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thatonedude53 Samba Member
Joined: June 21, 2018 Posts: 39 Location: DFW, TX
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Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2018 8:13 am Post subject: Onedude53s '72 Build - "Little Foot" |
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Welcome to my build thread for my baja bug! I decided to make this thread to keep most of my questions, thoughts and progress in one thread. Also to have everything in one source for anybody that's interested in following my progress. This first post is an introduction about me and my car.
I decided on the name Little Foot due to the fact that my wife owns a pretty well build 2016 Jeep and I would like this Bug to be a mini version of it in a way. Also for the fact that my wife and daughter are madly in love with dinosaurs. Little Foot is a dinosaurs name from the Land Before Time movie.
The end result of the car is to be a street legal weekend driver that's more designed for offroad as opposed to street use. The offroad it will be seeing is more along the lines of casual trail driving with technical skill required through trees and by rivers. Not necessarily high speed wide open offroad and not rock climbing.
The car is a 1972 standard Bug that my father and I bought nearly 8 years ago. It came with a freshly rebuilt 1600cc motor and a fiberglass body kit. We started to work on it, getting the body cut and fiberglass mounted. That's when I decided to move half way across the country and the car was neglected for about 7 years.
My wife and I drove half way across the country on August 2nd to pick up the car and visit family. I returned to Texas with the bug needing a lot of love after being neglected. Thankfully the new pans are perfect still, body has some minor rust.
Enough of this essay of an introduction. The next few posts will be the current progress I made on it the past few days. I will be uploading plenty of pictures as time permits. Thank you for following along, and thank you to all the VW geniuses here for the help already given and help to be had! |
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thatonedude53 Samba Member
Joined: June 21, 2018 Posts: 39 Location: DFW, TX
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Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2018 4:44 pm Post subject: Re: Onedude53s '72 Build - "Little Foot" |
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Just learned how to use this forums photo feature. These photos are when I got the car home and began stripping what was left in/on the car. I've made more progress after these photos were taken.
This is the wiring kit I decided to go with. It's made by American Autowire. I went with this one because it had everything I wanted in a very convenient package with wonderful instructions in full color and big sheets. A little pricey at $400, but it's okay, it should make my life easier and I got it locally.
I'm kind of doing everything ass backwards lol. Yesterday I spent the day prepping the car for spray on bed liner, today I sprayed it. Great thing about the bed liner is that the prep doesn't need to be perfect.
Not worried about the quality of the finish, as long as it helps protect from future rusting problems. It's obviously not a show car! I will take more photos of what I've done and my progress here in a bit and upload more later. |
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thatonedude53 Samba Member
Joined: June 21, 2018 Posts: 39 Location: DFW, TX
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Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2018 8:58 pm Post subject: Re: Onedude53s '72 Build - "Little Foot" |
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Went ahead and rattle can bed lined the exterior of the car. If I haven't been clear about it, I do not care about the quality of the job. It needed something to be easier on the eyes. And I expect to be rubbing up on bushes, trees and other things. Figured this would be better than normal paint.
Thinking about doing the cage before I bed line the interior and pan. Tomorrow, when I do the type 2 CV/axle, stub axle, drive flange swap, I will spray rubber undercoating where the original is.
I also acquired torsion bars, double springplates with a notch cut in them and spring plate end cover. Is this something I should swap out while in there??? |
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cbeck Samba Member
Joined: January 14, 2014 Posts: 2494 Location: high ridge, mo
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Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2018 5:05 am Post subject: Re: Onedude53s '72 Build - "Little Foot" |
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F you go with notched spring plates, there are some things you should do. Assemble rear end minus torsion bars. Cycle suspension and make sure you do not exceed max cv angles. When near max angles, make sure the axles are not bound in the cv's. The axles should slide in and out of the cv's freely. _________________ My cut in half and rebuild thread
www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=647779 |
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thatonedude53 Samba Member
Joined: June 21, 2018 Posts: 39 Location: DFW, TX
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Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2018 6:04 am Post subject: Re: Onedude53s '72 Build - "Little Foot" |
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cbeck wrote: |
F you go with notched spring plates, there are some things you should do. Assemble rear end minus torsion bars. Cycle suspension and make sure you do not exceed max cv angles. When near max angles, make sure the axles are not bound in the cv's. The axles should slide in and out of the cv's freely. |
Yes, I'm aware. I'm also going to clock the CVs to help get the most out of them.
