RyanB's Baja - popping/backfire under load

RyanB · Post by **RyanB** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 9:10 pm

Well... I'll write mote later but I traded my 65 Mustang that I have had for 15+ years for a 66 Baja... w00!

Plans are to convert it to a Wide Eye kit. I hate bugeye kits. Thinking I may pull the cage out and make it a street Baja since I already have my Manx buggy. Have something nice to drive... hehe.

Here are the pics...

Post by **david58** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 5:13 am

Nice car have you thought about a one-peice tilt frontend. What size and brand are those rear tires?

RyanB · Post by **RyanB** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 6:55 am

They are TSL Bogger Super Swampes. 31x 12.5 - 15"

EDIT: I am still considering different Baja kits. Namely from MarkV & VW Innovations. I didnt see one piece front ends on either of those sites but I'll look again.

Anyone have any links to other Baja kit makers?

ridinthedune · Post by **ridinthedune** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 8:01 am

if it's going to be seeing most of it's mile onroad, don't get the one peice frontend, go with the wide eye kit.
any other specs? engine, trans, susp, interior??? future plans?

RyanB · Post by **RyanB** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 8:41 am

Well the motor is supposed ot be a 1776. However I really dont have a clue. The guy said that the motor has been run, however the exhaust ports have no trace of carbon in them. So right now the motor is an unknown. There is also a SP 1500cc thats i nthe car now. I am gonna get that thing running so I can move the car under it's own power. I have another old swingaxle tranny that is just sitting behind my garage that I am going to hook the 1176 to and fire it up and see if it runs or if it's going to grenade. It doesnt look like it is full flowed. In fact it appears they removed the normal oil cooler and ran a remote radiator (over the air intake! uhg) along with theoil filter you see hanging down.

My plans for the car is to get it road worthy and start driving it full time. My big F150 truck just sucks down too much gas. So did the Mustang for that matter.

Future plans though are to get it to be a nice woods buggy. Heavy duty tree bars (I may keep the roll cage due to this) and other mods to get it to that state. Funny there was a thread started about this, this past weekend! haha.

As far as transmission. It's a standard swingaxle trans. Looks like the guy may have moved the spring plates a few notches as it looks ot be raised a bit. Suspension wise, I know he's got the coilover offroad EMPI shocks all around. I thought he said the front suspension was adjustable. In fact here is the info from his Ad...

front Empi disc brakes($560)
front and rear chrome/black adjustable coil shocks($100)
adjustable front beam($200)
bolt on chrome light bar w/ 4 PROCOMP lights($230)
2 rear custom made CENTERLINE wheels 12x15 10 3/8 offset($560)
2 Super Swamper TSL Boggers 95% tread($250)
new maine bearing and arm
tinted windows
new head lights and an extra set of baja headlight frames
fiberglass hood and nose
GT stearing wheel
two racing seats with blue/black covers($170)
two Tiger three point seat belts($120)
Class 11 roll cage

Interior isnt bad, but needs help. Just like any Baja project.

I've got 5 kids (during the summer) so the more people I can fit in the Baja the better. So plans are to get a back seat going in this thing again. What would be neat is maybe 2 more bucket seats...

EDIT: I need to find some centerline front rims as well...

takotruckin · Post by **takotruckin** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 12:25 pm

fix the flats

MNAirHead · Post by **MNAirHead** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 1:02 pm

I've owned both... consider a 1 piece front...

Centerlines --- PM me... I may be splitting up one of my sets...

Disk brakes... I just got some in on consignment (from a non VW friend)... complete from the spindles out.... definately not this expensive... all standard parts.

T.

RyanB · Post by **RyanB** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 9:09 pm

Hey tim. It's already got disk brakes. That quote was a list of things the guy listed as having been done to the car. Thanks though!

I'll send you a PM about the centerlines!

Anyone have any opinions on different baja kits???

I am leaning towards Mark V kits.

fl_buggy · Post by **fl_buggy** » Tue Sep 26, 2006 4:16 pm

Instead of converting to a full wide eye kit, consider getting a set of wide eye fenders, bolting them to your baja, and doubling up on your lighting.

subybaja · Post by **subybaja** » Wed Sep 27, 2006 4:13 am

It just occured to me- on the baja kits, I wonder if the manufacturers would give you a weight on the kits alone, no box? That'd give you an idea of relative thickness...
Or you could live in Cali and go look.

RyanB · Post by **RyanB** » Wed Sep 27, 2006 6:26 am

Actually that is a neat idea fl_buggy. However I'm not happy with the glass hood that I have now. It's really flimsy.

MNAirHead · Post by **MNAirHead** » Wed Sep 27, 2006 8:57 am

I've got some bugeye hoods.. you pay the shipping and they're yours...

search for "spyder" and "baja"

RyanB · Post by **RyanB** » Wed Sep 27, 2006 10:19 am

I searched on "spyder" and 33 pages of hits... Uhhh. I'm not even trying "baja"... haha.

I'll take some closeup pics tonight of the hood and show you what I dont like about it. Main problem is bolts through the hood to the hinges. Looks like crap and is also not well done and flimsy.

Looking for a hood that is very strong in the hinge area. Since it is a 66 I have to open the hood every time to gas up so would see lots and lots of use.

RyanB · Post by **RyanB** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 8:53 am

Well I pulled the ratty 1500cc motor out last night. I wanted to get at stuff at the top of the transmission anyhow, like put in a new starter and whatnot. When I pulled the motor out I found this nice surprise. I'm not sure what the deal is here. I guess it looks like they were trying to clearence the belhousing but boy does it look like crap. Almost looks like a clutch blew up in there...

Larger Pic

Larger Pic

Here is a shot of the backside of my new motor. I'm kind of at a loss as to what to do here. Obviously this isnt a good idea with the oil coller over the fan intake.

I have a oil filter/pump combo I can replace the current pump with so I'll have my filter if I remove all this. However should I buy a doghouse shroud and get the later model oil cooler. Or should I just keep the 36hp shroud and put in the correct cooler for it...

Larger Pic

Lastly, here is the hood for my current bugeye kit. It looks terrible! I dont like the bolts coming through the top, and when you open it up... The reinforced area with the metal inserts can be seen through the glass! Looks like there is maybe a single layer of glass holding them. Terrible...

Larger Pic

Hot Wheels · Post by **Hot Wheels** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 8:59 am

I had a kit 20 years ago that had a hood with a full fiberglass underside for the hood mounts instead of that flimsy metal piece. If was great but i got it used at a swap and have no idea who made it. There are good ones out there though if you can find them. Mine was a 3 piece wide eye. I liked it real well for street and occasional dunes trips.