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GreeneHoosier Samba Member
Joined: August 16, 2004 Posts: 406 Location: Southern Indiana
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Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 6:44 am Post subject: My Cheap Daily Driver Baja Project |
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This is the new project- I bought it for $200 delivered to my house. It had a good 1600 SP and a decent chassis those two items should recoup my investment and make me some $$ besides- I am using neither, instead I have put it on a new painted (1974)IRS chassis. I cut the stock hood to fit a bugeye nose, swapped doors, all new brakes, lines and MC, new windshield and popouts, I have the fenders and tail piece. I also have the tube bumpers/cage for front and rear. I also have a stock rebuild 1600 and rebuilt 1971 Super tranny waiting in the wings. I have also painted the entire car in Masterseries rustproofing paint- inside and out- NO MORE RUST. That is some good stuff. I also welded the side trim holes and the hood trim holes, too. I have some RX-7 seats that I have fitted to the car. I have Rhino lined the pans, also. This car will get light trail/off road duty and DD responsibilities. I am making the car as user friendly as possible. Gauges for engine monitoring, including a vacuum gauge to help with mpg. I also have a wooden Nardi steering wheel for it, and a JSC shifter (or an Eliminator from flat Four). I still need to replace both heater channels. This is how I hope to drive it for the next school year. I am looking for a diesel 1.6 from a rabbit to rebuild over the winter, I am hoping for 60 mpg with it in back. But that is a future iteration. I cannot seem to find any one that has real mpg figures for this swap, but I am guessing I can get 60. So, I know it is not as radical as some of yours, but it will be a capable off roader that can also serve as a daily driver. enjoy the pics.
This is about 3-4 weeks of progress.
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elvergon Samba Member
Joined: September 02, 2006 Posts: 49
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Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 12:30 pm Post subject: |
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great job, just need to take more pictures of the progress! |
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cwrisley Samba Member
Joined: September 21, 2007 Posts: 343 Location: Escondido, CA
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Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 1:33 pm Post subject: |
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I dig the paint. Is that Masterseries a "do-it-yourselfer" or was it done professionally?
Score on the baja though, cant beat the price. Sounds like a cool start, keep us posted! |
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baja kid Samba Member
Joined: May 04, 2007 Posts: 663 Location: sunny san diego!!!!!!
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runslikeapenguin Samba Member
Joined: August 07, 2005 Posts: 4674 Location: Federal way WA
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Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 4:32 pm Post subject: |
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i dont know if 60mpg is possible, i know a good 45mpg is |
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GreeneHoosier Samba Member
Joined: August 16, 2004 Posts: 406 Location: Southern Indiana
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Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 6:01 pm Post subject: |
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The Masterseries is an amazing product. It takes about a quart to do a car, and it is $35.00 a quart plus shipping from Chuck at masterseriesct.com . It is applied with a roller (VERY smooth) and foam brushes. It can be used as a final coat with three coats and as a primer only with two. This car will never rust again with this stuff on there. For good info on it check out the website.
The 60 mpg is , I believe, obtainable with the 1.6 diesel Rabbit engine. I achieved 51-54 mpg with a diesel 4-dr Rabbit. I think with the lighter Baja and appropriate gearing I can achieve close to 60 mpg.
Thanks for the comments. The car is up in the air for some beam/suspension work, the tranny will be swapped and the engine installed this weekend.
I also need to finsh the mods to get the RX-7 seats in, too.
Updates as they are interesting. |
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runslikeapenguin Samba Member
Joined: August 07, 2005 Posts: 4674 Location: Federal way WA
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Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 6:22 pm Post subject: |
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GreeneHoosier wrote: |
The Masterseries is an amazing product. It takes about a quart to do a car, and it is $35.00 a quart plus shipping from Chuck at masterseriesct.com . It is applied with a roller (VERY smooth) and foam brushes. It can be used as a final coat with three coats and as a primer only with two. This car will never rust again with this stuff on there. For good info on it check out the website.
The 60 mpg is , I believe, obtainable with the 1.6 diesel Rabbit engine. I achieved 51-54 mpg with a diesel 4-dr Rabbit. I think with the lighter Baja and appropriate gearing I can achieve close to 60 mpg.
Thanks for the comments. The car is up in the air for some beam/suspension work, the tranny will be swapped and the engine installed this weekend.
I also need to finsh the mods to get the RX-7 seats in, too.
Updates as they are interesting. |
if you feel its doable go for it, ive just never heard those kind of number before, i was researching getting an old TDI rabbit. |
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GreeneHoosier Samba Member
Joined: August 16, 2004 Posts: 406 Location: Southern Indiana
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Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 6:52 pm Post subject: |
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The last one I had was a 1981, I think. I sold it for $50.00. I am trying to track down it's carcass now. Low 50's easy. |
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notsofastEddie Samba Member
Joined: February 27, 2008 Posts: 286 Location: Free Home, Georgia
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Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 7:54 pm Post subject: |
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definitely looks cool, look forward to progress reports. _________________ '72 super baja |
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GreeneHoosier Samba Member
Joined: August 16, 2004 Posts: 406 Location: Southern Indiana
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Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 6:14 am Post subject: |
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This is Herculiner from Wal_mart. The pinstripes are double silver/black. The silver matches the Masterseries perfectly. I also scored a Rabbit diesel engine. Woo Hoo. 60 mpg (I hope) here I come.
