Best Bug For The Job

Thinker Seriously Crusin Dubber

162 posts · joined Oct 2008 · 13 Oct 2008, 11:43 am

#674562

i am thinking of building Baja Bug which model is best for the job or which are best modified for the job.

thanks

1970 bug /1500 stock as a rock.
1976 standard bug ready to be modified 😁😁😁😁😁

Sides Veteran Volks Folk

2,220 posts · joined May 2007 · 13 Oct 2008, 4:03 pm

#674586

Yeah, good question.

Been toying with the idea of Baja'ing the 65 I have sitting in the shed, so be interested to see the responses you get...

VWDCQ vice pres & web dude - vwdcqinc.org.au
Join a car club - get car peeps

My toys
'70 Hillclimb Bug 'Jezebel' w/- Haltech EFI - http://bit.ly/VwTNtQ
'60 KG Coupe - resto kinda started
01 New Beetle - gf's car, but I turn the spanners

hellbugged 48's and straight cuts

5,080 posts · joined Apr 2003 · 13 Oct 2008, 4:40 pm

#674591

irs rear, either BJ or king and link front............but definately not strut front end!

Notch Nut Custom Title Time!

1,011 posts · joined Apr 2006 · 13 Oct 2008, 5:31 pm

#674599

Oval window or earlier. The purists LOVE THEM!😀😎😂😂😂

Just kidding! Welcome aboard.😏

Go for a later model cos they are more available and easier to get parts for and usually cheaper as a starting point.
As Baja'ing a bug has been around since the 60's, I don't think there is a model that hasn't been done before.
- Adam

If you can't fix it with a hammer,
you have an electrical problem....

Thinker Seriously Crusin Dubber

162 posts · joined Oct 2008 · 13 Oct 2008, 7:41 pm

#674637

thanks for the sugestions but can you put it in simple front engine mount idots terms (year model)

1970 bug /1500 stock as a rock.
1976 standard bug ready to be modified 😁😁😁😁😁

baja burley Officially Full-On Dubber

325 posts · joined Sep 2008 · 15 Oct 2008, 8:33 pm

#674987

1970 beetles are good because they have the irs rear and ball joint front end (best combination) and they also have the better 1600 engines in em

There are three types of people in this world - people who can count and people who can't....

trickysimon 100km/h is only 9 seconds away

1,473 posts · joined Dec 2007 · 15 Oct 2008, 9:30 pm

#674995

Isnt it only Semi-autos that have irs before Supers were released?
Simon

Joel Now containing 100\% E-Wang

9,368 posts · joined Feb 2006 · 16 Oct 2008, 4:31 pm

#675112

baja burley wrote:1970 beetles are good because they have the irs rear and ball joint front end (best combination) and they also have the better 1600 engines in em

thats only in the US chief

as Simon siad only semi auto and superbugs had IRS in aus and only superbugs had 1600s
all standard bugs had swingers cept the handfull of 76s still around

pickstock Seriously Crusin Dubber

107 posts · joined Dec 2010 · 27 Dec 2010, 5:24 pm

#818549

so what models had the IRS rear and ball joint front? or where can i get them to build one awesome car?

Joel Now containing 100\% E-Wang

9,368 posts · joined Feb 2006 · 27 Dec 2010, 5:31 pm

#818552

The only manual ones were 1976 models which were rare enough to start with, most of them have rusted away or been canibalised for the floor pans

The only others were 68-70 auto beetles which are fairly rare too

May be better off converting a swinger to IRS

pickstock Seriously Crusin Dubber

107 posts · joined Dec 2010 · 27 Dec 2010, 9:16 pm

#818587

well my plan is to put an auto subaru box and possible engine in so not that bothered but still.

is it hard to convert from swing arm to IRS??

Smiley Veteran Volks Folk

2,125 posts · joined Oct 2008 · 27 Dec 2010, 11:02 pm

#818606

pickstock wrote:well my plan is to put an auto subaru box and possible engine in so not that bothered but still.

is it hard to convert from swing arm to IRS??

Not if you can weld and swing a grinder.

Then all you need to do is find a doner for the parts, and and IRS pan to make the Jig for welding the pivot boxes into you floorpan.

A bit is covered here

http://forums.aussieveedubbers.com/viewtopic.php?tid=76337&page=1#pid728784

You can buy heavy duty pivot boxes from CVD, which I would recommend for an offroad car.

http://www.customveedub.com.au/store/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=22

Smiley 😎

If you said I was a Volkswagen man, you'd be right.

11CAB If ya got it....Baja it

4,674 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 28 Dec 2010, 7:27 am

#818620

Or convert a superbug pan to balljoint

65 Meyers Manx
68 Country Buggy (KO 367)
68 Country Buggy (KO 669)
68 Country Buggy (KO 789)
68 Country Buggy (KO 815)
68 Baja Bug
76 Baja Kombi Twincab

Smiley Veteran Volks Folk

2,125 posts · joined Oct 2008 · 28 Dec 2010, 10:25 am

#818654

11CAB wrote:Or convert a superbug pan to balljoint

You mean superior K+L?? 😂😂😂

Down the bottom of the second page and on the third page of my build.
We put a new K+L framehead onto a superbug floorpan.

http://forums.aussieveedubbers.com/viewtopic.php?tid=80275&page=2

Smiley 😎

If you said I was a Volkswagen man, you'd be right.

baghall Ben Hal Outlaw Bushranger

1,021 posts · joined Jan 2010 · 13 Feb 2011, 12:00 pm

#826150

I was told that swingers are better for use in the sand. IS this correct? I thought about converting to IRS but decided that it probably may not be worth the effort or money since I will be doing a lot of sand driving and I have enough lift by running on 31" tyres.

68 Baja - It's a growing pain!
58 Baja ute - and the pain spreads!
85 T3 Kombi - still growing
89 T3 Kombi - parts car

11CAB If ya got it....Baja it

4,674 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 13 Feb 2011, 1:36 pm

#826162

baghall wrote:I was told that swingers are better for use in the sand.

Nope, both go well in sand, but IRS is safer, because when you jack up the rear end in a swinger to get ground clearance you end up with Positive camber which can roll you over if not treated carefully

65 Meyers Manx
68 Country Buggy (KO 367)
68 Country Buggy (KO 669)
68 Country Buggy (KO 789)
68 Country Buggy (KO 815)
68 Baja Bug
76 Baja Kombi Twincab