'74 Baja Bug Ecotec Build

[Erocku]

I purchased this 1974 Beetle 5 years ago. I started to work on it a little bit, but had to put the project on hold for a little while. I was originally going to stick with an aircooled engine, but after researching, I'm going to put in an Ecotec. I just started working on it again, so here's my progress so far.

The day I towed it home.

When I first got it, I cut the back end and installed high clearance fiberglass fenders using nutserts to attach them to the body.

I picked up some slick mirror brackets from Race Ready Products and installed them using some 4mm nutserts.

I just got in my one piece fiberglass front end from Mark V Fiberglass. These pictures are how it lines up right now. I need to trim it up to follow the body lines a little better.

[pallen]

You wont be disappointed with an ecotec, I just got a 2.2 swaped into my street rail, tons more power then the built 2109 VW I had in a FG buggy.
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Buggy Build > http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=499786

Ecotec Street Rail Build > http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=8146270#8146270

[1fastbigguy]

Looks like s great start! I look forward to watching your progress.
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Cheers!

59 Ragtop
61 Ragtop Baja
69 Squareback

@Dustydrone
#Ohibaja

Our Build
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=545394

[Erocku]

After work yesterday I had some time to work on the fitment of the one piece front end. I had made a mark on the body where the center of the hood should be. I then drew a line for the center of the fiberglass front end. I lined them up and pushed the hood as close to the body as possible. I noticed that I had about a 5/8" gap on the sides where the fiberglass meets the door. I then mesaured off 5/8" from the hood cut on the body to the fiberglass front end at several points on the fiberglass front end. I connected the dots and used my air body saw to trim it up. A little bit of sanding and it's really close.

On my passenger lower trailing arm, I noticed it looks like my torsion spring busted through the arm.

[Bashr52]

There is just a press fit cap on the end of the arms that must have come off. If it's come out the end, it has either come loose from the retaining screw in the center of the beam, or broken and that half has worked its way out.

[dustymojave]

Loosen the locking nuts on the grub screws at the center and at the trailing arms on both sides. Then tap the ends of the torsion leaves to tap them into place. Then re-tighten the grub screws and jamb nuts. The cap can be replaced with a washer or a slug of flat stock tack welded in place.
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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.

[Erocku]

I started drilling out the welds to remove the headliner tabs since there won't be a traditional beetle headliner.

I started mounting the fiberglass front end with dzus fasteners. I used some cleco fasteners to keep everything lined up. They worked great. I finished the 3 on the passenger side and completed the top one on the driver side.

[Erocku]

I finished up securing the fiberglass front end to the body using dzus fasteners. I trimmed up the part where the hood line dips down to where it cuts back to the door frame. I made it follow the body line. I still have a little bit more sanding/shaping to do.

[Stingray250]

Nice fit... Just a suggestion, you may want to give that lip at the windshield area a tiny bit of a gap...

I originally set mine up like you have yours and found that it wore the paint a little thin from being too tight and in continuous contact with the windshield cowl...

Just mt 2 cents...

Didn't mean to hijack your tread...

If you have any questions, hit me up... I have a Fiat X1/9 I'm cramming a Turbo Eco into at the monent plus this Turbo Eco VW... Ain't a whole lot I don't know about these little monsters!

I just realized, we're neighbors! I'm out in Spring just north of Houston... Good luck with the build... Once you Eco you'll NEVER go back to air cooled....

[Erocku]

Nice ride! I'm a little more north than you. I'm up in Cleveland. I'll definitely hit you up with any questions on the conversion.

When I fastened the front end, i did leave 1/8" or so gap between the fiberglass and metal. I had it right up against it in the picture when I was shaping it to the contour of the body.

[Erocku]

I'm back to working on this again. I removed the front beam and extended it as detailed here: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=365665

I ordered some 3" lifted spindles that add 1/2" per spindle so I extended the beam 5". I used some angle iron and a ratchet strap to hold everything together tight while I tacked everything in place with my little MIG welder. I then handed the beam over to my dad to have him weld it up with a better welding machine.

I've cut my torsion leaves in half, but I still need to re-dimple them. I'll be moving the beam brackets, steering stop, and steering damper mount this weekend (hopefully). I also need to drill out and weld the rod into the beam for the hook and rod stop.

[Team T&A]

Looking good, I'm getting back on mine too.

[Erocku]

I just received my shocks. Bilstein F4-BOA-0000304 6100 Series.

[Erocku]

I removed the beam brackets, steering stop, steering box bracket stops, and the steering damper bracket. I tacked in the rods for the hook and rod stops. I haven't welded in the beam brackets in their new positions yet. They're a little rusty on the inside so I need to get them cleaned up first.

[Erocku]

I received my column back from being powdercoated gloss black. I reinstalled the ignition cylinder. I had told the powdercoater to please leave the center of the column alone (I taped over it with red electrical tape) so the bearing would re-install without a problem, but they didn't. I had to scrape/sand the powdercoat out of that area. The grease had dried and hardened on the bearing. I cleaned it up and re-greased it. I'm awaiting a new bushing and a few other parts.

[veeweeman]

Nice build project. ...looks like you have made some good progress so far...I was wandering where those side mirrors came from. ...now I know. ...I visited their website but they are out of stock. ...good thing cuz I would have bought some for my Fiat 500 baja build, but I think I'll just build my own...what size ecotec are you doing?...I have a new 2.4 adapter that I never used still in the box from Kennedy....decided to just stay AC.

VeeWeeman

[Erocku]

Those mirrors never showed an add to cart button even when in-stock. I had to call race ready to order them. I did plan on going with a 2.4 Ecotec.

[veeweeman]

[mk7kyle]

How do the vent windows work with those mirrors. Can you still open them most of the way?

[Dose]

nice start, this will be a fun build to watch