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Thanks for the warm welcome guys, I am sensising something different this way. Hopefully not in a deliverence way! Anyway, I am starting a 4 seat build on limited funds. My plan is to blow my wad on the stuff that is too difficult to change later. Build a chassis that I can bolt on upgrades in the future. Specifcally engine, bus trans, wheels and tires, comfort items(GPS/SAT radio etc.). Thanks again, and I welcome critisisim. and spellcheck!

Day 1 was bringing home a partial baja 71 beetle I paid $1500. for. I had two other swing axles cars but VIN's were dirty or obviously mucked with. I figured 1500 for a rust free squeeky clean VIN and a strong dual port a good deal. Cracked a beer, grabed a saws-all and took to it. I knew I wanted a four seater and there is no way anyone would sit inside and in the back of a roofed bug. I welded up the holes/vents in the dash to trya limit the direct in my face sand. Helpful to leave extra material around the rear window to bend tabs over. Gives more bite for welding. Used .023 wire and arg mix. to finish up the body. welded the window tracks shut and cap the roof.

Cut off the beam and donated it to Rico. Squared, centered and leveled on table. Table has been a jig for everything other than a vehicle, but turned out to be almost a perfect fit. Only advise would be to narrow up your table to allow springplate work without interference. Not much left of the original now. Missing my 1500 now. J/k

Started with what I had determined mandatory, 4 adult seats. Once the seats were in I could bend the cage around them. I am a firm beliver in not having any bars in your face no matter how cool they look. Unless your willing to always wear a helmet, which would be a little dorky on the street.

Looking really good.
Is that a cold saw I see in the background?

Yeah a 13" German deal. Love it, clean square cuts and perfect miters.
Bent some roof bars and checked for clearence. Got tired of climbing my ass in and out. The table is too high but perfect for suspension work. Used a temp. beam to set wheelbase and square the track.

This is going to be one to watch for sure. Nice fab work, and bracing.

thats not a cold saw, thats a dirt bike

please tell us you're going to change the graphics, mnairhead is the only one here who digs the 80's....

you've gots skills. i have seen your build on TOS (that other site), glad to see you around here. 'herbie

Ok put a mount for the glass on. This was'nt my ideal way but the glass already had autofab mounts in it. If I had it from scratch I would center mount one. Two side by side and angled outward makes it a bit of pain to move smoothly.

Hey herbie! I used a different doors because I was too lazy to strip them down. I'm making good progress in one nite! If only! Lets go to the back and make some 3x3's. It took three different jigs before the proper camer was set. It was tricky to say the least to obtain minimal positive camber on full droop and acceptable neg. camber on compression. I will get some travel pics to show how they turned out. Now there junk because I broke a rule. Change plan mid way. Going coil-over because tako would'nt sell me his torsions. I will make new arms to have a rod end built in for the spring plate mount.

First, welcome to the fray... I've been watching your thread "over there" and your fab work is very nice and clean, indeed. Looks like it will be a fun ride when all is done and said. As far as the thread title... "Poor Man's...", I haven't seen that part yet, everything looks top notch and an awesome shop to boot. Keep the updates coming.

Steve

Thanks DesertGuy same back at you. I followed your threads before I started. You almost made me go A-arm. My father said just getrdone for this season. We have a San Cantine trip coming up. I decided to keep this basic to be streetable but I tend to go overboard. Here is what happened when I got a van. Banks Turbo diesel, gear vendors, Np205 and a 69 camaro body. but thats another story

I really am trying to stay low key!

Ok the wife is giving me the eye, the eye only I can give her. Be back in three min. J/k good nite see ya, and try not to burn yourself again. Oh tako offered, I just had already bought the c/o's. He would have swayed me back to torsion.

Great job and the welds looks super, maybe we should have the critiques take a look at them. I thought I had clamps, I now see I need more to even be in the competion though you can never have enough clamps. Getrdone it is first rate look foreward to seeing more of it.

Wow!! That's some amazing looking tube work there. I hope I can do half as good of a job as you have. Very nice!

Yeah...I've made a handful of trailing arms...It always seems so easy when you start out, then when you get them on the rig and your wheels are sticking out like a lifted swing axle, you find it was not as easy as you thought.