| [ Total Views: 1866 | Total Replies: 22 | Thread Id: 17528 ] |
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 Boozer
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 posted on January 8th, 2004 at 09:07 AM |
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Floorpan/Suspension
Eventually I'm going to do a complete rebuild and upgrade on my baja and I was thinking of is it better to keep the floorpan i've got with
linkpin front end and swing axle rear and put in IRS rear or should I get a later pan and put the earlier body on? Or would it just be better to get a
later bug and use that and if so what year? And would I get any benifits of IRS rear other that better ride and stability? |
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11CAB
Compulsive Aussie Vee Dubber
If ya got it....Baja it
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| posted on January 8th, 2004 at 09:49 PM |
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Get a 68-70 beetle and Baja that.....raise up your current baja so you can get around a little easier while you build a new one.......that way you
still get to go offroad while you build the new car and when it is finished sell your current car as a complete car........:thumb
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
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Craig Torrens
A.k.a.: Craig Torrens
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| posted on January 8th, 2004 at 10:10 PM |
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yep:thumb
later shells have anti burst door locks, bigger windows, external fuel cap etc etc all benefits .
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graham
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| posted on January 8th, 2004 at 10:25 PM |
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I just put irs in my 70 ball joint pan for my baja in progress. I would hunt around for a ball joint pan as they are meant to be better for offroad
use apparently.
Graham
extreme dubber
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Boozer
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| posted on January 9th, 2004 at 09:20 AM |
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yeah I think we might do what 11cab says but we might not sell my current one when we're finished we might keep it as a
bushbasher/spareparts/future project probably last one cause Dad want's a baja. |
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Baja Wes
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| posted on January 9th, 2004 at 09:55 AM |
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76 is a good year as it is ball joint IRS, however pre 72 (I think that is cut off) will have less ADR compliance related problems when you try to mod
stuff.
So I agree with the others, 68-70 is a good era for a Baja. My Baja is a 68.
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Craig Torrens
A.k.a.: Craig Torrens
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| posted on January 9th, 2004 at 10:55 AM |
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yeah, 76' has emmisions ADR's, that's why my race car is no longer registered. They wanted the single carb back on, charcoal canisters,
air filter with the breathers and all the other pipes hanging off etc etc.
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The_Bronze.
A.k.a.: Bronze
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| posted on January 11th, 2004 at 06:04 PM |
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:bounce Recommended Reading :bounce
Want a technical overload-
I recommend Jeff Hibbards "Baja Bugs and Buggies - Who to prepare VW-based cars for off-road fun and racing."
I have read this book three times and coincidently have just bought my own copy for Christmas and reading it again. It was only Friday I was reading
recommended years by suspensions, engine / transaxle transplants. Although technical it's fairly easy to follow. The choices are the hard bit -
Dollars V Reliability & Performance.
It is an excellent resource from mild to wild with not only his opinions but many other alternative set ups other drivers use and don't use. It
is a little dated with the revised edition coming out in 1983 but since the best Bajas are pre-MacStrut the age dosen't matter.
Here is a link for Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0895861860/qid=1073806994/sr=1-...
[size=4]Bronze.[/size]
Rathmines, Lake Macquarie, NSW.
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Brad
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| posted on January 12th, 2004 at 11:29 AM |
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mmm
Just remember Jeff's book was written for teh USA market so some dated info may vary some what. The info itself is spot on but Aussie Mobel Bugs
had a few variations compared to the US ones.
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bajaman64
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| posted on January 12th, 2004 at 07:24 PM |
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I have a 70 pan with a K+L head welded on to it about 40mm forward than the standard posi. This just brings the wheels forward so when i put longer
arms on it, the wheels wont sit so far back. When or if you put bigger diameter tyres on, you dont have clearance issues.
K+L front will give more lift and is stronger than a bj front.
You can fit a later body to an early pan.
I think the earlier body looks tougher.
Todd :jesus
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Boozer
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| posted on January 20th, 2004 at 07:53 PM |
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Ok I may sound like an idiot but i'm completely confused.
So a 68-70 bug will have a ball joint front end but swingaxle rear and so a conversion has to be done? or am I wrong? why can't I just get a 71
or 72 bug with IRS and use that? Is it because of the strut suspension in the front? Why can't this be used offroad? We had strut suspension in
our jacked up subaru station wagon and it was fine (yes i went offroad regulary and went places most 4X4's couldn't go and took a lot of
punishment without any probs-until I hit a van head on but i won't go into that...) If a IRS conversion has to be done on a 68-70 bug is it
hard/complicated? What is involved? that's all for the moment thanks. |
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mattie182
Wolfsburg Wizard
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| posted on January 20th, 2004 at 08:48 PM |
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It is my understanding that, the strut front end is weakes out of all three. Also the body wont fit!!!
as i understand
Matt
p.s. Just buy a buggy and be done with it
Once you go flat, you never go back!!!!!!
