'56 Oval Baja Build with RGB's

[joescoolcustoms]

I have set an aggressive goal for myself with this build. My goal is to have a driver ready to take to the Fall Fast Times at The Farm in Farmington NC. The date of the event is October 24th, 2010. It does not have to be finished painted, but all systems done and a dependable car. After the Sunday event, the wife, myself and our dog will head East to the outerbank Islands and spend the week there camping and this Baja will be our beach tranportation on the road and in the sand.

Since I discovered VW's at about the age of 14, I have wanted two VW's. Very different ends of the spectrum VW's. I have always wanted a true Oval Window Baja and a Split Window Single Cab bus. I now have the bus, (purchased in Jan 2010 and is in the process of being revived, another story).

So, I have been watching this Oval for sale for some time. It is very rough and a marginal canidate for a restoration which makes it perfect for a hack job Baja. It is basically a parts car destined to be cut up that I will save the basic shell. I am not much one for the stock stuff, I like modified anything. If I could figure out how to hotrod my icecream cone, I would. But, I do not choose prestine samples as a base to modify. I like snatching them from the crushers jaws and then modifing them.

I kinda of lean to the old school when i build cars. I am not modern myself, why should the reflection of me in my build be anything but corny, redneck old school? I do like modern style horsepower, so due respect will be paid to the horsepower gods for their torque blessings.

The Foundation of the Pan I have a almost completed pan ready for this build that will help me leap frog forward in a hurry. It is a nice '67 pan rescued from the rust devil. I put a new front "hat" on it, new "batwing" and new pans. I have already installed all new cables for the E-Brake, heater controls, accelerator cable and flushed the fuel line. I installed a new shift rod bushing and new shift coupler. I have welded the seams of the trans forks and installed new rubber spring plate bushings. I have even coated the bottom of the pan in smooth bed liner material. This has all been done for over 2 years awaiting a project to put on it.


The front suspension The front beam was a real nice German BJ unit that I welded in adjusters set at just below stock in the lowest position so almost all adjustment is up. New KYB's, New German BJ's, New FAG nos bearings, New Seals, New Wheel Cylinders, New Brake Shoes, New lines. Welded the shock tower seams and rebuilt the steering box. Installed new tierods and ends. This also has been done for 2 years.

Now to take some of it back apart. Thing trailing arms I bought 2 years ago at a swap for $ 100.00 will get new German BJ's and the Thing spindles will get installed and the stock front parts boxed up for another project. I have purchased brackets that will allow disc brakes to be installed on the VW stock Thing spindles. The new tie rods will get removed and DOM tubing will get tapped and Hiem joints will get installed. I have also installed Camber shims to help the front handle a little better.

Rear suspension and trans I will be using a large nut bus trans in the swing axle rear suspension. I found a set of NOS John Johnson No Hop bars and will be installing in the upright position. The trans appears good, but I will be going through it just in case. Since I have to remove the RGB boxes to install the JJ kit, they will receive new bearings and seals I bought this spring from member Hazetguy. I will be using the stock bus 1 ton rear brakes, just re-newed.

Tires and rims Old school here. Ansen Aluminum slot rims, polished. 700 X 15 front tires and 31 X 10.50 rear tires. Bought these last year.

4 lug front and Chevy rear with adapters.

Engine I had purchased these engine parts starting about 4 years ago up to just recently. A 2165 (78 X 94) is about ready to go together. I have already clearanced the rods. Clearanced, cut, welded, bored, full flowed the AS41 case. The heads are new 041's that I traded for a few years ago that I will port slightly. The pistons are a left over new set of forged Wiseco's with valve reliefs and tool steel wrist pins. I am still debating cam choice. W-110, FK-41, FK-7 are my current choice leaders. It will be topped with either 44 IDF's or 45 DRLA's, (have had both for years now, will need rebuilt). Stock cooling tins. Ceramic 1 5/8 exhaust with self modified high flow 1 5/8 heat exchangers. A Glenn Ring rebuilt 019 or 010 distributer (had Glenn rebuild one each last year for me).
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Bad News Racing 2018 NORRA 1000 3rd in Class
Best Day Ever Racing 2022 NORRA 1000 2nd in Class and first All Female team to complete the race

Everyone is gifted. Some just do not open the package.

Looks like it was painted with a live chicken,polished with a brick and buffed with a pine cone

[joescoolcustoms]

The body lift in the above picture will not be used. It is a POS that I bought a few years back and have determined I do not want to use it. I will instead fab a lift out of 2 X 2 boxed tubing, welded solid around the paremeter.

I want this strength so I can weld in rock slider style bars to protect the body/pan and give a slight running board for my wife to get in and out of with.

The Body I watched the Oval body for 6 months until the price matched the quality and was lucky to get it before the crusher ate it. It is a '56 with a perfect dash. The doors shut nice and the roof is in great shape. All glass is there and the windows roll up nicely. The heater channels need de-rusted with a sawzall. The front apron and rear apron are just about non existant.

It is rougher than what the picture lead to believe.

