Baja on road performance.

Fueldup · 2011-04-16T11:25:54+00:00

G'day everyone, I am new to this site I recently joined after getting a renewed interest in vw's mainly Bajas. I have been looking to by one but I have a few questions before I do. I am curious as to what a Baja is like to drive at highway speed with say 31" tyres and a 1600 twin port engine is there enough power to maintain 100 kph on most hills or is it advisable to look for a car with a larger engine ? Sorry if this sounds like a rediculous question but I have had very little to do with these cars. I have seen some cars advertised with 1770 cc engines which I assume is a 1600 with a big bore kit fitted ,is the difference between the 1600 and the 1770 engine dramatic, do they have different charastics to drive or does the 1770 simply have more power ? Are they reliable , I'm not looking for a rocket just something with strong power and reliable if thats possible. I'd appreciate any advice, thanks.

baghall Ben Hal Outlaw Bushranger

1,021 posts · joined Jan 2010 · 27 Apr 2011, 11:37 pm

#838143

baghall wrote:OK, how do you set the toe in/out of the rear wheels as I will need to do this once the new gearbox is installed.
Sorry for the highjack Fueldup.

Thanks Smiley, too easy.
Back to you fueldup!😂

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

Smiley Veteran Volks Folk

2,125 posts · joined Oct 2008 · 28 Apr 2011, 11:20 am

#838200

gizzo wrote:ive got a ea 81 suby powerd baja with a 71 type 3 irs and running 28 inch rears. rpm is 2800 at 100 kmh its not to bad on the road, but at 3000 rpm it seems to be the sweet spot for it . the five rib kombi sounds like the box i need ,can they be fitted in the beetle arse end or can i modify the box ive got. im a bit in the dark when it comes to vw gearbox combinations

If 3000RPM is the sweet spot and that where you want it to sit on the highway then that's cool. Are you going to stick with the 28" tyres?

I just punched your combination into my gear calculator and got -
3188 RPM at 100km/h with a 5-rib and 28" tyres.
3078 RPM at 100km/h with a 5-rib and 29" tyres.
2976 RPM at 100km/h with a 5-rib and 30" tyres.
And same as the previous post
2880 RPM at 100km/h with a 5-rib and 31" tyres.

If you want you car up at those REVs I would recommend running a 3-rib Kombi with 31" tyres, This gets your Revs at 2970 at 100km/h. BUT, compared to the 5-rib 1st, 2nd and 3rd are lower ratios in the 3-rib. This is better for offroading.

The Kombi Box can be fitted to the rear or a Beetle. A number of places offer kits, or you could build your own. Some require a bodylift, others don't. With the EA81 you'll also have to make sure that your adapter plate/flywheel and starter all fit and work properly. The 3-rib is the smallest IRS Kombi box so you're going to have less trouble with it.

You will also have to modify your rear stub axles or buy some that accept the Kombi CV joint.

And yes, you can modify your Type 3 transaxle. But this will require a full rebuild, this isn't cheap. But the plus side is you can have it rebuilt stronger and with whatever ratios you want.

Smiley 😎

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

Bone Officially Full-On Dubber

299 posts · joined Aug 2009 · 28 Apr 2011, 10:08 pm

#838342

Hi Smiley, the gear calculator would be correct if a 31'x10;5'x15' tyre was actually 31' high! Have just finished installing the 1600 3 rib bus box in my baja and the the revs at 100km is 3300rpm. I also have the ea81 subi which seems to love the 3000rpm, so 100kms is no problem at all.

matberry Moderator Go hard or go home

8,114 posts · joined Mar 2006 · 28 Apr 2011, 10:37 pm

#838354

Bone wrote:Hi Smiley, the gear calculator would be correct if a 31'x10;5'x15' tyre was actually 31' high! Have just finished installing the 1600 3 rib bus box in my baja and the the revs at 100km is 3300rpm. I also have the ea81 subi which seems to love the 3000rpm, so 100kms is no problem at all.

Yeah, to true Bone, I measured my 31's the other day....they were only 29". What gives !!!

Matt Berry Motorsports...air cooled advice, repairs and mods Ph 0408 704 662
OFF-ROAD,CIRCUIT,DRAG,STREET,ENDURANCE

Bone Officially Full-On Dubber

299 posts · joined Aug 2009 · 28 Apr 2011, 10:46 pm

#838357

Mine too Matt. Please tell me your a little closer to a baja beach run !

Smiley Veteran Volks Folk

2,125 posts · joined Oct 2008 · 28 Apr 2011, 11:40 pm

#838368

Bone wrote:Hi Smiley, the gear calculator would be correct if a 31'x10;5'x15' tyre was actually 31' high! Have just finished installing the 1600 3 rib bus box in my baja and the the revs at 100km is 3300rpm. I also have the ea81 subi which seems to love the 3000rpm, so 100kms is no problem at all.

That means your tyre is closer to 28" diameter!
Maybe you'll have to buy some 33"s from the same company to get a 31".

It's a little bit annoying that a manufacturer can't build a tyre to the size they say it is, can't be that hard really? I haven't really gone to the trouble of measuring mine accurately yet. I suppose how much air you have in them will change your diameter too.

Smiley 😎

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

Fueldup Casual Dubber

23 posts · joined Apr 2011 · 29 Apr 2011, 8:42 pm

#838516

Hey guys, I have been looking around at beetle bits and pieces and everything else that starts with vw and I was wondering about Baja fibreglass kits, does one size fit all or do you need different kits for different models ? I just can't imagine that the bodys didn't change a bit over all of those years.

matberry Moderator Go hard or go home

8,114 posts · joined Mar 2006 · 29 Apr 2011, 8:49 pm

#838517

Believe it or not, the model of car doesn't matter for the baja kit (as long as it's not a super bug with strut front end, remember thier the ones not to build a baja from 😂) There are different style kits though.

