TheSamba.com :: View topic

Sat Oct 22, 2005 11:39 am

I did install a link pin framehead. I grafted it on 4.5 inches farther forward. After it was squared and perfect I supported the beam additionally with my roll cage. To allow for tie rod clearance, I hade to channel a section of the framehead (I think roughly 3-inches deep, but I cannot remember). I used the big tie rods with heim ends to be able to achieve all the suspension travel possible. I am cycling right at 10-inches with a set of spindles that I modified.

The spindles lift the car about an inch. They also increase track width about an inch. Plus, they are offest about 1/2 inch to effectively increase the length of swing on the suspension. I used a set of link pin spindles along with the spindle snouts and backing plate mounts from balljoint spindles to modify them. This allows the use of inexpensive Ghia disc brakes to bolt right on. Since taking this picture, I added gussets to the spindle carrier and the steering arm as well.

I am currently running stock trailing arms modified with extended shock mounts and leaf spring reatainers. I am not sure if the factory steering box position will work with extended trailing arms. I might have to go with a center mounted steering box or possibly a R&P unit. I will have to cross that bridge when I come to it.

The car does have a stock fuel tank. I hope to modify it slightly for use with my Ecotec motor. However if that doesn't work a custom tank is in the cards.

I am not using a one-piece front end. I have a heavily trimmed wide eye kit on the front and high mount race fenders on the rear. I went this route because I preferred to have some additional storage space under the hood. It is harder to work around, but I'm happy with the decision to go with the trunk.

SHMO

Wed Nov 23, 2005 2:09 am

thats one extreamly nice bug. good job man.

Wed Nov 23, 2005 2:10 am

is that small amber dust light off a harley? i have one thats exactly like it, i got it from a buddy, (he got it off his dads old harley for me).

looking good man. i love how clean all the welds are.

Tue Feb 07, 2006 3:47 pm

The lights (front amber and rear Red) are from a Harley...well kinda. They came factory on a Carefree chopper.

SHMO

Tue Feb 07, 2006 6:15 pm

Hey SHMO, it's been a while. :shock:
How's the Ecotech swap coming along?
You see this in the Offroad forum? Let's see a progress report on yours. :D

Wed Feb 08, 2006 9:54 am

Ya Uncle,

it has been a while. Unfortunately, the Baja has been on the back bruner for the last several months. I got back into snowmobiles really heavy, and that has been monopolizing most of my free time. However, I do hope to tear back into my Ecotec transplant in the not too distant future. Seeing stuff like this manx deal really gets the motoviation flowing, espeically with that hair dryer bolted to it....haha :wink:

SHMO

Mon Apr 10, 2006 7:33 pm

Well,

I figured it was time to start looking at the Ecotec swap again. I have left the car on the back burner for some time.

Here are a few update pics showing the tiny bit of progress I made in the last couple of days.

Tue Apr 11, 2006 12:06 am

Just a quick question about your suspension set up, are you running torsions still or only the gas adjusts? Sorry if this seems like an odd question, I was talking to someone about my baja and ideas for suspenions, and he told me you can run only the gas shocks, no coilover or torsions and it is a good alternative to a coilover suspension?

Tue Apr 11, 2006 12:37 am

My car still has torsion bars, and the reservoir shocks do the dampening.

Personally, I disagree about the air or nitrogen shocks being a good alternative to coilovers. But, to each his own. I know there are lots of guys running that setup and feel it works just fine.

SHMO

Tue Apr 11, 2006 5:12 pm

I had never heard of running just air shocks with no torsions before so I was curious to see someone that had, but you are not.

Thanks for the info.

Fri Apr 21, 2006 11:19 pm

I pulled the motor and started to clean things up for the final assembly. to direct the airflow into and out of the radiator, I sheeted in the framework with some .090 aluminum. Any air that enters the bottom of the parcel area will have to travel through the ductwork, into the radiator and out the back of the car. I am hoping it will cool well enough, but if it does not, I still have a couple aces up my sleave. :wink:

This is with the front panel removed. I am able to access the starter and also remove the ECU from this area. (the framework is just sitting loosely in the opening, hence it is crooked...haha

SHMO

Fri Apr 21, 2006 11:26 pm

Tonight I trimmed up the opening in the firewall and finished off the edges with some aluminum angle. With the firewall fully trimmed it really opened up the radiator. I don't think there will be ANY problem evacuating air.

