New to Bajas, does and don'ts ?

[thundercougar]

Hey guys, so I fixed up and sold my lime green Berrien Warrior with the 1600 dual port in it! I'm looking to do a Baja bug or something similar to that for a driver and to take out off-roading. The only thing is, I really don't know a whole lot about what it takes or the time/money, etc etc. I've had some people call me with stock 66-74 bugs or super beetles that they've started to make into bajas or restos and haven't finished, how hard/long would it take to make a "mid travel" or just sort of pretty sweet Baja? My budget is about $2500 for the actually bug itself (max I will go), and I'm willing to put in the hours and I'd say another $4-6k into it to make it amazing.

Any advice or words of wisdom would be very helpful! I realize I live in Ohio and we have mud, not sand and the big thing here is jeeps and trucks but I want to do something a little different (: .

The few stipulations I have on this project are that it must be relatively efficient (for daily driving), at least 4-8in of travel (is that average?), street legal !, and not to forget out of the ordinary.

Thanks guys!
- Will

[SamT]

If your willing to put that kind of $$ into the project, I would start with just a nice shell, go tube chassis. 3x3 or larger rear, 091 trans, motor of choice, A-arms or wider LP with long arms.

[thundercougar]

Well I'm only 18 and going off to college next fall so if I can get a semi started project that'd be ideal. I know this is probably a $20,xxx+ rig but something sort of like this: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3597/3357054324_5ae0e938eb_o.jpg

I have no problem with using a VW engine or going with a small V block, anything I can get really. For the most part this stuff is pretty new to me but I'd love to learn and eventually get into racing/off-roading, custom fabrication, ya know all that good stuff. The only reason I came into all the cash was someone hit my truck and totaled it ): so I'm looking to do a project off the insurance money (is that wrong? haha)

[Snappy]

We picked up our rag top for about 2.5k I'm about to start dumping money into it paycheck by paycheck, so far my list would run around 2k that's with some new bfg ats I'm about to throw in the front...as soon as I can refinish these jackmans...no real plans for suspension YET... but I think nice fox shocks will run 400-600 each!

[tobiism]

[1450bug]

^^x2

6k on a scratch build wont get you much
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I like bugs and I don't care who knows

[qwerty8669]

[thundercougar]

Oh... Well that's different haha, see this is why I use the forums (: I'm just starting out with this stuff so I'm going to be asking some "stupid" questions and/or have bad ideas. Thanks though guys! I actually found someone's started Baja build, runs and all just needs the shell painted and some bondo work, has a 1600 single in it with bone stock everything so it should be a relatively good start for me.

Thanks again for the input!

[Mal evolent]

dude...


Introduction

Stage 1 & Stage 2

The Book Of The Car

Beetle Basics

Body ID

Pan ID

The Ball Joint Beam

The IRS Transmission


next is raising the front and rear, installing T3 rear brakes, and installing a bus trans. after that, body lift and the class 11 roll cage.

anything beyond that will be outside the scope of a beginners tutorial
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73 Beetle Baja, Ghia front brakes, Type 3 rear brakes, 2220 ( 94 X 80 ), Weber Progressive, Bosch SVDA, '97 Mustang seats

Baja Bugs for Volkswagen Virgins: Index

[qwerty8669]