Our Baja Bus ( Back at it again )

OZ Towdster · 2007-11-18T02:18:00+00:00

Hi all , amongst my other projects i currently have underway i thought shit i'mm not busy enough yet lets start something else as well as the house resto and Towdster rebuild (bloody idiot comes to mind here). Well it all started approx 8 months ago when Buggy Brad decided to sell his EG33 subie Boxer motor and i thought it would be a nice conversion to our 77 Baja Bay Deluxe , so a deal was done and then it sat and sat and sat in the roof of COR till two weeks ago when i took a week and a half off work and had this CRAZY vision that i could do the hole conversion in this time to which Brad couldn't stop laughing about. Well i'mm back at work now and needless to say the Bus is still sitting at COR unfinished but is still coming along slowly (Comon Brad you know you''ll dig me here so imm ready for it ). What weve done so far ~ When i bought the motor of Brad it had already been previosly mounted in his old dual cab and had an exhaust fabricated for it and a few other bits and pieces plus had been proven to be quite an easy fit in the dual cab body , but alas not such an easy fit in the kombi body due to the fuel tank . So after some measuring it was found as noted above that the easiest fix for the fuel tank was to remove it all together from behind the motor and fabricate a new one but more about that later. Once the engine bay was all cleaned up i mated the motor complete with a "Volksconversions" adapter up to a rebuilt 091 2ltr box rebuilt by Mick @ Mick Motors and after afew final measures fitted it in to the engine bay which is tight but nice fit with the twin throttle bodies and associated plumbing siting through into th old fuel tank area. With that done i then fabricated a new sump so as to gain 60mm ground clearance back but reatain the oil capacity of the original sump. As previosly mentioned brad had already had exhausts fabricated for the conversion so that was a pretty quick bolt on item with the next item on the list a new engine crossmember which i fabricated and fitted yesterday so as it no longer had to just hang off the geabox ears. While this was all going on i also cut and folded a new alloy fuel tank up which is going in front of the old fuel tank area where the back seat would normally go which i don't have anyway and will hold approx 100 litres which will be great for those long road trips. Once fitted this will be fully enclosed with a newly fabricated firewall so as to be safer etc. The next item to be fabricated is the alloy bull bar / radiator mount which i have allready done some work on and will get folded up this week for fabrication next weekend . I will post more as soon as done and mabey some photos if i ever rember to take my camera with me . At this point i would also like to thank Dave and all the boys at Custom Vee Dub formally known as Custom Off Road for their help and keeping my ideas in check.

OZ Towdster Keen to finish some projects

1,921 posts · joined Dec 2003 · 23 Dec 2013, 8:42 pm

#978572

Holidays , pfft , not here
A bit more done today after a bit of running around this morning for some more materials before the shops shut for Christmas .

Started on the passengers front pillar ( sorry about the photo )

A bit of filler to clean up where i welded in the new outer sill in front of the passengers rear wheel

The passengers rear wheel arch panel , and as with the drivers side , just a skim of filler to smooth out the ripples from welding up the deluxe holes and the enlarged wheel arches

Don't let body work get in the way of real suspension travel

OZ Towdster Keen to finish some projects

1,921 posts · joined Dec 2003 · 21 Jun 2015, 9:15 am

#1015365

Well , as well as working on my Towdster , i'm back into the big bus too , as i need to get it back on the road before the wifes other car drops its guts

So i have basicully finished straightening the back sides of the main shell , i'vve found a perfect sliding door ,,,, finally , have cleaned and striped the front end and ordered all new parts from Boris and the boys @ Vintage Vee dub for both it and the rear suspension and brakes , cleaned all the underside painted and sealed it , and am just about to go and spend a few more hours at it .
All in all , between the two cars they keep me very busy and broke , but i suppose i wouldn't be on here if i didn't have them

Don't let body work get in the way of real suspension travel

adlbeetle66 Under the car.........again!

1,476 posts · joined Aug 2014 · 21 Jun 2015, 4:16 pm

#1015376

Yay!! Back at it again!!
Always loved following this bus!!

pete wood 23 Windows of Awesome

6,828 posts · joined Jan 2004 · 22 Jun 2015, 9:31 pm

#1015446

Where is that "like" button!?! 🙂

"stoopid is stronger than axles"
http://drivingnotpolishing.blogspot.com.au/

OZ Towdster Keen to finish some projects

1,921 posts · joined Dec 2003 · 6 Sep 2015, 11:23 am

#1018523

Yes i have still been working on it and have made considerable progress in the last few weeks

Brakes , suspension , and basicully any running gear has been all cleaned up , reconditioned or both

My new / secondhand RUST FREE sliding door has had it's deluxe holes all welded up , a light skim of filler and now in spray putty waiting for a rub out

And those big flat sides of the body are as they are suppose to be, FLAT & STRAIGHT

Don't let body work get in the way of real suspension travel