First time rail

Bigdaddychopshop · Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2015 4:55 am Post subject: First time rail

Picked this bugger up on Ebay- so far, what I know is this:
1500cc 63-65 Type 3 motor
AH transmission 4.125:1
Turning brakes, rear only, no fronts.
Seats are WAY narrow.
Most of chassis work looks OK, needs some touch up, but the "tire protectors" (triangles coming off sides) are hack. Seat belt mount, hack, caliper mounts, ditto.

Give $800, runs, but needs dug into. It appears to be to possibly be a Berrien 295 chassis (wheelbase is 95").

Can some one give me any info, what to look for, possibly what rear calipers are used, and what, other than mentioned, are issues seen?

I intend to remove the front bumper, and the side guards (make it easier to get in and out) and do some stiffining. Redo all the hack junk. I'm a guy who loves to know what I am working with, so any insight would be great!

Plan to use mainly on road, new to VW so no info you have is "too simple".

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Bigdaddychopshop · Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2015 4:56 am Post subject:

Bigdaddychopshop · Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2015 4:58 am Post subject:

Bashr52 · Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2015 5:22 am Post subject:

Not sure I'd trust that rear brake setup the way it is.... Those brackets should be bolted to the axle carriers, not tacked onto the rear arms...

Looks like a fun project though, worth the $800

terryly · Samba Member Joined: September 21, 2012 Posts: 309

Those tri angle pcs are tree bars. I have them on my Baja buggy. Used them, bent them, fixed them ,used them again etc etc. One of the parts I have trouble keeping paint on.

Terry

Bigdaddychopshop · Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2015 8:13 am Post subject:

rossl1 · Posted: Thu Jul 09, 2015 11:20 am Post subject:

I just bought a Rail with the same frame. Starting off with the hack jobs is a good place to start.

Since this is your first rail take it slow and try and work on one thing at a time. I have found if I try and tackle two things at once I start to get impatient.

Looking at the pictures it looks like you have the front drums. You need to hook up the lines and use them. Replace the wear parts as necessary. Move the battery to the front. Some added weight will help traction up front when trying to steer.

Is your floor tabbed? I don't see any in the picture. If it is screwed in the rail it is best to weld the holes shut and use tabs. Don't want it rusting from the inside out! It on my to do list as well.

Bigdaddychopshop · Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2015 5:14 am Post subject:

ORANGECRUSHer · Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2015 5:16 am Post subject:

I'm not so sure that's a good way to start. A knockdown weld-together berrien kit is around $300 new and you know there aren't any rust holes starting hidden inside the tubes.
Looks like you'd be best served to tear that thing down to the last bolt and start sand blasting and arcin and sparkin'
_________________
Brian H.
I may not know everything,but I will try to help if I can
OrangeCrushER Berrien Warrior 2.4L Quad4
LAZY MARY 1970 Baja ~~1835cc~~

Bigdaddychopshop · Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2015 9:24 am Post subject:

CBFLbikerider · Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2015 12:52 pm Post subject:

dustymojave · Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2015 2:57 pm Post subject:

More like $400 plus shipping for a Berrien frame these days. Plus you would need a VW torsion housing.

http://www.acmecarco.com/berrien-buggy/sand-rails/2-seat/warrior

Still a great price. Considering that in the mid 1970s I paid $450 for my Hi Jumper rail frame including torsion housing and welded. Fiberglass buggy bodies then were about the same as my frame. Now they're $2500. Considering a new full size well equipped pickup then was $5000, and now it's more like $50K, I'd say $400 for a frame now is a good price.

That said, I really don't see need to replace the frame you have. Especially for mostly pavement use.
_________________
Richard
Offroading VW based cars since 1965
Tech Inspection 1963 - 2012 SCCA/SCORE/HDRA/MORE/MDR +
Retired from building Bajas, Fiberglass Buggies and Rails in the Mojave Desert. Also Sprints & Midgets, Dry Lakes, Road Race cars. All types New and Vintage
SoCalBajas Member
Kicked Cancer's A$$...1st and 2nd round...Fight ain't over yet.

rossl1 · Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2015 7:33 pm Post subject:

I dont know what you could pick up used drum set up for but Rockwell.com is a great place to find some cheap parts. I just rebuilt my rear drums for cheap. I haven't had a chance to give them a good test but visually they looks good.

Wheel cylinders $7
Drum $35
Pads $10-$15
Hardware $5

rossl1 · Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2015 7:34 pm Post subject:

That's Rockauto. Stupid auto correct

rossl1 · Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2015 7:34 pm Post subject:

That's Rockauto. Stupid auto correct

Bigdaddychopshop · Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2015 4:34 am Post subject:

Thanks for the info guys.

