Neil's Baja Build

[neanders]

Ok, so I had a couple different topics covering my build, and I decided to try to put my build into one thread, starting from the beginning. Here's what I started with:

Now, lest you say "Why did you cut it up?", let me assure you that it has a LOT of rot:

I have double tubes bumpers, side bars, a bugeye kit, and new tires and rims. I sent the bumpers and side bars out to be powder coated while I installed the baja kit, tires and exhaust.

So this is what it looked like once the initial conversion was complete.

As you can see, I'm still waiting on the bumpers and sidebars from the powder coaters. In the interim, winter arrived!!

So I drove it like that for couple months while I collected the parts to do the front end. Since it's going to be 90% daily driver and 10% logging roads and fire trails, I elected to stay basically stock, with the addition of adjusters and disk brakes.

I also wanted to put in a rollcage, so I got a six-point cage from Chirco. It took some tweaking and adjusting, but it is basically just bolted in right now. I am happy with how it turned out, and I am going to use it for upper shock mounts when I do the back end.

I will be adding to it as I go forward, and will ultimately weld it all together. So then I did the front end:

You can see here how the passenger side hangs lower than the drivers side. And you can see the KYB's that I currently have. Once I got it back together and the weight on it, the passenger side sits about an inch higher.

You can see that the front, with no adjustment, now sits higher than the rear. At this point, I am thinking it needs to loosen up cuz I haven't driven it much since, we'll see how it settles out. On to the back end. For that, I decided to go with boxed stock arms, T2 CV's/flanges/stub axles, and all new brakes. I stripped out all the original stuff, leaving on the frame horns and late model trans mount.

I went with urethane tranny mounts all the way around, and had to replace the nose cone and cradle in order to get the urethane mounts to fit my 74.

I used HD spring plates with about a 3/8 notch and 26mm torsion bars.

The boxed stock arms have double shock mounts, and are installed with urethane bushings as well.

The T1 tranny went back in, with T2 drive flanges and a strap.

I got the stub axles and brake assemblies back in

and then put in the new cv's and drive axles

My current angle is ~15*, so I should be in good shape. And as you can see, I've got some positive camber. I'm not sure what I can do about that. And, even with the motor back in, it's still riding on the stops. I hope it settles out some. So here's what it looks like now, with the suspension work mostly done.

Now I've got to replace the front shocks, so I can crank the front end up a little, I've got to get rear shocks installed after I fashion upper mounts, and I scored some poly seats that I am going to install. Stay tuned!!
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It's mine now and I want a BAJA!!!

[CopperBaja]

Nice work!
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Look at my for sale ads.
68 Baja on STFU
68 Baja on Samba

[seabeebuggy]

Looks good. When is the paint job? I know how much Baja people like the 2 tone.
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Seabee turbo buggy build
(Quote Runslikeapenguin said)
so to everyone else whos not a retarded butt pirate marine with an tacky ugly ass car covered in auto zone bolt and stick on s**t. (end quote)

A better place to talk offroad

[pafree]

i enjoyed reading and seeing your build. now you just need a link from each picture on detailed instructions on how you did each part of your car. then we could refer newbies to your project.

just for size reference, what size tires are you running front and back and do you have trouble with rubbing on the front, bottom fender well during turning?

has the baja world come up with a class for this car? i run a car like this. it is not a sand buggy nor high jumper. maybe it could be a full body woods buggy class or fire road runner.

[neanders]

The paint job is gonna wait until after I swap the body. As I said previously, my orange body has a lot of rot. The heater channels are gone, the inner fender wells are rotted, and the body just forward of the torsion housing is rotted out. So, I traded a bunch of the old parts that came off my car to a guy who has a 74 standard that he's parted out, selling a lot of the sheet metal, motor, trans and pan. He's left with the body, which has almost no rust, and the interior is about the same as mine. So, next week I am going to roll it over here (it's still on the pan), unbolt the body, rig a couple hoists from my garage rafters, lift it and roll the pan back out and tow it back to him. The only thing I hafta decide is if I want to put a lift kit in when I put the new body on. Anyone have any thoughts?

As for the tires, they are 235/75/15's all the way around. They are mounted on 6-inch rims up front and 8's out back. I did have a problem with them rubbing, but when I put the new front end in I adjusted the stops on the pitman arm so they won't hit. Doesn't turn quite as tightly, but it doesn't rub, either.
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It's mine now and I want a BAJA!!!

[HamburgerBrad]

[CopperBaja]

[neanders]

Got my front shocks installed. I went with Class 11 Bilsteins, they are definitely beefier than the KYB's that were there. And look cooler, too!

Also got the seats installed. Pulled the old front towers out, got a few holes to weld up and eventually I'll wire wheel and undercoat the pan.

I scored these poly seats on clearance at the local Schuck's, and got tilt mounts and sliders.

I bolted the mounts to the pan, and then trimmed the rubber mats to fit around them.

