Fears I'm over my head.

WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot · Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2015 6:39 am Post subject:

For some reason the best idea I have of off road driving is what rally cars do.
Going fast in dirt. This may not be the only thing off road has, but I like the idea of being -able- to go a bit fast and other such things.
I don't have much knowhow on crawling along rocks or slowly moving along trails, nor do I know much of sand driving or etc. .
My best chance right now is for an "all purpose build" so I may get my feelers out there and see what I like.

Thank you everyone for contributing, I hope to have a bug I can call my own within a few short weeks. Taxes and navy federal should cover the cost of getting her into solid condition.

So before I go off to research more beetles, I'd like to say that I want to build her just for the sake of building. So if I may ask, what is the best way to go for a good "ALL PURPOSE" design that can still be taken on the highway to get to work?

Dale M. · Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2015 8:40 am Post subject:

Didn't see this book mentioned (maybe I missed it) but this will show you (you get to see the parts) what its all about from mild to extreme...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0895861860/?tag=googhydr-...3rb58v0f_b

You will be amazed if you just bob the fenders and hood and trunk, add some "all terrain" type tires where a bug can go...

Dale
_________________
“Fear The Government That Wants To Take Your Guns" - Thomas Jefferson.

"Kellison Sand Piper Roadster" For Street & Show.
"Joe Pody Sandrover" Buggy with 2180 for Autocross (Sold)
============================================================
All suggestions and advice are purely my own opinion. You are free to ignore them if you wish ...

Mal evolent · Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2015 8:53 am Post subject:

the question has come up before, and it has been answered:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=490545
_________________
73 Beetle Baja, Ghia front brakes, Type 3 rear brakes, 2220 ( 94 X 80 ), Weber Progressive, Bosch SVDA, '97 Mustang seats

Baja Bugs for Volkswagen Virgins: Index

[email protected] · Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2015 9:54 am Post subject:

oldschool5er · Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2015 9:57 am Post subject:

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

This is an example of what can be done with a limited suspension. My class 5/1600 won in two Baja 1000's, one Baja 500, the Parker 400, and multiple other races in the late 70's. It is by no means like what a class 5/1600 or for that matter a class 11 can do today but that is the point because it shows the durability of the vw suspension. When the car was retired I still ran it off road in woods, desert, mud, snow, everything. The only thing that every gave me problems was the stock steering box even with modifications being done, others have been much luckier with beefed up stock steering boxes. Of course I had breakdowns like fan belts a few broken shocks, damage caused by bad driving but no major failures of suspension. Yes the roll cage was tied into everything, the torsion housing was supported, the front beam was tied in, the frame horns were supported etc etc. but all of that was fab and welding same stuff you can do in your garage. The front end was a stock Thing not rotated no adjusters, the speedo hole was plugged, the spindle arm was gusseted, it had wright place heavy duty tie rods with ford ends, That's it ! very basic. The rear end had short 28mm torsion bars, type 4 CV joints, plated stock IRS arms with the shock mounts moved up. Two Bilstein shocks on each side, Type 1 transmission, sway a way spring plates. It just was a very basic race set up nothing like what is run today. Was the ride harsh ..yes but it never broke and today those parts are still on my street Baja. I have run so many stock Baja bugs in the woods and dirt before I started racing in the 70's I was always amazed at what they could do. That's what got me into racing Baja's. By the picture which was the 83 Barstow race you can see how little travel this car had compared to now a days Bajas. Using all stock components and just being a good welder and fabricator can do amazing stuff to a recreational off road car but the ride will not be Cadillac lol.

WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot · Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2015 10:08 am Post subject:

WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot · Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2015 10:09 am Post subject:

This looks quite nice. You say modern day baja out performs this and yet it was able to go just about anywhere?

EnjoyNukaCola · Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2015 1:47 pm Post subject:

Some modern Baja Bugs usually have long travel setups with coilovers, widened trailing arms and a modern Chevy Ecotec engine in place of an aircooled. A converted street to off road Bug is still a lot like they ran them decades ago, albeit beefed up structurally.

andk5591 · Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2015 2:03 pm Post subject:

If you are going to play - you are going to break. If you have mechanical aptitude and can put together a decent set of basic tools, have a place to work on a car, and have extra money to dump into the car, then find a used baja and have fun. Otherwise just buy a 4 wheeler or something.
_________________
D-Dubya Manx clone - 63 Short pan,1914.
Rosie 65 bug - My mostly stock daily driver.
Woodie 69 VW woodie (Hot VWs 7/12).
"John's car" 64 VW woodie - The first ever
Maxine 61 Cal-look bug - Cindy's daily driver.
Max - 73 standard Beetle hearse project - For sale
66 bug project - Real patina & Suby conversion
There's more, but not keeping them...

WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot · Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2015 2:29 pm Post subject:

-So the 72 beetle fell through, the guy kept dodging getting it mechanically inspected. Talking about all hes done the past few days to try and talk it up like it's running fine, but wont let me examine it and have a mechanic around to make sure it's working okay.

-@Enjoynukacola that sounds like a nice idea but how much would that all cost in the end? Would someone who's not mechanically competent be able to follow instructions enough to get the engine in and in good working order?

