Scandinavian Baja Build Log

[DancingOnTheAshes]

Last year I traded my wee buggy for a Baja project that had stalled due to additions in the guys family. It then stalled for me for a year as I looked for parts and expertise but now I feel mentally up to the task of starting to get this bad girl together.

This is the buggy I traded away. It had gotten a bit small for me and it's a pain to drive even in a light drizzle. I kept my engine, as did the other guy.

The engine, probably a 1300, but I need to open it up to verify. It's due some tlc when I finish the rear suspension and welding.

Soup strainer to avoid leafs and debris entering the fan and clogging up the cooling.

Got myself a 32/36 Progressive carburator at half price from a guy that had bought it and found that it didn't fit the engine compartment of his lovingly restored '52 Split window beetle.

Windshields and doors are in storage atm along with two sets of fiberglass baja fenders and the hood.

This is how I got her, all sandblasted, primed and ready for welding.

Linkage is brand new, as are the torsion tubes.

It came with a pair of Honda CRX seats.

Not planning on a back seat, the space will be used for baggage and tools later on.

Brand new coiled shocks all around.

Going to swap this out with an 1303 Transmission and IRS suspension. I'm keeping the new drums since they fit the 1303 axles.

New disc brakes in front to cope with a planned step up to 1600cc.

This week I found a fuel tank for cheap and buffed the superficial rust off, going to treat it internally with some strong rust remover.

Transmission removed as I found the IRS parts required from the same guy I got the tank from.

Welding Jig for the IRS mount on the right on top of the rear tires. I need to sandblast the trailing arms and paint them before I begin cutting into the rear torsion tubes.

Replacement plates for some of the rusted areas resting on the bottom pan along with a box containing the rubber gasket that is between the chassi and pan.
I'm planning RPM, Oil Temp, and voltage meter to the left of the speedometer, stock analog fuel meter on the right.

[dustymojave]

There should be NO cutting into the torsion housing tubes to mount IRS brackets. Cutting into the outboard sides of the engine and trans support yokes IS required.

The little buggy you traded away looks pretty cool. AWFUL short and rather narrow. Also VERY low roll cage.

That strainer is what we in southern California used to do before screens made for the job were offered by any companies. I still have one in my garage. Still has the handle on it.

My dad had a '52 split window in '52. With an Okrasa engine. But in the modern day, I can't understand somebody wanting to put a dual port (other than Okrasa) heads and a Weber progressive carb in a restored split window Bug. Okrasa parts are available now.

Those "coilover" shocks are really poor quality. The prettiest part of them is the chrome springs, and they rust very fast. Better to put on some gas Bilstein or KYB shocks on it. Even for use on pavement.

It looks from that picture of the left front shock that the tie rod tube is too short. The tie rod end should NOT have that much thread exposed.
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Richard
Offroading VW based cars since 1965
Tech Inspection 1963 - 2012 SCCA/SCORE/HDRA/MORE/MDR +
Retired from building Bajas, Fiberglass Buggies and Rails in the Mojave Desert. Also Sprints & Midgets, Dry Lakes, Road Race cars. All types New and Vintage
SoCalBajas Member
Kicked Cancer's A$$...1st and 2nd round...Fight ain't over yet.

[DancingOnTheAshes]

The tie rods actually have never been properly adjusted yet, that might be the issue you're seeing. The guy put it together just enough that it could be rolled out of his garage and onto my trailer.

And yeah, I know I'm not supposed to be cutting into the actual torsion tube, just the surrounding, though I appreciate the warning.

[dustymojave]

OK. Sometimes people read such statements that are meant as a generality and believe them, then go and try to do the job that way. I wanted to make sure.
_________________
Richard
Offroading VW based cars since 1965
Tech Inspection 1963 - 2012 SCCA/SCORE/HDRA/MORE/MDR +
Retired from building Bajas, Fiberglass Buggies and Rails in the Mojave Desert. Also Sprints & Midgets, Dry Lakes, Road Race cars. All types New and Vintage
SoCalBajas Member
Kicked Cancer's A$$...1st and 2nd round...Fight ain't over yet.

[DancingOnTheAshes]

Got the urethane bits and the torsion lids I needed this week. The front tranny mount is the swing pan to IRS transmission version. The shop I prefer to buy from were out of the rear urethane transmission dampeners so the used rubber ones will have to do while I fit the transmission.

I bought these jigs last year, along with the IRS brackets with the bolt mounts that prevents the bolt from backing out. (I'm going to have to double check if I have these brackets the right way up before I do a whoopsie.)

Sandblasted these yesterday and laid the first layer of rustproofing today. The swords are worn and will need to be replaced after a few years, but right now they were free so what the hell. They'll do until I've properly broken this car in.