Looked at this a bit more (it was a CRAZY busy weekend), and the floor is welded to the tubing. Not ideal, but well done none the less. I eddy currented some of the tubing, and no issues at all. Asside from the corrective action mentioned, the frame will stay the same. pulled the seat covers off, and figued out why my big butt wont fit- 15" seats, older fiberblass style. Those are going away.

Apologies for the slow progress, but summer is busy with 5 kids and filling in at the church some. Real work will hopefully commence soon.

And thanks for the info on the brakes- backing plates seem to be the largest issue.

Bigdaddychopshop · Posted: Mon Jul 20, 2015 6:56 am Post subject:

Got a bit of work done (removed the Tree guards that were barely attached) kinda scary how bad the weliding was, took about 30 seonds a side, but the bracing was a steering shaft and water pipe lol. Still need to clean up, but pleased. Also removed the VERY narrow seats (15") and the battery tray. Lots of Crap workmanship.

Plan to raise the roof bars as I am 6'1" and 340.

So I also changed the oil (full of water) and ran it a bit. Or tied. I have a couple questions.

This has a 28 PICT-1 carb, but it has the air cutoff solinoid (only saw in diagrams for the 30), it is not hooked up, could this be part of the issue? I have ordered a Chiltons, and hope there is a wiring diagram so I can figure out what it oks to along with the Electric choke.

Is this normanl for this carb?

Also, I noticed there is a broken stud holding the intake on at the head port. I will get this corrected.

I have ordered a basic tune up kit, not sure if it is right or not, hard to tell on Rock auto, but it is for a 009 dist. Hope it will work. Also got a carb rebuild kit, some plug wires, fuel pump (not crazy about the electric).

I am going to need some other items, but wanted to reach out. Need one wheel, on the front, and shocks (perhaps stock on the front?)

Looking for advise.

Aerindel · Posted: Mon Jul 20, 2015 2:05 pm Post subject:

Looks like your off to a good start.
_________________
Homemade woods/street, bug out rail. IRS, Balljoint front end. 1967 1600cc DP, Weber 32/36 progressive, tri-mil quiet pack. Rear only cutting brakes.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=630046

dustymojave · Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2015 12:51 pm Post subject:

28 PICT-1 carb is for 1961-1965 1,200cc 40hp engine. Please post pics of the end of the intake manifold where it meets the head (either side of the engine). That will tell us if you have a 1200cc or a 1500/1600cc engine.

My 1965 Bug I bought from the original owner in 1973 came with a 28 PICT-1 carb, but it did not have an idle cutoff solenoid. Someone may have replaced the pilot jet in yours with a cutoff solenoid for a later carb. Could work, I've never tried it. Idle cutoff solenoid and electric choke both connect to the ignition switch side of the coil. 16ga wire works. No smaller. Use insulated slip connectors to make it less likely to short out.

009 distributor fits in 1200cc, but uses different points, condenser, rotor, and cap than vacuum advance distributors for 1200, 1300, 1500 or 1600. So if you have a vacuum advance, the 009 tune up kit will not work. Plug wires are the same. Spark plugs may have different length thread. Make sure the plugs are correct for your heads. I've encountered rebuilt heads from GEX and others which have different plug holes from one cylinder to the other on the same head. Different thread diameter and different thread length. So beware.

Be careful how you raise the roof height. I've seen some dangerously bad work on that. Make sure the seats chosen sit as low as they can without hanging your butt out the bottom to drag on any rocks or tree roots, etc. Choose seats which set your butt low in the 1st place. mount the seats well. I've had to repair broken and bent seat mounts for big guys like you in a couple of cars.
_________________
Richard
Offroading VW based cars since 1965
Tech Inspection 1963 - 2012 SCCA/SCORE/HDRA/MORE/MDR +
Retired from building Bajas, Fiberglass Buggies and Rails in the Mojave Desert. Also Sprints & Midgets, Dry Lakes, Road Race cars. All types New and Vintage
SoCalBajas Member
Kicked Cancer's A$$...1st and 2nd round...Fight ain't over yet.

dustymojave · Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2015 12:53 pm Post subject:

Rock Auto is the place where I found the very best retail price for KYB shocks the other day.
_________________
Richard
Offroading VW based cars since 1965
Tech Inspection 1963 - 2012 SCCA/SCORE/HDRA/MORE/MDR +
Retired from building Bajas, Fiberglass Buggies and Rails in the Mojave Desert. Also Sprints & Midgets, Dry Lakes, Road Race cars. All types New and Vintage
SoCalBajas Member
Kicked Cancer's A$$...1st and 2nd round...Fight ain't over yet.


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