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Boozer
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| posted on January 21st, 2004 at 11:57 AM |
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dammit someone answer me! I need help!:cry |
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helterskelter400
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| posted on January 21st, 2004 at 12:17 PM |
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ever thing points to irs rear & k&l pin front being the best setup. so, get an old superbug complete. use it for its 1600 & trans, irs and
better pan than the old <67 one you're going to get for its k&l front & head.
oh yea, cut your rusty heater channels off complete & make rreplacement rails out of rectangular section of chosen height for chosen bodylift. |
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Baja Wes
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| posted on January 21st, 2004 at 12:21 PM |
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the strut front end is weak and not worth using. It barely stays straight with road use.
you'll also have trouble finding a baja kit for a strut front end car. You will also need a strut era body for the front struts to bolt into.
68-70 with an IRS conversion is a good way to go. Brad is selling a 69 IRS beetle, rust free. Would make an excellent baja base. http://www.aussieveedubbers.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=17732
K&L is not stronger than Ball joint when they are both stock. K&L can be beefed up a lot more but will cost heaps. Ball joint requires less
maintenance and is cheaper to recondition. Plus ball joint has factory disc brakes.
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Boozer
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| posted on January 21st, 2004 at 12:27 PM |
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Yeah I've seen Brad's ad but I don't need RWC and rego as it would be being fully rebuilt whie my current bug is being used as daily
driver and it's a bit too much even though it's perfect. How hard is it to convert to IRS? What's involved? I've found how
to's around the net but they don't explain very well. |
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The_Bronze.
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| posted on January 21st, 2004 at 05:38 PM |
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 I'm askin what he's askin!
[size=4]Bronze.[/size]
Rathmines, Lake Macquarie, NSW.
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Baja Wes
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| posted on January 21st, 2004 at 05:49 PM |
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the hardest part of correctly aligning the pivot boxes. If you get it wrong then you will have terrible rear wheel alignment and camber forever.
So you either need to be confident enough to make your own jig, or borrow a jig from someone who has one.
I personally found it easier to drop the floorpan to custom offroad and let them do it.
welding a ball joint frame head onto the front of a later strut vehicle will be easier. But then you have the problem of having a late chassis number
and ADR related issues.
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Boozer
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| posted on January 21st, 2004 at 05:58 PM |
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How much roughly did it cost to get it done? |
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Jamox
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| posted on January 21st, 2004 at 06:50 PM |
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Hey Boozer, how old are ya again?? 18? I did the IRS conversion last year (18). I bought my baja with BJ front and swing rear. I thought it was
fiarly easy really. Just a pain int he ass as far as time goes etc. I did a full rebuild with a lift kit etc etc. so I had the pan fully stripped.
Then all it was was: $100 for 2 IRS pivot boxes, $0 for scrap metal I welded up to make the jig, not sure but ~$100 to get the holes plasma cut in
the horns adn the boxes welded in. Actually maybe 100-200 for that. Things seem to be OK. Everything went back together in line etc.
One problem I had though was the CVs at the gearbox rubbed on the horns as they turned. All I did was space the gbox mount/cradle up with a few
washers . Perhaps I should have heated and bashed a depression in the horns in the right spot but it doesn't matter anyway now.
So, a few hundred bucks and a fair bit of time. My total rebuild was meant to take 20 days but it ended up taking about a month and a half-2 months.
Not much really. Still going and still being improved.
Hope that helps. Any q's I will answer if desired.
Rightio Bye
Jamox
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Jamox
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| posted on January 21st, 2004 at 06:53 PM |
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Oh yeh, we already had an old super to pinch the IRS trailing arms and transaxle off etc. Just couldn't be bothered cutting out the pivots. We
got them off a Vw place that just cut them themselves. I would do the same again.
Dance like a blind person
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Boozer
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| posted on January 21st, 2004 at 06:56 PM |
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So Jamox does it all work properly and well after the conversion? No problems? |
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Baja Wes
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| posted on January 22nd, 2004 at 08:30 AM |
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I got heavy duty pivot boxes welded in, and pivot bolt locks fitted for a little under $300, but that was a few years ago now (maybe 5 or 6?).
Yes you have to cut the horns to fit the pivot boxes in. You also should heat up and bash the frame horns to clear the CV's. This will likely
break the spot welds, then you have to seam weld the horns (which you should do anyway).
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Jamox
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| posted on January 22nd, 2004 at 01:24 PM |
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All works excellent. Great on gravel roads and sharp corners.
I didn't realise about bashing the horns so I had already welded them. The washers work fine though, it was only a matter of 5-10mm. I
didn't have to take it out or anything to do it either. When I put the kombi box in soon(hopefully) I will do a bit of heating and bashing just
to be sure. I thought I was stuffed t hough when they started rubbing. The thing was that I got a fair bit of other stuff done at the
enginerers(Non-vw related) so I didn't know the labour cost for the fitting. I would have got heavy duty boxes but they were out of my budget at
the time. Maybe I would lash out and go the whole hog if I did it again?? I am happy.
Dance like a blind person
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The_Bronze.
A.k.a.: Bronze
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| posted on January 22nd, 2004 at 10:28 PM |
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I'm impressed.
*stands back in awe*
I don't know if I'm that talented.
Bronze.
[size=4]Bronze.[/size]
Rathmines, Lake Macquarie, NSW.
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