I've also gotten wind of an IRS bus transmission that looks to be in good shape, something to put in storage and maybe try and fit some other year.

[DancingOnTheAshes]

I've been thinking about something regarding to the engine cage.

I'm planning a half cage inside the compartment. A roll bar that can handle a rough tumble and as something to firmly secure modern three point belts in as the older chassi is not really suited by law as an anchoring point for belts. If I extend the roll cage back to the firewall will it be a good anchoring point for the engine cage? Or should I do it some other way?

I'm planning a tow hook for a tent trailer for when I go on vacation and I figured that the engine cage would be the best place to base it.

[Third]

All of the about, really.

A good 6-point cage inside give both roll protection and front-to-rear firewall sturdiness.

There are basic kits so that many build off of and I'm certain you can find the required dimensions on the web.

A basic 6-point is a *great* starting point for all sorts of features.

[DancingOnTheAshes]

[cbeck]

I don't know how they drive in your neck of the woods, but I know how it feels to be drop kicked by a ram truck. Don't think the streets are safe.

[Dark Earth]

If you're not going to install a roll cage, stay away from the firewall mount rear bumpers. Having recently welded up a bunch of holes in my firewall I can tell you the metal is paper thin. You may want to look into a rear shock mount bumper.

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My Build: '69 Baja - Dark Earth Version

~I'm almost done. I just lack finishing up.~

[cbeck]

On the blue one I lost the long block and on the red one I lost all the push rods, tubes and exhaust on the right side.

So is this really overkill?

[DancingOnTheAshes]

Good arguments all around, I'll be looking into either getting a six point roll cage, or fabricating one. Luckily my dad was quite into the Swedish folkrace scene when he was my age and knows a lot about making a roll cage.

I'll also draw up plans for a reinforced engine cage once I know the dimensions of the exhaust system I want. Maybe not something quite as extreme as that last pic, but something that can handle a red light fender bender without stranding me.

[DancingOnTheAshes]

Hmm, I took these brake shields off of the trailing arms and they're not quite like any I've seen thus far. And I'm having troubles finding the mounting kit for them.

Also what size rear brake cylinder do you guys recommend when you are converting front to discs?

Edit: Got the ID from the Bus transmission, it's a 002 with the lettering CA023 3280.
And after a lot of hunting around on the web I found a single sentence saying "CAXXXXX 002 1968-1971 11 tooth spiders, 5.375 R&P, 3.8 1st, keyed 3/4 slider hub, .821 4th."

[dustymojave]

[Brian]

Yea, definitely T3. Use a set of those with your disc brakes and you'll have stellar brakes.

_________________
Wash your hands

'69 Bug
'68 Baja Truck
'71 Bug
'68 Camper

Only losers litter

[DancingOnTheAshes]

[DancingOnTheAshes]

Took a picture of the odd brake shield I took from the 1303 to the left along with a normal shield from a swing axle on the right. Note the weird adjustable handbrake rod. Is this just some weird ancient system that is just straight thrown out today?

Took the chassi off today and it's time to start work on the trailing arms.

I've been wondering what the six large threaded holes are used for. Two on the bottom corner of each window and two in the middle of the back seat. I wouldn't think they were for seatbelts, but frankly I have no idea.

[dustymojave]

You are right about the seat belts. That's what they are for. In the early 60s VW used a large insert so that for places that used different types of hardware for seat belts, they could simply use a different insert. Very soon seat belt hardware was standardized at 7/16 inch fine thread. and by the time my '65 Bug was built in late 1964, VW Bugs had 7/16" weldments for seat belts. I still think that it's bizarre for auto manufacturers worldwide to use inch size threads for seat belts. But that's the deal.
_________________
Richard
Offroading VW based cars since 1965
Tech Inspection 1963 - 2012 SCCA/SCORE/HDRA/MORE/MDR +
Retired from building Bajas, Fiberglass Buggies and Rails in the Mojave Desert. Also Sprints & Midgets, Dry Lakes, Road Race cars. All types New and Vintage
SoCalBajas Member
Kicked Cancer's A$$...1st and 2nd round...Fight ain't over yet.

[dustymojave]

The adjustable parking brake transfer rod is not like the ones in US delivery cars. And not like any I've ever seen in any VW brakes. They may have been from some other brand of car.
_________________
Richard
Offroading VW based cars since 1965
Tech Inspection 1963 - 2012 SCCA/SCORE/HDRA/MORE/MDR +
Retired from building Bajas, Fiberglass Buggies and Rails in the Mojave Desert. Also Sprints & Midgets, Dry Lakes, Road Race cars. All types New and Vintage
SoCalBajas Member
Kicked Cancer's A$$...1st and 2nd round...Fight ain't over yet.

[DancingOnTheAshes]