Dale M. · Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2015 3:28 pm Post subject:

EnjoyNukaCola · Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2015 11:49 pm Post subject:

I saw this a few weeks ago like I described above for 24,000 dollars. More was most likely put into it. It takes a lot of money, skill, and patience to do all that. It's an oxymoron because most of us are attracted to Baja Bugs because they are simple, cheap to maintain and easy to work on.

WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot · Posted: Sun Feb 15, 2015 6:36 am Post subject:

The idea of buying one that already has everything on it completely mooted the point of getting one to work on. Yes it's all there and I can go have fun but I feel that I'd learn less by having it all done for me.

andk5591 · Posted: Sun Feb 15, 2015 4:19 pm Post subject:

If you get one that is already built, you will have plenty to do to fix things that need fixed and things you want to change to "make it your own." There's plenty of bajas already out there that need a good home.

Example - our first air cooled VW was our buggy. Was roadworthy and done when we bought it. Had NO experience with these at all. Well, did some work on the engine - carb swap, etc. Found out the brakes needed some work. Wheel/tire combo was not what I wanted. Interior needed some work. Got through that and drove it a while. Then started really working on it. Ended up swapping out the 1600 for a 1776. Tranny gearing was not right, so swapped out the tranny. Rewired it. Did some exhaust changes. Eventually stepped up to a 1914. Still planning on a full interior redo once I get some of the other projects done.

Bottom line is that they are rarely "done". The only car of mine that is just about perfect as is, is the VW woodie - and even at that, I will eventually swap in an adjustable beam and get rid of the the dropped spindles....So don't worry - it'll keep you busy. Laughing

_________________
D-Dubya Manx clone - 63 Short pan,1914.
Rosie 65 bug - My mostly stock daily driver.
Woodie 69 VW woodie (Hot VWs 7/12).
"John's car" 64 VW woodie - The first ever
Maxine 61 Cal-look bug - Cindy's daily driver.
Max - 73 standard Beetle hearse project - For sale
66 bug project - Real patina & Suby conversion
There's more, but not keeping them...

Bret2094 · Posted: Sun Feb 15, 2015 4:45 pm Post subject:

In my experience, all It takes is 1 week of driving a bug and you are hooked...it's alot like famous singers describe heroin...you just need em after your first taste. I started 5 years ago in high school with no knowledge of mechanicn'. I knew what tools were used for but a week into the hobby an I realized I found my pastime ...now I have a fleet. Lol we did some crazy shit with my 67...ran it through pastures, did jumps, Countless fun to be had. Even better if your buddies wanna get involved like mine did. Bunch of ignorant high school wise-asses hunched over a John Muir Idiot book pounding away at problems like cavemen. Makes great stories, and better memories

Bret
_________________
1959 baja beetle ragtop( going back to Full body)
1959 beetle
1960 Beetle frame Custom buggy
1962 Karmann Ghia
1967 beetle( august 66, first car)
1967 beetle (parts car)

1977 Westfalia Camper

1972 Plymouth Duster

Just another 22 year old jackass who caught the bug, and lives by the motto " NO fatchicks allowed" , I've got too many cars as is (buses N/A)

Snowking63 · Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2015 9:58 am Post subject:

My dad and I picked up my baja that I spotted rotting in someones driveway needing love. At first I had all these plans for it as in 1 piece front end, gas tank replacing the back seats, full cage ect.
The car is my daily ever since HS and I've only taken it to the dirt once and that was when we first got it. My dad taught me more than enough about these cars and even though we weren't going the direction on the build that I had hoped for, I learned that he was right about pretty much everything. I need something reliable (trunk space, reliable and shi**y looking engine, back seats, no roll cage) pretty much the minimal I can do to have someone mess with it in the parking lot when I'm not around.
I currently just finished a 1776cc build and he's already hating the chrome this and chrome that because people mess with shiny.

Before building this new engine, we've spent over $6k just to get her a nice performing and looking car. You will spend a lot and you'll learn the inside and out of it just buy working on a baja that has already been baja'd and loved at some point, i guarantee it. You will most likely be working on every part of the car sooner or later just by driving it around and seeing the direction you want to go with the build.

Just like you, i wasn't nearly as mechanically inclined when we first got her as I am now after just working on the car. Hell, i never thought i would be able to build something as complex as an engine but I did. Now there are very few small things that I don't understand about bugs and stock aircooled motors (63 i should say.)
Remember this site can be very helpful when you get stuck on the build somewhere. Feel free to check out my build page the link is in my bio just keep in mind I didn't post a lot of the work we have done to it. Good luck!
_________________
Money is a gas, not a trip
OGK
my 63 baja daily driver
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6485278&highlight=#6485278

EnjoyNukaCola · Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2015 4:31 pm Post subject:

Aaaaaand we scared another one off.

Snowking63 · Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2015 4:33 pm Post subject:

Aaaaaaaand it's always me Crying or Very sad

_________________
Money is a gas, not a trip
OGK
my 63 baja daily driver
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6485278&highlight=#6485278

WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot · Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2015 5:30 pm Post subject:

Huh? Oh I'm here I've been searching for a baja in my range and I've been giving up on that notion. So I've thought about either buying one and having it shipped or buy a Mexican version for a more recent model.

matt_3t · Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2015 1:10 pm Post subject:

I suggest buying a baja that has already been cut and is already driving. that way you save money and theres always to improve. Get something either 69-72 standard for IRS or 61-65 for king pin front beam.


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