Look what I bought....

I'd been in the market for a really cheap Baja for a little while, and my old man finally spotted on whilst driving around in the hills.

Its got rust, but not heaps of rust - the major spots are the left a pillar, at the front firewall / under the fuel tank, and three holes on the right hand side of the roof - but they arent in the gutter, so should be simple fix.

Its had a couple of hits - one in the front that has been pulled out prior to the first baja build, then one in the left rear quarter we will have to fix (no biggie, as you can get behind most of the panel), and finally one in the front that has busted the nosecone and put a little tear in the bonnet.

Oh yeah, and its missing a floorpan, interior, gearbox, engine, brakes and wheels and tyres. But we have *most* of that stuff lying around for it...

Forgot to mention, its missing front nudge bar (the bloke wanted another $50 for it - maybe later), and the drivers door hinges are bent, messing up the door fits - new hinges methinks.

All the hinge pins are loose too - one has already been replaced, but thats one of the bent hinges.

Total Spent - $250 🙂

[Edited on 1-2-2005 by Doug Sweetman]

I like the bonnet scoops - its a wide eye kit, and it has holden something or other headlight buckets in it.

most of the fiberglass panels have damage to repair of one form or another - the most significant being the nosecone with two long tears, and one rear guard which needs a bit built up on it.

Nose cone tears

Left rear hit

Left A pillar rust

Worst of the front rust

And the only (cross fingers for later, more thorough examination) channel rust.

did you pay very much? Ihope not, coz there's abit of work to do to it.

still should be cool when it's finished. love the 80's stripes and sticker 😀

You get what you pay for, and I'm pretty sure I got my $250 worth.

This is in MUCH better condition than my 73 L bug that I drive daily now.... not a quick fixer upper, but a 2 - 3 year project, to keep me busy for a while 🙂

Stickers and stripes will be the first thing off it !!! yukko

But how will you know it's a baja if you take the sticker off??

well done Doug....... hope to see you out in it soon

the more off raoders we can get in wa the better :thumb

Should be an easy conversion back to a standard beetle !!

Doug Sweetman wrote:You get what you pay for, and I'm pretty sure I got my $250 worth.

$250bucks LOL 😀
Lovin it, your my hero. :kiss

Stickers and stripes will be the first thing off it !!! yukko

NNNNOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!, it's like stealing it's MOJO! you at least have to keep the stickers....😠

Keep the kit, scrap that shell...

Are you on drugs ?

There is far more work on the kit than the shell !!! The body shell is really only 3 or 4 days work to remove that rust.

Almost every piece of fiberglass needs a repair (I love a challenge 🙂 ) but nothing is overly difficult to repair - I think I will have to do the nose cone while it is bolted up to the body, just to make sure it stays straight.

Seriously guys do yo all think this is a huge job ? honestly, it has about 80% less rust and dents in it than my 73 did, and that wasnt all that challenging a repair.

Pete - maybe I will keep and frame the stickers ! 🙂

Moose - yes, looking forwards to getting it built and dirty, but dont hold your breath - this will be a longer term resto I think. But at least its started.


At least I wont have to do rust repairs like this to it;

hey Doug,

do you have a pan or are you looking for one

I have to scrounge another $100 of pocket money to buy one off my old man - its a K&L / swing axle but its also in next to perfect nick. Its actually just out of view in the first photo.

And if anyone was curious, the green tarp has a flouro green lowered 1962 beetle under it, and the blue tarp hides a bog stock 1961 Splitty microbus 🙂

What have you got ? pan wise, and hidden under tarps that is....

lose the tarp doug and show us some pics of the splitty!!!!!!

Its my old mans - I dont have any pics of it and he lives an hour or so away.

Its powder blue, stock height, standard interior but no middle seat yet, reco'd 1600sp. Nice and standard but not pristine.

nice one! next time you're out there maybe snap off a couple of photos for us to enjoy.

Good buy with the bug too mate! Great project and tonnes of fun at the end 🙂

Thats the aim, it wont be a big budget ( more like a no budget !!!!) car, but it will be fun 🙂

I was going to get a early60' beetle just for the pan for myself and I was thinking of telling you about it for the body:P I don't know the year it is but it has Semaphores and a big back window:duh

anyway if you think you need a better body let me know

Semaphores and big back window puts it late 57 thru about 59 / 60.

IF you get it and want to offload the doors I might be interested, but it would depend on the hinge / pin condition more than anything. I might just buy some hinges for it.