68 baja build

[Ol'fogasaurus]

reservoir_mounts.jpg

reservoir_mounts.jpg

Two things:

I play with buggies and think more in a buggy way and not so much Bajas; one of the reasons I have buggy pix collections. Buggies are structurally different considering they both use the same pan hence the difference in stiffening them up.

I have never heard just how much structurally the VW dash adds to the overall strength of the VW body. I have seen them cut up sometimes too much, modified in shape and/or removed but no dialogue as to their structural importance. The reason I talked about a hoop at the firewall is for things like going to swing pedals in the future as well as adding strength. The pix are off a buggy but I have also seen pix of Bajas' having the same or similar things added.

I do acknowledge Dusty's advice over mine though so his and a couple of others advice should be taken over mine.

[bikesndbugs]

reservoir_mounts.jpg

reservoir_mounts.jpg


Two things:

I play with buggies and think more in a buggy way and not so much Bajas; one of the reasons I have buggy pix collections. Buggies are structurally different considering they both use the same pan hence the difference in stiffening them up.

I have never heard just how much structurally the VW dash adds to the overall strength of the VW body. I have seen them cut up sometimes too much, modified in shape and/or removed but no dialogue as to their structural importance. The reason I talked about a hoop at the firewall is for things like going to swing pedals in the future as well as adding strength. The pix are off a buggy but I have also seen pix of Bajas' having the same or similar things added.

I do acknowledge Dusty's advice over mine though so his and a couple of others advice should be taken over mine.

i planned on doing the firewall hoop top tube inside the firewall and the rest outside. i would do the entire thing just outside but the upper would be very hard to weld as dusty said with the gas tank flange being there. never thought of mounting pedals there but it is an interesting idea.

[bikesndbugs]

picking up some steel wheels today fronts have 165r15 tires and rear have 31x10.50 bfg at so thats gonna be sweet im trading them for my old stock wheels so getting rid of junk and getting wheels at the same time.
picked up a 200cf argon tank gotta get that filled and buy a regulator then i should be ready to weld with my scratch start tig.

still not sure on steering anybody have ideas on what would be a good idea for cheap.

http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Speedway- ... 57559.html
are these good my friend has some in his truck and likes them

[Ol'fogasaurus]

Travis, most harnesses are not (and I think are still not) DOT approved so if on the road if there was a problem.... It seems that in some places/states they are no big deal but in other places it is so be forewarned.

Update. Travis, I did a search and found two rear seat harnesses that were claimed as DOT approved but no front seat harnesses if you read the ads. There was one 5 point harness, as I remember, several years ago that had long straps that went to what I think was a (2?) reel that allowed you to move around but in a wreck they locked up. The cost on one harness, not a pair, was cost prohibitive at the time.

The stock ones really aren't that good are they! The choice is yours for sure.

[bikesndbugs]

Travis, most harnesses are not (and I think are still not) DOT approved so if on the road if there was a problem.... It seems that in some places/states they are no big deal but in other places it is so be forewarned.

Update. Travis, I did a search and found two rear seat harnesses that were claimed as DOT approved but no front seat harnesses if you read the ads. There was one 5 point harness, as I remember, several years ago that had long straps that went to what I think was a (2?) reel that allowed you to move around but in a wreck they locked up. The cost on one harness, not a pair, was cost prohibitive at the time.

The stock ones really aren't that good are they! The choice is yours for sure.

i figure there is so much on a standard baja bug that is skating on the edge of the law if someone wants to hassle me they can and a seatbelt will make no difference. i personally feel safer in a 5 pt than anything else so.

[Ol'fogasaurus]

I understand Travis, just making sure that you are aware of things.

[bikesndbugs]

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so i picked up some wheels today 20 bucks and my old stock wheels for these. the backspace is seeming to be alot better than the others. about 4 inches on the rears with good 31x10.5s and front look to be about 3.5in with 165r15. SO hopefully these will be better if not no big deal they will go back on cl. Now i gotta come up with lug nuts for them are these the ball seat or taper seat?. Now the real question is what tires do i run? 31s rear with the 215s front or 235 rear with 215 front or the all around big car of 31 rear and 235 up front. I would just go buy some of the 7.00x15 i found some online that were 6 ply not the usaul 8 but the budget is really tight right now as i cant work and am doing this plus registration plus prom and welding stuff. this isnt fun stuff i just wanna be able to work.


playing with some door bar designs

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[bikesndbugs]

