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l bug baja
baybug - July 15th, 2009 at 09:25 PM

i have a 74 l bug (curved screen) convertable i bought as a project and am still thinking about ideas. someone mentioned the idea of baja bug. most of the ones i have seen are early bugs. has anyone done a 75 l bug baja? is it possible? what problems could i encounter - especially being a convertable?

Cheers

Anthiron - July 15th, 2009 at 09:30 PM

the search button is your freind!

in short. dont do it, it will make a crappy baja

Joel - July 15th, 2009 at 09:59 PM

strut bug bajas have been done and some even work really well off road but takes alot more strengthening than the old tractor front end

shaihulud - July 16th, 2009 at 11:25 AM

I assume that you have a MacPherson Strut front end. If you do then you have a problem.

If you look under the car you will see that there is a big suspension support, with the sway bar attached protruding out at the front.
That cannot be removed, so it means that if you make the car into a Baja you will not have removed the bodywork at the front to give good entry into creeks and at the bottom of sand dunes. You will dig in at those places. They therefore don't make the most versatile Bajas.

If you do make a convertible into a Baja, you will find that you will get a lot of scuttle shake when in the rough, off road, as they are just not rigid enough. I used to have a home made convertible Baja, and I know wherof I speak.

Before I sold it to someone who will probably never take it off road, I was seriously considering welding the doors shut.

For the best Baja you really need a torsion bar, trailing arm front end and a sedan body.

baybug - July 16th, 2009 at 08:59 PM

thanks guys, looks like you have saved me from a bad idea!!! wife is happy though she wanted the "porsche" style wide gaurds and body kit

cheers and thanks again for the advice:cool:

Joel - July 16th, 2009 at 09:16 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by baybug
thanks guys, looks like you have saved me from a bad idea!!! wife is happy though she wanted the "porsche" style wide gaurds and body kit

cheers and thanks again for the advice:cool:


some would say thats just as bad :lol:
if its already had the roof cut off so the poor things death certificate is already in the mail, so may as well make something fun out of it

baybug - July 16th, 2009 at 09:19 PM

something fun is the plan

dekkerboy - December 14th, 2009 at 03:49 PM

You could just get the baja kit and do a half baja but i agree with everyone else and it will probably make a crap baja.