Class 11 or Mild Baja Bug

[smigel519]

So I have been away from my beetle for a while, and have been looking at options for its future. I have seriously considered turning it into a baja bug because it is already banged up. Should I work on a class 11 look alike or buy a fiberglass kit and turn it into a baja bug.

[joemama]

I am working on a class 11 type of bug, although I prefer to think of it as just a trail, or explorer bug. I guess in my mind, that is what guides your decision. If I am building a baja bug, it means bus trannie, 3 x 3 arms, full roll cage, relocated shock mounts, and all that goes with that. If you dont need all that for your purpose, and prefer just a tough bug, why not class 11? Besides, its a cool look, and a smaller budget. Of course its just my opinion.

[dirtkeeper]

The things i like about my class 11 Style

I like the look
my spare tire fits and i have trunk space
My engine is covered from the elements and random hoodlums
The car is heavy...i feel this helps the stability and ride quality.
The extra metal and body parts keeps things quieter and less air blows through
A little more metal may help in an accident
I have decent suspension travel , I dont have any rubbing on fenders but i also have a body lift. I think my existing travel would have my tires hitting the fenders on occasion if i didnt have the body lift.



If you like to do high speed off road and jumps or use strictly as a play toy a baja kit style might be better. A lighter baja style may feel a little faster because there's less weight to push

I use mine as a "get me there and back" vehicle not as a toy to just rip around crazy , although i have done a little of that

[bikesndbugs]

I myself went the baja route and dont regret it but a class 11 is just as good. I also like the look of your paint and with a baja kit youd have to paint it. So my opinion is leave it stock body go class 11 and beat the hell out of it.

[TDCTDI]

Class 11! When you damage the body bad enough, Baja it. Most of the Baja kits fit like crap.
_________________
Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.


GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!


An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.


Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it.

[dirtkeeper]

[AZ-BUG]

I voted 11 just because that car looks pretty straight... it actually looks awesome as is! That being said, it kind of depends on how you plan to use it. I loved my 11, but probably had more fun with my Baja. It's really a personal choice, both are good options.

[mr_bill]

I just MAY be a wee-bit prejudiced.........BUT...................CLASS 11.................
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see ya' on the trail........

"Mr Bill"
Dos Perros Motorsports
Orange, CA
1972 Class 11x/Stock Bug
'60's era "vintage" Tunnell-Buggy

"...no one here....get's out ALIVE...."

Motor = electric
Engine = internal combustion

www.facebook.com/groups/DosPerrosMotorsports
www.alrchapter132.org
www.DAV.org

[Brian]

Don't worry AZ-BUG, I'm enjoying it!

Class 11 just looks better to me, stock bugs are classy.
_________________
Wash your hands

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

Only losers litter

[dustymojave]

This car has been inspiration to me for over 45 years. It was raced by Don Rountree who was responsible for the most popular style of 1-piece Baja kit and the most popular style of multi-piece Baja kit. The picture is from the cover of the original Baja Bug book, HP Books' "Off-road Prepping VW Sedans and Dune Buggies". Picture taken about 1969.

Not exactly a Class11, but then it was built many years before the Class was invented. It was actually raced according to the original NORRA rules for Production Sedans.

Front tires are 6.70-15 5-ribs. Rears look like 11.00- 15 Armstrongs. The rear fenders are stock steel widened about 3" with a strip of sheet metal welded in.
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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.

[oldschool5er]

I say Keep as a Class 11, always cool....This is another example of a Norra/Score class 6 before they became class 11. "Yankee Doodle Dandy" raced by my old team mate Dave Beverly, had a 2 liter Zenith carbed motor (maybe 2180 can't remember) but other than that almost a class 11 suspension. After it was beat up pretty good we ended racing it in Score as a class 5 after cutting it up and putting on fiberglass .

[enjoyther1de]

Class 11s are far more capable ( spare tires and gear under hood) than a baja with stock suspension. My friends went the baja route and regret it now.
The only reason to baja a bug is for more suspension travel. At that point you may as well buy a baja already built. Much cheaper to buy someone else's Money pit.

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HBB took me to BBV.

[petrol punk]

I voted class 11 looker just because I wouldn't cut up a decent body to baja it. Class 11's are cool but bajas are a lot nicer to work on.
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36hp '56 European DeLuxe oval
'70 bug 1835cc

[enjoyther1de]

[dustymojave]

[oldschool5er]

I agree, Those pics were of the 73 Norra 500 but Gene Hightower took 1st. In 74 and 75 Dave took 1st with this car in same race. I just got a disk from Jim at trackside showing the 75 500 and you can really see the change in class 6 in this car from 73. In 75 it was running large rear tires like on Roundtrees. Same year 75 we went C11 for the first time at Parker and I think 76 was the last to run a VW when Mickey stopped it like you said. I think 76 was both a C6 and a C6w... then 77 Carpenter won in a Saab.

[dustymojave]

Back in the 80s I had a customer who raced a Class 6 Saab. John Johnston and...can't remember the partner's name ...

Pretty interesting, Kept getting protested by others in the class, like Schwacofer with his Class 8 Truck suspension 55/57 Chevy, for the "modifications" to their Saab. They couldn't believe it came from the factory with 17" of front wheel travel. It DID tho...

It had CVs with a 3-point star with needle bearing rollers on the ends, and a deep cup with slots in the sides. Similar design to many offroad R/C cars CVs.
_________________
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.