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volkswagenut
Samba's Big Jerk
Joined: November 12, 2002
Posts: 3542
Location: Tennessee
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 Posted: Tue Dec 17, 2024 7:59 pm Post subject: 1961 class 11 project |
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So here is my junk. I’m building this for a driver. This is not a full spec car. I will be doing what I can when I can. So I started with this.
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volkswagenut
Samba's Big Jerk
Joined: November 12, 2002
Posts: 3542
Location: Tennessee
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| Posted: Tue Dec 17, 2024 8:13 pm Post subject: Re: 1961 class 11 project |
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New pans and I will will be doing an IRS swap on this one. Use a pressure washer sand blaster with mixed feelings on that process.
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MI-Bug
Samba Member
Joined: March 12, 2016
Posts: 141
Location: Marne, MI
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| Posted: Wed Dec 18, 2024 6:25 am Post subject: Re: 1961 class 11 project |
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| Awesome to see another adventure bug in the works. Looking great so far! |
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volkswagenut
Samba's Big Jerk
Joined: November 12, 2002
Posts: 3542
Location: Tennessee
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| Posted: Wed Dec 18, 2024 9:32 am Post subject: Re: 1961 class 11 project |
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| MI-Bug wrote: |
| Awesome to see another adventure bug in the works. Looking great so far! |
Thanks, really looking forward to this one.
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volkswagenut
Samba's Big Jerk
Joined: November 12, 2002
Posts: 3542
Location: Tennessee
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| Posted: Wed Dec 18, 2024 9:46 am Post subject: Re: 1961 class 11 project |
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Got the pans welded in and sealed up, primed and painted with Rust oleum brush on, pretty impressed with the results.
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volkswagenut
Samba's Big Jerk
Joined: November 12, 2002
Posts: 3542
Location: Tennessee
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| Posted: Wed Dec 18, 2024 9:52 am Post subject: Re: 1961 class 11 project |
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This body is in pretty good shape and needs very little. So little metal work and patch up and blend the paint is the direction. Decided to do the rust-oleum on the inside also to clean things up. I will be doing the underside of the channels and stuff before it goes back together. I got Oreillys to color match to rattle cans. Very close match for sure.
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joemama
Samba Member
Joined: February 09, 2006
Posts: 1663
Location: La Crescenta, California
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| Posted: Wed Dec 18, 2024 6:47 pm Post subject: Re: 1961 class 11 project |
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| Looking forward to following your progress. Great start! |
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volkswagenut
Samba's Big Jerk
Joined: November 12, 2002
Posts: 3542
Location: Tennessee
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| Posted: Mon Dec 23, 2024 4:40 pm Post subject: Re: 1961 class 11 project |
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Got a little bit more done today, painted engine bay and cut and turned the beam. I also welded all the seams. 3/8 turn should give me about 2.5 in lift
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volkswagenut
Samba's Big Jerk
Joined: November 12, 2002
Posts: 3542
Location: Tennessee
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| Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2025 5:16 pm Post subject: Re: 1961 class 11 project |
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So been getting the trans in, got the trans bracket welded up for skid plate mounts. Notched the wishbone for IRS axles. Next will be IRS arms and spring plates.
Left the end of the wishbone bare metal so the cage mounts can be welded in once body goes on.
I would have went with solid trans mounts but seeing this thing will see a lot of road driving. Regular mounts was the choice.
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BajaInMyBlood
Samba Member
Joined: January 02, 2025
Posts: 23
Location: Gold Country CA
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| Posted: Sat Feb 01, 2025 9:00 am Post subject: Re: 1961 class 11 project |
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| I like the grey coating. Are those 100mm flanges? Is that the reason for the notch? |
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volkswagenut
Samba's Big Jerk
Joined: November 12, 2002
Posts: 3542
Location: Tennessee
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| Posted: Tue Feb 04, 2025 6:43 pm Post subject: Re: 1961 class 11 project |
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| BajaInMyBlood wrote: |
| I like the grey coating. Are those 100mm flanges? Is that the reason for the notch? |
Stock cups. Factory horns on early pan are shaped different than late pans. I like the gray also. Something different.
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volkswagenut
Samba's Big Jerk
Joined: November 12, 2002
Posts: 3542
Location: Tennessee
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| Posted: Fri Feb 07, 2025 6:28 pm Post subject: Re: 1961 class 11 project |
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Been working on the rear suspension. I’m running some OG arms as to stay on a lower budget for now. This saves me shocks , arms and 930 cv set up for now. Will upgrade later. Want to get it on the road. Also got the trans skid pan most the way done. Will reshape the edges and rear trimmed up later.
Just got my front brakes delivered today. Might get started on those soon.
Next on my radar is the cage pan rails, once I do that I’m gonna try and get the body on the pan.
