Motorbreath53's Baja... is still ALIVE

MOCRAWLER · Post by **MOCRAWLER** » Tue Jun 10, 2008 3:48 pm

I love the dash and the rack !@!!!!! Excellent job.

motorbreath53 · Post by **motorbreath53** » Tue Jun 10, 2008 10:40 pm

The girl aint' smiling cause I caught her offgaurd... she was a total trooper and was smiling 90% of the trip.

And was I driving too fast??? Its a stock ass 1600 pushing 31" tires with stock gearing.... no. It is not possible to get it to move too fast.

Thanks for all the attaboys.... The dash is just shot in black primer right now, and only the warning lights and Tach are installed. I still havent finished knocking down the welds... and honestly I don't know how soon it will get done as I wanna get this thing in the dirt.... but we'll see...

All the windows will be back in before long, and the cab will be completely sealed off again. Thats the goal. It doesn't need to Mercedes plush, but at least sealed off from the elements...(think a backyardfab version of the Trophy Bug... cause thats what i'm dreaming of....)

So, the cell will at least be less visible... but any cop worth his donuts will see the filler tube in the rear window anyway.... no biggie though... as it will only be on the road every once in a while...

motorbreath53 · Post by **motorbreath53** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 10:04 pm

So, I had to cut out the rear sheet metal so that I could lift the body to fully weld the cage... but we already talked about that didn't we?

Of course I could have just cut out the metal directly under the rear of the cage, but what fun is that?

So this is the start of my new firewall... Its going to be riveted in place so that its not rediculous to remove for a radiator in the not so distant future... Here's some pics... sorry they are kinda hazy... apparently my camera does not like VWs.... Who would have guessed???

OH! And here is a shot of "the office" with my new to me Scat Drag Fast shifter. I love these things. I've had them before, and when this one came up for sale for $50 shipped to my door, I couldn't restrain myself. And wouldn't you know it, I had recently been given a shift knob that allowed me to ditch the T-handle.... too cool. Shifts way way better. Much more positive feeling than the M/T....

The dash still looks just like this for now by the way... I'll probably have all the gauges in before the first trip...and all but the water temp should be functional....(ask me why...) I don't think i'm going to worry about paint or other finish work for now... i'll just get some good primer on the bare stuff... and start kicking this things ass...

,,,,so that means the welds on the dash are gunna stay ugly until I have pissed my neighbors off with a Chev big block instead of an open U-bend Tri-Mil

CopperBaja · Post by **CopperBaja** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 7:51 am

Nice work as usual!

Can't wait to see it in person.

Post by **Leatherneck** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 9:06 am

Man, that is sweet. You have given me an idea for my project, love that dash though I might of tilted it a bit towards the driver some, may look funky but I think it would of bee slightly better to view. Good to see a body off weld for the tubing, just think that is the sure fire way to get all the welds the same. Post a video and lets hear her purr. By the way we must have the same camera.

vw505 · Post by **vw505** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 9:12 am

that is going to look bad a$$ with some 2x3 or 3x3"s on it

motorbreath53 · Post by **motorbreath53** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 11:29 am

Leatherneck wrote:...love that dash though I might of tilted it a bit towards the driver some, may look funky but I think it would of bee slightly better to view....

I think it would have looked better to have had the gauge pod aimed at the driver too... but the whole idea for putting the gauges dead center was to allow the passenger to see them too. that way if i'm pushing the car for an extended period of time, they can help me keep an eye on things, while i'm trying to not kill us both

......

vw505.... If i have my way it will be more like 6x6's rather than 3x3

With the A-arm front, and 6x6 rear, 18-20 inches of travel at each corner should not be difficult to find.... and well...... I WANT THAT! damnit it'll be cool....

tikotiko · Post by **tikotiko** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 6:57 pm

your car is dope dude. as always youre doing a great job on your car really cool.

Post by **Hedrock** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 7:20 pm

I love that dash. I wish I was that creative

.

bajaherbie · Post by **bajaherbie** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 7:35 pm

straight or angled,

a dang baja isn't that wide... i like the idea of the passenger seeing the gauges...

"uuuhhh, your oil pressure has been on zero, and that little red light came on"

motorbreath53 · Post by **motorbreath53** » Fri Jul 11, 2008 2:23 pm

PAGE 3??? I was on page 3??? I have been neglecting my car apparently... the girls DD 2003 Saab 9-3 decided that it was time for a new radiator and thermostat last week... so I was learning all about what happens when the Sweed's get together with GM...

anyway...

You guys ever wonder what a smurfs butt looks like?

...... no one?

......me neither I just... nevermind... Here's the new bumper on my smurf all tacked together... nothing that hasn't been done before I guess.... but there are 12 bends in this sombitch and well, i'm proud of it damnit....

Just needs fully welded and a plate fabbed up for a license plate, turn signals, a backup/reverse light, and maybe a third brakelight...

...and a skidplate I guess....... (never finished huh?

)

bajaherbie · Post by **bajaherbie** » Fri Jul 11, 2008 3:06 pm

looks good motormouth....

mine is kinda sorta like yours but lower in height. mine is probably too compact, i dont think i could get a set of dual webers to fit

oh well....

Post by **david58** » Fri Jul 11, 2008 6:34 pm

bajaherbie wrote:straight or angled, a dang baja isn't that wide... i like the idea of the passenger seeing the gauges...

"uuuhhh, your oil pressure has been on zero, and that little red light came on"

Don't ya just think one time you could come up with an idea that sweeeeeeettttttttt.

Post by **Leatherneck** » Fri Jul 11, 2008 9:09 pm

Looking nice, like the cage, maybe little more side protection but then again, you will have some time before we ride together.

Hey, are you running a alternator or Generator, and how does it handle those lights?

cwrisley · Post by **cwrisley** » Fri Jul 11, 2008 9:10 pm

How have I not seen this thread?!

Im diggin' the bumper. Looks cool. Is the EcoTech gonna fit in there or is that temporary.....cuz if so.... (que the vultures!!)