So i was talking to a family friend that i really respect his opinion really knows what hes doing about the bug and welding today. I was debating wheather to get an alum cert or go for more steel certs. IM thinking aluminum as i already have one steel cert. SO both would look good and my steel cert is fillet and thats a more common position. the aluminum would have to be groove only as they dont have x ray machines.

after we got off he welding topic we started discussing the cage work. He suggested the plain diagonal door bar and only have the rear one and no front one. as with other bracing it wont need one there. Also said i should extend the beam 6 inches for longer arms in the future and the longer wheelbase would be smoother. I never really considered that but he pointed out that will allow a lot smoother ride. My worry was that what will it look like with 6 inches on the beam all stock like and how would i get the beam straight 6 inches extended. I feel like a 4 inch might work better as that would be a good pair with the 2.5 arms and the stock arms. and the 2.5s go well with 3x3 rear arms. he also mentioned tilting the beam back about 3 degrees which i had already planned on doing.
I figure maybe ill go that route now that i have a truck so i dont have to worry about dailying it and all that.
and i already have 10 inch coilovers so that would be a quick build for a pretty good amount of front travel.

I guess i kinda just complicated things. but o well.


i guess may question now is how far should i extend it and how do i make sure the beam is straight. im not sure my firewall is straight and the panhead is not. I feel that the panhead may not be straight not because of improper measurements but rather when welding the cooling metal pulled it out of true. as it wasn't welded evenly it was a single pass from one side to the other and that causes warping and shrinkage in gaps.

The beam has to work with longer arms and stock stuff as i dont have that money to just get the front done right now. actually it would only be shock rebuild, arms, and through rods. right? then make shock mounts.

[no1clyde]

On moving the beam forward I moved mine 4 1/2 inches and then made 4 inch longer arms so my wheel is just about in the stock place, in your case 4 inches should do fine. As for keeping it square I made it parallel to the rear torsion, measuring both forward and across in X manner from all 4 outside torsion and beam corners. Also on my car with the pan level I tilted my beam back 7.5 degrees from vertical. My car drives very well and am happy with my settings.

Sorry to read of your problems in life, we all have them but that does not help I know, hang in there, things will get better.

Ed

[CentralWAbaja]

I like Ed's advise here my only question with returning to stock location in the fenders is what about bigger tires? We rub the pan on the old school car at full lock kinda hard. Maybe the 6in wider beam would also help that? one of the things we are pondering as we rebuild that car. So no real advise, here just more to think about.

[no1clyde]

Good points CWB and on my car it does have a 6 inch wider beam and a 3 inch body lift so I do not have wheel clearance problems that way. On Travis's car 4 inch forward with 2 1/2 in inch arms should clear but a very good point.

Ed

[bikesndbugs]

On moving the beam forward I moved mine 4 1/2 inches and then made 4 inch longer arms so my wheel is just about in the stock place, in your case 4 inches should do fine. As for keeping it square I made it parallel to the rear torsion, measuring both forward and across in X manner from all 4 outside torsion and beam corners. Also on my car with the pan level I tilted my beam back 7.5 degrees from vertical. My car drives very well and am happy with my settings.

Sorry to read of your problems in life, we all have them but that does not help I know, hang in there, things will get better.

Ed

good to know.
i know about measuring diagonal. ill try to get the pan level for measuring. i just dont know how id set the beam maybe on a milk crate or something. I know chuckputs beam is dropped down a bit also that might be a good idea. 4 or 5 longer seems like a good idea with 2.5 arms. and that matches with 3x3 right? 7.5 degrees is alot.

I like Ed's advise here my only question with returning to stock location in the fenders is what about bigger tires? We rub the pan on the old school car at full lock kinda hard. Maybe the 6in wider beam would also help that? one of the things we are pondering as we rebuild that car. So no real advise, here just more to think about.

the plus 6 beam should help i rub pretty bad right now the extending it would also help and 4 inches out with 2.5 arms should allow enough clearance.

this whole idea came from the fact the buggy guys i go out with all have a arms and actual travel so i gotta be able to keep up without destroying my body

[bikesndbugs]

so looks like im gonna continue with how i was gonna do the car and just buy a complete one at a later date. purely for cost reasons. so back to the original build plan.

[Leatherneck]

Thanks for that wind Lee

[bikesndbugs]

Thanks for that wind Lee

I got exited then looks at prices and was like cheaper to buy a new car. Still might go irs on this one with an 002. I know there's issues with buss transmissions fitting can I get a quick run down of that. They sit higher so 10 degree mount sits the nose in tunnel or cut the horns and reinforce to the cage?

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