, "Are you here to look at our purple dune buggy?" "No, I am here because I have been searching everywhere for a flamed Smart Car"
If interested, call this place and ask for Shawn in the bright red shirt.
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karu Samba Member
Joined: November 11, 2008 Posts: 229 Location: Cross Lanes, WV
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Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2014 6:42 am Post subject: |
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Truckdude. While I don't have any personal experience, I have seen few posts warning about urethane steering couplers. Please do a search. Apparently it can crack without warning!!!!!!
Beautiful build!!!! |
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truckdude Samba Member
Joined: May 01, 2014 Posts: 148 Location: Beverly Hills baybee
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Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2014 9:01 am Post subject: |
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Thanks, that one came with the buggy and is just sitting on the steering box to give me something to turn it while I make adjustments. New stock rag joint on the way from CIP1. |
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truckdude Samba Member
Joined: May 01, 2014 Posts: 148 Location: Beverly Hills baybee
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Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2014 7:54 pm Post subject: |
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It's a roller now! Discount Tire hooked me up at a great price. The only problem was they could not balance the wide 5's. I brought in a wheel adapter and they tried that but no luck, it wasn't stable. They even spoke to Hunter.
Front end needs the toe set, steering box properly positioned, steering box adjusted, figure out why the billet box lid won't go on all the way and mount the new 3/4" sway bar when it arrives.
Need to drill and rivet the hubcap clips and either find one more VW cap or go with baby moons.
Model T and Miata need lots of work but are just resting.
I need to redo the torque plate bushings and adjust this crazy angle.
165/80-15 Kumhos
Hey look, a proper rag joint in place, red death removed.
255/60-15 Cooper Cobras, white letters mounted inside.
Ready for a ride.
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heywebonya Samba Member
Joined: July 08, 2010 Posts: 823 Location: Portage, MI
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Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2014 7:37 am Post subject: |
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How are you going to balance your tires? I am considering Dyna Beads to get around this issue.
Thoughts? _________________ If I knew what I was doing; I wouldn't be building a buggy! |
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truckdude Samba Member
Joined: May 01, 2014 Posts: 148 Location: Beverly Hills baybee
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Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2014 8:29 am Post subject: |
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heywebonya wrote: |
How are you going to balance your tires? I am considering Dyna Beads to get around this issue.
Thoughts? |
I need to do some research on this. I have a motorcycle wheel balancer but the car tires won't fit that. I was thinking of trying to find an old bubble style balancer. This will not be a high speed vehicle, the balancing doesn't need to be perfect.
This HF one is $80, I think it would work if I used one of the adapters.
http://www.harborfreight.com/portable-wheel-balancer-39741.html |
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truckdude Samba Member
Joined: May 01, 2014 Posts: 148 Location: Beverly Hills baybee
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Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2014 8:34 am Post subject: |
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Well, it isn't a roller any more, tore one of the torsion arms off, found out I ordered the wrong bushings but the old ones seem fine. Transaxle does not want to come out of gear, maybe I put the hockey stick in wrong? I'll probably have to pull it out again and take the nosecone off. I added a container of Mobile 1 synthetic gear lube, 75-90, it wants more. |
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truckdude Samba Member
Joined: May 01, 2014 Posts: 148 Location: Beverly Hills baybee
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Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2014 5:19 pm Post subject: |
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Now I have 2 quarts of fluid added, what is the capacity on these transaxles? I tried to look it up and found 1.5 pints, clearly that is not correct. Filling instructions I found said to keep adding until it flows out of the fill hole. How much of the fluid flows into the axles and axle bearings?
Also, how much play should the axle tubes have? The driver's side is pretty stiff, passenger has a bit more movement but they are both stiff enough stay at 90 degrees by themselves. They did not have paper gaskets when I took them apart, I added one, not sure of the thickness, and then torqued the nuts to spec.
Transaxle back out, I need to pull the nosecone and see what is up with the hockey stick. Can the internal shift rods (?) be moved around by hand to get the trans in neutral?
Well, it was all together.
And I have this puzzle to figure out between the old and new gas pedal parts. There does not appear to be a way to hold the two new shafts in place.
