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My '58 Baja and my new '65 baja
PHAT BUG - December 9th, 2009 at 09:31 PM

As it arrived.........
http://www.postimage.org/aV1rr6mi.jpg

http://www.postimage.org/aV1rrblA.jpg


Trial fit of rear guards..........
http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/8318/86221007.jpg

http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/4549/62972749.jpg


got the motor and box out, trimmed off the apron (have left it 3 or so inches longer than it needs to be for fine tuning)
http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/7632/66000321.jpg


With the help of a DUB front gearbox mount I got the CB box in........
http://s3.postimage.org/1VQen9.jpg

http://s3.postimage.org/1VQgSi.jpg


chop chop...
http://s2.postimage.org/JBpkr.jpg

12mm of rotation........
http://s2.postimage.org/JBrPA.jpg

oh shit, what have I done.........
http://s2.postimage.org/JBujJ.jpg

On the ground, with 175/65 14s........
http://s2.postimage.org/JBwOS.jpg

Haven't got the rear off the stands yet.........
http://s2.postimage.org/JBBO9.jpg





Future plans are a bug eye Baja kit for the front, some custom 15x6 and 15x8in rims and some 29x7.5 and 31x10.5 (or 33x10.5) Simex's.
http://www.cf-offroad.dk/billeder/daek/simex/Extreme_Trekker.jpg


reub - December 9th, 2009 at 10:19 PM

What?? Cutting up a 58?? - LOVE IT DUDE:D


PHAT BUG - December 9th, 2009 at 10:28 PM

I really wanted to cut up an oval, but this fell in my lap;)


reub - December 9th, 2009 at 10:30 PM

Don't worry...I'm pretty sure my oval will score a split window - along with plenty of cutting...

Look forward to your progress dude.


MISS VDUB - December 10th, 2009 at 07:00 AM

DUDE :no::crazy:

Hope you're keeping those Rossi's on there, they're the hotness! :starhit:


PHAT BUG - December 10th, 2009 at 05:20 PM

Na the Rossi's have long sinced moved on;)


PHAT BUG - December 13th, 2009 at 01:44 PM

Here's some Family Baja history...........

Here's a pic of my Dad's first Baja, built in 1976.......
http://s1.postimage.org/vxn40.jpg

http://s4.postimage.org/1VhXI9.jpg


My first registered car at age 15.........
http://s4.postimage.org/1Vi1Hr.jpg



After I hit a tree, we built this out of it.........
http://s4.postimage.org/1Vi6GJ.jpg



Then after an incident involving speed, wildlife, and a concrete wall.....
http://s4.postimage.org/1Viea9.jpg



Another that Dad built when I was a kid.........
http://s4.postimage.org/1VigFi.jpg



And finally Dad's current Baja........
http://s4.postimage.org/1Vij9r.jpg


11CAB - December 13th, 2009 at 03:04 PM

With reduction box rear end, you'll need a big tyre up front to get the height if you're going for a 33 inch on the rear....


PHAT BUG - December 19th, 2009 at 10:44 AM

I honestly don't think i'll get 33's to clear the torsion bars, we'll see.


Baja Wes - December 20th, 2009 at 08:49 AM

If you use short swinger torsion bars then the 33's will clear, but the body will need some beating. My 31's just clear my long IRS torsion bars, but before the body lift kit they rubbed on the body just above the torsion bars (when the suspension was compressed over bumps).

Those Simex's will cost more than the Baja :D


baja burley - December 26th, 2009 at 09:30 AM

i had the same problem with the rubbing with 31's... fixed it by changing the offset of the rim;) doesn't rub no more


PHAT BUG - December 27th, 2009 at 02:34 PM

I've got a few different size tyres here to try out, before I bite the bullet and buy the new ones. Simex's weren't too bad at $1210 a set.


OZ Towdster - December 27th, 2009 at 02:39 PM

Just save yourself the future greif and cut the body in the area above the torsion tube and in front of the rear tyre , once seen you will understand how to cut the radioused wedge of inner guard out then just gently beat it foward and reweld


PHAT BUG - December 27th, 2009 at 05:47 PM

I'm not stressed about the body as it's getting a lift kit, Only worried because I'm running squareback torsion bars. But I think I might get away with it because of the reduction boxes.


PHAT BUG - January 8th, 2010 at 06:27 PM

Finally got the Baja rolling, so pushed it outta the shed to clean up.......

http://s1.postimage.org/1lsCFA.jpg

http://s1.postimage.org/1lsF9J.jpg


baghall - April 3rd, 2010 at 11:17 PM

Look forward to seeing end result. I bought my Baja already done as I didn't want the hassle NSW RTA can cause, but am already regretting it due to some of the rubbish work done that needs fixing.


PHAT BUG - May 12th, 2010 at 11:59 PM

Well unfortunately my '58 has gone into storage for a while, as I just don't have the room to work on it at the moment

On a side note I've bought my Dad's Baja to tide me over till mine will be finished.

Here she is, parked next to my other bug, now I have the best of both worlds ; )

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j92/phatvw/IMG_3735.jpg

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j92/phatvw/IMG_3738.jpg


PHAT BUG - July 12th, 2010 at 09:45 PM

Well I sold the '58 and have since put the CB box into the yellow baja........

Before.....
http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j92/phatvw/IMG_3828.jpg

After........
http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j92/phatvw/IMG_3975.jpg


PHAT BUG - July 23rd, 2010 at 03:06 PM

Took it for a 100km test drive this morning after installing the CB gearbox, new brakes etc, I'm Very very happy :D

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j92/phatvw/IMG_4107.jpg

And a bit of a comparison with my other bug........

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j92/phatvw/IMG_4115.jpg


Smiley - July 23rd, 2010 at 04:44 PM

Looks beastly!!

Nice work man!



Smiley :cool:


PHAT BUG - January 24th, 2011 at 03:37 PM

So last August while attempting a fairly difficult climb the rear end of the baja let go in a big way..........

Passenger side......... :shock:

http://s3.postimage.org/TnXMA.jpg

http://s3.postimage.org/Tn_gJ.jpg

http://s3.postimage.org/To4g0.jpg

and drivers side...........

http://s3.postimage.org/To1LS.jpg

http://s3.postimage.org/TnVhr.jpg

I almost shit my pants when it let go.


PHAT BUG - January 24th, 2011 at 03:41 PM

I cracked the shits with it and didn't touch it again until the christmas break. Got her all finished in time for new years, used squareback torsion bars and springplates this time and got rid of the air shocks, it was great to be out on the road again :D

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j92/phatvw/IMG_1185.jpg

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j92/phatvw/IMG_1184.jpg


PHAT BUG - January 24th, 2011 at 03:42 PM

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j92/phatvw/IMG_0486.jpg

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j92/phatvw/IMG_0487.jpg

I liked the rims on my other bug soooo much I decided to do em for the Baja too :D


vwsteve - January 24th, 2011 at 04:35 PM

holy crap, cant believe you did that to the spring plates!


11CAB - January 24th, 2011 at 06:20 PM

I can...... when Rick ran country buggy reduction boxes in his manx with 33's he did exactly the same thing.... to fix the problem, he laminated two sets of springplates together to make a thicker springplate. Later he converted to IRS and Kombi box.

http://www.manxgallery.org/gallery/albums/album100/rick_s_manx_1.sized.jpg