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Steve Arndt baja build project

Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 11:43 am
by Steve Arndt
I first built this baja in 2000. It is a constantly changing work in progress.

Here is a pic from Trinity Lakes Idaho. My baja is the multi colored w/ door open. My late friend Mike is seen seated on his car. He had heart failure while driving that blue baja and passed on in the drivers seat. Not many people are into their bajas like that, but Mike was. He got me into the Hot VW hobby.
trinity.jpg
Here are the basic specs for starts.
1976 IRS pan and body
091 transaxle, SAW axles, T2 CVs, 5 degree angled mount kit
2275cc, EFI, 13:1 compression engine
Rear 4 point roll bar tied to transaxle frame horns

I am in the process of working over the body for paint. I rolled the car onto its roof 10 years ago. I have put a ton of time/work to get the bodywork looking decent from 10 feet away. It is rough. I have been quoted huge numbers by paint shops so I am going to check out Maaco, and possibly paint it myself. I had an OG Herrod helper with on it. A 20 foot extension ladder fell on the car and smashed the piss out of the rear louvers where the wing bolted on. Those are not easy to repair! Solution, the aircooled.net giant Herrod helper. It makes a great beverage and tool shelf. Here is a pic of the wing. Image

I have before and after bodywork pics I will post next.

Steve

Re: Steve Arndt baja build project

Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 11:55 am
by Devastator
Another Megasquirter in the Offroad forum? Cool.
Welcome to the dirtpile Steve.

Re: Steve Arndt baja build project

Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 12:02 pm
by Steve Arndt
I don't run megasquirt. I just help out in the forum some.

When I first went EFI I bought a complete CB kit from a sandrail guy. I only used the hard parts. I found an old F3 Haltech and wired that up. Now I'm running an F9A. I am getting ready to convert the car to Redline 882C with control of everything including mood lighting. Sequential spark, four IGN1 coil near plug, crank trigger, etc.

Just so you can appreciate how ugly the body work started out, here it is before I took it apart for paint last fall.





and a burn off video;


Here are the basic specs on the engine and copied from the above video descrition.
Steve Arndt owner built 2275 engine. This runs super squish pistons from aircooled.net. It has 13.1:1 static compression ratio and runs detonation free on pump gas.

This combination is pretty unique. Here is a quick rundown of the notable components:
-82mm stroke, 94mm super squish pistons, Cima barrels, total rings
-40x35 DRD Racing heads with infinite angle radius anti-reversion valve job
-48mm CB ITB w/ injectors outboard, CB bigbeef intakes, K&N % outerwears
-SLR lifters, Webcam 86B special grind camshaft, Scat 1.4 rockers, Titanium retainers, aircooled.net aluminum pushrods
-Schadeck blueprinted 26mm, full flow, WIX 51622 filter, 3qt accusump w/ electric solenoid control, stock blueprinted cooling setup, welded fan, FI sled tins, mexi thermostat, venturi ring, puma shroud...
-Haltech F9A, Mallory distributor, Mallory CDI, MSD epoxy filled coil, 8mm wires, NGK DPR6RA plugs at .035"
-Fisher Dynamics Vector harmonic balancer, w/ 36-1 crank trigger and magnetic reluctor sensor hidden. Not implemented yet.
-1 5/8" S&S header, Vanagon gaskets, ported collector, NTK wideband, Dynomax magnum straight through 2.5" muffler

older pic of engine before install.
bajatrial.jpg

Re: Steve Arndt baja build project

Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 12:14 pm
by Devastator
Steve Arndt wrote:I don't run megasquirt. I just help out in the forum some.
Another EFI guy on the Offroad forum? Cool. 8)
Welcome Steve! :)

What's a :
Steve Arndt wrote:-40x35 DRD Racing heads with infinite angle radius anti-reversion valve job
Is it true that running an Accusump without an electric, (or hand operated), valve, will dump oil back into your engine upon shutdown? I've been thinking of adding a 1 quart size model to my sandrail, but am not sure about the on/off valve situation.

Re: Steve Arndt baja build project

Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 12:45 pm
by Steve Arndt
Yeah, without the valve it will dump all the oil when the pressure value on the oil side is lower than the air side of the accumulator. The cup runeth over (out the crank seal) with 6 quarts in a 3qt engine case :) I have my solenoid controlled by the ignition, but also with switch to defeat it. This way if I'm sitting with key on/engine off I can stop the sump valve from opening. Then flip the switch and it is pre-oiled as shown in the video above.