In this shot you can see the angle that the radiator is mounted. You can also see one of the aluminum angle pieces I used to sandwhich the radiator with. There is a layer of rubber between the two parts. I decided to mount the entire rad in this manner thinking it would take a lot of stress off the aluminum and hopefully keep cracking to an absolute minimum

SHMO

Fri Apr 21, 2006 11:31 pm

I temporarily installed the motor to mock up some of my plumbing and wiring. This will gives a rough idea of what it will look like once everything is finished. The only missing parts are the engine cage and a few accessory items.

(The piece of chain is from hoisting the motor in)

SHMO

Wed May 10, 2006 9:46 pm

Absolutely amazing. I'm in the process of restoring my Baja (see www.apocdesign.com under the APOCALYPSOMOBILE link) and to see all the work you've put into yours makes me want to quit. Please forgive my ignorance, but is an 091 tranny a bus tran? I had a wild hare enter my head today when I wondered how difficult it would be to mate a VW diesel motor to a beetle or bus tranny. Your Ecotec looks like it could be a similar height to the diesels. After mating the drivetrain, I think ground clearance would be the next issue. Thanks for your time. Such nice work. Really makes me want to quit.

Thu May 11, 2006 11:03 am

Yes,

an 091 (aka 6-rib) is a bus tranny, used in 1976-1979. It's the strongest of the Bus trannies. There are two other Bus trannies, the 002 (3-rib) found in 1968-1973. And finally there is the the (5-rib) 002 tranny, which is very similair to a 3 rib and shares a lot of the same parts. It is "probably" the least desirable. These trannies were used in 1974-1975.

Hope that answers your question.

SHMO

Sat Jun 03, 2006 4:28 pm

Time for a few updates:

I finally got the car fired and driveable. The power from the Ecotec is more than up to the task. I'm happy with the performance after the little seat time I have put in. I was instantly impressed with the grunt this motor has. With my old 1915 VW motor I was constantly pedaling it and upshifting/downshifting. I think those days are over. This Ecotec seems to make power from idle to redline with lots of torque in between. On the otherhand, I was UNHAPPY with the bark coming from the Dynomax race muffler. It was just too damn noisey, which I knew it would be. So, I fabbed up a new exhaust with 2.25 mandrel bent tubing and a welded Dynomax Ultraflow muffler. It sounds REALLY good. It is fairly mild at idle and off idle, providing a DEEEP tone that is noticeable. When the loud pedal is pushed the exhaust really wakes up without being excessively loud. It sounds good, and nothing like that frappy fart can effect that I was dreading. Afterall, it is an inline 4-cylinder, but luckily it doesn't sound like a ratty ass Honda or some other ricer/zipper car...haha

There are still lots of loose ends to wrap up before I can get any "good" seat time with the new motor. You can see in these pics that there are lots of little items added on here and there. I won't list them all because most of it is obvious.

Now for some pics :wink:

SHMO

Sat Jun 03, 2006 8:50 pm

Man, that thing is awesome. Let us know when you get it out and running.

and im not trying to be an ass or anything, but you whited out your plate is the last post but not in any of the other ones...

Mon Jun 05, 2006 9:37 am

Ya,

dunno about the whited out plate. Just for some reason I thought I would do that...haha

I have got the car up and running. It still has a few odds and ends to wrap up, but the performance from the Ecotec seems promising.

SHMO

Tue Aug 01, 2006 9:05 pm

Shmo,
How did your ECU work out? I read on another post you replaced it. Everything working better?

Tue Aug 01, 2006 10:23 pm

Uhhhh,

lemme get back to you on that. I'm working on ECU swap number three! I just got the newest setup in tonight, and I probably will be shipping it back off tomorrow. :roll:

SHMO