I also did the floor.
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elvergon Samba Member
Joined: September 02, 2006 Posts: 49
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Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 10:50 am Post subject: |
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Looks like a great project!
We need more pics thou... |
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badcommando Samba Member
Joined: November 07, 2007 Posts: 83 Location: colorado
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Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 11:02 am Post subject: |
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yeah, lets see that engine. |
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Mr. Unpopular Samba Member
Joined: September 20, 2005 Posts: 3715 Location: Tampa Florida
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Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 11:40 am Post subject: |
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GreeneHoosier wrote: |
The 60 mpg is , I believe, obtainable with the 1.6 diesel Rabbit engine. I achieved 51-54 mpg with a diesel 4-dr Rabbit. I think with the lighter Baja and appropriate gearing I can achieve close to 60 mpg.
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What are your plans for appropriate gearing? I'd imagine that motor would probably come apart at 3k RPM which isn't even highway speed with the stock tranny.
Please keep us updated on the motor swap! _________________ "In any racing engine, the nearer you are to it disintegrating, the better it's performance will be"
-Keith Duckworth, creator of the Ford/Cosworth DFV |
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GreeneHoosier Samba Member
Joined: August 16, 2004 Posts: 406 Location: Southern Indiana
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Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 3:35 pm Post subject: |
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My plan is better gearing through taller tires.
I also have two good (one new, one low mile) trannies to choose from. A 1971 that is fresh and a single side cover 1974 that is a low mile original. I have 235's on there now-with the 1974 tranny, but I can put 30/10.5/15's on there also. I need to do some figuring to get my RPM's where I want them at 60 mph. It seems like there was a calculator somewhere for this kind of thing....hmmmm |
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GreeneHoosier Samba Member
Joined: August 16, 2004 Posts: 406 Location: Southern Indiana
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Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 5:03 pm Post subject: |
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It looks like I can turn 72 mph at 3k rpm with the 1974 tranny and 31/10.5/15's that measure 29 inches tall.I certainly will not be driving 72 on the rural 2 lane hwy I drive back and forth. I can see 55 to 60 mph and less than 2500 rpm, I think. 48 mph is 2000 rpm, so I think that would be about right. I wonder what rpm a 5-speed diesel rabbit runs in 5th gear at 60 mph? Thanks for the questions, it makes me think... |
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Mr. Unpopular Samba Member
Joined: September 20, 2005 Posts: 3715 Location: Tampa Florida
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Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 5:57 pm Post subject: |
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I think it would almost be worth it to have someone build you a tranny. Use a 3.88 R&P, and the tallest 4th gear you could find. Basically you'd have a big gap between 3rd and 4th, but I think you could learn to drive around it. I think you'd need to keep the revs pretty low to achieve your MPG goals, but man would that be a neat setup. _________________ "In any racing engine, the nearer you are to it disintegrating, the better it's performance will be"
-Keith Duckworth, creator of the Ford/Cosworth DFV |
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birddog1148 Samba Member
Joined: June 03, 2005 Posts: 921 Location: Sandusky Ohio at my Brewery playing with cars.
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Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 5:58 pm Post subject: |
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Lets see the new rims on it, looking good! _________________ '69 Baja, Crusty 62 bug
I Got Your Jeep Thing! Now It Hurts When I pee.
Cigarettes are like squirrels, they are both harmless until you put one in your mouth and light it on fire. |
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GreeneHoosier Samba Member
Joined: August 16, 2004 Posts: 406 Location: Southern Indiana
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Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 7:10 pm Post subject: |
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birddog1148 wrote: |
Lets see the new rims on it, looking good! |
I LOVE my new rims, man, thanks. This guy is the worlds greatest wheel packer. It was a shame to unwrap them. FYI- I bought a pair of widened steelies from birddog. They are going to be wrapped in the 31's as soon as I clean them up. I will be running stock hubcaps and 235's on stock wheels for the front (mud terrains for the steering) and 31's on the back with the widened (8") steelies with stock hubcaps. I just love that look.
I just put in a new windshield and replaced the rear rubber, too. I also replaced the rubber on my popouts and installed them. I just finished up. I love popouts.
A pretty good night. |
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runslikeapenguin Samba Member
Joined: August 07, 2005 Posts: 4674 Location: Federal way WA
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Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 9:29 pm Post subject: |
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keep us posted on how the bed liner paint holds up, people ask alot about that and it would be nice to get a solid idea on how long it lasts before it fades and how easy it is to get off if the time comes. |
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Crippler Samba Member
Joined: November 01, 2005 Posts: 614 Location: Victoria, TX
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Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 9:48 pm Post subject: |
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runslikeapenguin wrote: |
keep us posted on how the bed liner paint holds up, people ask alot about that and it would be nice to get a solid idea on how long it lasts before it fades and how easy it is to get off if the time comes. |
i painted my motorcycle with duplicolor spray can bedliner. that crap is tough as hell. scratch resistant, gas resistant etc. i havent heard of anyone successfully taking it off though... .might need a jackhammer...
is the herculiner spray on, or brush on? _________________ 1973 VW bus |
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