G'day everyone. Hoping to own my first VW within the next few days. Plan is to build up a Baja. Im looking at a 76 and a 73 model tomorrow. I want it
for off road but also as a part time daily. I was down at Loveday 4x4 adventures recently and my Patrol copped some new bush pinstripes and a smashed
wing mirror which got me thinking about a Baja, smaller, lighter and maybe quicker on the tight tracks. The tracks do have some jumps but i wont be
doing anything extreme extreme just some of the smaller jumps, its a trophy truck, can-am, buggy track. Ill pick everyones brains for suspension
upgrades as i go along.
First question. Has anyone used a SCAT rebuild kit http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/VW-Beetle-SCAT-ENGINE-rebuild-KITS-1835-cc-/321982... Is upgrading from a 1600 to a 1835 a case of
using this kit in a standard 1600 engine case. And using the heads etc from the 1600?
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Cheers Smiley thanks for the info and links mate.
Still looking, the two i looked at yesterday havent eventuated (bit rustier than described in their ad) Im going to look at another one tomorrow or
Wednesday. Its a 66 and has fibreglass bonnet and guards already fitted, but the arse hasn't been cut off yet.
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Adelaide mate. We have good beaches to drive on down the south east, but im going to be on fast (maybe not in a beetle) dirt tracks. Not excluding
beaches altogether, but my Patrol will do that with aircon and with ease
Got stuffed around today by the seller, but it should be on tomorrow. Its a 66 that someones added flares to, but not finished, which is good i like
using grinders on cars
Hey mate. Looks like a good solid car!
It is later than a 66, there are a number of ways to tell. Larger windows, rear decklid shape, fuel door on the outside etc.
It also have a Cheetah Baja kit fitted which is great. They have the widest front and rear guards.
As long as it is solid. Check for rust in the bottom of the door pillers, along the bottoms of the front quarter panels, under the sills, and the
bottom of the front firewall on the outside. Also check the doors.
And it is good that it is not chopped at the back yet. Many people make the mistake of cutting it up too high and then bolting the rear guards on
afterwards. Then they realise that they have cut the rearmost mounting hole off. You should chop down from level with the rear guards. I had to add a
heap of metal back to the last two Bajas I have built for this reason.
I would also highly recommend leaving as much of the sheet metal that makes up the front and sides of the engine bay as possible. So basically cut
down from the rear guards and leave the rest. That when you can still seal the front of the engine to the front and sides of the engine bay. This
helps stop mud and sand coming in from the sides and onto your engine and also helps with creek crossings. My last body has a lot of this cut away and
my carbies used to cop a lot of sand on the beach. I will put a picture up to help explain what I mean.
Looks like you have a great starting point. Curious to see what gearbox etc is fitted. Being the late body it should have ball joint front suspension
and swingaxle rear. It is very likely a 68/69/70 model car going by the pictures.
Good luck with the purchase, just make sure you check it out first and make sure it is pretty solid.
Smiley
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| Originally
posted by Smiley Hey mate. Looks like a good solid car! It is later than a 66, there are a number of ways to tell. Larger windows, rear decklid shape, fuel door on the outside etc. It also have a Cheetah Baja kit fitted which is great. They have the widest front and rear guards. As long as it is solid. Check for rust in the bottom of the door pillers, along the bottoms of the front quarter panels, under the sills, and the bottom of the front firewall on the outside. Also check the doors. And it is good that it is not chopped at the back yet. Many people make the mistake of cutting it up too high and then bolting the rear guards on afterwards. Then they realise that they have cut the rearmost mounting hole off. You should chop down from level with the rear guards. I had to add a heap of metal back to the last two Bajas I have built for this reason. I would also highly recommend leaving as much of the sheet metal that makes up the front and sides of the engine bay as possible. So basically cut down from the rear guards and leave the rest. That when you can still seal the front of the engine to the front and sides of the engine bay. This helps stop mud and sand coming in from the sides and onto your engine and also helps with creek crossings. My last body has a lot of this cut away and my carbies used to cop a lot of sand on the beach. I will put a picture up to help explain what I mean. Looks like you have a great starting point. Curious to see what gearbox etc is fitted. Being the late body it should have ball joint front suspension and swingaxle rear. It is very likely a 68/69/70 model car going by the pictures. Good luck with the purchase, just make sure you check it out first and make sure it is pretty solid. Smiley |
I should start a build thread and leave this here for my questions directly related to off road tech talk
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| Originally
posted by Growler I should start a build thread and leave this here for my questions directly related to off road tech talk |
Ive been reading your build up mate...........Epic is the word that comes to mind
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Glad to see there is a baja scene here in Adelaide; I just moved here temporary (for next 2-3yrs) from QLD with my own baja!
At the Volkwagen Enthusiast's Club of SA show recently there was only 1 baja!! (not mine!)
You'll have to tell me about these tracks (although my gal's got a crook donk on the mend right now)
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The arrow in the pic attached is a little bit off, but would i cut here straight down? Looking on youtube people cut it in many different ways
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Originally
posted by Smiley
That is pretty much it. I was supposed to get you a photo wasn't I! I will get onto that! Smiley |
Did your kit come with the scoop? The fibreglass bit that goes over the engine?
Smiley
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| Originally
posted by Smiley Did your kit come with the scoop? The fibreglass bit that goes over the engine? Smiley |
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Originally
posted by Growler
Do you know if 67 doors will fit my 69. saw a cheeeeep set on gumtree today that would be great for spares if needed |
You shouldn't really have to go too wide on the front. 6 Inch at the very most. But I would just leave it how it is and put wider tyres on it.
My Bug has 7" wide rims on the front with 225/75/16s on it and they are too wide. With a bug you don't want to run the front tyre pressure too high
or your braking gets worse and so does the ride. I normally run mine around 16-18 psi. But I have had some dramas getting crap in the beads. So I want
to go narrower on the front to help keep it seated better.
67 doors can be made to fit. But they are about 5-10mm narrowed in the door aperture. And the have a completely different latching mechanism which you
will have to make fit.
Smiley
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| Originally
posted by Smiley You shouldn't really have to go too wide on the front. 6 Inch at the very most. But I would just leave it how it is and put wider tyres on it. My Bug has 7" wide rims on the front with 225/75/16s on it and they are too wide. With a bug you don't want to run the front tyre pressure too high or your braking gets worse and so does the ride. I normally run mine around 16-18 psi. But I have had some dramas getting crap in the beads. So I want to go narrower on the front to help keep it seated better. 67 doors can be made to fit. But they are about 5-10mm narrowed in the door aperture. And the have a completely different latching mechanism which you will have to make fit. Smiley |