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Cortland15B
Samba Member
Joined: March 15, 2011
Posts: 394
Location: Northern Wisconsin
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 Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 3:08 pm Post subject: Baja Bug Build |
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I bought a 1970 baja bug 1600cc SP with a stock solex carb about 1 year ago for 1500$. It was in great shape, very little rust, engine runs well, it has been sitting in a guys garage as a project car for the past 20 years so it has low miles, and in the area I live (which is northern wisconsin) it is very hard to find these that aren't falling apart with rust problems. This is my first car and I haven't had any mechanical experience before this. We dont have alot of body work experience and we dont have a welder readily available. I hope to learn as I go along with my dad helping, he has had some experience with vw's and other cars but hes a little rusty as its been about 20 years since hes worked on one. I will be driving it as my DD through the spring, summer, and fall. I won't be driving it in the winter except on really nice days here and there (gets pretty cold up here lol). The person I bought it from did alot of body work, he put in like a big nerf bar that runs where the running boards would be. He re-welded the front shock towers all the way down to the lower portion below the bottum torsion tube. He also what I think is some kind of rust inhibitor in the crevices up in the trunk where the heater tubes come up, also behind the back seat panel in the side. He tarred underneath and along the back firewall I think its called. Sorry if my terminology is off a little, im learning. Then so far what I have done is ripped out all the old interior, spray canned a rust killing paint on the pan, tore out the old headliner, painted the interior of the car white, I wont be painting the outside for a few years. We are in the process of carpeting, about half way done with that. We took off the stock exhaust and heater boxes and replaced with j-tubes and a stinger. We resized the rear engine cage bumper to have it fit more snugly with the new exhaust. We replaced the stock oil bath with a louvered case with a foam filter inside. I bought new wheels off ebay, 15x8 in the back and 15x6 in the front. Over the weekend we picked up 4 used tires off craigslist and had them balanced, we will be putting them on today or tomorrow. The front are 205/75 snow tires in fair condition, on the back we have 235/75 goodyear wranlgers A/T one having 80% tread and the other has 50-60%. Thats about all I've done so far, will be trying to get more pictures for you. Things on the to-do list are: add skid plate, put on a oil filter, finish some electrical work(pretty simple stuff), preload front and rear suspension, fix the only bad spot of rust by the bake fluid reservoir, and put 2 new front seatbelts in. Thats all i've been able to come up with so far. Sorry if its a lengthy read. Any suggestions or tips would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
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Multi-year baja project that seems to never end
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=498587&highlight=budget+baja
Last edited by Cortland15B on Mon Feb 13, 2012 3:58 pm; edited 3 times in total |
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logan44
Samba Member
Joined: February 22, 2011
Posts: 126
Location: Kingman Az
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| Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 3:16 pm Post subject: |
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Welcome to the Samba! You will learn quick here.
Lets see some pics of the new ride! |
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Cortland15B
Samba Member
Joined: March 15, 2011
Posts: 394
Location: Northern Wisconsin
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Scott W.
Samba Member
Joined: July 08, 2009
Posts: 16
Location: Roseburg, Oregon, USA
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| Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 5:57 pm Post subject: |
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| You might want to consider keeping those heater boxes for that daily driving in the spring and fall. VW heat can work really well if its all intact. I hope you really enoy VW's... you can get alaot of info here. |
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larryvance66
Samba Member
Joined: January 27, 2009
Posts: 731
Location: Virginia
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| Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 6:15 pm Post subject: |
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Welcome! I also would like to see your ride. I found it easiest to get a photo bucket account and upload pics that way. With my Android based phone my photos automatically go there every time I take one. 
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I got a Volkswagen for my wife....Best trade I ever made! |
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Cortland15B
Samba Member
Joined: March 15, 2011
Posts: 394
Location: Northern Wisconsin
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| Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 6:55 pm Post subject: |
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This is the day I brought it home, it has the fenders I just had to put them on. These are the only photos I have right now, I will try to get more this week. Sorry I dont have any photos of the interior when we first got it, it wasn't much to look at anyway.
_________________
Multi-year baja project that seems to never end
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=498587&highlight=budget+baja
Last edited by Cortland15B on Tue Feb 07, 2012 9:15 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Cortland15B
Samba Member
Joined: March 15, 2011
Posts: 394
Location: Northern Wisconsin
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| Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2012 9:11 am Post subject: |
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Engine
I wanted to do a before and after with the new and old wheels when I get the new ones on.
The area thats kind of not painted perfectly on the roof area will be a headliner material.
I put on some of quick roof from home depot for some vibration and sound barrier.
Dash
The rust spot, after I get rid of all of it have any tips on how we can strengthen that area?
Trunk
The original horsehair seats with a seatcover over it.
This me and my dad made ot of some sheat metal and a small hinge, its used to keep any water out, and it looks cool lol
My nice new shiny rims on dirty used tires lol
Engine
Heres some more detailed photos of what we've done so far. Please comment on the progress and give out any tips or experiences you might have, thanks.