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DesertSasquatchXploration
Samba Member
Joined: April 16, 2021
Posts: 932
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| Posted: Sat Feb 08, 2025 11:24 am Post subject: Re: 1961 class 11 project |
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| Now is the time to mod the lower shock mounts. Cut them off and remove 3/4 then weld back on. It will ride terrible lifted with the shocks stretched out you want to maintain the same shock preload as the stock ride height. Also its dangerous you will lift a tire when you hit a bump and lose control. But its Looking Good! Nice work. |
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petrol punk
Samba Member
Joined: August 21, 2007
Posts: 1034
Location: Las Vegas, NV
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| Posted: Thu Feb 13, 2025 8:40 am Post subject: Re: 1961 class 11 project |
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| DesertSasquatchXploration wrote: |
| Now is the time to mod the lower shock mounts. Cut them off and remove 3/4 then weld back on. It will ride terrible lifted with the shocks stretched out you want to maintain the same shock preload as the stock ride height. Also its dangerous you will lift a tire when you hit a bump and lose control. But its Looking Good! Nice work. |
Is there enough travel in the shock to not bottom out the shock before the spring plates though? I've been thinking about this because yes, the 16" long stock shocks are a big hinderance for lifting the rear. The chinesium empi coilovers that everybody hates so much are 18" eye to eye though, but that might be too long...
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DesertSasquatchXploration
Samba Member
Joined: April 16, 2021
Posts: 932
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| Posted: Thu Feb 13, 2025 2:39 pm Post subject: Re: 1961 class 11 project |
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| petrol punk wrote: |
| DesertSasquatchXploration wrote: |
| Now is the time to mod the lower shock mounts. Cut them off and remove 3/4 then weld back on. It will ride terrible lifted with the shocks stretched out you want to maintain the same shock preload as the stock ride height. Also its dangerous you will lift a tire when you hit a bump and lose control. But its Looking Good! Nice work. |
Is there enough travel in the shock to not bottom out the shock before the spring plates though? I've been thinking about this because yes, the 16" long stock shocks are a big hinderance for lifting the rear. The chinesium empi coilovers that everybody hates so much are 18" eye to eye though, but that might be too long... |
You will bottom out the skid plate first and or tear off the fenders. Are you building A baja bug or a race car?? If you looking to slam whoops you need a race car your way past stock shocks.
If volkswagenut is building a Class 11 not full spec... the BILSTEIN 24006347 B6 Performance is the best way to go it will have great on road manners butter smooth ride and do very well off road.
If you notch the spring plates 3/16 and shorten the lower mount 3/4 your stock shock should be just perfectly lined up at full drop. ( about a 1/4 to long). Now you need to set up your (stock RED) torsion bars correctly you want it lifted but with a bit of pre load. You must Keep both back tires planted on Technical trails once you lift a tire your stuck game over. A nice BAJA will do 40mph safely off road and not get stuck because you have a med/soft suspension and plenty of downward travel Plus its LIGHT. Has great street manners good ride.
Now lets look at class 11 race cars they have rock hard suspension need to slam whoops using very limited travel. If you watch closely they lift the rear tire a LOT That's the biggest downfall of class 11 cars they bounce!. If the rear tire isnt on the ground you lost all ability to move forward that tire comes down aggressively brakes traction digs a hole and now your stuck. They do ok on flat ground but stop dead on hills and low speed Technical trails. The guys and gals that drive them are tough SOB and thats cool have fun. NOT my JAM.
The worst thing you can do is combine the two. Evey car is built to do a job make sure you know what it is and how to build it.
SO if your bottoming out stock shocks you need a rollcage and safety equipment well hell now your building a race car. If you have stock shocks and a rollcage that makes no sense. Build your car to a SPEC nothing more nothing less.
What is the true Baja bug SPEC???? That's a damn good question its changes from person to person. The class11 look a like cracks me up WTF is that? Its a baja short changed with horrible approach and DEPARTURE angles.
Last edited by DesertSasquatchXploration on Thu Feb 13, 2025 4:22 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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DHale_510
Samba Member
Joined: August 27, 2010
Posts: 404
Location: Nampa Idaho
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| Posted: Thu Feb 13, 2025 4:07 pm Post subject: Re: 1961 class 11 project |
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All very true.
My 61 car has evolved through most of this. I hammered the stock lower stops away, tucked the tires under with notched plates, converted to a full cage and fancy race coilovers and even broke the notched plates, both at once at about 50 or 60 mph.
A low cost slow car, a medium cost medium but harsh car and an expensive go fast comfortable car in only 4 builds and 35 years.
Pick a lane....
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volkswagenut
Samba's Big Jerk
Joined: November 12, 2002
Posts: 3542
Location: Tennessee
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| Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2025 6:03 pm Post subject: Re: 1961 class 11 project |
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Been doing a little work here and there, rear brakes and lines all done. Will be getting the master on soon. Then the body is just about ready to go on.
The rear suspension will be pretty much stock for a while. I will take the rear arms off and box and run shocks to the cage at a later date. This will allow me to get it on the road sooner. 
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racecougar
Samba Member
Joined: July 31, 2023
Posts: 247
Location: Imperial, MO
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| Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2025 5:59 am Post subject: Re: 1961 class 11 project |
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| Looking great! |
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autohaus
Samba Member
Joined: May 27, 2002
Posts: 507
Location: Cuzorn France
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| Posted: Fri Apr 18, 2025 2:58 pm Post subject: Re: 1961 class 11 project |
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volkswagenut
Samba's Big Jerk
Joined: November 12, 2002
Posts: 3542
Location: Tennessee
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| Posted: Wed May 21, 2025 7:13 pm Post subject: Re: 1961 class 11 project |
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Got a few things done since the last post. Brakes all complete trans back out for body and cage install, top of cage built and fully welded up. Body on pan. Pan rails for cage also.
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