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My '58 Baja and my new '65 baja

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PHAT BUG Dave says Bini's a fool

1,698 posts · joined May 2003 ·

#751506
As it arrived.........
[img]https://www.postimage.org/aV1rr6mi.jpg[/img]

[img]https://www.postimage.org/aV1rrblA.jpg[/img]


Trial fit of rear guards..........





got the motor and box out, trimmed off the apron (have left it 3 or so inches longer than it needs to be for fine tuning)



With the help of a DUB front gearbox mount I got the CB box in........
[img]https://s3.postimage.org/1VQen9.jpg[/img]

[img]https://s3.postimage.org/1VQgSi.jpg[/img]


chop chop...
[img]https://s2.postimage.org/JBpkr.jpg[/img]

12mm of rotation........
[img]https://s2.postimage.org/JBrPA.jpg[/img]

oh shit, what have I done.........
[img]https://s2.postimage.org/JBujJ.jpg[/img]

On the ground, with 175/65 14s........
[img]https://s2.postimage.org/JBwOS.jpg[/img]

Haven't got the rear off the stands yet.........
[img]https://s2.postimage.org/JBBO9.jpg[/img]





Future plans are a bug eye Baja kit for the front, some custom 15x6 and 15x8in rims and some 29x7.5 and 31x10.5 (or 33x10.5) Simex's.

reub VWRX is gone...

2,054 posts · joined Sep 2002 ·

#751519
What?? Cutting up a 58?? - LOVE IT DUDE😀
Reub

PHAT BUG Dave says Bini's a fool

1,698 posts · joined May 2003 ·

#751524
I really wanted to cut up an oval, but this fell in my lap😉

reub VWRX is gone...

2,054 posts · joined Sep 2002 ·

#751525
Don't worry...I'm pretty sure my oval will score a split window - along with plenty of cutting...

Look forward to your progress dude.
Reub

MISS VDUB Administrator Mrs KOMBIBOB

2,565 posts · joined Sep 2005 ·

#751539
DUDE 🙅🤪

Hope you're keeping those Rossi's on there, they're the hotness! 😵
1963 Single Cab Ute: "El Concreto"
1962 Baja Beetle: "Peanut"
1968 Porsche 912 SWB: "Pip"
1972 Kombi Snail: "The Snail"
2012 Skoda Octavia Scout: "Scout"
2016 Scirocco R: "Rocco"

PHAT BUG Dave says Bini's a fool

1,698 posts · joined May 2003 ·

#751628
Na the Rossi's have long sinced moved on😉

PHAT BUG Dave says Bini's a fool

1,698 posts · joined May 2003 ·

#752118
Here's some Family Baja history...........

Here's a pic of my Dad's first Baja, built in 1976.......
[img]https://s1.postimage.org/vxn40.jpg[/img]

[img]https://s4.postimage.org/1VhXI9.jpg[/img]


My first registered car at age 15.........
[img]https://s4.postimage.org/1Vi1Hr.jpg[/img]



After I hit a tree, we built this out of it.........
[img]https://s4.postimage.org/1Vi6GJ.jpg[/img]



Then after an incident involving speed, wildlife, and a concrete wall.....
[img]https://s4.postimage.org/1Viea9.jpg[/img]



Another that Dad built when I was a kid.........
[img]https://s4.postimage.org/1VigFi.jpg[/img]



And finally Dad's current Baja........
[img]https://s4.postimage.org/1Vij9r.jpg[/img]

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

4,674 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#752128
With reduction box rear end, you'll need a big tyre up front to get the height if you're going for a 33 inch on the rear....
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

PHAT BUG Dave says Bini's a fool

1,698 posts · joined May 2003 ·

#753076
I honestly don't think i'll get 33's to clear the torsion bars, we'll see.

Baja Wes V6 Baja Pioneer

3,119 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#753225
If you use short swinger torsion bars then the 33's will clear, but the body will need some beating. My 31's just clear my long IRS torsion bars, but before the body lift kit they rubbed on the body just above the torsion bars (when the suspension was compressed over bumps).