What is a bummer is that I currently have brand new stock length rear shocks. I think I'll research better alternatives and order them. No need to blow these out when I eventually drive the car. |
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thatonedude53 Samba Member
Joined: June 21, 2018 Posts: 39 Location: DFW, TX
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Posted: Sat Aug 25, 2018 4:44 pm Post subject: Re: Onedude53s '72 Build - "Little Foot" |
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Finally got around to working on the rear end. Installed conversion stub axles, drive flanges with new circlips, little black seals and final drive seals behind the drive flanges.
Also installed new drive axles with type 2 CVs after clocking them. Indexed the rear torsion bars on the outside by one notch. At full droop, the axles are at 18 degrees. When the trailing arms were disconnected from spring plates, I cycled the suspension with no evidence of binding and the axles float in and out.
Going to leave it as it sits for now and play with it later on down the road. The car is still on stands because I haven't put the drums on. Debating if I want to spend money on a disc brake kit now or just rebuild the drums.
I'm really enjoying working on this car! |
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veeweeman Samba Member
Joined: December 20, 2009 Posts: 940 Location: New Port Richey, FL
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Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2018 1:42 am Post subject: Re: Onedude53s '72 Build - "Little Foot" |
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Nice project, I'll be following this thread. ..I too am using monsterliner on my project...I'm with you, I wanted it to look nice and take a beating _________________ Never be a follower...Do your own thing, make it your own! |
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thatonedude53 Samba Member
Joined: June 21, 2018 Posts: 39 Location: DFW, TX
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Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2018 8:16 am Post subject: Re: Onedude53s '72 Build - "Little Foot" |
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veeweeman wrote: |
Nice project, I'll be following this thread. ..I too am using monsterliner on my project...I'm with you, I wanted it to look nice and take a beating |
Thank you! I know several people will shy away from the liner as a full car paint, but I actually really like it. I fall in love with it more and more every day.
I do expect it to fade, especially in this Texas sun. I wonder if the faded look will give it it's own character, sort of like a ratrod with primer. Only time will tell.
I'll be ordering a class 11 cage soon enough to use as the foundation. Plan on picking up some 1.5" and 1" DOM tubing tomorrow morning to tie the future class 11 cage in front and back. Also plan on building my front bumper soon. Once the cage is in, I'll coat the inside of the car with the bedliner.
Today, I plan on completing the modifications to a pair of 2006 Subaru seats to use in the car. Welding new mounting tabs on the stock rails. Probably won't attempt to make the brackets until the cage is in. |
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thatonedude53 Samba Member
Joined: June 21, 2018 Posts: 39 Location: DFW, TX
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Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2018 8:20 am Post subject: Re: Onedude53s '72 Build - "Little Foot" |
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Speaking of cages, does anybody have an easy way to lift the body a foot or so off the pan? At my dads, I would just use the overhead chain hoist and rig it.
But here in my city house with only a two car garage and very little room to work, it's not easy. Do not have anywhere to store the shell inside or out. So I'm looking to just lift the shell 1-2 feet off the pan so I can get in with my TIG torch and fully weld the cage. And no, my garage rafters are not strong enough to mount a chain hoist to. |
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pullstart Samba Member
Joined: August 23, 2016 Posts: 599 Location: Middleville, MI
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Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2018 4:28 pm Post subject: Re: Onedude53s '72 Build - "Little Foot" |
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Invite a few buddies over? I’ve heard stories of a few guys picking up a vw to get it unstuck, I’m sure the body is lighter yet! _________________ 4 seater Appletree buggy, road legal with 002 IRS, 3x3 Appletree kit, 6" over Dan's beam with 10" towers and Fox 2.0 shocks, '00 Subaru EJ25 with KEP stage 3 clutch and KEP adapter plate.
my build page: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=662104&start=0 |
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thatonedude53 Samba Member
Joined: June 21, 2018 Posts: 39 Location: DFW, TX
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Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2018 6:58 pm Post subject: Re: Onedude53s '72 Build - "Little Foot" |
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pullstart wrote: |
Invite a few buddies over? I’ve heard stories of a few guys picking up a vw to get it unstuck, I’m sure the body is lighter yet! |
Haha ain't that the truth. When my father and I started this project almost 8 years ago, we removed the shell from the pan. At the time, his chain hoist wasn't in service. We removed all bolts and necessary plugs then him and I lifted it up and off the pan to two saw horses.