I got some 2-inch high density foam padding, and trimmed it to fit. Hafta finish installing the snaps, and I think I might add some 1-inch padding on the back. The covers are not very well padded.

Unfortunately I have drill this weekend, so that's about all I'll get done til Monday. My Weber progressive needs some tweaking, I've got new jets to see if I can get it running better. It's running really rich, and backfires through the carb. Already been through the timing and ignition and adjustment, and it's still not quite right. I am hoping that a smaller jet in the idle circuit might help. I'd welcome any suggestions from folks that run the Weber.
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It's mine now and I want a BAJA!!!

[CopperBaja]

The body lift is all personal preference. Some like it, some don't. I'm on the side that likes it. That is, of course, why I installed mine.
_________________
Look at my for sale ads.
68 Baja on STFU
68 Baja on Samba

[neanders]

Got any pics? I am curious to see what a bug that's had the suspension re-indexed looks like with a 3-inch lift. What I want to avoid is that redneck monster truck look where the truck sits so high it makes the tire/wheel combo look puny. I like having a big gap btw the fender and tire, but I don't wanna look stupid.
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It's mine now and I want a BAJA!!!

[CopperBaja]

They're in my thread.

I haven't reindexed my torsions though....soon, I hope.

Here's my favorite.

_________________
Look at my for sale ads.
68 Baja on STFU
68 Baja on Samba

[X_BajaBug_X]

[neanders]

Yep, just bolted them through the pan using big-a$$ washers. Once I get the new body on, I'll weld bars from the heater channel to the tunnel, and then mounting tabs on the bars. As for getting the stock front mount out, I had to drill about a dozen spot welds all the way around each, and then there were four regular welds that I ground down with the grinder, and then pried the things out. Took about 15 min per side, and I am left with a couple holes on each side that I need to weld up. I'll do that when I pull the seats back out to put the new body on, and I'll wire-wheel and under coat the pan while the body is off.
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It's mine now and I want a BAJA!!!

[neanders]

Hey Jeff, I looked through your build but didn't see any profile shots of your bug w/ the lift kit. Can you post one?
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It's mine now and I want a BAJA!!!

[DesertBob]

Did you get the rear Bilsteins as well? What was the part number of your front shock. I am going to be getting the same for mine and was also wondering where you purchased them?
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All it takes is a little imagination, some mechanical ability, and neighbors who mind their own business

74 Super Beetle (German Look Project)
Full Flow 1776 with 36 Dells, 4 wheel drilled and slotted disc brakes, Porsche 7x17 Turbo Twists, Topline Maxx Struts, Camber kit, 7/8" Front Sway bar, Rear Sway bar, Urethane bushings all around.

[neanders]

I haven't got the rear Bilsteins yet. I'm waiting until I put the new body on and decide whether I'm gonna do the 3-inch lift or not. If I do that, I'll hafta modify my cage, which might change the upper shock mount and the length of the shocks. As for the front ones, they are the standard Class 11 Bilsteins for the cut and turned BJ front end. I got them from Chirco:

http://www.chircoestore.com/catalog/product_info.p...bp0tg0n722
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It's mine now and I want a BAJA!!!

[neanders]

Ok, I am going to tinker with the carb today to see if I can get it running better. I have a Weber Progressive, and I have had a hard time getting it running smooth. I have a DP 1600 with 009, Pertronix ignition, and I have checked the valves and timing (30* at full throttle). I get hesitation on acceleration, and backfiring through the carb. Matter of fact, the primary barrel has a lot of soot inside. Originally it was jetted with a 125 primary and a 130 secondary. I thought, due to the backfiring, that it was running rich, and so I tried tweaking the idle mixture screw. My understanding is that about 80% of the time I'll be running in the idle circuit. No luck. I have read a couple spots that backfiring through the carb is an indication that it's running too lean, so I swapped the 130 into the primary circuit and put the 125 in the secondary. Better, but still backfires through the carb. Do I need to go with an even larger primary? I have a 135, I guess I will try that, and then perhaps get something even larger for the secondary. I welcome any suggestions from folks who've had success with the Weber Progressive.
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It's mine now and I want a BAJA!!!

[hagermanfolley]

throw it away and get a zenith. I hated my progressive. Zenith's are a little hard to find though, but well worth it.
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1970 Westy

[neanders]

Not exactly the response I was looking for, but I'll keep it in mind! I want to play with it some, and see if I can get it dialed in, before I move to something else. I will NOT go to duals, I've had bad experiences with both Kadron's and Dellortos in the past, and I don't want to deal with multiple carbs.
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It's mine now and I want a BAJA!!!

[neanders]

Well, the 130 seems to be running pretty well. I might try the 135 at some point, but I think I'll stick with the 130 for now. I also did the $1.98 carb clean, so I think I'll put the 135 in the secondary and start driving it.

Now I gotta get some seatbelt mounting tabs welded to the cage so I can drive it legal again...
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It's mine now and I want a BAJA!!!