68 baja build

[bikesndbugs]

I started with this ^

then fiberglass and used original front fenders in rear

then cut the back up

got some centerlines and pulled the rear seat out plan to have the motor cage set up like this and i got a locking quick release steering wheel

[bikesndbugs]

Some paint job ideas what do you guys think i like the middle one on the second picture the black would be bedliner

[rcguy111]

Top 3 for me would be #4,#7 and #6. Love the idea of using bedliner though.

[bikesndbugs]

i really like the bedliner idea i might do the design of like #7 but with bedliner on botttom

[bikesndbugs]

Might be trading my standard one piece for this bug eye one piece

[bikesndbugs]

got it running again just had to swap out the ground strap. https://www.instagram.com/p/BLcGpKqDoz6/
any idea what that backfire might be i messed with the timing until it did it the least but still no luck.

[bikesndbugs]

working on building my beam up

spindles im gonna end up using the 2 with link pins on them the others will be extras
I have 22 link pin shims is that enough? no dust shields though

the bumper and the linkpin beam im gonna use its stock cut and turned

random parts i have prob gonna sell the cut down drums and then a pile of old shoes and a couple of backing plates.
Anything look worthy of keeping?

Ignore the anarchy thing my friends are dumb

[bikesndbugs]

link pin pan has been welded on beam is done still need to hook up brakes and bolt up my stiffeners. the rear isn't lifted yet bu that is where i want it to sit

[bikesndbugs]

anybody had the kyb 343144 shocks?

and what strenth of chain to wrap around the jack would i use to turn up the rear torsion i have to go but some as i dont have any around the house and how long do i need it?

how about trans straps do i need them need them or can i get away without it for a bit i really dont like the idea of drilling through the horns to mount em.

would the chinese repro door handles be able to swap out centers so i get the original body with new internals

[joemama]

I was considering using those shocks on my class 11 style build, but was told that they would maybe be O.K. for a street baja, not for offroad. I have used them in my fiberglass buggy, but that car is much lighter than a Baja bug. It was suggested that the KYB Gas-A-Just would be a much better option.
The length of the chain you need depends on how high you are off the ground on jack stands to begin with. Do a search for pictures of someone doing it, and you will get an idea of what you need.

[bikesndbugs]

[dustymojave]

Hope the lower reinforcement plates don't fall off the 1st time out. The welds look WAY sketchy. I don't see much of any penetration.

You made it weak by cutting the tunnel back so far.

The stock tunnel extends all the way to the front panel where the shifter access plate mounts. It's best to cut away the outer frame head off the front of the tunnel, and weld the new one over the existing tunnel.

A butt weld like you have is a weak spot in the frame.

Stops don't have to cost a lot of money. The stops on my Baja are original 1958 link pin stops cut down slightly with small pieces of 1/4" bar stock welded on as new contact points for the arms.

Cost me almost nothing other than the effort to cycle the front suspension and weld it. The shocks are 8" travel. Same size as KYB 5530 Gas-A-Just.
_________________
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.

[bikesndbugs]

[dustymojave]

Well I think you're learning as you go.

I don't want to seem harsh or drive you away. Just trying to help, but sometimes I help too late.

The beam in my car is the original 1958 beam, torsions, arms, spindles, etc. The "towers" I cut off the tops, wrapped teh lower parts with 1" x 3/16" cold roll strap stock, added doubler plates at the tops inboard and outboard, bolted 1" x .095 tube for towers, positioned the upper mounts for optimum wheel and shock travel, and retained the stock snubbers modified as described above. The centers have adjusters added.

You can buy off-the-shelf plate towers like on Warrior beams to put on your stock beam. That will provide a similar setup to mine Although my upper shock mounts are positioned slightly differently than the normal towers. My avatar pic shows my HiJumper with add-on towers (how it was done back then).
_________________
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.

[bikesndbugs]

[bikesndbugs]

Had quite the hectic day Saturday outdrove my skills and the car itself slid off the side of the road flew about 15ft into a boulder and rolled into a tree. Me and my friend in the car were fine completely unscathed.

car seems generally fine i hammered the dents out some still havent measured to see if its bent.

had a roofrack on and i think it did alot to help not dent stuff the front bar snapped.

[cbeck]

Looks like something bent causing the lean in the left front? Slid my 71 off the road sodeways, bent the beam, looked a lot like that.

[bikesndbugs]

[dustymojave]

My comment on the other site was to check the beam for straight, not to check at the wheel. Then if it's bent at the beam, check the pan head for straight as well.

It almost certainly needs a lower trailing arm and probably a link, link pins and probably a spindle too.

I ran out of talent like that on a paved road in the San Gabriel Mountains 2 weeks after I got my driver's license. Fortunately I haven't had such an epiphany since. Close, but apparently I learned something that day, as it was the last time I operated a car inverted. Driven many thousands of miles offroad and won a Championship driving an offroad race car but never have gotten a car upside down offroad. I've danced on the front wheels a few times and ridden a VW bicycle more times than I can remember. But the roof of my Baja has only been straightened once and it looks fine now.
_________________
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.

[bikesndbugs]

found the lower drivers trailing arm was bent. I also started some cage design. THinking the bottom tube, main hoop and the tube from the beam to the main hoop to be .120 wall. from the upper beam to the main hoop i plan on being one tube. the front end is gonna have to be full tube as my pan head is measuring crooked.

any cage ideas are appriciated and if ive got something wrong let me know. the far tube from the torsion back wont work so that cant be there i might be able to bend it to make room