Ed's Baja Bug build.

[no1clyde]

Yes there is a lot of good information to be had for sure. I think I have a plan but as we all know plans can and do change. Also I know how things always take longer than one thinks they should, for me the builds are a good way to vent myself. This is my first build like this but I have built many other cars and trucks in the past but I sure wish I would have started build off road cars years ago so I would know what I what now

This is one I did a few years ago and is my DD. My dad bought in new in 67 and in 76 I hit a cow with it and it sat in a field for around 30 years or so when I retired I though do something with the RANCHERO, this is it now and I drive it everyday.

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Put a 5.0 with a AOD in it, been a great ride.

Another one Me and my friend Ken did for him.

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It is a 39-40 Chevy that (my idea) is built on a 91 S10 4WD Blazer. It has a 4.3 V6, auto, cruse, and AC. Him and I worked together before I retired and he is still there. We also built a buggy for each of us and we are taking both buggies to the next BOR race to knock around the pits in.

Anyway I am looking forward to this build and learning things. Maybe my next car will be the results of what I learn building this one

Ed

[TimS]

Ed, Hope you don't mind that I share this picture. I really like this beam brace because it supports the beam as a traditional frame member would and won't rely heavily on triangulation and other support members for the main load (better for an amateur builder like myself). We compared measurements to my race car with stock length link pin arms and center mount rack. There will be plenty of clearance for the tie rods at full droop and the brace extends below the beam no more than a beam clamp would so ground clearance is not compromised.

[Devastator]

Cool! Nice to see someone using a tool-post vise. They take a lot more "planning ahead" than a milling machine IMHO.

[no1clyde]

Tim you are so much better at showing pics than I am, I am just starting to get them in order . I don't mind you showing them at all.

Thanks. Devastator I have had the old lathe for about 15 years now and a friend gave me the tool-post vice 4 years ago for a retirement present and this was the first time I have used it so yes there was a large amount of planning ahead. The next set I make I may use a friends mill though but it is nice to know I can do this kind of work in my own little shop.

Ed

[BAJA-IT]

Ed, I like your Ranchero!

[no1clyde]

Ed, I like your Ranchero!

Thanks!

Ed

[dustymojave]

I too like that Ranchero. I just this morning saw a 67 Fairlane Wagon 1/2 mile from my house. Slightly hotrodded and still in primer, but in progress! I'm a Falcon guy myself. I have a 1-owner 61 Wagon (inherited from grandparents- so no DMV transfer) that I remember riding in when it was new. It's now a project waiting its turn.

There is a term for you to learn Ed..."cycling the suspension"...That's the process of mocking things up without springs and going from bump stop to droop stop and left lock to right lock. The process is used to find where those limits should be and where shock mounts and such need to be, and will tie rods hit, how much bump steer it will have, and what angle your CVs will reach.

I have the impression from Tim's comments above that you guys have worked on cycling some already.

[no1clyde]

Yes Dusty I have been cycling the suspension and am trying to get those things worked out in my mind for both the front and the rear.

Thanks on the Ranchero, it is the first car I have done that I did all the body work and paint on. It is not the best but I learned a lot doing it and it drives awesome. This Ranchero was the first car I ever drove growing up.

Ed

[no1clyde]

Been doing a little more work on the arms. I added some gussets and started working on the king pin inclination.

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Then today I started messing with shock mounting. One of my cheap big ideas that may not work but I think will is to use some dirt bike shocks that I have spares of. They are KYB's and I have all the tools and parts and nitrogen to work on them so I think I can make them work but we will see. I would like a different angle but this is what fits.

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This is where I will bump stop it and this is 13" of up and down travel. also used almost all the shock travel at this point.

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These are not the mounts just playing with where it will have to be. I plan to cage the bug out and will try to double shear the mount when done.

Ed

[JUSSUMGUY]

Ed- is there any way you can get that shock more vertical, not leaned back? On mine I'm setting it up so the coils just miss the beam at full droop.

[TimS]

Have you been able to put weight on it and see how it hold up? Thanks for the update.

[no1clyde]

Richard I will look into moving the top some but not sure what I can get a way with.

Tim I will be putting it on the springs soon with temporary mounts but I think it will be fine.

Ed

[TimS]

Very cool! 13" of travel isn't bad at all, and it won't poke through your fenders.

[Skidmark]

I would put a radius on the corners of those gusset plates (if you hadn't planned on it already). I hate sharp corners!

[no1clyde]

Good point Skid. I am going to trim them down, they have gotten me a time or two already. I have been playing with getting the shock more vertical and I like it and will go with this for now. I had to move the lower mount out some and it has cut the travel to 12" but that is more than enough for this car. I am shooting for around 14" in the rear but we will see when that time comes. Anyway a couple of pics.

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As it goes thru its arc this its closest it gets to any thing and the shock is happier like this. I kinda would like to mount them off the top arm and lay the shock forward in a cantilever position but I want to keep everything under the fenders. This will hopefully be a family play car and the wife has to like the look

Ed