A shot of the pan on my home made stand

NOS John Johnson No Hop Kit I found after searching for 1 year

_________________
Bad News Racing 2018 NORRA 1000 3rd in Class
Best Day Ever Racing 2022 NORRA 1000 2nd in Class and first All Female team to complete the race

Everyone is gifted. Some just do not open the package.

Looks like it was painted with a live chicken,polished with a brick and buffed with a pine cone

[tanner_122]

looks like a great start joe
cant wait to see this build
i love the rgb kit
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91 jeep Cherokee "TANK"

[joescoolcustoms]

Last fall I purchased a set of high style rear fenders from Dubbers Toy box. Not only are they cool looking, they look serious.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=793537

The front fiberglass is picked over used pieces that I have gathered during swap meets over the past few years.

Some rust repair panels I have traded and purchased at swap meets

_________________
Bad News Racing 2018 NORRA 1000 3rd in Class
Best Day Ever Racing 2022 NORRA 1000 2nd in Class and first All Female team to complete the race

Everyone is gifted. Some just do not open the package.

Looks like it was painted with a live chicken,polished with a brick and buffed with a pine cone

[joescoolcustoms]

[joescoolcustoms]

Now, just to clearify this build, its use is not like a West Coast Baja. I live in WV and we do not have deserts to run high speed in. We have mountian trails.

I do not intend on running this Baja hard off road. I do not like beating my builds unless it is my drag rail. It will see a lot of highway use, very little mud (do not like cleaning mud of suspension parts and out of fender wells) and some nice climbing. I want it to take with me on vacation to run the coastal beaches and to VW events that I do not drag in.

By a lot of this off road forum standards, a whimpy show Baja. But I think some on this site will like some portion of my build. I bring a lot of fabrication experiance and mechanical engineering to the build.

And after all, this is all about fun, correct?
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Bad News Racing 2018 NORRA 1000 3rd in Class
Best Day Ever Racing 2022 NORRA 1000 2nd in Class and first All Female team to complete the race

Everyone is gifted. Some just do not open the package.

Looks like it was painted with a live chicken,polished with a brick and buffed with a pine cone

[tanner_122]

ur correct joe its all about fun

joe i have a question for you my redux boxes are at my friends house and like you for the rear i will be using the 1 ton breaks and stock bug breaks in the front my question is will the stock bug master work or do i need a bus one?
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91 jeep Cherokee "TANK"

[joescoolcustoms]

What year MC are you running? The bus MC will certianly work, But I think the dual stage, '68 and up will work just fine too. I have not gotten that far yet to calculate the sizes/capacities to make my determination.
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Bad News Racing 2018 NORRA 1000 3rd in Class
Best Day Ever Racing 2022 NORRA 1000 2nd in Class and first All Female team to complete the race

Everyone is gifted. Some just do not open the package.

Looks like it was painted with a live chicken,polished with a brick and buffed with a pine cone

[tanner_122]

[Chad1376]

I've always liked that style of slotted rim. Those, along with that oval window is going to make for a really cool retro baja look. I'm with ya on what your building.
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My never ending 1302 Autocross Project:
http://www.shoptalkforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=51&a...02b8f83f22

[baja72]

Hey Joe, I LOVE your wheel choice! I have always been a fan of the "slots". I thought that I was the only one running the 4-lug/5-lug combo. As far as the Oval being a "wimpy show baja", I think it is a great example of an East Coast useable baja. Our bajas could not hang with the dessert runners, and their's couldn't tackle our tight trails. That's what makes our addiction enjoyable, not all of our rides look the same.
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I suffer from a serious disorder : Volkswagenitis

[joescoolcustoms]

Thanks for the positive input!

The rims, (and most of this build) are left overs from another build. I am not using them just because they are there, but also because I really like the old slot rims.

I had built a FG buggy three years ago and wanted big's and little's on it. I bought 4, 4 lugs and 4, 7 inch wide 5 lug rims for the buggy to get the big and little treatment.

These left over rims are now going to get their fair share of use on the Baja. The buggy was built to sell. The Baja will be my keeper.

Here is the street buggy I built.

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Bad News Racing 2018 NORRA 1000 3rd in Class
Best Day Ever Racing 2022 NORRA 1000 2nd in Class and first All Female team to complete the race

Everyone is gifted. Some just do not open the package.

Looks like it was painted with a live chicken,polished with a brick and buffed with a pine cone

[GhiaBateman]

[joescoolcustoms]

[hotratz]

How in "H" did you find an un-used set of JJ's No-Hop bars. I hate you! By the way, I stole a copy of the photo.
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My Albums

My ZR2 Members Page

[joescoolcustoms]

[hotratz]

The difference in length must be for a purpose. Are you interested in re-cooping some of your investment?
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My Albums

My ZR2 Members Page

[joescoolcustoms]

[VIN]

what do the no hops do and where do they go?

[thefladge]

As the owner of a '57 Baja Bug with reduction boxes, I approve of this build.

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1957 Vintage Baja Bug.
2110cc engine, 40 IDF Webers on Gene Berg manifolds, Engle 110 cam, Bugpack 40×35.5 Street Pro Heads, W8CC plugs, 12.5 pound Flywheel, Kennedy 1700 pound pressure plate.