The infinite angle valve job is a design pioneered by Larry Widmer. John Connolly owns the tooling. Only the single angle where the valve seals is of a discrete angle. Above and below that the radius of curvature of the seat is cut so that the short side of the port gets a longer total length radius. The long wall gets a straight cut. This aids in reducing mixture shear and improving atomization of the a/f mixture. The pistons, cam timing, and valve job all play a part in "soft head" and 13:1 on 89 octane. Thanks for the interest.

Re: Steve Arndt baja build project

Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 1:01 pm
by Steve Arndt
Padded dash removal:
Sorry about the low res cell phone pics.

The gauges are Dakota digital cylinder head temperature, oil temp, oil pressure, voltmeter, a J&S knock sensor/AFR combo, Tech Edge WBO2, and 5" Monster tachometer on home made bracket that mounts through the old headlight switch hole with no dash mods.

I did the removal, metal work, welding, body work, and paint myself. I like mechanical things, and hate bodywork, so be nice!

Start to finish:

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s

Re: Steve Arndt baja build project

Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 1:15 pm
by Devastator
Steve Arndt wrote:I like mechanical things, and hate bodywork, so be nice!
Yep, right there with you on that one. That's why I have a sandrail. :D
Nice job IMHO.

Re: Steve Arndt baja build project

Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 1:36 pm
by BAJA-IT
The dash looks good!!! We will be doing the same thing to my sons '72.

Re: Steve Arndt baja build project

Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 1:40 pm
by turbobaja
I'm glad you've got a build thread going Steve! That baja has definately got some unique features :shock: . Ever run it down a drag strip??

Re: Steve Arndt baja build project

Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 1:49 pm
by Steve Arndt
I have a set of Firestone wrinkle wall 26x6 slicks waiting to go. I just need a spare pair of 5 lug wheels. The first test and tune of the season is this Saturday and Sunday at Firebird Raceway. I was hoping to make it, but I'm not quite ready yet. Still need to paint it, install the headliner and windows/rubber, then hit the dyno to tune the ECU. Then, to the strip it goes. I want to see what MPH I can ring out of it, then I'm switching ECUs. I want to see what MPH gain there is with all the control the 882C has over engine parameters.

I will also make back to back drag runs with the J&S on, and off. Major power gains have been reported, we'll see. I only get to play with the J&S with the current setup. I can't use it with 882C ECU because my J&S is a single channel distributor model. It should help me figure out a safe timing map and give me info on the detonation resistance of this setup.

Re: Steve Arndt baja build project

Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 2:17 pm
by Devastator
Steve Arndt wrote:The first test and tune of the season is this Saturday and Sunday at Firebird Raceway.
You live in Phoenix then?

Re: Steve Arndt baja build project

Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 4:09 pm
by Qurtys Lyn
BAJA-IT wrote:The dash looks good!!! We will be doing the same thing to my sons '72.
Except I'm keeping my radio hole... I need my tunes.

Re: Steve Arndt baja build project

Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 4:22 pm
by Steve Arndt
Boise Idaho. We have the real Firebird here.

http://www.firebirdonline.com/

Re: Steve Arndt baja build project

Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2011 10:59 am
by Steve Arndt
Normally the CB Performance breather box is held on with a nut and sealed by an o-ring. They tend to leak and move around on the alternator stand. The fix? TIG weld the two together. That is a btlmex Mexican beetle efi alternator stand. Finally, it is powder coated gloss black with the Eastwood coat at home kit. It took a few passes with the TIG to work out the porosity. They are both very dirty castings.

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I bought an 8 point RLR cage. It fit so poorly that I cut it up and just made a rear roll bar/hoop out of it. It has 6x6 plates in the rear package tray that tie into the frame horns with adjustable rods. The front bar is welded into a boxed platform by the B pillar base.
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And for some humor; this took some work to accomplish and at least one full weekend. I will never touch the stuff again!
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Steve

Re: Steve Arndt baja build project

Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2011 5:18 pm
by kyle_pc_75
Nice car! When's the first wheelie? :)

Are you by chance related to some Arndts in Pocatello? My friend married into that family, and they're big into classic cars.

Kyle