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  View original topic: Who's baja is getting a motor rebuild and trans rebuild? Me Page: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5  Next
indianpeaksjoe Mon Mar 10, 2025 7:03 am



Well I love this baja, it is pretty basic compared to the monsters on this forum. But I decided I wanted a few jobs outside my skill set done, like new disc brakes on the rear, new shocks, a general tune up, etc.

I took it to the dudes up at Verve Vintage https://www.vervemotorworks.com/ in SLC. I asked them to check out the motor while they were at it. Welp... I have tons of compression loss in 2 cylinders. Rebuild time!

I have had some trouble getting into first, along with downshifting from 3rd to 2nd. So, my trans is getting rebuilt too.

At least it'll be fresh for a while!

-Joe

ORANGECRUSHer Mon Mar 10, 2025 10:57 am

It'll last a good long time.

My baja's previous version of the motor would not die. Despite being a thin wall 1835, there was nothing that could stop it.

Not spark plugs stripping and popping out on the way home from work.
Kept going
Not sinking it in a lake between sand dunes and filling the motor full of water.
Drained it out in the parking lot and filled with new oil and drove 45 miles home.
Kept going
Eventually it just didn't want to start anymore. I got at least ten years out of that motor and it definitely wasn't new when I got it. It was built by a local builder of performance engines and tranmissions named Petrucci who's probably not alive anymore. RIP
We'll see how my new version of it holds up.
I hope those guys take care of you. You love that car. Not that anybody shouldn't... it's the perfect color!

indianpeaksjoe Mon Mar 10, 2025 4:27 pm

Thanks OrangeCrusher - They seem like really good folks. They even picked the Baja up at my house in Moab! Which made them great in my book, and they’ve talked me out of upgrades I don’t need for my style of driving. So the list of things being done while they have it started as :
- Rear discs
- General inspection and tune up.
- New shocks
- New shift tunnel bushings (front and rear)
- Install of Baja front tube bumper, I can’t weld.. my current one is a bolt on light bar
- Replace rear axle boots
- modern oil filter adapter
- electric fuel pump

And now an engine rebuild and trans rebuild.









-Joe

67rustavenger Mon Mar 10, 2025 4:40 pm

Is the shop just rebuilding your rather stock engine?
Or are you gonna upgrade a bit more low end torque?

indianpeaksjoe Mon Mar 10, 2025 5:01 pm

I’m waiting to hear back on what the engine looks like inside. How many times has it been cut, etc. Then decide from there! Any tips for a 1600 DP who cruises at 5-10mph on the sandy and sometimes bumpy trails of Moab?

-Joe

ORANGECRUSHer Mon Mar 10, 2025 6:41 pm

Hopefully, the case is on it's first cut.

A popular size is a 1776 stroker. Thick wall cylinders and lots of longevity. From what I hear.

Scott SD Mon Mar 10, 2025 10:21 pm

Engine size is always a combination of how much you want to spend. A 1776 is a rock solid combo. I have build a few 1776s for the street that would a scream. A mild 1776 will live forever.

Mr Orangecrusher, Primo Petrucci built that motor, I didn’t know that he passed away. I had a lot of conversations with him 20+ years ago. He was a builder that understood engine dynamics and started a build with a purpose in mind. I always referred to him as Midwest Gene Berg or Primo Berg. Super talented guy.

ORANGECRUSHer Tue Mar 11, 2025 9:02 am

He may still be alive, I just know he's not in business anymore as far as I was told. We are losing all those old guys who kept this going for so long. Hopefully, their knowledge has been passed down to people who appreciate it.

ORANGECRUSHer Tue Mar 11, 2025 1:06 pm

Joe-


ORANGECRUSHer Tue Mar 11, 2025 1:06 pm

It's like he heard me lol came out 17min ago

DesertSasquatchXploration Tue Mar 11, 2025 2:23 pm

69 crank 90.5 full weight flywheel will run forever and run cool. 1776 stocker

indianpeaksjoe Tue Mar 11, 2025 6:35 pm

I do like the idea of a mild 1776.

He brought up lots of good points, but I’m a neophyte when it comes to engines. He could have just been making shit up and I would never know :lol:

-Joe

BFB Wed Mar 12, 2025 6:49 am

I think it's like most things in life, it all depends on who you know. ive got al 'ol boy who does line bores for me for $80 ( although he's on his way out so those days are numbered ) but at that theres no reason for me to not use used cases.

and one of the last engines I built I used old stock heads, put new valve guides in, bought new valves, did a little mild port work , then had the valves & seats cut which cost me about $150. dont think I have more than $250 total in the heads and they're working great on an 1801cc.

If I was in OP situation id throw a little stroke to the engine, it's amazing how much difference that makes. but that also depends on the builders skills too.

dirtkeeper Wed Mar 12, 2025 6:54 am

Right on , a new engine is alway a great addition.

I suggest a build that provides low rpm power. That was the best thing when I had a 2050 stroker built for me. With big tires and my original engine it was. A struggle to do anything low speed because of the higher rpm power range.

A stock fan shroud might be more effective than that rounded one you have.

I’m not convinced that rear discs are an upgrade. That said I have upgrade mine to type 3 and that made a great improvement .

indianpeaksjoe Mon Mar 17, 2025 4:21 pm

Update from my dudes at Verve. It is a 1776 already! After taking things apart, it does not look as bad as they had thought it was going to be.

So that is cool.

-Joe

ORANGECRUSHer Mon Mar 17, 2025 5:58 pm

Well then maybe they can reuse a lot of the parts and just freshen it up!

indianpeaksjoe Tue Mar 18, 2025 1:24 pm

Thats the hope! They are polishing the cam and soda blasting the...(heads?).

-Joe

ORANGECRUSHer Tue Mar 18, 2025 1:34 pm

Have you thought about trying a different cam?

Especially if it has a stocker, you might be able to wake it up a little with a different cam. Or at least make it behave more to your liking.

indianpeaksjoe Tue Mar 18, 2025 2:00 pm

OK, this is my ignorance showing, but they said it "had a cam". So not a stock one AFAIK.

-Joe

indianpeaksjoe Thu Apr 03, 2025 8:30 pm

I went with this crank https://www.cbperformance.com/product-p/1104.htm?s...t95rWbOwEp
And straight cut gears https://www.cbperformance.com/product-p/1399.htm?s...R4uoG1XiW_

Also thinking of going from the 34 pict 3 to a IDF.

-Joe



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