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truckdude Samba Member
Joined: May 01, 2014 Posts: 148 Location: Beverly Hills baybee
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nico40 Samba Member
Joined: January 13, 2013 Posts: 26 Location: france
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Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2014 6:59 am Post subject: |
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hello there,
can you tell me what store did you find your ball joints directions chromer
best regards
nico |
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truckdude Samba Member
Joined: May 01, 2014 Posts: 148 Location: Beverly Hills baybee
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Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 8:25 am Post subject: |
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nico40 wrote: |
hello there,
can you tell me what store did you find your ball joints directions chromer
best regards
nico |
I think you mean the chrome tie rods and ends, all my parts came from www.cpi1.com |
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truckdude Samba Member
Joined: May 01, 2014 Posts: 148 Location: Beverly Hills baybee
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Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 8:38 am Post subject: |
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Transaxle back in place, I think I fixed the shifter issue but I won't know for sure until I get the new shift bushing in place. I did a lot of reading and searching online (mostly here on the Samba) and I think I have the spring plates and torsion bars adjusted to spec of around 17.5 degrees. With no weight on the rear, I had to jump on the torsion tubes to get the plates in place.
I realize it doesn't have the body or engine but the tires are still at this crazy angle, should take it all apart again and go with a lowered angle? What do you guys run on your buggy?
I think I need to add a thicker paper gasket to the axle tubes as well, driver's side is pretty hard to move. Could be the fresh paint on the tubes binding a bit.
Is it normal for the spring plates to flex around the axle tubes? |
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truckdude Samba Member
Joined: May 01, 2014 Posts: 148 Location: Beverly Hills baybee
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Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2014 2:37 pm Post subject: |
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I got tired of doing chassis work so I decided to play around with the engine. I scrubbed it some more, still has some more clean up left. I decided to try test fitting some of my engine bling parts to see how they look. I still need to get a fan shroud, they have been out of stock until today.
Can you have too much cheap Taiwan chrome on a dune buggy? I think I am going to test the limits but it is all in good fun. I may end up painting parts of the chrome if it ends up too tacky. Yes, this engine will be all show and no go, at least for this year.
Here's the before shot. Headers getting painted white, intake silver and a new Empi aircleaner on the rebuilt carb.
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truckdude Samba Member
Joined: May 01, 2014 Posts: 148 Location: Beverly Hills baybee
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Posted: Sat Jul 26, 2014 9:29 pm Post subject: |
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I have not posted in a while as there has not been any major progress to show but I have been busting my butt on the buggy. Here's a list off the top of my head:
-Brake lines bent
-Steering box adjusted and billet lid filed down to fit
-Bugpack sway bar added
-Shift rod bushing installed, a real PITA and it looks like it is tearing
-Remaining parts wire brushed and painted
-Lots of engine scrubbing done, my friend with a baja says enjoy it for a short time till the oil bath starts
-Engine tin test fitted, I think I need to trim it a bit
-New transaxle main seal and throw out bearing HD springs
-Engine in place as of tonight
Still a wonky angle on the tires with the engine weight.
I tried rolling it around a bit, still wonky:
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scarter302 Samba Member
Joined: July 30, 2013 Posts: 19 Location: Boxboro, MA
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Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2014 10:05 am Post subject: |
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build is looking good. I have the same weird trans/tire angle on mine, currently apart as I redo the chassis. 1st AC VW for me as well.
good luck |
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truckdude Samba Member
Joined: May 01, 2014 Posts: 148 Location: Beverly Hills baybee
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Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2014 12:31 am Post subject: |
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Adjusted the valves, put new plugs in, bolted up the exhaust. I need to trim the tin before the intake goes on. I'm going to hate this white paint, already grimy finger prints on it.
Is there a certain way the hole in the generator panel is supposed to face? There is another piece that goes behind it, same diameter, about 1/2" deep. It seems to have some ducting, does it get clocked a certain way?
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truckdude Samba Member
Joined: May 01, 2014 Posts: 148 Location: Beverly Hills baybee
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Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2014 1:03 am Post subject: |
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Tins trimmed about 5mm where they meet the block, now everything seems to fitting together.
Belt guard may come off and stay off.
Fewer parts left to install.
There was a 1/2" gap at the shroud before the trim. The other side about 1/4" and is now flush.
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truckdude Samba Member
Joined: May 01, 2014 Posts: 148 Location: Beverly Hills baybee
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Posted: Sun Aug 03, 2014 12:27 am Post subject: |
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Sanded a couple of layers of paint off to get to the original red gelcoat, still lots of sanding left on the inside. Now it has a Nantucket Red look to it I set the body on to start mocking some things up.
Really, it's Nantucket red, not a Barbie pink buggy!
I won't be able to use this stock plate light.
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