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Multi-year baja project that seems to never end
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=498587&highlight=budget+baja |
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thext94
Samba Member
Joined: April 11, 2010
Posts: 1003
Location: Manhattan Beach, CA
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| Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2012 9:15 am Post subject: |
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Looks like a great start! What are your plans for it? I know you said daily driver baja, but are you going to do some off-roading too?
Tyler |
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Cortland15B
Samba Member
Joined: March 15, 2011
Posts: 394
Location: Northern Wisconsin
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| Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2012 9:18 am Post subject: |
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Yeah, I do plan on going off-road/trailing, nothing to serious but I would like to go as often as I have the time for it. And have this be able to keep up with my friends jeeps and trucks, and of course not break somthing in the process.
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Multi-year baja project that seems to never end
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=498587&highlight=budget+baja |
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Cortland15B
Samba Member
Joined: March 15, 2011
Posts: 394
Location: Northern Wisconsin
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Cortland15B
Samba Member
Joined: March 15, 2011
Posts: 394
Location: Northern Wisconsin
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Bashr52
Samba Member
Joined: July 16, 2006
Posts: 5669
Location: On an island in VA
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| Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2012 10:32 am Post subject: |
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| That rust was caused by a leaky master cylinder resevour. Cut out the old and weld in a new patch. Make sure you don't overfill the fluid and spill it under there, and all the hoses are tight and not leaking to avoid future rust damage. I would also paint that area with POR or something, although brake fluid is nasty stuff and will just eat paint off if left on. |
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Cortland15B
Samba Member
Joined: March 15, 2011
Posts: 394
Location: Northern Wisconsin
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| Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2012 10:43 am Post subject: |
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Yeah It was there when I bought it so I didnt do anything to have it leak, as I said earlier I don't have a welder readily available, I do have a rivet gun. I could have some one weld it for me but are there any other options?
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Multi-year baja project that seems to never end
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=498587&highlight=budget+baja |
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Mal evolent
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Joined: March 31, 2009
Posts: 2924
Location: San Antonio, Nuevo Mexico
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Cortland15B
Samba Member
Joined: March 15, 2011
Posts: 394
Location: Northern Wisconsin
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pafree
Samba Member
Joined: August 16, 2005
Posts: 2298
Location: dayton, the one in texas
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| Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2012 12:49 pm Post subject: |
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| Cortland15B wrote: |
| Yeah It was there when I bought it so I didnt do anything to have it leak, as I said earlier I don't have a welder readily available, I do have a rivet gun. I could have some one weld it for me but are there any other options? |
you gotta kill or cut out the rust that is there before you cover with metal or paint. a wire wheel on drill to clean the area and into the what you think looks good paint to see if the rust has started spreading. then do a Ospho rust treatment then cover (welding would be better but you can rivet it). then paint with the POR (as suggested) the metal on both sides that you are going to cover with and also where the metal is going so there is no bare metal.
it is not a high stress area but it does go into the wheel well and passenger compartment. you might have to cut and shape more than one piece of metal and fit and seal.
wire wheels i use:
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DWP
Samba Member
Joined: September 11, 2007
Posts: 577
Location: Pa.
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| Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2012 5:17 pm Post subject: |
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Great looking start.
If you are not using the heat exchangers right now plug or cover the two openings on the fan shroud.
Just in case you ever try to cut and weld the sheetmetal where the brake fluid leaked be extra careful. Welding anywhere there is, was brake fluid is death.
DWP |
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Bajabugman1970
Samba Member
Joined: February 18, 2012
Posts: 85
Location: Springfield, Oregon
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| Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2012 3:37 pm Post subject: |
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| If you had a small spot sand blaster like they sell at Harbor freight and a small compresser you coulod spot blast the area then use fiber glass mesh inside and underneithy to seal the spot from future rust. |
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Cortland15B
Samba Member
Joined: March 15, 2011
Posts: 394
Location: Northern Wisconsin
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| Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2012 2:28 pm Post subject: |
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Sorry I haven't been posting lately, I put the wheels on and will upload the pictures soon. I have a question, should I add a oil filter? I was thinking I should but what do they usally do for a stock engine?
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Multi-year baja project that seems to never end
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=498587&highlight=budget+baja |
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Cortland15B
Samba Member
Joined: March 15, 2011
Posts: 394
Location: Northern Wisconsin
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| Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2012 11:15 am Post subject: |
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We took the gas tank out today and will be working on the rust in the trunk and replacing the fuel line. For preloading the front suspension with using the cut and turn method, do you have to take the front suspension off or can you do it with it still on the car? Cause after we took the gas tank out the torsion tube was right up against the body, might have pictures of it but it looked like we would have to take it apart to preload it. Then is preloading both front and rear required for going off-road?
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Multi-year baja project that seems to never end
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=498587&highlight=budget+baja |
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