72BajaBen Baja Rebuild Thread

[72bajaben]

Some progress made this week.

The body is back on for the time being. I've decided that I want a 3" body lift and I've also decided that the Empi body lift is garbage. So I will get some 2x3 sq tube and make my own.

I think its looking really good.









There's quite a bit of trimming that's going to need to be done. But I don't want to do any of that until I have the lift done.

I also need to acquire a set of doors.

Motor has been cleaned. I'm waiting on gaskets to tear that down and freshen it up.




Here is a side project I had going on this week too.

[Leatherneck]

Very nice! Jealous of the new machine.

[Ol'fogasaurus]

On the 2" X 3" rectangular tube check the width of the mounting flange on the pan: too much unsupported overhang can be a problem in several ways. I think I used 1/8th wall for mine (I just went out and checked the temp spacers I use which are scrap pieces from both my buggy's lifts; they are 0.125 wall 1 1/2" X 3" tube which was recommended for me to use).

Lee

[72bajaben]

0.125 wall 1 1/2" X 3" tube which was recommended for me to use).

Lee

Good to know. I’ll check that again. I haven’t gotten prices for steel yet. I don’t want to ruin my vacation.

[Ol'fogasaurus]

I can post a couple of pix if you want or go back to starting with the build here on my black buggy build (https://www.shoptalkforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=113703).

I did the Napoleon's hat build a bit differently 'cause I was going to do the pedal assy area a bit differently. Anyway, some ideas to do or... not to do.

Lee

[72bajaben]

Thanks Lee. You have a huge built thread. Lots of good pics in there.

I think I'm going to keep it simple. Mitered corners that get capped off. Nothing fancy...Im not building a show queen. hahaha Im probably going to use the hat from the kit, and build the rest ourselves. The 094 side shift needs lots of space for the linkage, so in the back I will probably just leave a big gap where that 1/2 round would be. Then sheet metal it in once the linkage is all set up.

[72bajaben]

I do have a question that I've been putting off...Until I got the body on.

So I bought the 3x3 kit from Pacific Customs. Pretty sure its the "Latest Rage" kit. Anyway, the arms are off. Neither wheel sits upright. The passenger side is the best of the 2. The driver side looks like I got t-boned and I need to replace parts. I tried both arms on both sides. And they both "fit" the passenger side the best. Both look the same on the drivers side. Now that the body is on it, it looks really bad.

Anyone have a recommendation on replacement arms? I'm sticking with VW, so no micros. I don't think it would matter tube or boxed...I think either would suit my purpose. I just want something that's made correctly so it will work right.

Any good companies or people out there that make quality arms?

Dune Buggy Warehouse sells a HD 3x3 set made in the USA. That's what I'm looking for. But I wanted to see what my other options are.

What's everyone's opinion on the bolt in bearing carriers?

Any benefit to 3x5 over 3x3? Since I'm using the 094 and I have to make a custom front mount I can move the engine and trans back 2" so the 19-1/4" axles will still work. I plan on cutting most of the rear package tray out so I can fit 2 seats in the rear (more comfortable leg room). Is it worth it for extra 2"?

[Ol'fogasaurus]

Before you go any farther, if you haven't done it already do some measuring and leveling to check the flatness of the rear torsion tube.

DSC00647 (2) copy.jpg

A Bug pan can get twisted. Since my black buggy's pan was base off a Baja that was horribly built, plus the driver's side floor pan was rotted out so bad I had to take it down to this. I replaced both floors but the material they were formed from was just too thin for what I thought I would need so I bought another pair of thicker material pans and installed them.

The rear torsion tube can get twisted in relationship to the tunnel so double check it before you get too far into things. With the rotisserie I was able to turn the tunnel part upside down and check the wings on the tunnel to find out if the tunnel was still square front to back then... I started from there.

I got this from talking to several bug guys plus a couple of dune buggy guys plus one owner of a VW bug wrecking yard. Opinions are often starting places and if the opinions match... they might be wrong too! Usually you can get some good out of them so it is worth the time and conversation.

One thing I did find out from the wrecking yard guy was that with a glass body on the pan the tunnel behind the Napoleon's hat and the shifter hole can get a slight "swayed" shape to it so the tunnel "racking" (a slight twist in this case) is something to check.

