Wide Eye vs Bug Eye

Boozer Demented But Determined

1,999 posts · joined Dec 2002 · 3 Jan 2004, 4:42 pm

#125778

In your opinion what is better in terms of looks and performance? I've been thinking of maybe eventually changing my baja to a bug eye but I'm not sure.

Anthiron The Baja Rejuvenation Begins

4,936 posts · joined Oct 2003 · 3 Jan 2004, 10:35 pm

#125931

this has a 22inch clearance.......apart from that i think bug eyes look good but it depnds on whether u can be botherd really to change it lol....oh and the cost:P

62/60 model bug eye baja bug, (Full Build in Progress)
1974 Chevrolet Luv
1970 MK2 Ford Cortina GT
1979 Yamaha RX125 Two Stroke tracker project.
2004 Harley Davidson Sportster XL Custom

Craig Torrens 6 times Australian, 7 times State Hillclimb Class Champion

8,040 posts · joined Jan 2003 · 4 Jan 2004, 9:15 am

#125978

Well I had a bug eye, and I loved the look ! I had the headlights mounted on top of the guards(like buggies) and I had Hella 186 spotlights mounted in the nose cone. As for performance, I found that you could climb rock faces easy as the front face of the wheels were in front of the guard, I assume this is an advantage over the wide eye design, not too sure , never owned a wide eye:thumb

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

4,674 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 4 Jan 2004, 9:47 am

#125986

All the bug eye kits I have seen have thicker front guards which without the headlights makes them stronger.....but the problem is that the headlights are too close together having them mounted in the nosecone......I'm not sure what the measurement is in QLD for the distance between headlights, but it is a safety issue.......Imagine your traveling along the highway, go to overtake a car , and the car coming the other way looks further away than it really is because the headlights are closer together.....

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

Craig Torrens 6 times Australian, 7 times State Hillclimb Class Champion

8,040 posts · joined Jan 2003 · 4 Jan 2004, 11:34 am

#126005

your right about the headlights being to close:thumb great for spotties😀

Baja Wes V6 Baja Pioneer

3,119 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 7 Jan 2004, 11:20 am

#127032

I think you will find that bug-eyed baja's would need to have headlights mounted on the gaurds to be legal these days. I am pretty sure that the headlights in the nose cone is too close together to be legal. Already registered bug-eyed kits would probably get by though.

I personally think the bug-eyed kits are ugly. Just a personal preference :thumb

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.

DubCrazy Custom Title Time!

1,295 posts · joined Jul 2003 · 7 Jan 2004, 9:01 pm

#127188

i had my bug-eyed baja go through the roadworthy about 18 months ago when i sold her,no probs at all, well apart from the leaky gearbox from way to many hard lands but we'll forget bout that right.. that was in C-QLD..never know still mite be able to do as i thing the bug-eyed is the best..

steff....................................

Robo Compulsive Aussie Vee Dubber

4,491 posts · joined Feb 2003 · 8 Jan 2004, 4:57 pm

#127431

I wonder if the legality of bug eyes has something to do with the age of the pan. Old serise 2 land rovers had their headlights close together, the later serise 2A and 3, landies had them in the gaurds because of Australian standards.
Rob.....

Boxer Power
Member of DMLRK.....Die Mittler Lebuns Resto Komeradschaft

Baja Wes V6 Baja Pioneer

3,119 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 9 Jan 2004, 9:37 am

#127646

DubCrazy wrote:i had my bug-eyed baja go through the roadworthy about 18 months ago...

was that going through a roadworthy, or getting a certificate for the baja conversion?

getting a roadworthy should've involved using the old baja approval papers, in which case they wouldn't care what kit was on it.

However trying to get a newly fitted close eyes kit approved would probably be much more difficult.

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.