Matt Berry Motorsports...air cooled advice, repairs and mods Ph 0408 704 662
OFF-ROAD,CIRCUIT,DRAG,STREET,ENDURANCE

baghall Ben Hal Outlaw Bushranger

1,021 posts · joined Jan 2010 · 29 Apr 2011, 9:23 pm

#838530

Remember though that a bug eye kit may be hard to get registered due to head lights being too close together, unless they are not mounted in the nose. Wide eye kits generally have the head lights mounted in the guards.

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

Fueldup Casual Dubber

23 posts · joined Apr 2011 · 29 Apr 2011, 9:35 pm

#838535

Thanks Mat, yer I did find it a bit hard to believe and I am now well aware of the supers being a no go for a baja thanks to you guys, boy thats a long time in production for the same body with very little change.... Now I can keep shopping with confidence.

Fueldup Casual Dubber

23 posts · joined Apr 2011 · 29 Apr 2011, 9:40 pm

#838536

Is it OK to still use the bug eye kits if you mount the lights wider eg under the guards or on a bar and whats the big deal with the lights being close together anyway ?

Smiley Veteran Volks Folk

2,125 posts · joined Oct 2008 · 29 Apr 2011, 10:13 pm

#838547

Fueldup wrote:Is it OK to still use the bug eye kits if you mount the lights wider eg under the guards or on a bar and whats the big deal with the lights being close together anyway ?

It's to do with the law about the distance between your front headlights. There is a measurement, but I have no idea how much it is. Most Bugeye fail, but there are some that are legal. It also depends what state you're in as different ones have different rules.

You could get away with having your headlights mount further apart on the front bar. Not sure if that would look very good though. I've also seen people running buyeye nose cone and bonnet with wide eye guards for 4 lights across the front, just put your spotlights in the middle with that setup.

Bugeye kits have a few advantages over the wide eye kits. They offer a better approach angle at the front of the car. They get the weight of the headlight off the guard which helps prevent cracking of the guard due to vibration. Also if the fibreglass is thin enough you can get headlight flicker as the flex back and forward. That being said If I had guards that thin I wouldn't put them on the car. Personally I prefer the look of the wide eye kit, and I have not had a single problem with cracking or headlight flicker. As long as you have nice thick guards and not some cheap shitty Baja kit you should have problems.
The Wide eye kits give you more room under the bonnet because the nose cone is bigger and you don't have headlight buckets poking in taking up room.

So at the end of the day all it really comes down your personal preference. What do you like best? Bugeye, wideeye or a hybrid of both?

Smiley 😎

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

Fueldup Casual Dubber

23 posts · joined Apr 2011 · 30 Apr 2011, 7:46 am

#838596

Thanks again Smiley, I have got to give you ten points for detail. I really like the look of that red Baja I thought the bug eyes would look a bit weird but that one looks really tough, nice. Well I guess it really doesn't matter which one I get because I could make either one work depending on where the lights are put .

Baja Dan Commited Dubber

59 posts · joined Nov 2010 · 30 Apr 2011, 8:19 pm

#838741

Fueldup wrote:Thanks Smiley, I know thats a rough guide and prices will vary I thought prices may have been higher. I will slap on my 50% just to be on the safe side.

I am looking on ebay, I spotted a fibreglass baja kit the other day for around $500.

Hi, If it is the yellow kit on ebay that is always on there I would not buy it. I have one of those kits and would recommend you look around for something else. I does not come with a engine cover and the bonnet does not have hinge plates on it. The only thing I am going to use off the kit will most likely be the nose cone. If you are down the Sunshine coast way you can come and have a look at the kit to see what it is like.

Fueldup Casual Dubber

23 posts · joined Apr 2011 · 1 May 2011, 6:47 am

#838794

Hi Baja Dan, I have seen that one on ebay but I have also seen some others which are second hand for around that money, thanks for the warning I will steer clear of it.

OberonViking Seriously Crusin Dubber

124 posts · joined Mar 2008 · 23 May 2011, 10:08 am

#842333

Awesome thread. It is a true wealth of baja info.
Someone should make it a sticky.

1970 Baja - waiting in the paddock for some TLC.

grinderman Officially Full-On Dubber

378 posts · joined Apr 2011 · 23 May 2011, 4:53 pm

#842396

Love the bajas. I've found with tyre diameter it is related to the size of rim its mounted on. A 31inch tyre will be 31inches in diameter if it is mounted on a 7inch wide rim but if you mount it on a 10inch rim it will be more like 29-30inches.

baghall Ben Hal Outlaw Bushranger

1,021 posts · joined Jan 2010 · 25 May 2011, 9:07 pm

#842817

grinderman wrote:Love the bajas. I've found with tyre diameter it is related to the size of rim its mounted on. A 31inch tyre will be 31inches in diameter if it is mounted on a 7inch wide rim but if you mount it on a 10inch rim it will be more like 29-30inches.

How does this work if the correct tyre width is used on the rim?
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I can see it working in small amounts if say a narrow tyre is used on a ide rim and a wide tyre is used on a narrow rim, however, changes in inches seems a tad excessive.

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

grinderman Officially Full-On Dubber

378 posts · joined Apr 2011 · 26 May 2011, 6:24 pm

#842958

When you mount the tyre on a narrower rim it is being 'tucked' in more and this raises the sidewall in my experience.

baghall Ben Hal Outlaw Bushranger

1,021 posts · joined Jan 2010 · 26 May 2011, 7:04 pm

#842968

I understand that grinderman but I find it hard to believe it would be in the vicinity of inches and there are restrictions as to the sizes of tyres allowed on rim sizes.

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