Posts: 196
Threads: 36
Registered: August 21st, 2016
Member Is Offline
Location: Kalgoorlie, WA.
Theme: UltimaBB Pro Grey
Mood: Hey, look, a SQUIRREL!
posted on August 23rd, 2016 at 10:27 PM
Baja and Class 11 question
Hi, I'm new to all this, but not new to modified cars. I'm wanting to do either a Baja or a Class 11 Beetle, and living in Kalgoorlie, my pickings
are slim unless I travel. I won't be doing racing, but after something to go exploring the red dirt roads and light trail bashing (I have a quad for
the rough stuff).
Will the strut front be suitable for my needs, or do I really need the torsion front end?
Cheers, Greg.
modnrod
Fahrvergnugen
Posts: 978
Threads: 50
Registered: March 17th, 2011
Member Is Offline
Location: Midwest, Westoz.
Theme: UltimaBB Pro Blue
Mood: Old School Volksies!
posted on August 23rd, 2016 at 10:52 PM
Strut will be fine. I expect mine out here to end up doing about 20% of my travels on corrugated gravel, and I expect it to last 100K easy without the
front collapsing in.
A strut brace will be an advantage, but not vital.
A few people on here have done a bucketload of kms offroad/rally on Supers, even raced them offroad. 1000s of strut rally cars can't be all
terrible.
Standard height is 8" under the pan of either type though, so no need to go silly with lift kits even if you don't want to.
Sounds like a nice gravel runner, have fun with it.
KalgoorlieGreg
Seriously Crusin Dubber
Posts: 196
Threads: 36
Registered: August 21st, 2016
Member Is Offline
Location: Kalgoorlie, WA.
Theme: UltimaBB Pro Grey
Mood: Hey, look, a SQUIRREL!
posted on August 23rd, 2016 at 11:11 PM
I'm a welder so I can fabricate a triangulated strut tower brace for extra support. At least this opens up my choice of Bugs!
modnrod
Fahrvergnugen
Posts: 978
Threads: 50
Registered: March 17th, 2011
Member Is Offline
Location: Midwest, Westoz.
Theme: UltimaBB Pro Blue
Mood: Old School Volksies!
posted on August 24th, 2016 at 10:13 AM
Cool! Maybe straight between the towers then down to the centre of the fuel tank cross-chassis, even a piddly light one would do.
You can still get 185/80r15s in Hankook, and they weigh less than a stock size Nankang 165, so you're not stressing the suspension out too much with
a big heavy AT. They fit under the front of a Super with 4.5s or 5.5s steelies at stock height.
Supers have their place, they open up a world of extra ride comfort and stability, heaps more luggage room for assorted crap (like metal detectors
maybe and camping crap?), and they are still easy enough to find cheap.
Don't tell anyone, but I prefer them personally........
KalgoorlieGreg
Seriously Crusin Dubber
Posts: 196
Threads: 36
Registered: August 21st, 2016
Member Is Offline
Location: Kalgoorlie, WA.
Theme: UltimaBB Pro Grey
Mood: Hey, look, a SQUIRREL!
posted on August 24th, 2016 at 02:46 PM
Cool, that's music to my ears!! I should clarify its either Baja or C11 style, not a full fledged racer! It'll be a third car, toy, and learning
device for the kids!