Those Simex's will cost more than the Baja 😀
Wes - www.offroadvw.net - 200HP Quad Cam V6 in a VW Baja - with climate control... 🙂
www.taylorcycles.com.au - My DH MTB racing brothers shop.

baja burley Officially Full-On Dubber

325 posts · joined Sep 2008 ·

#754118
i had the same problem with the rubbing with 31's... fixed it by changing the offset of the rim😉 doesn't rub no more
There are three types of people in this world - people who can count and people who can't....

PHAT BUG Dave says Bini's a fool

1,698 posts · joined May 2003 ·

#754235
I've got a few different size tyres here to try out, before I bite the bullet and buy the new ones. Simex's weren't too bad at $1210 a set.

OZ Towdster Keen to finish some projects

1,921 posts · joined Dec 2003 ·

#754236
Just save yourself the future greif and cut the body in the area above the torsion tube and in front of the rear tyre , once seen you will understand how to cut the radioused wedge of inner guard out then just gently beat it foward and reweld
Don't let body work get in the way of real suspension travel

PHAT BUG Dave says Bini's a fool

1,698 posts · joined May 2003 ·

#754265
I'm not stressed about the body as it's getting a lift kit, Only worried because I'm running squareback torsion bars. But I think I might get away with it because of the reduction boxes.

baghall Ben Hal Outlaw Bushranger

1,021 posts · joined Jan 2010 ·

#771492
Look forward to seeing end result. I bought my Baja already done as I didn't want the hassle NSW RTA can cause, but am already regretting it due to some of the rubbish work done that needs fixing.
68 Baja - It's a growing pain!
58 Baja ute - and the pain spreads!
85 T3 Kombi - still growing
89 T3 Kombi - parts car

PHAT BUG Dave says Bini's a fool

1,698 posts · joined May 2003 ·

#778283
Well unfortunately my '58 has gone into storage for a while, as I just don't have the room to work on it at the moment

On a side note I've bought my Dad's Baja to tide me over till mine will be finished.

Here she is, parked next to my other bug, now I have the best of both worlds ; )



PHAT BUG Dave says Bini's a fool

1,698 posts · joined May 2003 ·

#790249
Well I sold the '58 and have since put the CB box into the yellow baja........

Before.....


After........

PHAT BUG Dave says Bini's a fool

1,698 posts · joined May 2003 ·

#792256
Took it for a 100km test drive this morning after installing the CB gearbox, new brakes etc, I'm Very very happy 😀



And a bit of a comparison with my other bug........

Smiley Veteran Volks Folk

2,125 posts · joined Oct 2008 ·

#792271
Looks beastly!!

Nice work man!



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

PHAT BUG Dave says Bini's a fool

1,698 posts · joined May 2003 ·

#822893
So last August while attempting a fairly difficult climb the rear end of the baja let go in a big way..........

Passenger side......... :shock:

[img]https://s3.postimage.org/TnXMA.jpg[/img]

[img]https://s3.postimage.org/Tn_gJ.jpg[/img]

[img]https://s3.postimage.org/To4g0.jpg[/img]

and drivers side...........

[img]https://s3.postimage.org/To1LS.jpg[/img]

[img]https://s3.postimage.org/TnVhr.jpg[/img]

I almost shit my pants when it let go.

PHAT BUG Dave says Bini's a fool

1,698 posts · joined May 2003 ·

#822894
I cracked the shits with it and didn't touch it again until the christmas break. Got her all finished in time for new years, used squareback torsion bars and springplates this time and got rid of the air shocks, it was great to be out on the road again 😀



PHAT BUG Dave says Bini's a fool

1,698 posts · joined May 2003 ·

#822895




I liked the rims on my other bug soooo much I decided to do em for the Baja too 😀

vwsteve karmann crazy

2,087 posts · joined Jul 2006 ·

#822903
holy crap, cant believe you did that to the spring plates!
1 1963 356b porsche coupe
2 1960 karmann ghia cab
1 1965 karmann ghia cab
1 1966 karmann cab
1 1961 split ute
1 1967 split p/van
1 1952 standard bug
1 1963 ragtop
1 1960 ragtop
2 1954 ovals
1 1956 oval baja project
1 1957 oval flying flea

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

4,674 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#822918
I can...... when Rick ran country buggy reduction boxes in his manx with 33's he did exactly the same thing.... to fix the problem, he laminated two sets of springplates together to make a thicker springplate. Later he converted to IRS and Kombi box.

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