On the front cross piece over the Napoleon's hat area on my blue buggy I did use one of the light weight commercial body lift pieces (the rest of the lift was so rotted it wasn't usable even as a guide). I did stiffen up the bottom of the ends as body mount bolts went through the slotted holes so I wanted to be sure things were OK.

On the black buggy the changing of the pedal assy required something different done.

As far as the trans and that stuff I can't help much there. I use 6-rib bus boxes or the stock IRS boxes in my buggies.

Lee

[72bajaben]

Lee

I’ll double check that. But I doubt that’s the problem. The tube would be very visibly bent to look the way it does. I’m pretty sure these Chinese arms were built on the same jig and it’s just not right.

The tire is kicked out like it’s a swing axle trans. It’s pretty bad. And I waiting for the body to be put on to make sure. But it’s very noticeably.

[Ol'fogasaurus]

I was going to add to my post that you have to "remember that you are dealing with arcs" but what you said about "The tube would be very visibly bent to look the way it does" would bother me too. If the torsion housing itself was bent it is one thing but if the torsion housing was/is not sitting horizontal to the front end or to the pan' bottom, that is another thing; that I thought I was alluding to.

pan and torsion tube support 03 (2).jpg

This is the outer end of the torsion housing looking at it from the top.

Pan and torsion tube support 02 (2).jpg

This is a underside view of the support.

002 - Copy.JPG

For what it is worth, the supports have been known to break off which could tell you that are hard hit or something like that could have happened.

DSC04948.JPG

This is a "for what it is worth" pix. It is the pivot on the trans mount for the trailing arms. Notice that the threaded part comes from the inside of the tunnel and LOOKS TO BE A PRESS FIT ASSY not a welded or bonded in assy. If this was messed up...

Lee

I almost forgot; I also have seen the trans forks bent so another thing to double check.

Lee

[72bajaben]

So I was able to get out to the garage and get some work done.

First of all...I got some new parts in.

Outfront motorsports Engine Adapter
KEP Stage 2 PP
Brand New clutch disk and throwout
Weddle 094 Shift Linkage
UA4C Speeduino ECU and wiring harness
EJ Gasket Kit
EJ Water Pump





I put the UA4C together and loaded the base tune on it. It appears to be working. At least as far as I can test it on the bench.

All of the other part are going to get installed when I get to them.

Next I replaced head gaskets on the EJ. Man she was a bit crusty on the inside. Its obvious that its been sitting for a bit. But overall it looked pretty good. Now it looks even better.







Cleaned up



Going back together



And that's all I have for now.

[Class 11 streeter]

72bb I am loving the build! A friend of mine wants to do a subaru in his manx style buggy and I will be sure to direct him to this thread.

For myself I am interested in the benefits of A-arm. How happy are you with Nichols Fab for their product? And are there other companies out there making an A arm setup that you know of?

The reason I ask is my buggy has a stock width beam and with the cage setup the turning radius really sucks. Fiberglass buggys have sucky turn anyway and mine does also. The obvious answer is wider front end. So, I am trying to decide if the coin is worth wider beam, or for "a few dollars more" maybe an A arm setup.

Pic of my front wheels at full lock. Ugh!

[Ol'fogasaurus]

What year is the pan and is it VW?

Lee

[Class 11 streeter]

What year is the pan and is it VW?

Lee

Hey Fog if you are asking me the short answers are N/A and no.

The longer answer is the buggy has a combination body lift/perimeter frame with an aluminum floor. Pictures probably tells this better:

buggycage12.jpg

Passenger side front wheel showing tire rub on cage. And if you look close enough at the body lift/frame, unwelded pie cuts.

20170818_160646 (1).jpg

[Ol'fogasaurus]

buggycage12 copy.jpg

20170818_160646 (1) copy.jpg

20200208_155624 copy.jpg

Ok, I think I see what you have done now. Tubing frame with a flanged hole body lift. It also looks like you have hanging pedals. It also looks like you might have a K&L front beam.

Am I correct in assuming the tires are larger in dia. than stock tires which could be why the tires are hitting the tube frame. Does the tube frame slightly bend towards the center rather than going straight out to the beam? If not that could be another reason for the tires to hit it.

It is a nice-looking rig to say the least.

Lee