It really wasn't that heavy, and that was before we cut the front and rear off of it. But now than I'm working in a "normal" garage, it changes things. I literally have no place to set the body, being that my garage is a mini machine shop. I hardly have room to work on the car. Which is why I push it out to do work when the wheels are on it.
I'm thinking of building some quick and easy stands that straddle the pan. When me and a. Buddy lift the shell, my wife can put the stands under the lip of the shell. 1 foot off the pan would work, but more like 1.5-2 feet would be ideal. That would allow me to be comfortable while tig welding the cage. |
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mkparker Samba Member
Joined: October 12, 2004 Posts: 332 Location: Sherman, Tx
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Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2018 3:58 am Post subject: Re: Onedude53s '72 Build - "Little Foot" |
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Lifting a body off is super easy with 4 people, doable with 3 and possible with 2.
I've lifted a few off by myself with the use of foorjacks and highlift jack. 4 jack stands with 4x4s or steel tubing across the front and rear to hold it up.
_________________ Michael
Pit Boy 6163 Spec Trophy Truck |
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thatonedude53 Samba Member
Joined: June 21, 2018 Posts: 39 Location: DFW, TX
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Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2018 10:32 am Post subject: Re: Onedude53s '72 Build - "Little Foot" |
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mkparker wrote: |
Lifting a body off is super easy with 4 people, doable with 3 and possible with 2.
I've lifted a few off by myself with the use of foorjacks and highlift jack. 4 jack stands with 4x4s or steel tubing across the front and rear to hold it up. |
Here I am trying to over complicate things by making some stands.
I don't have jack stands that big at home, but I can for sure borrow some from work. Thanks for the simple solution! |
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thatonedude53 Samba Member
Joined: June 21, 2018 Posts: 39 Location: DFW, TX
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Posted: Sat Sep 15, 2018 3:40 pm Post subject: Re: Onedude53s '72 Build - "Little Foot" |
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Well, things have been taking a change in a direction that I wasn't looking forward to. Plan was to get a cage and build off that. Now, with recent changes in my personal life, all expensive things are on hold.
Since I have pretty much everything to get this car on the road the way it currently sits, I'm going to use what I have for now. Then when the funds allow it, tear it back apart again. When the funds allow it, I will be buying a class 11 cage, 3x3 kit and some coil overs. Then I will be building a 6" over linkpin beam and adapting it to the front end.
So for now, use what I have. Which brought me to installing the Subaru seats I have. I used some steel plate welded to the tunnel and heater channel to spread the load of the seat and the person in it. Then used angle iron welded from heater channel to tunnel on the plates.
This picture shows the driver seat in place. Ignore the incomplete interior as I needed to get the seat brackets finished before spraying the interior. I have aluminum door panels for the doors. Also, ignore the steering wheel as it's just hanging there, looks like it is too close to the seat. When it's mounted properly, it's a perfect fit for me. Already checked.
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thatonedude53 Samba Member
Joined: June 21, 2018 Posts: 39 Location: DFW, TX
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Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2018 6:34 pm Post subject: Re: Onedude53s '72 Build - "Little Foot" |
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So when it comes to an offroad style exhaust with a single carb, what do I do? I have an EMPI exhaust with u bend stinger on hand.
I was getting ready to remove the crappy rust preventative paint from the factory when I realized I should probably have heat risers on the exhaust. You know, because of what I have read about single carbs and no heat risers causing carb icing. I do however have a heat riser block off plate kit sitting on the bench.
What I'm thinking is to drill a big hole on the two block off plates. Then with the exhaust on the car, use the tubes as a reference point to cut two tubes. These two tubes will be notched for the diameter of the exhaust. Holes will be drilled in the header for the risers to pass exhaust through. I'm hoping that they will be effective for heat risers.
I'm assuming the driver side heat riser will have a smaller hole on the exhaust when compared to the passenger side. Is all of this work really necessary to prevent carb icing? Or does anybody have an easier way to do the same thing? |
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